Later that night, Scarlett walked into the bachelor auction late. She’d had a nausea episode before coming and it had put her way behind. An usher gave her a program, led her to a table, and whispered, “You are right here, ma’am. But I’m sorry, some of the hot items—Riker Dylan, the quarterback; Cole Carmichael, the defensive lineman; Knox Sherman, the defensive end; and London Wilder, the cornerback—have already been auctioned off.”

She waved him off distractedly, trying to decide if she would have to puke again or not. “That’s fine, thank you.”

The usher moved away.

Before she could collect herself, another voice intruded on her thoughts. “Let me introduce you to a vet who came to the Titans this past year and did what even I couldn’t do.”

Scarlett looked up to the front of the room and saw a man by the name of Scar Walker, the man she knew was heading up the Sparring for Vets Foundation.

Scar grinned and spoke to the audience again. “The man I’m talking about actually helped take the Titans to a championship this year.”

The crowd cheered and clapped and yelled. Scarlett half-clapped. Vaguely, she noticed a guy venturing out onto the edge of the stage in a tux.

Scar cleared his throat. “I know there’s been some commotion in the press about this guy, but all I have to say is, anyone who was part of a special ops team deserves our respect.”

A round of boos rumbled from the crowd, much to Scarlett’s confusion.

Scar looked upset for a second before he said into the microphone, “Please put your hands together for the next bachelor, the center of the Texas Titans, and one of the best players I’ve ever met. Put your hands together for Walker Kent!”

Most of the booing stopped, and clapping replaced it.

Scarlett wasn’t clapping. She couldn’t move at all. To her astonishment, she found herself staring at the man who she hadn’t been able to get out of her mind all day. The one who had said he was “saving her” in her lake.

He looked uncomfortable. She could tell he was trying to smile, but he wasn’t a media playboy. Not the type of guy who could put on an act. Something about that fact made her heart flutter. This man, who earlier had attempted to save her life, was here.

Was that some kind of sign?

The media darling, Maia, took the stage and started the bidding at one hundred thousand dollars.

Scarlett studied the man, who could be likened to a Greek god. She thought about seeing him without his shirt on at the lake. The man was ripped and broad-shouldered, and as she looked at him on stage, she thought he must be six foot five, roughly two hundred and eighty pounds? She couldn’t know for sure, but now she was looking at him like she would look at a co-star.

Then it hit her. She put her hand to her mouth. Oh my gosh. Kent. Grant Kent was his brother.

Amidst the bidding, she pulled out her phone and texted Grant. Your brother is a Titan football player?

Her heart raced. This was crazy! She adored Grant. He’d helped keep her secret when she’d gotten the lumpectomy six months ago. She hadn’t wanted anyone to know—not the producers, press, or her family—but she’d needed help keeping the secret. When she’d asked Grant, he’d been more than compassionate, explaining how he’d lost his own mother to cancer. It had bonded them. Truthfully, she had been attracted to Grant, but he was in a relationship with another one of his co-stars from the Wrecked and Ravaged movies, so Grant was always flying off to see her. But they’d settled into a nice friendship.

Grant texted back. Yep. You at the auction tonight?

Letting out a little laugh, she thought about the night Grant had come to visit her after the surgery. He’d told her all about his crazy brothers. She realized Walker Kent must be the helicopter pilot. The one who had been dishonorably discharged for classified reasons last year. When Grant had spoken about it, he’d been all upset, telling her he couldn’t disclose what had happened, but he did mention that his brother had done the honorable thing and been gypped for it.

Scarlett redirected her gaze to the auction and looked at this man with new eyes. He was Grant’s brother?

Maia kept calling out bids. Scarlett noted two divas were bidding on him in the back, wearing horribly tacky dresses and obviously bidding against each other.

“The Delaney sisters are making their play, folks.” Maia smiled proudly. “Let’s see if we can get more for this tall, dark, and handsome gentleman. How about three hundred thousand?”

Scarlett’s heart raced. Of course, she had no limit on price. It was funny—she’d been planning on buying a no-name player and then talking him out of the date, since she needed to get to her brother’s wedding. Now she was reconsidering.

“And the bidding’s up to four hundred thousand,” Maia announced.

Scarlett was startled. It was already up there. She looked around and saw the two catlike women looking at him like they would eat him.

She saw Walker standing straight, hands clasped behind his back. He looked like a soldier standing “at ease.” The look on his face seemed carefully neutral. She imagined this was on par with the worst mission ever and he was simply there to obey orders.

Without knowing why, Scarlett put her bidding card in the air and called out, “Five hundred and fifty thousand for Walker Kent.”

The audience stilled. Maia turned her way, and her eyes lit up upon seeing the latest bidder. “Ladies and gentleman, Miss Scarlett Powers is in the house!”

The audience went into an uproar about the bid, clapping and whooping.

It wasn’t the audience Scarlett was paying attention to. It wasn’t even the way that her mouth had gone dry as she met Walker’s ice-blue eyes. No, it was the way Walker actually smiled with his eyes and cocked an eyebrow like he was pleased.

Scarlett let the beginning of an idea spark to life as a pair of ushers escorted her to the stage. Maia was rattling off some of her movies including the fact she’d just co-starred with Walker’s brother in the romantic comedy Cherished.

When Scarlett arrived, Maia put her hand out to her. “The Powers Foundation is always very supportive of the Bachelor Auction, and could we have one more round of applause for Scarlett Powers!”

Scarlett put on her actress smile and gently waved like she would if she were the Queen of England. Walking toward Walker, she found that she was nervous under the scrutiny of his ice-blue eyes.

As she approached him, she saw the grin on his face had widened and he was reaching out to her. She took his hand, and he pulled her in for a quick kiss on the cheek. “I guess you saved me.”

It was ridiculous, but she found herself laughing.

Maia stared back and forth between them and said to the audience, “Folks, I find this baffling from our very stoic Mr. Kent. He … it appears they might know each other?”

Walker winked at Scarlett, then nodded at Maia. “Yeah, we know each other.”

The chemistry thickened between them. Out of nowhere, he closed the gap between them and pressed his lips to hers, ever so softly.

Zing! Electricity pulsed through her, and she wondered if she’d ever felt something like this before. Strike that—she knew she’d never felt anything like this before. However much she told herself to think about it as being staged, this kiss was different from any other kiss she had ever experienced. Then there was the strength in his arms as he put his hands on her waist, pulling her toward him.

She gave in to the intoxicating kiss because it wasn’t an act. She struggled through the tidal wave of emotions that surged through her like a fire hose.

When the kiss ended, the room burst into applause. A bit dazed, Scarlett turned to look at Walker, who was still looking at her in that smug way, like he’d just won some battle.

Maia was on Walker’s other side, taking his hand and holding it up. “Sold! For five hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Another Kent brother who, I’m sure, is worth every penny!”

Scarlett pulled their linked hands up. All right, she was going to do this. That kiss had just convinced her. Despite the nervousness pulsing through her, she grabbed the mic from Maia and held it to her lips. “Of course he’s worth it. He’s my fiancé.”