Liam slept badly that night. He tossed and turned, staring up at the ceiling in the dim moonlight.He turned to Eva. She was sleeping peacefully, facing him. Her hair had fallen across her face, making it seem as if she were secretly watching him, hiding her gaze behind the strands. Liam gently brushed the hair…

Monday was much like any other day except for a bit more activity in his inbox.         The number two on the screen meant two unread emails. One of the subject lines immediately caught Liam’s eye:         “Book Review.”         He froze. This was the moment he had been waiting for. And the moment he dreaded.         He looked…

Fresh coffee smell. Rich. It filled the cramped apartment.         Liam was still asleep when Eva placed two paper cups of hot coffee and a white box with the red “Elite Taste” logo on the nightstand.         Walking to the window, she theatrically threw her arms wide, pulling the curtains apart, and declared, “Good morning, country!”         The…

     Liam, breathing heavily, lay on the floor, his arms spread wide. Eva settled beside him, resting her head on his chest.         “I hope we haven’t annoyed the neighbors with our moans,” he smiled, looking at the open window.         “Why, was it loud?” Eva asked, lazily drawing circles on his chest with her finger.         “Damn, I…

Sighs and moans floated down to the apartment below, where the sharp ring of the doorbell startled Kate awake at her desk. She blinked, unsure what had woken her. The moans continued overhead. Her eyes moved from the ceiling to the monitor, where a half-written sentence blinked: Job responsibilities include… She squinted at the words.…

The brush, barely grazing the canvas, froze at a brief “hm.” “But it’s already perfect!” Liam protested, his gaze also fixed on the painting. “This shadow… It’s genius. It’s blurred, you can’t see who it is, but you know instantly: He’s about to grab her and do something unspeakable…” Liam approached silently and wrapped his…