BOOK 2

“You mean you haven’t—”

“There’s been no one else. Ever” he repeated softly.

Her eyes warmed, lost a little of her confusion. “I’m glad,” she whispered, then laughed nervously. “Not about . . . your, uh, problem.” Her gaze rested on the vee of his jeans, then widened slightly at the unmistakable bulge she saw there. “But that there’s been no one else.”

They stared at each other.

“I think . . . I’ll get dressed now,” she said.

He pushed her gently toward the door. “In the bedroom.”

At her bafflement, he slid his hands into his pockets. “I need to shower now.”

“You already did.”

His smile was wry, crooked, and more than a tad self-mocking. “Yeah, but now I need a cold one.”

The Christmas spirit had taken hold at the Daily News. Wreaths decorated every door and hallway. Goodies and chocolates were laid out in the snack rooms. Festive holiday music filled the air.

Still, there was much to be done. To prove it, Justine threw herself wholeheartedly into work. She moved from one meeting to a