“You’re a bad liar.” He leaned back on the rock. “If I told you that there is no way I could run after you, nor do I have the desire to do you any harm, would you sit down, take in your pretty pink flower and enjoy the fact that you are off the grid? I’ll even lend you this.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a little nail file.

What her father would call stupidity, she called trust. Somewhere there had to be one good person who simply wanted to sit and look out at the lake. Almost as if she were under a spell, she tiptoed toward him, took his offering and then sat down on the edge of the rock. “Thank you, I’m—”

“No.” He cut her off. “Don’t tell me. No names, no games, no charade. Just two people who need to not have a cell site.”

“All right. That seems reasonable. No names, no games, no charade.” She would never give him her last name on the off chance he knew the Windsomes. Not used to tending to herself, she filed her nail, making it lopsided, but at least there was no chip. “Why don’t you want a cell site?”

“Every phone call I get seems to hold one horror story or another. Something I have to deal with, something I have to do, a commitment I don’t want to keep. The people I want to talk to never seem to call, those I don’t want to hear from have me on speed dial.” His voice lowered. “And you?”

He stared at her, revealing the most amazing blue eyes, light, shining and clear. In fact, now that she really took him in, he wasn’t a crazed mountain man, but one of those men who innately possessed style and edge, with a ring of a snake on one finger and a leather cuff on his wrist. She was the polar opposite in her designer business suit and smart jewelry. Part of her wished she could let loose and put on some leather and lace, maybe have something with a skull. Wouldn’t that shock her father?

“I think you and I are leading the same life, we’re just in different dimensions.” She gave him back the file.

“Most people aren’t all that different.” He twirled the little tool between his fingers. “Trying to hold on to something we want even if we shouldn’t have it. Trying to let go of something we have even if we need it.”

“Are you a scholar or wizard or something?” How did this man say exactly what was in her mind?

“No, just a guy with too much time and not enough sense.” He picked up a small pebble and tossed it into the lake. The small rock barely made a splash, but she watched the ripples anyway.

“I’m a girl with no time and a lot of dollars.” She shook her head and lifted her flower. When had she simply appreciated a flower? Last time she checked, she was upset the floral arrangement delivered to her office didn’t have the right pink roses. “Maybe I need to take the time to learn some stuff, look at a sunset, talk to a nameless man.”

“All things money can’t buy.” His voice echoed through the space.

They faced each other.

“Strange, isn’t it?” she whispered. How did she have a connection to a man who she didn’t know?

“Not really,” he said. “Maybe when you are caught up with whatever you do, you can remember that what you really want is free of charge, and that will give you a little comfort.”

“Who are you?” She had to know.

“Exactly what you see.” His tone teased her.

Ryane shook her head. Though she needed to leave, get back to her own life, deal with her father and dinners and trying to learn the business, she couldn’t quite move away from him yet. “Well, at least tell me what I should call you.”

He stared out over the lake as his long hair blew in the light breeze. “Why don’t you give me a name you find fitting?”

“I don’t understand.” Instead of leaving, she continued to sit there on the rock with the strange man.

“What does it matter what my name is?” He faced her. “I would rather you call me something you come up with. Isn’t it much more personal that way?”

The way his blue eyes took her all in and how his soft voice seemed to caress her, her breath caught and she swallowed. “Personal?”

“Yes, Petals, personal.” A low laugh escaped his throat. “Never be scared of being personal, be afraid when things become impersonal, then it means it doesn’t matter anymore.”

She paused. His words came out laced with sadness and she swore she felt heat form behind her eyes. “Petals?”

“It fits you. It came naturally. Soft and sweet, exceptionally beautiful and hiding something.” He shrugged. “Your wheels are turning.”

“That’s not what some would say.” No, most would call her indecisive, incapable, and inept. However, the man did call her beautiful.

Again, he turned and looked out at the water. “Well, the some you speak of aren’t here, and I only see pretty Petals.”

She crossed her arms. “Maybe I don’t want to be soft and sweet.” No, not sweet. She wanted to be hard, a businesswoman, she wanted to be ruthless and cunning, a force to be reckoned with.

“You can’t deny what you are.” He shook his head. “Took me a long time to realize that.”

“I don’t think I’ve learned that lesson yet,” she whispered.

Together they remained side by side. The sun lowered in the sky, appearing as if it was melting behind the mountains in the distance. Before she lost all the light, she had to leave. “I need to go.” She slipped down the rock, falling with a thud into a little patch of moss.

He slid down the rock and offered her his hand. “You need to be careful.”

Without even thinking, she placed her hand in his and he helped her up.

“Thank you.” She didn’t let go. Instead, she took a moment to let his soft hand encompass hers.

“Consider me at your service.” He dipped his head down and kissed the back of her hand.

“Knight.” Her cheeks heated and she bit her lip. Like he predicted, his name simply came to her.

“Pardon?” He raised his eyebrows.

“You’re like a knight.” A bit of confidence racing through her, she reached over and found a branch. “In fact, that’s what I’ll call you.” As if she were truly knighting him, she tapped the stick on both his shoulders.

He bowed his head. “I must say, Petals, I am honored.”

“I really have to go.” She looked down. For the first time in a long time she didn’t have a pit in her stomach weighing her down. Part of her never wanted this moment to end. The magic would be gone.

“Go chew up the corporate world, but don’t forget to stay soft and sweet.” He let his hand slip away from hers, then reached over and gave her the flower and returned to his perch on the rock.

The moment he let go her body tensed. Reality was out there, back in meetings and contracts and deals. “Will I see you again?”

“Apparently, I’m a knight. If you need me you’ll know where to find me.” He gave her a wink.

“Goodbye.” Not wanting to let him out of her sight, she backed up. All she knew was she would have to return.