Alec’s blood ran cold and his gut seized. The sound of alarmed shouts dimmed as horror filled him. With a noiseless plea for mercy, he raced headlong toward what looked like certain disaster.
Lilly wanted to be anywhere but poolside, sitting in a cushioned chair and surrounded by a ring of people, their attention focused on her. “Really, I’m fine,” she said for the dozenth time, trying to rise.
Alec pushed her back down with a heavy hand on her shoulder. “Not until you’re patched up.”
“In my room—”
“Here, Alec,” a handsome, thirtyish man said, pushing through the small crowd to stand beside him.
“Thanks, Kane.” Alec grabbed the round bar tray bearing various first aid supplies.
Lilly’s eyes bugged out. “Is that a disposable scalpel? I don’t need to lose any more skin.”
The handsome stranger grinned at her. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I just grabbed everything we had on hand.”
Alec muttered something that might have been “She’s not your sweetheart” and then crouched down to inspect Lilly’s skinned knees again, sliding the tray onto the pool deck at her feet. He pushed up the hem of her skirt a little, then glanced up, sincere contrition in his eyes. “I really am sorry.”
“You’ve already said,” she replied, a little testily. The scraped skin was stinging and she really just wanted to go back to her room where she could be away from Alec and his hands and the way she felt when he did something as innocuous as slipping her dress two inches up her thighs. Both gave her the most childish urge to give in to tears and she never did that.
Her surreptitious little sniff did not go unheard, however.
“You can go ahead and cry,” he said quietly, and pressed a tissue into her hand.
She threw it back in his face. “I never cry,” she said, her voice low.
Alec’s eyebrows rose. “Okay. I believe you.”
“Good.”
He bent his head over the worst injury, and blew gently on it. “I shouldn’t have asked you to chase after Buster,” he said. He took up a brown bottle of something and a cotton ball.
“I’m happy to have helped with the puppy.” She pushed his hand away when he moved to dab at one of the wounds. “What is that?”
“Something to clean the scrape. You have dirt in it.”
“I like that dirt. I saved a dog’s life for that dirt. You said so yourself.” With the black limo speeding toward the portico, she’d managed to step on the pet’s leash and halt the animal’s forward momentum—and potential clash with said limo—but in the process had fallen onto her knees. The injuries were minor and she hated being fussed over.
Well, she wasn’t used to being fussed over and having Alec do it made her feel all…squirmy inside.
He sighed. “Lilly—”
“Just slap an elastic bandage on it,” she said, throwing out an impatient hand.
“We can’t do that.” Alec frowned. “That’s just covering up the problem.”
“I like covering up problems. Just as much as I like avoiding them. Just as much as I like avoiding certain people.” She sent him a narrow-eyed look, reminding him of their agreement to steer clear of each other.
“We need to tend this.” His expression turned stony. “Stop being such a baby.”
Her temper flared. “Stop trying to impersonate Dr. McDreamy, because you’re not even close.” She glared at him.
He returned the favor.
“Children,” an amused female voice said, and a new person entered Lilly’s field of vision that, as usual, had diminished to just Alec, as it always did when he got too close.
The woman was middle-aged and pretty, in a dress splashed with tropical flowers that screamed Expensive Resort Chic. In her arms slept an adorable Buster—she’d learned his name during the debacle—presumably worn out by his earlier mischief.
“Can I help here?” the woman continued, handing over the puppy to the guy who’d delivered the first aid stuff. “Alec, you’re sounding very bossy.”
He rose to his feet, not looking the least bit abashed. “She needs those knees cleaned up,” he muttered.
The older woman stepped closer. “I’m Miranda Thatcher, Dr. McDreamy’s—uh, Alec’s mother.”
Embarrassed all over again, Lilly shook her proffered hand. “Nice to meet you,” she said.
“I hope you think so after I bandage those wounds.”
“Oh, I couldn’t—”
“Buster’s my pet, so it’s the least I can do.” She instructed her son to pull another chair closer and then proceeded to quickly and efficiently clean Lilly’s scrapes and place bandages over them.
“There,” she said, when she was done.
“So brave, sugar,” Alec said, with overdone admiration. “Do I need to find you a lollipop now?”
“No, Alec.” His mother gave her son a scolding glance. “What you need to do is find the catering manager and tell her to set another place at our table for dinner.”
Uh-oh. “I hope you don’t intend that for me,” Lilly said quickly. “I appreciate the thought, but I really couldn’t take advantage of your hospitality.”
“You saved my dog,” Miranda said, reaching over to take Lilly’s hand. The older woman’s was slender and cool with short, manicured nails covered in clear polish. “Surely you can be our honored guest tonight.”
Somehow Lilly found herself on her feet, her hand still held. Then Miranda tucked it into the curve of her elbow and drew Lilly away from the pool area. “It’s going to be a lovely meal,” she said, leading her to a long, outdoor room created by a canopy of fabric. Twinkle lights ran along the edges of the “roof” and inside was a long table set for forty, with gleaming plates, cutlery, and glassware. The space was warmed by strategically placed heaters.
Dazzled by the pretty setting, Lilly noticed other people choosing seats. Miranda guided Lilly to one at the middle of the table and when a server pulled out the chair, what else could she do but slide into it? The older woman took the one beside her.
“Won’t this be nice?” Miranda said, with
