Chapter 17

Alice gasped softly and tried to pull her foot back, but Nick held it firmly. The feet of a ballerina were never particularly beautiful. In fact, the more dedicated the dancer, the more scars and calluses they bore. And hers were no exception. Nick's touch was gentle. She barely felt any discomfort before her slippers were on. "Thank you, Nick. But you really didn't have to." It wasn't that she didn't understand his feelings or that her heart remained untouched. But five years ago, she had already failed him once, for reasons that had seemed necessary then. Thus, how could she now—freshly wounded by Camden—allow herself to accept such pure and fervent love from Nick without guilt? Nick gently smoothed her skirt and said, "Everything I do is of my own free will. I expect nothing in return, not even a response." His eyes burned with intense affection. "Simply seeing you here, alive and well, is the greatest gift I could ever receive." Alice gazed into his handsome face, her eyes