CHAPTER 99

Sed kissed her temple and then sat beside her. “Is this my surprise? You look beautiful.”

She flushed with pleasure. “Part of it. And thank you. How’s your throat feeling?”

“Not bad. I heal quickly. I can talk okay now.”

“No, you can’t.” She reached under the table and retrieved the gift bag she’d stashed at her feet. “Your surprise is in here. Have you been good for Eric today?”

He hesitated, looking at the ceiling in deep concentration, and then nodded.

Somehow she doubted he was being sincere, but she handed the gift bag to him.

“What is—”

She covered his mouth with her hand. “No talking, Sed.”

He reached into the gift bag and pulled out a small dry-erase board and marker. He didn’t even try to hide his disappointment. “I thought you’d get me something sexy.”

“If you use that to communicate instead of talking, I have another surprise for you.”

“Yeah?”

“You’ll probably like this one better.”

He uncapped the marker and wrote OK on the board.

She reached up and cupped his face in her