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He collapsed on her, trying to keep ely vitalized too He let his head rest next to Ria’s and she turned her face toward his He felt her co him, and he relaxed into her touch Her hand drifted to his cheek, caressing hi his jaw and she whispered, "Thank you"

No, thank you, he thought, savoring the pleasure still coursing lazily through his body He felt more alive, and at peace, than he had in years

Welcoht in sudden whi of sorts, as if he’d found hiret to co down but all he felt was extre contente into hiss sorrow that she was gone but it was just a faint echo of the debilitating grief he’d lived with for years

He took an unsteady breath Was he finally ready to move on? He wasn’t sure how that made him feel, but he kneas time

Goodbye, o now I know you would say, And about time too! and he could alain, he was filled with that sense of peace and contentment

All thanks to a chance encounter with a lovely stranger in a strange city A chance encounter that would only last for one night, since he was scheduled to go home the next day

He felt as if he’d been splashed with cold water at the reht stand, essentially But why did it have to be just for one night? He could extend his stay--surely he could convince Ria to see hiain She couldn’t just want a brief hook-up, could she? Not for her first time He kneanted to explore this connection between the quite like this before and so fast too, and she must feel the same way or else she wouldn’t have propositioned hiht to convince her that what they had started orth exploring, he quickly decided He would spend the rest of the night giving her orgas that he’d have an easy ti her that this wasHe’d always been known as ahis oay and he saw no reason that would change now

He raised hilad he didn’t see any obvious signs of blood or disco a note to wet a toith hot water fro pain, and turned towards the sitting roo?" Ria asked sleepily

"To fetch the condo"

"Oh!" All the sleepiness had vanished from her voice

He smirked--he really hoped that she only had one condoain

TWO

December, six lancing anxiously at the sky It looked like the ain If the o clouds and a lifeti, the blizzard of the century was about to hit several hours early

As if in warning, a few large flakes lazily fell against her windshield beforeaway At least she had some time before the snow really started to fall--when the wind picked up and the snowflakes became smaller and heavier, then she’d really be in trouble if she was still on the road

But--she checked the GPS on her phone--it looked like she should be at the Trenthaoodness she’d been assured the final intervieaselse--otherwise she’d be stuck in New York during a blizzard with no place to go

She looked for a radio station with a weather update and to her frustration found instead countless stations playing Christmas music Maria loved Christmas and Christmas music, but not when she was about to drive into a blizzard

She sighed in relief when she passed the sign for the closest town, indicating that her trip was nearly over The Trentham estate was about ten miles further, and at least there wasn’t much traffic to worry about

She quickly reviewed her mental notes about her new family, whom she had yet to meet She’d intervieith Matt Drake, the executive assistant of Mr Trentham twice, once over the phone and then in person in Boston She was surprised that Mr Trentham hadn’t been at the second interview, but Matt assured her that she would meet hiest Trenthah she was sure she’d be spending a lot of time with the other children too Their previous nanny had decided to retire and iven birth to the nanny’s first grandchild Meggie had just turned five, and aside fros, Maria would be completely responsible for her care and education until next year, when Meggie was old enough to attend first grade at the nearby exclusive private school her siblings attended

The older siblings were Elizabeth, age twelve, and twins Saically, their o in a car accident and their father was G C Trentham, a venture capitalist Matt had told her in their last conversation that Mr Trenthaed, so at least the children would have a new h a new mother didn’t mean the children wouldn’t still need a nanny--nannies were highly valued a the affluent, which hy she’d decided to beco the convent She still had a riet a teaching job that would pay well enough to make a dent in those debts

Since she loved children and was trained to ith them, she had decided to become a nanny for a few years, at least until her finances were in better shape Lucky for her, a certified teacher with both a degree and working experience in childhood education as well as terrific references from the Sisters at the convent school ency hadn’t had any proble jobs