Injury (9 page)

Chapter 16

Dani took a deep breath and forced herself not to cry. “I
don’t understand. Robert and I are just dating. We enjoy each other’s company.
I don’t want anything from him.”

“How much money would ensure you leave Bobby’s life and stay
out? Surely, we can come to an arrangement.”

“I don’t need money.” Horrified, Dani stepped around
Margaret and tried to make a run for the door.

Margaret snagged Dani’s arm, stopping her. Long fingernails
dug into Dani’s flesh, making her wince.

“That hurts.” All of it hurt, but she focused on the tight
grip and sharp nails, because if she thought about the rest, she’d certainly
cry.

“I want you to stop seeing my son. Do you understand? You’re
not good enough for him. I’ve read the magazines. You’ve been in rehab for drug
addiction. Bobby’s a good boy. You’ll ruin him.” Margaret’s eyes flashed, and
her lips curled back in a grimace.

“Let go. Please.” Sorry she’d agreed to come to the party,
all Dani wanted to do was go home. “Let go now, and I won’t tell Robert you
tried to bribe me. But understand one thing: you won’t bully me. I refuse to
stop seeing him. He’s capable of making his own decisions about his love life.”

Margaret’s hand, the one not gripping Dani’s arm, twitched,
as if she were contemplating slapping Dani.

Feet planted on the floor, Dani prepared to defend herself.
At the very least, she’d stop Margaret from hitting her—she’d had enough of
that shit from her own mother.

The hand at Margaret’s side stayed there, and the one
burrowed into Dani’s biceps released.

Dani ran from the room.

***

The doors to the party room were closed, and Dani took a
moment to collect herself before tugging them open and stepping inside.

Cope still sat at the table with Big Cope and Katherine, but
another couple had joined them. Dani made her way to the table and hooked her
arm through Cope’s.

He looked at her, smiling, but the smile vanished when he
saw her face. “What’s wrong?”

Shit.
He could
always read her, an ability he’d probably developed on the job trying to
anticipate his client’s needs.

“I could use that walk now.” If she could escape the crowd
for a while, she’d be able to deal with what had happened between her and
Margaret.

“Sure.” Cope hopped off the barstool and led Dani into the
corridor.

They slipped outside onto the veranda, and Cope guided her
along the side of the house to the back of the property. A cobblestone pathway
meandered through massive, landscaped gardens accented with fountains, statues,
and topiary. An outdoor kitchen and den surrounded the sunroom connected to the
back of the house.

Dani forgot about everything as she took in the opulence and
beauty of it. “This is amazing. Did your parents build this house?”

“They bought it from the original owners and added on. Most
of what you see, my parents built. Let’s go to the gazebo. It has a fabulous
view of the ocean.”

In silence, they made their way around the various flower
gardens, the scent of rich soil and ocean air soothing Dani’s frayed nerves. A
few deep breaths helped ease the knot in her stomach, and the hurt and anger
inside dissipated.

The gazebo perched on the top of a cliff overlooking the
ocean. Cope helped her up the steps and steered her to a screened-in opening on
the west side, which offered an unobstructed view of the ocean. Strategically
placed lights illuminated a path to the shore. Dani gasped at the sight of it.

She faltered in her heels, which pinched her feet and made
walking uncomfortable. Glad to see cushioned seating arranged so that the ocean
view was the focal point, Dani sat on a loveseat, drawing Cope down beside her.

“What happened to make you so sad? Did you get bad news?”

Not wanting to upset Cope by divulging what his mother had
done, Dani leaned into him, resting her head on his chest. “I’m overwhelmed.
Tired. There’s been so much going on. I needed some air and space.”

Cope’s hand stroked Dani’s hair, comforting and sweet. She
should tell him about her involvement in the investment firm. Before she opened
her mouth to speak, she bit back the words. What if he got angry and turned to
Katherine? But the longer she kept it to herself, the worse it would be when
Cope finally found out. A heartfelt wish to keep it secret forever surged
through her, but she knew that wasn’t realistic.

If Margaret ever found out, she’d be delighted to fill him
in, and that would kill any prospects Dani and Cope’s relationship had. But
spilling it now would be the worst decision. He’d be angry, they’d argue, and
he’d fall into Katherine’s arms. The possible catastrophic outcomes flooded
into Dani’s head one after the other.

The soft, gentle touch of his hand on her hair slowed her
racing heart and eased her anxiety. Cope touched a finger under Dani’s chin and
tilted her face up so their gazes locked, and then he dipped to cover her lips
with his.

A lust-filled sigh escaped her, and he reacted by kissing
her more deeply, his tongue probing her mouth. Letting the moment and Cope take
her, Dani returned the kiss. Fists gripping the back of his shirt, she clung to
him, wanting to hide here in the dark forever.

It reminded her of the time they’d sat on the beach by the
ocean, but this time, she was sober, and he was hers. His lips kissed a trail
down her face, her throat, to the plunging neckline of her dress, and paused
there, nibbling and tasting the bare skin.

“Did you bring me out here to seduce me?” she gasped.

“You make it sound like it’ll take work.” The devilish grin
he had when he wanted to tease her had returned, making Dani’s heart hammer
against her chest.

“No, it would be way too easy for you,” she breathed back.

Cope unzipped his pants and pulled Dani into his lap, hiking
the dress around her waist as he did.

“Ah, God. That low-cut dress, the slit up the side showing
off one leg, has been killing me. I have to have you right now.” He sounded
fierce, almost feral. Every touch of his fingers sent sparks racing to her
loins. Dani heard the sound of a condom wrapper tearing open and buried her
face in his neck.

“What if someone finds us out here?”

“In another few seconds, I won’t care if they film it and
post it to the Internet.” Cope fumbled in the darkness and then lifted her so
she straddled him. That made her giggle though nervousness competed with wanton
desire, leaving her tense but still insane with lust.

He held her hips, and Dani removed her panties and impaled
herself on him, letting out a cry when he met her with a light thrust. They
ground against one another, and Dani wrapped her legs around his waist and her
arms around his neck. Mouths pressed together as if they were resuscitating one
another, they tumbled into a passionate rhythm.

For a second, Cope came up for air, and said, “Daniella, I
can’t keep my hands off your body.”

Dani’s hands skimmed over his muscles and his soft hair.
Everything about him was a miracle. His scent intoxicated her, and his voice
soothed her. Cope, solid under her, in her, filled her and completed her.

The ecstasy, when it flooded her, made her melt in his arms,
and as she released, he spent himself inside her. Heartbeat to heartbeat, they
clung together, inhaling sex and ocean breezes.

Dani snuggled in Cope’s lap while he helped her put herself
back together. Margaret’s threats and intimidations roared back into Dani’s
mind, shattering her peace. Possessively, she hugged Cope and gave him a
frenzied kiss.

“Whoa, you’ll get me revved up again. What brought that on?”

“Nothing,” she said. “I don’t want to let you go, Cope, and
I need to touch you.”

“Not a problem.” He kissed her cheek and her forehead.

No matter what, Dani decided, she’d never let Margaret steal
this man away for someone else. But the doubt refused to go away. How would she
ever be able to tell him the truth?

Later that night, Dani wrenched out of a nightmare, shaking
and chilled. The vision, this time of Margaret forcing her into the coffin and
burying her alive, kept her awake until almost dawn.

Chapter 17

Candles lit, Dani stepped back from the dining room table and
admired her handiwork. The aroma of roasted chicken filled the air, the salad
was done and keeping chilled in the fridge, and the mashed potatoes stayed warm
in the toaster oven. All she needed now was Cope to arrive.

Since the night two weeks ago when they’d first slept
together, she’d seen him every few days, though to Dani, that wasn’t often
enough. An ache in her heart intensified whenever she thought about Cope. She
missed him—his touch, the sound of his voice, his laugh, his gorgeous
body—everything about him. And he made her feel safe and cherished, something
she’d never had from anyone else.

The doorbell rang, and Dani rushed over and threw open the
door. “Flowers. How sweet. Thank you.” Dani took the bouquet of red roses, blue
daisies, and fresh green carnations from Cope and headed to the kitchen to get
a vase.

He followed her, removing his blazer and dropping it on the
couch as he walked by. “You opened the door awfully fast.”

“I was so excited you were here that I leaped to open it.”
Dani looked up, puzzled. Why was he commenting on how quickly she’d opened the
door?

“Maybe it’s not my place, but you’re a celebrity. It’s risky
for you not to look through the peephole first. Don’t say you checked because
you opened the door too fast to have taken the time to verify it was me.”

Dani frowned. “I should have looked. You’re right. But I was
expecting you, Cope, and you texted me you were on your way.” Not slowing in
her quest to get a vase, she opened a cupboard door under the sink and
retrieved a large, glass urn.

“Yes, but since you gave me the access code, and I didn’t
have to buzz to come up, you didn’t know who was there. What if I’d been
delayed and a crazed fan had got into the building? Actresses have been killed
opening their doors to homicidal fans.”

Dani set the flowers on the table, trimmed the ends, and
turned to the sink to put water in the vase. “I can only recall one example, so
the odds are with me, but it doesn’t hurt to be cautious. I’ll check next time.
Okay?” Dani gave him her biggest, most reassuring smile, touched by his
concern.

Cope moved to her side, put his arms around her waist, and
nuzzled her neck.

Dani sighed, loving the affection, basking in the comfort he
provided.
God, I’m falling in love.
That surprised her—she hadn’t thought herself capable.

“I’m worried, Daniella. You’re exposed. Photographers stalk
you. This thing with your mother has kept your face in the newspapers, on TV,
in the magazines. Now you’re filming a sequel to an Oscar-winning movie, and
you’re at risk. Hire a driver from my company, starting next month. I’ll be
open for business then. The money’s in the bank, and I’ve got everything lined
up and ready to open the doors on the first of June. The driver will double as
a bodyguard.”

“Robert.” Dani set the vase full of water on the counter and
faced him. Ignoring the twinge of guilt about his funding, she jumped on the
bodyguard comment. “A bodyguard? Why? I’m not royalty.”

“You’re my queen.” Cope grinned, and his lips grazed hers.

Her body responding, Dani pressed her mouth over his and
gave him a deep, soul-shattering kiss.

“Keep this up,” he muttered against her mouth, “and we’ll
burn this dinner, too.”

She pulled away and picked up the vase. “Not this time, my
friend. I won’t be distracted. We’ll have the lovely, yet simple, dinner I
prepared.” Dani winked. “Then we’ll take this party into the bedroom, because
by then, I won’t be able to keep my hands off you.”

Bodyguard? Did she really need a bodyguard? She supposed the
idea wasn’t that crazy. Why argue over it when Cope was only concerned for her
safety? Other than John, who was more like a big brother to her now, no one had
worried about her or cared what she did. It was nice.

Flower food packet opened, Dani dumped the contents into the
water in the vase and arranged the flowers. She set the whole thing in the
center of the kitchen table. “They’re so beautiful.”

“Glad you like them. You okay with the bodyguard? I don’t
want you rebelling and causing the poor guy grief. I’ve been in his shoes—I
know how stubborn you can be.”

“Yes. It won’t hurt me to have added protection.” She
thought about Henderson. He made her increasingly uneasy. The other day, he’d
asked Dani why she hadn’t admitted to him it was Cope she was dating.

Dani and Cope had been careful to avoid being seen
canoodling in public, though after going to his parents’ place yesterday, the
news was getting out. But the tabloids hadn’t yet got hold of that tidbit about
her personal life, so Henderson hadn’t heard it from the media. When she’d
questioned him, he’d refused to say how he’d found out. And he’d been drinking
again on set.

The timer buzzed, and Dani went to take the chicken out of
the oven while Cope disposed of the debris from the flowers.

“The dining room table is already set,” she said. “We just
need to carry the food in.”

“I’ll help.” He headed for the fridge. “What do you need?”

“Start with the salad and the bottle of sparkling water.
There’s also organic juice if you prefer, and I have a well-stocked bar, but I
haven’t touched it since filming started.”

They set the table and settled down to the meal.
Conversation flowed, Dani relaxing from Cope’s easy, affable manner.

“This is great. I didn’t know you could cook.”

“It relaxes me. Yes, I can afford to hire someone to do it,
but I’ve always cooked for myself. When I was still with my mom, I made the
meals for both of us.” She left it at that—discussing her crappy, non-existent
childhood would just bum them both out.

“I want to take you out for a change, on a real date,” he
said. “We’ve hidden in our apartments too long, and a party at my parents’
doesn’t count.”

“The media will be on it if we step out in public.” Dani
wondered if it mattered to Cope whether his picture got in the paper.

“Does that bother you?” he said.

Dani shrugged. “If you don’t care that our relationship
becomes public knowledge, then we can go out.” Henderson popped into her head
again then.
But Greg already knows who
I’m seeing. He wouldn’t care.
Still, that he’d see pictures of her and Cope
together worried Dani though she didn’t understand why. She’d seen pictures of
Henderson with a variety of women since shooting started, and she’d felt
nothing.

“What’s wrong? You’re scowling.” Cope stopped eating and set
his fork down.

Dani forced her face to relax and smiled at him. “Nothing.
I’m okay with letting the news get out if you are.”

“I have nothing to hide.”

“They’ll pick us apart, Cope. Once it gets out, everything
you do will be under the microscope. They’ll dig into your past. Remember when
Greg and I were together? I wasn’t a household name then, but I became one
overnight. The whole world got to hear that my father had abandoned the family
when I was five.” Dani fell silent, remembering the whole sordid time.

“Speaking of Henderson, I’ve tried to keep my mouth shut
about that ape, but if he does anything inappropriate, tell me.”

“It’ll be fine. I’ve been taking care of myself for a long
time.”

Cope took her hand and kissed it. “I know.” His voice became
gentle. “I’m just acting like the jealous boyfriend. He’s your ex, and I’m
trying not to think about the sex scenes you’ll be doing.”

“The love scenes will be more technical than romantic.
There’ll be a minimal set crew because filming that type of scene can make you
nervous.” And it was scheduled for the next day, a fact she refused to disclose
to Cope right now—why make him worry? When it was over and done, she’d mention
it was in the past, and he’d be able to relax, knowing they’d got through it
without problems.

“I can imagine.” Cope finished the last mouthful of food.
“Want to plan something for this weekend?”

Dani’s heart surged at the prospect of going on a normal
date. She thought about it as they cleared the table and did the dishes. It all
seemed so domestic. Was this what John and his wife had? No wonder he’d refused
to jeopardize it. An image popped into her head of her and Cope in a home of
their own, surrounded by kids, a dog, cats …

Her cell phone buzzed. “Sorry,” she said. “I meant to shut
that off.”

When she fished it out of the purse sitting on the couch,
the call display showed “Greg Henderson.” She turned it to silent. Let him
leave a message. This was her private time with her boyfriend. Dani smiled at
Cope. “Nothing that can’t wait. Would you like a coffee or tea?”

“Shouldn’t there be an ‘or me’ on the end of that question
because that’s the option I choose.” He whispered it, thick and husky.

“What about dessert?”

“I’m thinking about dessert.” Cope strode to her and
captured Dani in his arms. Mouth sinking to hers, he devoured, taking her
breath away.

The familiar jolt of desire spread through her body,
starting at her stomach and weakening her knees. Savored kisses; shared
passion. Dani tumbled into the lust and found affection, gentleness, and even
love. Afraid she loved him, and that it was possible he loved her back, Dani
focused on the physical, trembling, moaning to his caress.

The world rocked, but it was just her feet going out from
under her as Cope lifted her into his arms. “I’m taking you to the bedroom.”

Dani nodded, unable to speak. Arms around his neck, she
nuzzled his shoulder and kissed his lips. Such a perfect face he had. Her hand
roamed his face, stroked his cheek, his ear, the curve of his throat.

So gentle Dani almost cried, Cope set her on the bed and
undressed her while she lay gazing up at him. When she tried to sit, to reach
him, to strip him, he shook his head, his mouth curled into a bawdy grin. “Let
me feast on you?”

Again she nodded, still at a loss for words. But the gasps,
the moans, and the sighs spilled from her. Cope’s hands sparked life and
electricity through her. The room was too bright, so Dani found her voice. “The
lights … turn them off?”

When Cope removed his hands and rose to switch off the
lights, his absence filled her with an ache stronger than anything she’d ever
experienced. Need overwhelmed her—need for his touch, his voice, his whole
being.

“Oh, God, Robert. Please.” But she couldn’t have said what
she begged him to do. It didn’t matter—whatever he wanted was okay with her.

Cope lay next to her, mouth tasting her lips, hands
exploring her, exciting her, sating the hunger within her that only he could
satisfy. When his naked body covered hers, she came back with a shock, unable
to remember him undressing.

Impatient to have him inside her, she slid a hand to his
swollen penis, already covered with a condom, and guided him into her.
Gratified at the strangled cry wrenched from him as he entered her, Dani
wrapped her legs around him, wanting him deeper, deeper.

“Dani, Jesus. Oh, God. I’ll pass out.”

Tighter. She gripped him tighter, with her arms, her legs,
and the muscles inside her. This was about uniting, not just physical release.
But the release was there, and hers came first. Gasps, twitches, moans, and screams
she muffled with closed lips heralded Dani’s climax and then triggered Cope’s.

Sweat trickled down his forehead, and Dani wiped it away
with tender fingers. He collapsed onto her chest and rolled to his back,
settling next to her. Dani snuggled against him, into the crook of his arm, her
head on his chest. She peppered his chest with kisses and smiled in response to
his grin.

“I can’t get enough of you,” Cope said and smoothed the
sweat-damp hair from her face.

“Me too. You.” Dani giggled, a surge of happiness making
everything delightful. “Stay here tonight?” Cope hadn’t done that before, and
she wondered if asking him now would make him feel smothered. But the prospect
of letting him walk out the door, leaving her alone, frightened her more than
asking him to stay did.

“Of course.”

Relaxed, happy, drowsiness overpowered Dani, and her lids
drooped. When the apartment buzzer sounded, she jumped.