William was dead asleep as he laid next to her. She followed the lines of his back and wanted to trace them with her fingers. It was odd to care for a man that was as beautiful as he was rough. Her heart hummed for him alone and if she thought too deeply, she might discover the true core of her feelings.

Beth would tease her ruthlessly until she admitted something ridiculous like being in love with him. Doris didn’t know the first thing about love. No one had ever taught her the meaning of it and books only tried to tell her the glorified details of it. Nothing real,...