Chapter 12

Dani folded her hands in her lap and tried not to look down or concentrate on the man flying the machine. She had gone back to change and was wearing rose-pink dress pants and an oversized purple blouse. Her hair was pinned back in an elegant chignon at the nape of her neck.

She had been warned by Harry and Milton that once she stepped into that hospital room, it would be all over.

"People are going to speculate about the affair with the rancher. Is that what you want?" Harry had asked, his bushy eyebrows lowering. "We are smacked dab in the middle of a catastrophe here and filming outdoors will be a disaster."

"Unless we turn it to our advantage." She had countered quietly, an idea taking shape. "Alex wants to take control of the ranch. A devastation like this is a perfect opportunity for him to do so."

He had mulled on it and gone into a meeting with the rest of the team and had agreed to run with her idea.

"We start filming tomorrow, so get whatever it is you have to do out of the way. It's time to wrap things up in a few days. This place is giving me the willies and that storm that rode in like a vengeful god scared the crap out of me."

Turning her head, she stared at the man at the controls and decided to get things out in the open. "You don't like me. Do you?"

She pitched her voice over the sound of the whirring blades loud enough for him to hear her.

Turning his head, he glanced at her briefly before looking straight ahead.

"I don't like what you represent." He told her bluntly.

"Well, so much for small talk. What exactly do you think I represent?"

Shifting the gear, he took a nosedive that had her stomach pitching. "You are an actress."

"Wow. That was illuminating. Care to embellish?"

Shooting her an irate glance, he took another nosedive, and she had the distinct feeling that it was deliberate.

"I have seen women like you before and you usually do not want to make the ranch home. My son's life is here and always will be."

Dani felt a flash of anger at his assumptions. "First of all, there is no one like me and second, your son knew what he was getting into from the very beginning. I am honest and upfront, and I don't believe in subterfuge."

"We are landing in five minutes."

She wanted to grind her teeth in frustration. The man was infuriating! But what the hell did it matter to her anyway? A few days from now, she would be gone, and- Her heart took a sickening dive as the thought of leaving made her positively ill.

Turning her head to stare out the window, she did not notice the ground rushing towards them as he landed the copter on the top of the hospital roof. It occurred to her then that he had the authority and power to do that. Switching off the engine, he waited until the whirring of the blades had slowed to a stop, before indicating that she could get out.

They walked across the landing strip where they were met by a doctor, wearing a white lab coat and a smile on his ruggedly handsome face. "Ms. Matthews, I am a fan."

"Thank you." She smiled at him graciously, taking the hand he extended.

"How is my son, Chris?"

"Blood pressure is still up, and the fever is not going down." He gestured them into an elevator. "We are hoping that with Ms. Matthews being here, it will serve to make things better." He turned to look at her. "He has been constantly calling your name."

"I sincerely hope I can be of help." She told him as they stepped off the elevator.

"I will wait in here and grab a cup of coffee," Theodore told her.

With a nod, Dani followed the doctor, ignoring the stares and whispers from the staff members.

"Here we go. We just checked his vital signs a few minutes ago. I will leave you to it." He stepped out and closed the door behind him.

Dani stood there just inside the doorway, staring at the restless man on the bed. His blonde hair was a definite contrast to the baby blue pillows. And he looked so vulnerable that she felt her heart shivering. Walking over to the bed, she pulled up a chair and took his hand in hers.

"You have uprooted my entire life, and I should be mad at you." She murmured. "You had me lying sleepless in bed last night and that is not something I appreciate." Bringing her hand to his mouth, she kissed the back of it, startled at how hot his skin was.

"I want you to get better so that I can argue with you. Do you know how damn inconvenient it is to fly in that death trap your dad brought me in? I must care about you to do something like that. And you owe me."

Placing his hand on her cheek, she closed her eyes. "I need you to wake up. The ranch is an absolute mess without you."

"Dani." Her eyes popped open, and she dropped his hand in shock.

"Taj?"

"Were you expecting someone else?" he asked her hoarsely, green eyes bright as he stared at her hungrily.

"Where am I?"

"The hospital." She swallowed the lump in her throat. "You almost got your damn self killed." She could not believe the tears gathering at the back of her eyes. "God! I could strangle you."

"That bad?" He asked her huskily. "Before you commit that act, I could use some water. I feel as if I am burning up from the inside."

"You are burning up from the outside too." She went to get the water and brought it back to put it at his lips. He drank thirstily and settled back against the pillows.

"Any chance of you getting in bed with me?"

"None." She started to say something else, but to her horror, she burst into tears.

"Darling- "

"Oh God, I am so sorry." Covering her face with her hands, she pushed back the chair and stood. "I am going to get the doctor. And your dad is right out "

"Come here." He held out a hand to her. Willing the tears to stop, she stood where she was, her face damp, her eyes bright.

"I can't." She whispered. "This is not me."

"I am a very sick man, and you are surely not going to make me get off this bed and come and come and get you. Please."

Biting her lip, she finally took the three steps that brought her to the side of his bed. His hand gripped hers and exerted enough pressure to have her sitting next to his hip. "I am sorry I put you through- "

"It doesn't matter. I am a little emotional- what with the storm and all that was happening." She tried to tug her hand away, but he held on fast. "Anyway, I am happy you are awake. Now I can go back and wrap things- "

"I am in love with you." His deep voice was quiet and so profound, that she felt like weeping.

"Please don't do this to me." She pleaded.

"I fell in love with you the first time I laid eyes on you and have been falling ever since." "Stop it!" She whispered desperately. "I cannot stay, and I told you that before and you said you were fine with it. How dare you do this to me."

"Loving you means abiding by your wishes." He continued doggedly. "I would never force you to stay sweetheart. If you feel you have to go back for a while, then do that. But know that I will be here waiting for you."

She simply stared at him, the rapid beating of her heart almost suffocating her. She felt weak and irrelevant and for the first time in her life, she was vulnerable and so torn, she had no idea what to do. When she had first heard of his accident, she had wanted to die. But now she had no idea what to do.

"Please let go of my hand." She told him calmly.

Ignoring her command, he lifted her hand and turning it over, kissed the palm so tenderly that it had her tearing up again.

"I am irrevocably in love with you, and nothing will ever change that." He let go of her then, green eyes smoldering with a passion that had her reeling. Stumbling to her feet, she turned and without another word, walked out of the room.

Taj leaned back against the pillows, his expression bleak. She loved him, he had known it for some time, but he also realized that she was scared. She had no idea how to give up her career and her home to live the life of a rancher's wife. It was something she was going to have to work out for herself. And he was going to have to wait.

Lifting his head when the door was pushed open, he squelched his disappointment when he saw the doctor and his dad coming into the room.

"Welcome back." His dad remarked with a beaming smile.

*****

She booked herself into a nearby hotel to spend the night. Theodore Bryne had already told her that he was going to spend the night at the hospital to make certain his son was going to be okay. If he saw the tears on her face, he made no mention of it.

Ignoring the curious looks and the signs of recognition from the people in the hotel lobby, she went straight to her suite and ordered a bottle of vodka to be sent up.

She had not eaten anything much since last night and her head felt light. But she was not in the mood for food. Pouring a full glass of the liquid, she sat on the loveseat across from the bed and curled her feet under her. Of course, she did not love him.

Who falls in love after just three weeks of meeting each other? And he was wrong – he was not in love with her. And what the hell did he expect her to do? Just drop everything and stay here with him?

She was not a country girl, after all, and she told him that from the beginning. It does not matter that she had rushed to be with him when she found out he was at the hospital. It was simply a matter of doing the right thing. He had been delirious and had been calling her name, she had to go.

Taking a sip of the vodka, she lifted a hand to scrub at her cheeks. She was an actress and an excellent one. She could not simply give up her career for some man. It would be foolish for her to do that, wouldn't it?

And she would end up resenting him because of it. He was better off without her. Someday, he would find a woman who would not hesitate to be by his side, but the very idea of him with another woman made her want to throw something.

The thought of those long-callused fingers trailing down some woman's breast and those lips kissing someone else was making her murderous.

"Oh God! What am I going to do?" she whispered. She had run out of that room and out of the hospital like someone was after her and had not looked back.

She was certainly not a coward, but when he told her he would be waiting for her, no matter what, she had wanted to weep – she had wanted to throw herself in his arms and just weep. Downing the rest of the liquor, she leaned her head back and closed her eyes wearily.

*****

"She is gone then?" Taj asked quietly. He had been prodded and examined by the doctors and made comfortable by the nurses and was now feeling the effect of the medication coursing through his body.

"Yes."

"Do you know where?" He asked his dad.

"You should not worry about- "

"You don't like her, and I get that, but I am in love with her and am going to fight for her."

Theodore leaned forward in the chair and propped his elbows on his knees, his expression resigned.

"You are setting yourself up for heartbreak."

"That might be the case, but it's too late for me." A whimsical smile touched his lips. "She is running away from her feelings but we both know that is not possible."

"Son, she is Hollywood- "

"And I am a rancher who has no intention of going anywhere else. I am never going to stand in the way of her career. "

"How do you think that's going to work?"

"We will find a way to make it work. I love her and there is no life without her in it. She will be back."

"You cannot know that."

"I do." A smile played around his lips. "She is running scared, and she needs to think. I am going to give her that. In the meantime, I need to find out about my men."

*****

"Darling, where on earth are you?"

"I am in a five-star hotel in Dallas. Why?"

"Harry is having kittens and wondering if you are coming back. You were not answering your phone."

"I turned it off a bit. Mother was calling to know when I would be back." Rubbing her hand over her forehead, she felt the effect of the undiluted liquor seeping through her bloodstream.

"And the gorgeous cowboy, how is he?"

"He is – "Sinking on the edge of the bed, she stared at the ruby-red drapery covering the window. "He is awake."

"Will you be going back to see him before you return?"

"No. I can't." She whispered brokenly. "Oh Jason, I don't know what to do."

"Darling, what's going on?"

"He said he loves me."

"I sort of figured that out."

"I can't stay. Why did he have to say that to me? Why couldn't he just keep it to himself."

"It doesn't work that way and I hate to tell you this, but I strongly suspect that you are in love with him too."

"Please don't say that."

"You have never been a coward and I don't expect you to start now." He told her firmly.

"Can you see me as a rancher's wife?" She cried.

"You can be anything you want to be, darling, and we both know it. You have a decision to make."

*****

"Now you get to be the one to be fussed over." His grandfather chortled, obviously enjoying the reversed role. Taj had been released after they made certain that there were no further complications from his fever. And was ordered to rest for at least a week.

The sound of the men working around the ranch and repairing the damages brought on by the heavy rain and electrical storm could be heard from the patio where he had insisted on staying when his dad brought him home. His ribs were still hurting, and the ravage of the fever still had him feeling weak.

But worst of all, he had not heard from her. He had told her he would give her time and he had inquired about the activities of the cast and crew and knew they were still at the farmhouse. The power was back on in the neighborhood and a massive cleaning up was now in progress. The roads had been cleared to enable the flow of traffic.

But he needed her. He was not going to call of course, because he was leaving it up to her.

"I have no intention of being fussed over." He told his grandfather lightly as he settled back against the cushions. "I will be up and about before you know it."

"A week at least Taj." His father said firmly as he came to sit next to him. "And if it was left up to me, it would be two weeks. You are still shaky on your feet and the fever did a number on you."

"I am young and resilient, which makes it easier for me to shake this thing off. You know how I hate inactivity."

"Sometimes it's good and you needed the rest."

"What about the barn?"

"The roof has already been replaced and before you ask, your horse as well as the others are okay." His father told him.

"Are you going to call her?"

"Dad!" Theodore turned a frustrated look at the older man which had him lifting his brows.

"We are all thinking of her, and I am not one to hide what I am thinking. She came running over here when she heard the news about you and did not hesitate to get into that copter and go and be with you. You cannot let her leave."

"I cannot force her to stay," Taj said softly. "I am leaving it up to her."

"Are you out of your goddamned mind?"

"Dad!"

"Stop saying ‘Dad' like a damned imbecile." He snapped at his son. "That woman is in love with you, and you are going to stand aside and let her leave? Boy, didn't we raise you better?"

"She doesn't want to be here- "Theodore's voice petered off as his father turned an icy glare his way.

"What do you expect me to do?" Taj asked him quietly.

"I expect you to march yourself over to that farmhouse, not tonight of course, but tomorrow when you are feeling stronger and sweep her off her feet. Show her how much you need each other and ask her to marry you."

"I cannot stand in the way of her career."

"Son, I hate to point this out, but she is an actress, and she can live any damn where she pleases. Tell her that and wine and dine her, make love to her, but don't let her leave."

*****

"What do you mean we are leaving tomorrow?" Dani demanded, plopping her hands on her hips as she glared at the director.

"It means we have finished our last scene here and will be returning home. We have everything we need for the series, with just a few scenes which will not include the main characters, that's you, Jason, and William." He gave her a crafty look.

"If you want to stay here for a longer period, you are free to do so. I am sure the ranch will be available to you."

"I am not even going to grace that with a response." She told him coolly.

"The car leaves at first light tomorrow, Dani." He told her soberly. "If you want to say your goodbyes, I suggest you do so now."

Turning around, she left the makeshift office he had set up for himself. She had not called Taj and ever since she returned to the farmhouse, she had thrown herself into the scene, so that she would forget. They had been working almost nonstop to make up for lost time and that was something she appreciated.

Standing on the back porch, she leaned against the column and surveyed the uprooted trees. It was difficult to believe that a day's heavy rain had done so much damage.

The roadways had been cleared and the power was back up which made it easy for them to pick up where they had left off. Now that she had time on her hands, she could not stop thinking about him.

She knew he was out of the hospital because she had heard her cast members whispering about it. She had also seen the photos with her picture as she walked into the hospital.

There were several speculations about their relationship, but Dani had not deigned to respond to the many queries. She lived her life in the public eye and had learned to ignore the innuendoes and the gossip.

She was also not looking forward to going home. It was so funny that she had left home almost four weeks ago and was now a different person.

She no longer felt the longing to return to life as usual. Something was missing and she felt lost. She longed to feel his strong arms wrapped around her and hear his deep voice. Shaking herself, she eased off the column and went inside to pack.

*****

Taj had just climbed into bed when there was a knock on the door.

"You have a visitor." His father said, poking his head in.

"If it's Ben, tell him- "His voice petered off as the woman stepped into the room. His father smiled slightly and closed the doors behind him.

"I always wondered what your suite would look like." She murmured, glancing around the purely masculine tan and teal blue décor of his room.

The hardwood floors shone glossy with polish and a thick rug was on the bed and one in the middle of the very large room. Antique furnishings made up the décor and the high arched ceiling had a treated glass that lets in the sight of the full moon.

"Hi." He had to swallow the lump inside his throat to speak.

"How are you?" She was still standing just inside the doorway, her hands shoved into the pockets of her faded denim. She had on a masculine-looking white cotton shirt and her hair was loose around her face. She looked more like a teenager than a famous actress.

"Fair to fine. Are you coming in?"

"I am in. I came to say goodbye."

He felt his heart thudding against his ribs, and he felt faint.

"I see. When?"

"Tomorrow, first thing. We did our last shoot an hour ago. I am already packed."

"What do you want me to say to that?"

"I want you to say that this is not a good idea." She whispered. "I want you to say that I don't belong here, that I should do the right thing and go home."

"What if I can't say that?"

Her eyes were shimmering with tears.

"Then I want you to say that you should do the right thing and tell me to go."

He shook his head. "I can't do that either."

"We are making a mistake."

"If you leave, you will be the one making the mistake." He could scarcely breathe as he stared at her, waiting for her to say the words he wanted to hear. "Come here, darling." "If I come one step closer, I won't leave. I cannot stay." The tears were already rolling down her cheeks. "Damn you for doing this to me."

"Come here baby and let me wipe the tears away."

He held out a hand, just like he had done in the hospital and this time she did not hesitate. Running across the room, she took his hand, and he drew her in next to him. His arms came around her with stunning force, his face pressed against her neck as he breathed in her exotic scent.

"I didn't think you would do it."

She didn't answer because she was sobbing, her face buried in his chest. He held her against him, hands wandering up and down her back as he soothed her.

He had been in an agony of uncertainty as he wondered if she was going to leave and make him chase after her. But she had come to him, she was here with him, and he was never going to let her go.