4

Veronica

"Veronica."

His deep, low voice made a command out of my name. I stepped into the room and closed the door behind me, keeping my hands on the doorknob at my back.

He walked over to my desk and picked up the small snow globe. It was a Christmas motif. A family around a tree: mother, father and two little girls, all holding hands, forming a complete circle.

"Late in the year for this, isn't it?"

I went to him to take it from his hands. When my fingers brushed against his, a spark of electricity jolted through me. I gasped, for a moment frozen. Blinking a few times, I finally found my voice. "That's not yours." I took the globe and set it down.

He smiled, moving a little to the side, blocking me between himself and the desk. He stood too close, his body too big. He used up too much of the oxygen, so all I could do was suck in gulps of air.

"But you are."

His gaze searched my face, settled on my mouth.

"Mine, I mean."

My skin prickled, every nerve ending alive, my body at attenti