stood by her bedroom window, watching the storm devour Manhattan. Lightning ca

errupted he

, worry creasing her face. "Mr. Ashcroft's caregiver called. She c

. "What about William?

'am. Mr. Cooper suggested yo

hing Lucy wanted was to be anywhere near him. But as

ow me what nee

loaded with medical supplies, pill organizers, and Marga

m's voice cut throug

by dark furniture and floor-to-ceiling windows that revealed the apocalyptic storm outside

the flooding," Lucy said, keeping her vo

is blue eyes catching the lampl

u do. Your medica

andle it

ed. "Can you? Because your staff seems to think otherwise, and I'm n

ise, perhaps even grudging respect. Thunder cra

hed teeth. "Leave the medicat

he pill organizer, reading Margaret's no

not h

not op

sai

leaving until you've taken your medications properly. We can fi

am's jaw worked as he clearly fou

way," he

awkwardly as silence fell between them. She c

gree to marry me?" Wi

tled. "You know w

'm asking about you. Isabel couldn't run fast enough

mething about the genuine curiosity beneath

t my father a business deal, it destroyed him. The shame, the humiliation. And M

iced yo

when you agreed to marry one of the Carson

wed. "What makes you

I'm nothing but an inconvenience.

tely. Darkness swallowed the room except for sporadi

hould start any

generator never kicked in. Tempe

cy said, reaching for

hasn't started by now

l himself toward the bed. His chair caught on so

me

n't n

ug. William tried to compensate, but momentum worked against him. Lucy rush

ight?" Her h

d out, but she heard the

're

orted in pain. His han

?" Alarm shot

was tight. "Happens someti

body had gone rigid, his breathing shallow and quick. Lucy remembe

e what

His words dissolved

m going to try to work out that spasm. You can fire me tomor

e wasn't worth suffering, but William didn't argue. Lucy helped him transfer

ing to maintain professionalism despite the intimacy of the sit

d before beginning to massa

arefully, remembering techniques her mother had used years ago when Lucy got cramp

dying breath. Lucy focused on her task, trying not to think about how strange

g, needing to fill the heavy silence. "When I was you

iam's voice was st

Lucy continued the massage, feeling the tension finally e

ng your fam

es

and the spasm finally released complet

d, standing. "I'll stay ne

uc

never used her f

sed, seeming to wrestle with something. "This was my father's dying wish. That I'd marry, have a family. He was terrified I'd spend my life alone and bitt

said softly. "You're hur

ng passed between them-recognition, perhaps

ose enough to shake the entire mansion. A t

.." Lucy started

stopped her. "It's not safe wande

stopped Lucy cold. She'd

t until morning," he co

ndow, wrapping herself in a throw blanket. But within mi

m said quietly. "And you're freez

d to the far side of the massive bed, staying on t

whispered. "For

exhaustion heavy in his voic

ing gradually even out into sleep, she felt something shift between them. Not

e heard it. A soft thud, followed

iam on the floor beside the bed, his wheelchair overturned, reaching desperat

ucy scramble

time since she'd met him, she saw somet

saw