Thanks to everyone reading and to those who reviewed. Sorry this has taken a while.

You all said you want to see Olivia happy at the end of all this…it's just a shame a certain character in this story doesn't feel the same. Originally this chapter was longer but then I began editing it and left it with what it is now, the next chapter is longer though because of it.

I'm dedicating this chapter to my Grandma who is really ill in hospital. It's horrible to think you're going to be gone from us soon. You're the only person I know who wrote a book, of which you dedicated partly to me. Guess I got my passion for writing from you. Love you always Grandma.

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Chapter 9

Two months later

Olivia sat staring out of the window. The city was long behind her now and all that lay ahead was forestry and stunning wildlife, wildlife that was covered in snow. It had been years since she had been this far out of the city, it felt so cleansing.

That was the whole point of this, to help her finish recovering. She smiled and looked down when she felt a hand gently come to rest on her leg. She reached down and softly traced a circle with her finger on the back of the hand.

"What are you thinking about?" Richard asked her.

She looked up from his hand and at his face. "That it's amazing to be out of the city." she told him as he drove.

"Well this weekend is all about doing whatever you want to do. No children, just you and me. It's all about you getting over everything that happened." Richard said, giving her hand and encouraging and supportive squeeze.

"Thank you." she said to him. "But I am kind of already missing the children." she confessed.

Richard smiled and said, "Me too, but I guarantee you my mother will spoil them rotten, she always does when they stay over."

They smiled at one another and then Richard turned his attention back to the road ahead that was quickly becoming covered in snow.

Olivia found herself looking down at her hand, at the beautiful silver engagement ring, upon which sat three small but very proud diamonds. It was the most stunning ring she had ever seen, and it was hers, a sign that she finally had someone who wanted to marry her. It was the perfect.

~0~0~0~0~

They finally arrived at Richard's beautiful log cabin which sat alone in the middle of nothing but trees. There was a driveway big enough for three big cars, and the cabin was bigger than Olivia had thought it would be, much bigger. It was a five bedroom stunner with a large kitchen, a huge dining room with a table big enough for more than ten people to fit around and two huge sitting rooms, both of which had magnificent log burning fires. Olivia wanted Richard to bring the children here and had told him she never wanted them all to return to the city then. Of course she knew at the end of their break they would have to.

Outside it was beginning to get dark, but it was still light enough for them to clearly make out the snow that fell softly and so gracefully, littering the floor in a perfect, undisturbed, white blanket.

Olivia and Richard were sat on the floor in front of the fire, where flames danced and threw out a warm glow. They were sat on a thick, soft blanket and had another draped over them as Olivia sat leaning against Richard as they watched the flames together. Both of them were silent, but little did they know they were both thinking the same thing.

"Do you blame me for what happened, to you and my wives?" Richard asked.

Olivia sat up and turned to face him, shocked by his questions. She was lost for words at first but finally managed to say, "Of course not. Martin was sick!" she told him.

She reached up and touched his face. His eyes looked so sad and he looked like guilt was weighing him down. She gently lifted his chin up so that his eyes met her. "You saved my life, Richard." she told him. "You're letting me become a part of your family, that's the best thing anyone's ever done for me. I'm gonna spend the rest of my life showing you just how thankful I am to you, and how much I love you."

Richard smiled at her. "You're the best thing to ever happen to me and my children." he said before he kissed her.

Olivia couldn't help but smile, until the kiss became deeper and she found herself kissing him right back. They both pulled away, but only to get some much needed air and then they went back into another kiss. This time is was more passionate and their bodies screamed for more.

Olivia grabbed hold of Richard's shirt and pulled it up over his head. He quickly did the same with hers and both were thrown away to the side, no longer needed. Their trousers and the rest of their clothing were quickly shed and they too were thrown to the side.

Richard carefully lowered Olivia down onto her back beneath him, the whole time their lips never broke apart. Richard moved his kisses across her jaw and down her neck, kissing a spot in particular that made her moan and buck her hips against him. His kisses did amazing things to her body and she had to grab a hold of the blanket beneath her as he moved his kisses onto her breasts.

After paying great attention to them he trailed his kisses down her stomach. He stopped and placed a gentle and loving kiss on each of the scars on her stomach. They still had a little healing to do and although they would eventually begin to fade, the mental scars they had left behind for both Richard and Olivia would never heal fully. They'd come so close to losing each other that day.

Richard came back up and his lips met Olivia's once more. His hands explored her body as hers explored his, she knew it by heart by now but it always amazed her. She loved everything about Richard, his perfect body was a bonus and the way he used it to pleasure hers was more than fantastic.

She was bordering on the edge now and his fingers teased her body, threatening to pull her over the edge. "Richard, please…"she begged, out of breath.

He knew what she meant and what she wanted. He moved into her, as gentle as usual, yet still managing to have her body falling over that edge, falling towards pure bliss. He moved harder and faster into her. Both of them were moaning as their bodies reached their climax. Their lips met in a loving kiss as they both took what they desperately needed from one another, only breaking the kiss so they could cry out each other's names as they achieved total pleasure.

When it was all over they just lay there, holding one another, gazing down at one another before simply kissing each other, their love for each other radiating from their bodies.

~0~0~0~0~

Olivia lay on her back and Richard lay on his side next to her. Whilst one hand gently combed through her hair, his other traced soft circles on her shoulder. "That was amazing." Olivia told him, her body still recovering from the highs their lovemaking had sent it to.

She glanced up at him and noticed him smiling down at her. "What?" she asked trying not to laugh.

His response was simply to kiss her. "I love you." he told her.

"I love you too." she told him and then she kissed him. She suddenly needed more form him again so she reached up and pulled him back on top of her. He had no problem with it and his body certainly didn't.

"I really should go and get some more logs for the fire before it dies out." he told her as he gazed down at her, holding her face in his hands.

"We can just light another one." she told him.

"I think you already have." he said and smiled at her seductively.

She smiled right back at him, she could feel the 'fire' she had lit pressing against her thigh. She hooked her legs around Richard and they held onto each other, kissing each other lovingly as their bodies became one once more. They climaxed together, both totally unaware they were being watched from outside.

~0~0~0~0~

They decided that whilst Richard got the wood and attempted to save the fire before it died out completely, Olivia would make them something quick to eat. Richard had pulled on some thick trousers and a t-shirt and pulled on his ski jacket. He'd put on some thick waterproof snow shoes and prepared himself for the harsh wind and the cold snow outside.

He stepped out onto the back porch and made his way down the steps and over to the log shed that lay only several feet away from the cabin. He began collecting wood under his arm when he heard a rustling noise behind him. He turned and tried to make out where the sound had come from. He saw nothing and the sound didn't come again. He turned back to the pile and continued collecting logs.

The blow that hit the back of his head sent everything black before he even hit the floor, the chopped logs scattering on the floor around him. He lay there in the snow, a small trickle of blood seeping from the wound on his head, soiling the snow beneath it. His attacker stepped over him, the thick snow crunching underneath their heavy boots.

They continued to cross the snow, dragging the shovel in their hands behind them through the snow, leaving behind a thin trail of Richard's blood. The snow fell off their black boots as they climbed up the steps and walked across the back porch towards the back door, and then into the house where Olivia was in the kitchen, unprepared for the attack she was about to face.

TBC

A very cruel cliff-hanger, sorry guys but more will be up sooner than this update took.

Hope you enjoyed, please review.