“Was there anything else in my pockets? Or my bra?”
Why did I put it down my shirt if I had pockets? Was I trying to ensure someone wouldn’t find it?
She gripped the key tighter. Was it a house key? No, it wasn’t shaped like a typical house key, nor did it look like a car key.
“Thank you,” Emily said after the nurse assured her there was nothing else on her person.
She was still contemplating what the key could be for when Jake showed up, looking as handsome and comfortable in dress slacks, bolo tie, and blazer as he did in his wranglers and t-shirt last night.
Concern filled his eyes. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I just have a headache.” It was the truth. Although her headache had less to do with her injuries and more to do with the mystery of the key. Slipping the tiny piece of metal into the bag Faith had brought, she forced a smile. It was bad enough imposing on a stranger, she didn’t want to worry Jake any more than necessary.
It wasn’t long before a nurse pushed her in a wheelchair to the hospital entrance where Jake’s truck waited.
“It’s kind of high for you to climb into with your broken leg. I’ll lift you in, but I don’t want to hurt your ribs, so speak up if I hurt you.” He bent down and put one arm under her knees, then gently slid the other behind her back.
When she leaned forward so he could get his arm behind her, a sharp pain stabbed her side and she gasped.
He pulled back. “Broken ribs hurt worst when you bend or lean forward. Maybe it will help if you put your good arm around my shoulders and lift your upper body up to avoid bending.” He bent again, waited for her to put her arm around his shoulders, then slowly lifted.
She held her breath. When she felt no pain, she gave him a brief smile. “I’m good.”
He guided her casted leg into the truck first then carefully set her on the seat. Closing her door, he walked to the driver’s side and climbed in.
Pain pricked her side again as she reached across her body to buckle her seat belt. Wincing, she straightened.
“Here, let me.” Jake lifted the center console exposing the bench seat and her buckle. He took the seat belt from her.
She caught a fresh, clean, very masculine scent as he leaned toward her. The man smelled as good as he looked.
Click.
Jake buckled her belt, barely touching her, and disappointment filled her when he leaned away.
He put the console back down. “You can prop your cast on here.”
Emily rested her arm on the console, doing her best not to stare at the handsome man behind the wheel as his scent filled the cab of the truck. Instead, she watched out the window as they drove in silence, hoping to spot something familiar.
Anything.
Near what she guessed to be the outskirts of town, she spotted a large, expensive-looking house. The mansion with an unfinished yard, looked pretentious and out of place among the farmland.
After a few more miles, Emily noticed a white, triple-rail fence running along the highway.
Jake pointed out the window. “This is part of the ranch.”
“It’s big,” she said in awe as she realized the fence spanned for miles.
“You’re only seeing a small part of it.”
Emily wasn’t sure what she expected, but Jake had much more acreage than she’d imagined. He probably had a lot more horses and cattle than she’d first thought too.
Jake was a busy man. The last thing he needed was an invalid-stranger imposing on him. Her lack of family and inability to take care of herself created a tightness in her chest.
Jake turned into a long tree-lined lane under a massive gate with the name Double Diamond Ranch across the top. Both ends were flanked with interlocking diamonds. She suspected the insignia was the ranch’s brand.
Emily studied the sprawling ranch house with a wrap-around porch. Her gaze shifted to the massive, red stables that stood some distance behind the house.
