Read Dreaming With My Eyes Wide Open (Hollywood Legends #2) Online

Authors: Mary J. Williams

Dreaming With My Eyes Wide Open (Hollywood Legends #2) (31 page)

BOOK: Dreaming With My Eyes Wide Open (Hollywood Legends #2)

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“Nate!” Paige didn’t care where he had come from or if she
was hallucinating. He looked solid and that was all that mattered. She threw
herself into his arms, swearing to herself that she would let never go.

Nate held Paige close, happy to breathe in her welcome
scent.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

NATE DIDN’T WANT to let go of Paige. Hell broke out all around them.
Men with guns rushed in. Lights flashed in the driveway. Lyle Wilson was
dragged away in handcuffs still muttering about door number three.

All Nate cared about was holding Paige and reassuring
himself that she was all right. The hell with the chaos around them. She clung
to him for dear life — shaking. He soothed her with whispered words and soft
kisses.

“Travis,” Paige tried to pull back. For the first time,
tears began to flow. “I heard a gunshot, Nate.”

“Shh,” Nate gently wiped her cheeks. “There he is. Safe and
sound.”

Nate pointed across the room to where Travis conferred with
Danny Floyd and Jack Winston.

“What happened, Nate?” Paige laid her head on his chest, her
body burrowing as close as possible.

“We’ll sort it out. Right now, just hold on. You’re safe.
That’s all that matters.”

THE NEXT MORNING they sat around the dining room table at the
Double C, drinking coffee with friends and family. From the outside, it looked
like any other gathering. The subject matter changed the complexion completely.

“Lyle Wilson started singing, or should I say squawking,
before his lawyer arrived. And continued. The lawyer couldn’t shut him up.”

Jack Winston looked like a man who hadn’t slept in days. And
that wasn’t far from the truth. Though he had no official capacity, the local
police had let him witness the interrogation of Lyle Wilson.

“Why?” It was all Paige could think to ask.

Like Jack, none of them had slept. After giving her
statement, Nate took her home. Chuck was with them, having arrived at Lyle Wilson’s
house minutes after Paige called him to let him know what had happened.

Once they were back at the ranch, Paige curled up next to
Nate and Beauty on the couch, her father nearby, and insisted Nate fill in some
of the blanks.

Nate told them about the phone calls he and Jack had
received.

“After that, Jack drove like a maniac and I called Chuck.
When we got to the ranch, he showed us the direction you and Travis took. We
drove until we hit Wilson’s place. We heard the gunshot just as we arrived.”

Nate shuddered when he remembered the terror he felt when he
heard that sound. If Jack hadn’t stopped him, he would have jumped from the
truck before it stopped.

“The first thing we saw was a man on the ground and Travis
with his gun drawn. Beauty wisely hid behind Travis.”

They had to wait for the rest of the story. Around ten in
the morning, Jack and Travis drove up. They were rumpled and tired but ready to
fill everyone in.

“I thought you had been shot,” Paige hugged Travis, happy to
see her bodyguard looking none the worse for wear.

“I might have been if it weren’t for Beauty. I tossed the
stick for her when she suddenly stopped in her tracks, whining like crazy. I’d
never heard her make that noise and it sent a shiver up my spine. I pulled my
gun and hit the ground. The bullet missed me by inches. I played dead until I
saw a pair of wingtips by my head. I knocked his feet out from under him and
that was when the cavalry arrived.” He smiled at the sleeping dog. “I owe her
steak for life.”

“Now it’s your turn,” Nate said to Jack. “Wilson spilled his
guts?”

“He was outraged that Paige hadn’t been arrested for
assault.”

“What?” Paige couldn’t believe her ears.

“When that didn’t play, the air went out of him fast. He
started crying and everything poured out. His obsession with Paige. The attempt
on Nate’s life was a mistake. His paid assassin, the guy that shot at Travis,
killed the bomber and others over the years. Once Wilson started, his
confession covered years of shit no one would have thought to link to him.”

“He was crazy.” Paige would remember Lyle’s eyes for the
rest of her life.

“Yes,” Jack agreed. “The longer he talked, the prouder he
became. He wanted to brag about his imagined accomplishments.”

“And me? What was I supposed to be?” Paige hated to ask but
she needed to know.

“His playmate.” Jack shrugged knowing it sounded ridiculous.
“He became bored easily. Something about his
superior intelligence.
He
saw you as his match. He liked that you didn’t fall into his lap. You were a
challenge. When Nate came along, he thought getting rid of him was the answer.
Then it was decided. Nate was too high profile to kill. They would wait until
he was gone and take Paige out of the country where no one would find you.”

“And then?” Paige knew there was more.

“When you no longer amused him, you would disappear for
good.”

“Jesus Christ.” Chuck had turned white. “Right next door. I
could have lost you.”

“But you didn’t,” Paige hugged her father.

“Thanks to Paige’s bravery and ingenuity.” Nate’s eyes
filled with pride and love.

Paige smiled back. “Thanks to a lousy bottle of wine.”

“I FEEL NORMAL.”

“That’s good.” Nate kissed her bare shoulder. “Normal is
good.”

“After the last few days, I agree.”

They were in Nate’s bed. Beauty slept soundly at their feet.
It could have been like any other night. However, everything had changed. The
danger that had hung over them was gone. They no longer doubted how the other
felt. Love. It freed them in so many ways.

“Best of all,” Nate said, cupping Paige’s bare breast. “No
nightshirt.”

Paige shivered when Nate rubbed his thumb over her hardening
nipple. “And no underwear.”

“Watch the roaming hands,” he warned her when she caressed
his butt. “I have things to say. Then you can have your way with me.”

“Look who’s talking about roaming hands.”

“Want me to move it?” Nate gave her breast a gentle squeeze.

“No. Do you want me to move?”

Nate smiled when Paige squeezed his ass, none too gently.

“No.”

“I love you, Nathaniel.”

“I love you.” He waited for a beat. “We haven’t had time to
talk about the future.”

“Will we be together?”

“Forever.”

“In Los Angeles.”

It wasn’t a question. “Is that really what you want? What
about the ranch? Your father? Your horses?”

“I love the ranch. Before my mother died, I had plans to see
the world. I put that dream aside — happily.” Paige turned to face him. She
laced her fingers with his. “Dad already hires extra hands to help out. And he
has Irene.”

“That is a good fit.”

“Perfect,” Paige agreed. “As for my horses. Rollie and
Winter have a home here for life. I hope we will visit. Often?”

“Yes.”

“Montana isn’t the only place that has horses that need
rescuing. You mentioned that big place of yours in Laurel Canyon.”

“I’ll set up a meeting with my architect. You tell him what
you need, we’ll build it.”

Paige kissed him. Sweet, with the promise of heat.

“We’ll need a kennel. I want to expand the rescues to dogs.
Not every puppy is as lucky as Beauty.”

Nate kissed the back of her hand. He was the lucky one. A
stupid accident. A broken arm. They had led him to Montana. Here he found his
heart. His love. His life. His Paige.

EPILOGUE

MOVIE PREMIERES WERE a pain in the ass. Dealing with logistics,
the press. Dressing up in a suit and tie.

Nate would have skipped the last bit if Paige hadn’t pointed
out that at least for tonight, he wasn’t a stuntman. He was a director.
The
director of
Erin’s Dream
. Besides, according to his fiancée, he looked
sexy in a custom-tailored suit. How was a man supposed to argue with that?

Erin’s Dream
. All through production, they had
referred to the movie as
the
production
. There was no title
because Erin never gave it one. Chuck hadn’t thought far enough ahead to
consider a finished movie that would be released to the public.

The title worked on every level. Originally, the female lead
was named Marjory. Chuck changed it to Erin. When Nate suggested calling the
film
Erin’s
Dream
, Chuck was overcome with emotion. The perfect
tribute to his beloved wife. The perfect way to move on with Irene while never
forgetting Erin.

“She’s a natural.” Callie slipped her hand through Nate’s
arm. “Paige has charmed everyone here. Look at that old gasbag, Myron Potts.
She has the toughest critic in Hollywood eating out of her hand.”

“Who can blame him? She’s the perfect package. Brains and
beauty.”

Paige glowed. Her blond hair cascaded down her back like a
streak of honeyed sunshine. The dress that Callie helped her choose showed off
her long, lean body to perfection. His mother informed him the color was summer
peach. It made Paige’s skin appear creamy and soft — and he was the only man in
the room lucky enough to know she felt better than she looked.

“You were worried about her.”

Leave it to my mother
, Nate thought affectionately.

“Not worried. I know Paige can handle any situation. I was
afraid she would take one look at this circus and regret leaving Montana. I
find it a lot to take in and I’m used to it.”

“She’s happier with her animals.”

“Yes.”

Paige had accomplished miracles in only a few months. The
new buildings around the Laurel Canyon property already housed two horses and
three dogs. She had homes for the dogs and expected more to arrive next week.
The horses would take more time, but Nate knew with Paige’s loving touch, they
would recover and live long, happy lives.

“Go.” Callie smiled, pushing Nate toward Paige. “Rescue her
before that man bores her ears off.”

“I can’t remember the last time a movie moved me so much.”
Myron Potts waved his hands, wildly emphasizing every word. “The raw emotion
was startling.”

“Paige’s mother wrote an amazing story.”

“Nate took it and turned it into an amazing movie.”

Taking her outstretched hand, Nate’s blue eyes lingered on
hers. He would never grow tired of seeing the love shining for him. He planned
on treasuring it for the rest of his life.

“I know you’ve stated publicly that
Erin’s Dream
doesn’t signal a change in careers. With the overwhelmingly enthusiastic
response, you must be reconsidering.” Myron leaned closer, hoping for an
exclusive scoop.

“Nate is a stuntman.”

“But surely—”

“You heard Paige. I’m a stuntman. Excuse us.” He gripped
Paige’s hand and started to walk away. Then he turned back, unable to resist.
“And don’t call me Shirley.”

“I love that you did that.” Paige was still laughing when
Nate pulled her onto the dance floor. “By the look on Myron’s face, I’m not
sure he got the reference.”

“Then shame on him. He can look it up.”

Nate danced with an easy grace, leading her with a sure touch.
He didn’t do this often, but having Paige made him consider making it a regular
thing. Date night. After their unconventional courtship, they enjoyed going
out. Dinner and dancing would be a nice addition.

“Your dad was beaming all evening.”

“He loved every minute. I know he’s never going to forget
seeing Mom’s movie on that big screen. Thank you.”

“Thank you, Paige.”

“Me?” Paige laughed. “What did I do?”

“You gave me something I didn’t know I was missing. Your
heart.”

“And you gave me yours. Promise me something? Never ask for
it back.”

“Never.”

Nate lowered his mouth to hers. Cameras clicked. Within
seconds, Nate’s fans all over the world sighed with envy, dreaming they were in
his arms.

Nate no longer cared. Paige was his dream come true. And he
never had to close his eyes.

COMING SOON

MAY

DREAMING OF YOUR LOVE