“Boss,” said Darren, leaning his head into Carter’s study.

“Yes?” Carter looked up from his quarterly budget reports for Roche Electronics.

Darren came into the room. “Sorry to bother you when you’re busy and all, but nobody’s seen Scarlett in hours.”

Carter removed his reading glasses, and looked at Darren. “I saw her this morning around eleven. She was leaving for a walk.”

“It’s six now, Carter, and no one has seen her,” Darren repeated. “I looked everywhere and so did the staff, but I don’t think she ever came back from her walk.” He frowned before tentatively suggesting, “Do you think she flew the coop?”

Shrugging, Carter stood up from the desk. “It’s possible, but I don’t think so. She probably got lost in the woods just to spite me because I told her not to. Take out a small team and look for her. Keep me updated,” he said as Darren hurried out. “Every hour,” he called after him.

At seven, Darren called. “No sign of her yet, Carter. Want us to keep looking?”

“Yes.” Carter was growing concerned himself. She was probably sitting at Terini Manor this very moment, enjoying a hearty chuckle about him with her family. If she wasn’t though, they had to find her. The woods on his property weren’t extremely dangerous, but she was probably scared. And now she was his he had to protect her.

Keep her safe.

Keep her close.

After waiting in the house for what felt like the whole night Carter called Darren. He knew he’d be surprised to hear from him, but Carter was also surprised. Surprised at how worried he was. “If you haven’t had any luck by nine, we’ll call in the police.” How was he supposed to explain the circumstances of this strange arrangement to the authorities? He should probably call Rocco to see if she was home, but didn’t want to show his cards just yet.

* * *

Scarlett was shivering from the cold and her clothes were soaked. Her head and ankle throbbed, and she was miserable. Her chin was resting on her chest as she tried to stay awake, knowing she must stay conscious in case she had a concussion. It took her a moment to recognize the difference in the sound, and then she realized there was something walking through the undergrowth. “Over here,” she called, praying it was someone to rescue her instead of an animal come to eat her.

Darren and two other men found her within minutes, and he knelt beside her. “What the hell happened?”

“I fell off the stones.” Her voice wobbled with embarrassment and stress. “I hit my head and sprained my ankle, or maybe I broke it. Either way, I can’t stand on it, and it hurts just as bad as my head.” She took a deep breath to avoid bursting into tears. “Then it rained, and it hasn’t stopped,” she said with tears in her eyes.

“Let’s get you back to the house,” Darren suggested as he reached for his cell phone. She watched as he made a call. “We found her, boss. She’s hurt, so you might want to arrange for a doctor to meet us at the house.”

“I can’t walk. How am I going to get there?”

Darren lifted her into his arms. “I’ve got you,” he assured her as his two companions walked ahead and behind them, each training their flashlights forward.

Scarlett relaxed in Darren’s arms, figuring it would be easier for him to carry her if she wasn’t stiff. The trek back to the house was much more difficult than the walk she’d originally taken. She felt like a fool when they hit the trail less than five minutes after starting back for the house. She’d been so close. None of this would have happened if she’d reined in her childish impulses and kept searching for the trail.

The lights were blazing at the house as Darren carried her up the stairs and inside. Carter was standing with another man who was holding a black bag. “Thank you, Darren. Take her upstairs. Dr. Weiss will be up in just a moment.”

He nodded to the maid. “Go up with them to help Ms. Terini change into dry clothes.”

Scarlett was lying under the covers when the doctor walked in. “Tell me what happened.” Dr. Weiss looked at her head injury first. Scarlett told him the story as he examined her ankle too.

“I’d feel better if you spent the night at the hospital. You have a concussion, and I want to x-ray that ankle. I don’t think it’s broken, but better to be safe than sorry, yes?”

“I guess,” Scarlett said without enthusiasm.

“I will arrange it. You rest here, but don’t fall asleep just yet.”

“I won’t.” She yawned. “Thank you, doctor.”

Darren came to retrieve her just a few minutes later. “Looks like we’re headed to the hospital. Mind if I carry you again?”

“I’ve got her,” Carter interrupted. He carried her down to the town car and delicately put her inside. When he set her down she missed the warmth of his touch. The way he held her. He quickly climbed in next to her.

“I’m sorry you’re hurt,” he offered.

“Me too. I was so dumb, and I knew it. But I couldn’t help myself.”

“Sometimes we do things we don’t mean to. No one blames you.”

His voice was so soft and reassuring, nothing like earlier in the day.

When they arrived at the hospital Dr. Weiss took care of checking her in. “We’ll start out in the emergency department for your x-ray, and then move you to a room later tonight, Scarlett.”

She nodded, and was given a gown to change into. She shot a helpless look to Carter as the doctor prepared to make himself scarce. “Is the gown really necessary, Dr. Weiss?” he asked for her. “She’s obviously in pain, and there’s no one here to help her change.” She appreciated him trying to help her. The room was fuzzy and she was so exhausted.

Dr. Weiss shrugged. “Don’t worry about the gown for now.” Within a few minutes, a woman in green scrubs arrived.

“I’m Sharon,” she said with a smile. “I’ll be taking you for your x-ray. No, don’t get up—we’ll just take the whole bed, dear.”

Scarlett glanced at Carter, wondering why he’d come back with her. Then they were in the hallway, and he was out of sight. Sharon pushed her through a series of hallways to an elevator. When they left the elevator, they went through a pair of swinging doors marked X-ray.

Sharon positioned Scarlett’s foot and snapped some pictures, then returned her to the room. Carter was still waiting, and Scarlett sat in stiff silence, not sure what to say to him.

“Sorry you got lost,” he said unexpectedly. “I should have offered to show you around, or asked Darren to. I just didn’t know what to do with you. I’m still surprised at how things happened,” he confessed. “I didn’t plan to be bringing you home with me last night, and I haven’t figured out all the details yet.”

“You already apologized.”

He didn’t respond. “So this was my father’s idea?” Scarlett asked, trying to hide her hurt at the knowledge.

“It was his suggestion. I didn’t plan to agree, but somehow we both ended up here.”

“Yes we did.” She wanted to add, hurt, because somehow she knew that was where this was going, for both of them.

Dr. Weiss rejoined them, putting the x-ray films up on a lighted board. “No break. It’s just a very bad sprain, and you’re going to have to be off your feet for a few days.”

“Does that mean I don’t have to stay?” Scarlett asked with relief. She hated hospitals more than anything.

“I’m afraid you do. I want to monitor that concussion. If it worsens, I’ll need to have you here for a C.T. scan. If you’re fine by tomorrow morning, I’ll release you.”

A nurse wrapped Scarlett’s ankle before she was once more transferred to a wheelchair and taken up to a room. After being settled in the bed, a nurse came in to give her a shot for the pain. Carter had hovered nearby during her exam and treatment, she was surprised to find she was comforted by his presence. He turned to leave with the nurse when she stopped him.

“Would you stay with me until I fall asleep?”

“Uh, sure,” he agreed.

Scarlett smiled shyly. “It probably sounds dumb, but I just don’t want to be alone in here, you know? My mother died at Cedar-Sinai, and I’ve hated hospitals ever since.”

“What happened to her?”

“Cancer.” Scarlett didn’t give any more details, except to say, “We visited her every day, and my fear of hospitals sort of became a phobia. I really hate them.”

“I understand. I remember going to see my father at the hospital right before he died. I was nineteen at the time, but it was still frightening.”

“How did he die?”

“A car accident,” Carter said, his tone betraying no hint of emotion. “He held on long enough for my family to say goodbye, and I’m grateful I got the chance.”

“Were you close?”

Carter nodded once, sharply. “Very close. He was a wonderful father, and I only hope I’m half as good if I ever have children.”

“You want children?” Scarlett asked, mouth agape, she didn’t know how their conversation had taken this turn.

“You seem surprised.”

“No offense, but you don’t seem like the family man type. I can definitely see you as a captain of industry, leading your company into the future, but I can’t see you bouncing a baby.”

“What do you know of babies?”

“Plenty. I used to babysit when I was younger. I wasn’t going to let my dad pay for everything.”

“That’s admirable.”

Scarlett watched a glint of light play on Carter’s eyes. He was interested, she could tell she intrigued him. Why else would he stay?