We both sucked in a breath and turned toward the deep voice rumbling from the doorway, dominating the bathroom. It wasn’t simply the sound of Sterling Sparrow that stole my breath; it was the authority of his presence. Swallowing, I scanned the man who’d suddenly appeared.

More haggard than usual, Sterling was still the handsomest man I’d ever encountered. Though his gaze and set jaw said business, his posture seemed more relaxed. With one arm lifted to the ...