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The drawers to her desk were open and filled with receipts and pens and about a hundred little Halloween packages of M&M’s

She has a sweet tooth, he thought, finding the idea utterly intih it was stuffed with lingerie rather than months-old chocolates

More than a little disgusted with hi the door quietly behind hiot’s rooht was the library Both roo out under the doors

The floor creaked behind him and he turned only to come face-to-face with a steely-eyed Savannah

His stomach fell into his shoes

“What are you doing?” she asked

“I thought I heard so,” he lied The lie he’d planned and rehearsed Some of the steel leached from her eyes and she licked her lips He forced himself to be cold, to be numb to her It was much harder than he expected

“What?” she asked “What did you hear?”

“Just so hard not to look lower than her eyes—she earing that purple robe and its gleanetic

“Okay,” she whispered, clearly torn, hesitant to leave him where he stood

“You wanted ht?”

“Right,” she agreed, and then repeated it Stronger “Of course Thank you”

“You’re welco her eyes on his back as he walked away She was suspicious, and he had to hope he found what he was looking for before she discovered the truth about him

THE NEXT MORNING, Doug from the hardware store delivered the tiller and chain saw

Matt met him by the curb and helped him unload

“I’ll take theht with morbid curiosity

“I got it,” Matt said His righteousness fro this guy into the Manor would only h”

Doug peered over Matt’s shoulder “God, look at her,” he said and Matt spun to see all the O’Neill wo at him