He looked like he was analyzing a piece of fau
id, his voice flat. "I've known yo
pared for this. "This isn't about romance. It's a co
problem that requires a stranger to marry me
end him walking away for good. She had to say the words she had spen
ngs. "You should marry me," she said, her voice droppi
n his eyes was replaced by a flicker
lways be my only children. I won't be a mother who resents them, or a stepmother who favors her own. I can give them the stability they need. A nanny's job is
source of all her shame, as a bargain
, which were clenched into white-knuckled fists at her sides. He was considering
his voice softer but still firm, "marria
. But he hadn'
eading now. "As a nanny. A trial period. Let me prove to
t he saw. A young woman who was too eager, too desperate. I
id, his voice cool and distant again. "The ma
but it wasn't a n
r feel lightheaded. "A trial perio
lm dry and warm. The jolt of his touch was so unexpected, so real, it sent a memory flashin
ause he looked at her, his
"Nothing," she said, forcing a s
long, unreadable look
g. A nanny. It wasn't enough. It was too precarious. S
ar car turned onto
urb, a wild, reckless, terri
/1/114378/coverbig.jpg?v=abea1747a685533ca6f862e2f131d353&imageMogr2/format/webp)