Despite how little sleep she’d gotten, Lexie was up at her usual predawn hour to begin her baking. Killian kept her company for a little while, but then he insisted on leaving. He told her he didn’t want to subject her to the gossip if people saw him leaving in the daylight hours.

“I don’t care,” she kept telling him.

“But I do.” He’d kissed her on the tip of her nose. “There’ll be enough tongues wagging as it is. Hell, I’d stand in your window nude with a sign ...