Free Degrees of Passion by Michelle M. Pillow Page A

what’s going on. Are we all right?’
    ‘I promised Mother I’d take care of a few things.’ He touched her cheek briefly. ‘You really didn’t expect me to turn my back on my inheritance, did you? I’m a Kingston. I have responsibilities. The woman in my life must understand that.’
    Sasha opened her mouth to speak, but the small bell over the door jingled, drawing her attention. She glanced over automatically. A man entered, pausing to shuffle his snow-covered work boots. As her eyes swept to his face, her heart almost stopped. Kevin. Here. Now. What were the odds? She bit her lip, unable to breathe.
    I’m dreaming, she thought. This isn’t happening.
    Fully dressed in black slacks with a matching wool coat and contrasting red scarf, Kevin pulled a black skull cap off his head. He smoothed his hair, trying to tame it. Sasha couldn’t help but remember what he looked like beneath his clothes. The harder she tried to forget, the harder it was to keep it from her mind. She scratched at her forearm, absently rubbing the material hiding her tattoo.
    She willed Kevin to turn around, to not notice her. Luck was not on her side. His brown eyes met hers in instant recognition. For a moment, she thought that he would approach, but then he looked at Trevor and all expression faded from his features. He turned to the waitress, not sparing her another glance as he gave an order.
    ‘You know him?’ Trevor asked, drawing her attention back to him.
    ‘Who?’ Sasha blinked in what she hoped was innocence.
    ‘It’s of no concern,’ he dismissed, squeezing her hand. ‘Where were we?’
    Sasha tried to smile, torn between hiding her face from Kevin behind the fall of her shoulder-length hair and sneaking glances to see what he was doing. She didn’t like thinking of Kevin when Trevor was near. A nervous flutter started in her stomach. The sensation seemed to crawl up her chest, choking her with its intensity. She kept the tentative smile on her face, nodding, unable to speak.
    Trevor frowned. ‘You’re still upset.’
    ‘Well, you did kind of spring this on me. I mean, come on, Switzerland? The semester is already started and we barely see each other as it is.’ Sasha couldn’t meet his eyes, secretly glad that he thought the uncomfortable vibe she was giving off was due to his trip. Well, the trip was part of it. She didn’t like the fact that her boyfriend was taking off for three to six months and was only telling her about it on the day of departure. It didn’t help that he indicated part of his reason for going was to please his mother’s wishes. How many more of his mother’s wishes would he try to fulfill? More débutante balls and society women? He had to have known he was leaving that night they were at his parents, when his mother spoke of Tara Wellings.
    Sasha wanted to be mad at him, but with her sin literally in the same room as them she couldn’t find the justification. The bell rang again and Sasha looked over. Kevin had left. She took a deep breath, thankful that he hadn’t tried to talk to her.
    ‘I know I should have said something before. I just hate seeing you upset and I didn’t want to ruin our time together.’ He straightened, on the verge of standing. ‘Don’t you have to go?’
    Sasha went to look at her watch only to realize she’d forgotten it. She glanced at the wall behind the counter. ‘Yeah, if I don’t, I’m going to be late.’ She stood. Grabbing her now cool cappuccino, she drank it fast. She really wanted to stay and talk this out, but if she messed up this internship she would put an earlier graduation in jeopardy.
    ‘You’re going to be so busy you won’t even know I’m gone.’ He said the words, but his expression indicated he didn’t really believe them. No one could accuse Trevor of not knowing his own worth.
    She picked up her gift. The webcam box was too big to fit into her messenger bag so she was forced to hold the gift bag. Trevor threw cash down on the