Claire marvelled at how Jamie had become an integral part of her life, his absence a void that yearned to be filled. As she lay there in the solitude of the room, her longing for Jamie intertwined with a sense of vulnerability. She found herself acknowledging how much power he held over her heart. The intensity of her feelings and the depth of her emotional dependence on him terrified her, but before she could panic further, Jamie walked into the room, closing the door behind him.