Sarah's questioning stare searched Talli's face before nodding slowly. "Will you be here if I come back?"

"I'll wait right here. How would that be?"

"Okay." Satisfied with Talli's answer, Sarah scampered off to join the rest of the children.

"I'm sorry, Miss Paxton. Sarah is still having problems adjusting."

Talli watched Sarah as she rejoined the other children. Her tiny body hanging back, she stayed on the outskirts of the group, pa.s.sive among the other noisy kids.

"Mrs. Byrd, could you tell me why Sarah is here? Would it be breaking any rules?" Talli asked quietly, her gaze following Sarah.

"Sarah came to us a little over two months ago, from a chemical dependent mother and an absent father. Sarah's mother was young, too young to have a child and she took her frustrations out on Sarah. When we intervened, it was too late. The damage had already been done. Sarah had been forced to stay in the closet during the times her mother was "entertaining" gentlemen callers. From what neighbors and witnesses could tell us, her mother was prost.i.tuting herself to raise money for her drug purchases. Unfortunately, with the system so overworked, and the employees so underpaid, too many cases fall through the cracks before anything can be done about them."

Talli placed a rea.s.suring hand on the woman's arm. "I think Sarah was one of the lucky ones. She has you and the Children's Castle behind her."

Mrs. Byrd shook her head sadly. "She only has the Children's Castle now. Her mother gave up all rights to custody yesterday. She claims Sarah would be better off placed in an adoptive home."

Talli's hand curved protectively over her own ballooning stomach. What would happen if no one wanted the baby she was carrying? The thought brought tears to her eyes. She couldn't imagine the thought of relinquishing a child. Nothing like that was going to happen to her baby, she thought fiercely. Correction, she chided herself, Derek's baby. A baby she and Derek had created. One that lived within her at this very moment. One that she had conveniently forgotten she would willingly walk away from within a matter of months.

November brought the first winter's snowfall. Derek pinched the bridge of his nose as he slid into the comfortable softness the leather chair offered. What he wouldn't give to open the living room windows and let the cold air hit him square in the face. As he continued to look out the window, the snow fell in large swirling flakes. The radio reports were predicting a major blizzard heading their way.

Maybe Anthony was right. Perhaps he had been nuts to think this would work. In the beginning, he hadn't given much thought to the emotional ramifications of his plan, but surrogacy contracts were no different than an arranged marriage contract. Or were they? A twinge of guilt a.s.sailed his senses. He envisioned his agreement with Talli to be clinical, even sterile, yet whenever their paths crossed, his mind conjured up forbidden images of a very non-clinical settings. Not for the first time since signing his name on the dotted line, did doubts pop up in Derek's mind. He took a healthy gulp of brandy in the gla.s.s before him, feeling it burn its way down his throat.

Maimie clucked in concern, "What's the matter, Derek?"

Derek sighed before speaking. "I don't get it. I took a plate of chocolate chip cookies up to Talli's room just now, and she started to cry. I thought she loved chocolate chip cookies?"

"Uh uh. That was last week," Maimie corrected him. "This week she hates them. Now, she's in love with green peppers and cinnamon applesauce."

Throwing his hands up in the air, Derek groaned. "I don't know what to say, I don't know what to do. I can't keep up with these crazy cravings she has. I thought something was wrong with the baby, but no, she told me that Wylie E. Coyote had fallen off the cliff chasing the Roadrunner. It's a cartoon, for G.o.d's sake! He falls off a cliff in every episode. Then this morning, she went off on another tirade about how the network executives left the castaways stranded on Gilligan's Island for so many years. Oh, then she goes into a crying jag over how come Ginger and Mary Ann are so thin. Apparently they've never had to worry about stretch marks blemishing their skin on the island. Maimie, none of the books I've been reading go into any detail about what to do. How am I supposed to help her? How am I supposed to help myself to keep from going crazy until the baby arrives?"

"Honey, this is all very normal. Pregnant mama's go through a lot of different feelings. It's just their body's way of telling them that something has upset the apple cart. Once that precious little bundle of joy is born, everything will go back to normal. You just wait and see." Patting his arm, she added, "You have to have patience. Just relax."

"I don't know, Maimie. I never planned for any of this," he said wearily.

"Ssh, you listen to old Maimie now. If I say everything is going to be fine, then it's going to be fine. You just lay your head back and take a nice nap. I'll call you when dinner is ready."

Smiling at her sound reasoning, Derek laid his head back on the leather chair and closed his eyes. Maybe Maimie was right. Maybe everything would go back to normal after the baby was born. But would his feelings go back to normal? Would he be able to stop tasting the softness of her lips, the feel of her smooth skin beneath his fingers, the soft breathy sound of her moans as she cried out her pleasures? His last thought was of Talli before he fell into a deep and peaceful sleep.

Derek watched Talli approach through half closed eyelids. Pushing the door of the study shut tightly behind her, he watched her creep across the room, her steps slowing as she stood before his chair.

"Derek, are you awake?"

He stayed silent, keeping his breathing regular.

Talli crept closer, her eyes roaming over his face. "Well then, I'll just have to wake you up, I guess."

Derek watched her green eyes sparkle through his slitted lids, as she studied his sleeping form. He listened for her movements. Had she left? Derek tried to judge where she was, when a pair of moist lips brushed themselves gently against his own. Her lips parted as she molded her mouth to his, her tongue parrying, inviting, leaving his mouth on fire for more. He groaned, his hands reaching up for her.

"Love me, Derek," she whispered against his lips.

"Talli," he growled, his hands burying themselves in her thick tresses, pulling her toward him.

Her lips continued their quest, searching, teasing, driving him mad with desire. He could hear her gasp as his trembling fingers freed the b.u.t.tons of her dress, reaching inside to push aside the lacy cup of her bra, his tongue tantalizing the tiny pink bud, his teeth teasing the sensitive peak over and over.

Instinctively, her body arched toward him, her hips squirming, pushing closer, seeking relief.

"Yes," she moaned, holding his head tight to her chest, as he laved the nipples one by one, taking her full b.r.e.a.s.t.s gently in his hands.

Their clothes fell to the floor of the study in disarray, in their haste to fulfill their mutual desire.

He felt her b.r.e.a.s.t.s crush against his chest. Derek slowly moved his hands downward, exploring her body swollen with child. His palm caressed the length of her thigh. As he roused her pa.s.sion with his fingers, she moaned and slid her hand around him, holding him captive, stroking him slowly. Derek abandoned himself to temptation, as she welcomed him deep within her, his hands locked about her hips.

She met his thrusts and gave herself over to the sensations he created. Their bodies grew slick with sweat as they climbed higher, reaching oblivion together.

"I love you, Talli," Derek whispered, the words stumbling off his lips, as a deep feeling of peace and contentment entered his body.

"Mr. Cameron, sir."

Derek shrugged off the hand that was gently shaking his shoulder. What had he just muttered only seconds before? "Not now," he heard his own voice, thick and unsteady.

"Sir, Mrs. Byrd is on the phone. There's an emergency at the Children's Castle."

Derek became instantly alert in a heartbeat. "What?"

"A child is missing, sir. It's Sarah. Apparently she managed to unlatch the security gate and wandered off. Mrs. Byrd is frantic. She awaits you on the telephone." Joseph stood quietly beside the chair.

Derek reached his desk in two strides. "Mrs. Byrd, what's happened?" He listened, his eyes narrowing. "All right, I'll be right there. Alert the police, tell them everything you've just told me. I'm on my way."

Derek dropped the receiver, hurrying around the desk. "Joseph, I'll take the Jeep. It's faster for me and I can cover more ground. Tell Talli..."

"Tell me what?" Talli stood uncertainly in the open doorway of the study.

"Sarah's missing. Somehow she managed to open the gate and leave the grounds."

Talli's eyes widened as she drew a shaky hand to her lips. "Oh my G.o.d, she's just a baby. I'm going with you."

"No, I want you to stay here. It's snowing bad out there and I don't want to have to worry about you too." His eyes gentled before he continued, "Besides, if anything happens, I promise I'll call."

Defeated, Talli nodded. He was right. It wouldn't do any good for her to go out in the snowstorm and risk injury to herself or the baby.

Joseph reappeared in the doorway, bearing a warm coat and pair of gloves for Derek, a thermos of coffee cradled at his left elbow.

Derek stopped in his tracks, turning back to stare at Talli. "When did you change your clothes?"

Talli looked down at herself, then back to him confused. "My clothes? This is what I've worn all day. I haven't changed. Why?"

"Never mind. You wouldn't believe me if I told you," he mumbled, pulling the front door shut behind him.

The snow swirled wildly, the flakes large and blinding white. The headlights gave off an eerie glare in the encroaching darkness. Derek fought a growing panic, as he forced himself to ease off the accelerator. Sarah would be all right. Somehow, some way, he had to believe that she would be found. Derek lowered the window, his eyes straining in the dusk, searching for some sign of the little girl.

"Sarah?" He called, his head snow-covered as he hung out the car window awaiting her answer. Only the sound of the snow plows answered him. Derek vowed not to go home until he found her.

Talli rubbed her clammy hands together, trying to calm the nagging fear nestled in the pit of her stomach. Sarah was just a baby, how could she have gotten out without anyone noticing her? Where was Mrs. Byrd? Where were the other attendants?

She looked up at the clock on the wall of the kitchen. Barely an hour had pa.s.sed since Derek left, his hurried promise to call reverberating in her ears. "How much longer?" Her words sounded shaky, even to her own ears.

"Talli, I want you to sit down and eat this soup before it gets cold. You need to keep your strength up. You have to think of your little baby." Maimie bustled about the kitchen, ladling the steaming soup into bowls.

Talli raised her head. "Was that the doorbell? I'll get it. Maybe it's Derek." She raced for the front door, her progress slowed by her protruding stomach. Coming to a halt, she peered anxiously over Joseph's shoulder. "What is it? Who's there?"

"Talli?" A tiny, frightened voice answered Talli's question.

"Sarah, baby. You're okay." Talli pulled the little girl into the foyer, enveloping her shaking body in a warm embrace, ignoring the wet snow on Sarah's coat, as she held her tight. "How did you get here?"

"This nice man brought me here in Old Bessie."

Talli raised her eyes to the man in question. His clothes ragged and patched, he stood nervously, shifting from foot to foot, his canvas sneakers threadbare.

"Name's Jack, ma'am. I found her walking down Woodward awhile ago. She was all alone and shivering. I knew she shouldn't be out there, but I didn't know what to do. She said she was on her way to Mr. D's house. She gave me this."

He held his hand out to Talli. Reaching up, she took the small white card he offered, noting the torn, fingerless ragged gloves he wore.

"Derek's business card. Sarah, where did you get this from?"

"From Mr. D. He gave all us kids one. He said if we got in trouble or anything, all we had to do was call him and he'd come. I didn't have no money to call him, so I came to see him," Sarah said innocently, her eyes wide, as she watched Talli and Jack.

Talli closed her eyes, inwardly counting her blessings. "Thank you so much for bringing her here, especially in this storm. Anything could have happened to her. I can't tell you how glad I am to ..." Talli's words trailed off, her mind thinking about what could have happened to Sarah had it not been for this kind man.

"Well, I had a daughter of my own once..." The old man's voice trailed off. "Anyway, I thought you would be able to help her better than I ever could. Goodbye Sarah, take care of yourself."

"Bye, Mr. Jack," Sarah replied, unaware of the consequences her actions could have caused.

"Mr., ah, Jack, is there anything I can do to show my grat.i.tude?" Talli felt funny letting the man go back out into the raging snow storm.

"Thank you, ma'am, but I'm fine. Me and Ole Bessie." Talli watched as he pointed to a rusty green Ford Fairmont parked outside the door. "We do okay together." Touching his fingers to the brim of his battered felt hat, he turned toward the door.

Talli struggled to her feet, to place a gentle restraining hand on his arm. "Jack, please take this card with you. If there's ever anything you need, please call Mr. Cameron. He'll see that you get it."

"Ma'am, I appreciate your kindness, thank you. I can see Sarah will be in good hands with you nice folks."

"Thank you, Jack," Talli replied, placing a soft kiss on the old man's rough cold-reddened cheek, as she watched him shuffle back out in the cold night air, the snowflakes falling so thick and fast he was lost to her sight within seconds.

"I'll call Mrs. Byrd and Mr. Cameron," Joseph said softly, leaving Talli with Sarah alone in the foyer.

Talli led the small child into the kitchen and settled her on the window seat. Stripping off Sarah's wet Muppet Baby tennis shoes, Talli shook her head. "Sarah, what you did was very foolish. A lot of people are out looking for you right now. They're very worried about you."

Sarah's eyes filled with tears. "Are you gonna put me in the closet now?" she whispered, her tiny frame shaking, as her thumb slowly crept its way to her mouth.

"Of course not," Talli stated, giving her a quick hug. "I would never do that to you. Now, let's get you upstairs and into some dry clothes, okay?"

Sarah nodded, tears falling down her cheeks. "Will you promise to stay with me till I fall asleep?" she asked softly.

Talli nodded. "I promise."

She closed the bedroom door quietly behind her. Sarah lay sprawled fast asleep in Talli's bed, her tiny body dwarfed in one of Talli's sweat shirts, her big adventure had worn her out. All four dogs snored on the floor beside the bed, appointing themselves sentries for the sleeping Sarah.

Talli shut her eyes, and leaned against the hallway wall. Fatigue pulled at her shoulders as she slid the length of the wall to the floor, tears falling unchecked down her cheeks. Her body shook at the thought of Sarah being locked in a closet every time something happened.

Derek took the stairs two at a time, eager to see for himself that Sarah was safe. Rounding the corner, he drew up short.

Talli was curled into a ball on the floor, her body shaking with her quiet sobs.

Derek dropped to his knees and pulled her into his arms. "Hey, it's okay. She's safe now. Shh, it's over."

"No, it's not over. She thought I was going to put her in a closet for wandering off. Derek, she's just a baby. How could her own mother do that to her? It's not fair." Talli sobbed on, her face buried against his chest.

Derek felt her sobs as he held her and thought back to his own past, shutting his eyes tightly against the emotions raging through him. Scooping her up, he carried Talli down the hallway to his own bedroom, pushing the door open with a booted foot. Gently, he lowered her down on the bed then carefully knelt beside her. "Talli, Sarah is safe now. That won't happen to her anymore. Whatever her mother did to her, the scars will fade in time. She'll get all the help she needs. I'll see to it, whether emotional or physical, she'll get whatever it takes to help her to forget. I promise."

"Oh Derek, you're so good to them." Talli hiccuped, "And to me too." Another hiccup escaped from between her lips.

"No, Talli, I'm not good. I've been there and done that. I know what it feels like. I've seen it all before and it's not a place I want to go back to. My father was a lot like Sarah's mother. He drank, then blamed my mother and me for his problems. After he was done verbally abusing us, he would physically abuse us, he beat us." Derek's eyes closed at the memory as a shudder went through him. "I'm not going to let anyone have the opportunity to hurt a child as long as I have something to say about it." When his eyes reopened, Talli saw the hurt reflected there.

Before either of them knew what was happening, she pulled his mouth down to hers, to place a gentle kiss upon his lips.

"I believe you, my knight in shining armor," she whispered, her hand reaching up to push a lock of wayward black hair off his forehead. Her fingers lingered, tracing through the lines of silver gracing his temple.

Derek laced his fingers with hers, drawing her hand down to his lips. Tenderly, he placed a soft kiss on her palm. "Now, my dear Miss Paxton, you've had quite an exciting day as well. I think it might be time for you to get some sleep."

"I'm not sleepy," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper as she watched his lips touch her skin. "Besides, Sarah's in my bed."

"Then you can sleep in mine." He looked around the room, his gaze coming back to rest on her. "Well, what do you know? You're already in it." A flash of humor crossed his face.

"But, where will you sleep?"

"I'll have Maimie make up one of the guest rooms for me."

"You could sleep in here with me," she grinned mischievously, her fingers outlining the paisley design on the maroon comforter.