"Nathan, didn't you come home earlier?" Elena asked softly, still in the man's arms. Her voice was barely audible, nestled against the sound of a heart beating too fast.

Nathan sighed, slowly released his embrace, and looked at Elena gently. "Yeah. But you left your phone in my car," he said, indicating the cell phone she had left on the passenger seat. "And somehow I didn't feel right."

Elena gave a small nod, then reached for her phone with trembling hands. "Thank you."

They looked at each other. An instant felt like a long time. Time froze.

Nathan sat beside her, still keeping his distance. But there was something in...