Only Mine (12 page)

“I know that,” Nevada told her. “Thanks.”

“Has it occurred to any of you that none of us have been on a date in months?” Montana asked. “Maybe there
is
something to this stupid man shortage.”

“I'm dating,” Dakota said.

“No. You're having sex with Finn. That's not dating.”

“Did I know this?” Nevada asked. “When did you start sleeping with Finn?”

Dakota briefly explained her recent encounters with the twins' brother. “It's not serious,” she said. “When he figures out that his brothers are more than capable of taking care of themselves, he'll go back to South Salmon. This isn't a long-term relationship. And technically, as Montana said, it's not really dating.”

“Point taken,” Nevada said with a grin. “So the question is, do you want a date or do you want to have sex?”

“Can't I have both?” Montana asked. “Do I have to pick?”

“Find the right guy and you can have both,” Nevada told her.

“Is that what you want?” Dakota asked.

Nevada laughed. “I'll take the sex, at least for now. Love is too complicated.”

“Sometimes sex is complicated, too,” Montana reminded her.

Nevada shook her head. “I'm willing to take my chances.” She looked at Dakota. “What about you? Is sex enough?”

There were things they didn't know, Dakota thought. How she couldn't have children and how knowing that had changed everything. She would tell them eventually, just not today. Not when they were having fun, enjoying such a beautiful day.

So she smiled at her sisters and said, “Is sex with Finn enough? Absolutely.”

 

F
INN WAITED
with Sasha in the lobby of the Gold Rush Ski Lodge and Resort. The place was nice enough, he thought. If one was into attractive tourist hotels. He would rather be home.

Once Geoff found out what carting everyone to San Diego would cost, especially for the beachfront hotel he preferred, he'd decided to keep Sasha and Lani in town.

The pool area of the Lodge had been transformed into a tacky tropical paradise, with fake palm trees, twinkle lights and tiki torches. Unfortunately, the weather was
anything but tropical. While it didn't phase Finn, everyone else was running around wearing thick coats and shivering.

“What if I gave you ten thousand dollars?” he asked his brother. “To go home and finish college. Would you do it?”

Sasha grinned at him. “The show is paying twenty, bro.”

“Fine. Thirty. Go back to school and you'll have a check that day.” His business was successful, and he didn't have a lot of expenses. The house where he and his brothers had grown up was paid for.

“What did Stephen say when you offered it to him?” Sasha asked.

“To shove it up my ass.”

Sasha's grin broadened. “He read my mind.”

“I figured,” Finn said glumly. “But I had to ask. What's the plan for today?”

“It's all going down tonight. We were going to have a city tour, but since we're pretending we're not in Fool's Gold, I don't see that happening.”

Finn glanced around at the fake greenery. “This is a crazy business.”

“I like it.”

He thought about pointing out that Sasha's love of fame was tied to their parents' death, but he and his brother had had that conversation a dozen times before. He suspected Sasha had to go through the process himself and learn the truth the hard way.

That was the part Finn objected to. Not the learning, but the inevitable pain that would follow. If only he could be sure that his brothers were ready to be on their own, that he'd done all he could to keep them safe. Then he could walk away. But how to know?

“You should chill,” Sasha told him. “You're wound too tight. Relax.”

“You've been spending too much time with Hawaii girl.”

His brother laughed. “I like Hawaii girl. She's fun.”

Finn was sure Sasha liked Lani well enough but suspected their relationship was far more a means to an end than anything romantic. Sasha's idea of a steady relationship was a date that lasted two hours. On the other hand, Stephen had always preferred long-term relationships. Despite being identical twins, the brothers were fairly different.

“You should do something fun,” Sasha told him. “Think of this as a vacation.”

“Except it's not. I'll ‘chill' or ‘relax' or whatever you want when you and Stephen get back to Alaska and finish college.”

Sasha sighed. “Sorry. No can do. I wish you could let it go.”

Before Finn could say anything, one of the production assistants called for Sasha to get ready for a lighting check. His brother waved at him and followed the girl toward the hotel.

Finn checked his watch. He had a group of tourists
to take on a flight in a couple of hours. They would be the second ones this week. The previous group had been a family, including a thirteen-year-old boy who'd been fascinated by the idea of flying a plane. Finn had talked to him about taking lessons.

“You're looking serious about something.”

He glanced up and saw Dakota walking toward him. She carried a clipboard in her hands and stopped in front of him.

“For once, not the usual,” he told her.

“Your brothers?”

“Work stuff.”

“Everything okay back in South Salmon?”

“As far as I know.”

She stood there, as if waiting for him to explain more.

“I was thinking about the tour I have later and the one I had a few days ago,” he said slowly. “There was this kid. He was really into flying. Sometimes I think about opening a flight school, focusing on kids.” He shrugged. “Who knows if it would work.”

“Don't you have to be a certain age to get your pilot's license?”

“You can solo at sixteen, but training could start before that. Teaching a kid to fly gives him, or her, the ability to sense possibilities. You need math skills to do some of the calculations. There would have to be a way for them to raise money to pay for the lessons, or grants
or something.” He shook his head. “It's just something I play around with.”

She tilted her head. “You should talk to Raoul. My boss. His whole thing is helping kids. His camp focused on bringing inner-city kids here to the mountains to get them out of their environment. He might have some ideas about how to get started.”

“I will. Thanks.” It beat worrying about the twins.

She gave him the contact information. “I'll let him know to expect your call.”

He wondered if what he'd thought about doing was possible. There weren't a lot of inner-city kids in South Salmon. Of course, his cargo business was there.

But the thought of doing something a little different excited him. Cargo was paying the bills, but taking tours around was a lot more interesting. And doing something useful with kids appealed to him, as well. While he worried about his brothers, there was also a sense of satisfaction, of knowing he'd been the one to shape them into grown-ups. Of course, he had no idea yet if he'd done a decent job.

Dakota glanced around at the decorated pool area. “San Diego would have been a lot warmer. It's eighty there. I could have lain by the pool, ordered little drinks with umbrellas.” She sighed.

“I thought you loved Fool's Gold,” he teased.

“I do, but I love it more when it's warmer. It's spring. There should be plenty of heat.” She shivered in her coat. “I had to dig out warmer clothes.”

“It seems fine to me.”

“You're from Alaska. Your opinion doesn't count.”

He chuckled. “Come on. I'll buy you a cup of coffee.”

“At Starbucks? A mocha latte would really help me feel better.”

He took the hand that wasn't holding the clipboard. “You can even have whipped cream on it, if you want.”

She leaned against him. “My hero.”

A
SHARP, INSISTENT RINGING
called Dakota out of a dream that involved a panda, a raft and ice cream. She rolled over in the bed and picked up the phone.

“Hello?”

“Dakota? It's Karen.”

Dakota glanced toward the clock, wondering why the production assistant was calling her. “It's one in the morning.”

“I know.” Karen's voice was muffled, as if she were trying to be quiet. “I'm out by the pool at the lodge. There's a Tahitian dancing team here. Or maybe it's not a team. I don't know what they're called.”

Dakota flopped back on the bed and closed her eyes. “I appreciate the news flash, but I'm really tired. I can catch the dancers tomorrow.” Which was technically later today, she thought.

“I don't want you to see them. Sasha is here and so is Lani. I think she knows some of the dancers. Geoff's filming the whole thing.”

“Then I can see it on the show broadcast. I'm sure Sasha and Lani are great dancers. Thanks for telling me, Karen.”

“Don't hang up. I called to talk to Finn.”

That got Dakota's attention. She sat straight up and clutched the phone tighter. “Why would you think he was with me?”

“Oh, please. Do you know how small Fool's Gold is? Everybody knows you're sleeping with him. Which isn't the point. I need to talk with him. I'm afraid this is gonna get out of hand. Sasha is dancing with Fire Poi.”

Dakota wanted to go back to the “everybody knows you're sleeping with him” remark, but the words “Fire Poi” got her attention.

“Fire, as in flames?”

“They're lighting them right now. Geoff thinks it will be great for the show. I'm scared Sasha will get hurt.”

Dakota was already getting out of bed. “Finn's at his hotel. Do you have his cell number?”

“No.”

Dakota gave it to her. “Tell him I'll meet him at the hotel.”

“I will. Hurry,” Karen said.

There might have been more, but Dakota didn't bother to listen. She shoved the phone back on the base and turned on the light. Seconds later, she'd pulled on jeans and shoved her feet into athletic shoes. After grabbing her car keys and her cell phone, she was out the door and heading for her car.

 

D
AKOTA DROVE AS FAST
as she could up the mountain and pulled into the parking lot. A car jerked to a stop
next to her, and Finn got out of his rental. He was already swearing.

“I'm going to kill him,” he growled, taking off toward the back of the hotel, where the pool was located.

Dakota raced after him. “They're filming. Just so you know.”

Finn scowled as he grabbed her hand. “Meaning Sasha will resist any attempts to help him.” He swore under his breath. “I want to blame Geoff for this, but my brother is the real idiot.” He looked at her. “They don't call it Fire Poi because it only looks like fire, do they?”

“Karen said there were actual flames.”

Finn picked up the pace. By the time they got to the pool, he was almost at a dead run. She had no way to keep up with him and arrived a few seconds later, barely able to breathe.

Note to self, she thought as she gasped for air. In the morning, she was really going to have to consider some kind of exercise program.

Any other thoughts on the exercise issue disappeared the second she stepped onto the patio area by the pool. About a half dozen Tahitian dancers stood by the water. Two of the guys were spinning balls of fire at dizzying speed. Sasha held a single ball of fire, connected to a chain. As she watched in horror, he raised his arm level with his shoulder and began to turn the fire.

What should have been darkness was illuminated by the lights from the two cameras. All that was missing
was an insistent jungle drumbeat. That, and someone who knew what he was doing.

Urged on by the other dancers and Lani, Sasha spun the chain faster and faster. The fire created eerie circles of light. Dakota thought of Geoff lurking by the bushes. If Finn got a hold of him, there would be hell to pay. Normally she didn't condone any kind of violence, but Geoff made it clear that all he cared about was the show. The fact that Sasha could be seriously hurt was of no interest to him.

Finn stalked toward the dancers. Dakota followed, not sure if she was going to interfere or not. While she strongly believed Finn should let his brothers live their own lives, this was different.

“What the hell are you doing?” Finn asked as he approached. “Do you want to get killed? Put that down.”

Sasha turned toward his brother. It seemed as if, just for a moment, he forgot he was holding a chain with a ball of fire on the end. He stopped turning the chain and the ball swung toward the ground. The arc of movement swept perilously close to Sasha's side.

She wasn't the only one who noticed. Even as Finn dove toward his brother, Lani screamed and one of the dancers yelled out a warning.

But it was too late. Sasha's T-shirt caught fire. He instantly dropped the chain and yelled. In the time it took Dakota to register the horror, Finn barreled into his brother, and they both tumbled into the pool.

 

“I'
M GOING TO KILL HIM
,” Finn said as he paced the length of Dakota's living room. He'd showered and dried off, but hadn't cooled down.

“I don't care about the consequences. I'll plead guilty. I'll face the judge. Do you think there is any judge in this country who wouldn't understand why I have to kill my brother? And Geoff. What the hell. If I'm going to jail for murder, what difference does the second one make? Doesn't everyone like a two-for-one sale?”

Dakota sat on the sofa. For once she wasn't sure what to say. She believed Finn was hanging on too tight, but tonight Sasha had crossed the line. Legally, he was an adult. Apparently a stupid one. What kind of idiot started swinging around a ball of fire in the middle of the night? Sure it made good TV, but he wasn't going to have a career if he ended up with third-degree burns.

Although the paramedics had said he was going to be okay, they'd taken him to the hospital to be checked out. Dakota had been relieved when Finn hadn't climbed in the ambulance. She'd been concerned about having them alone in such a small space.

“I can't do this anymore,” Finn said. “I'm going to tie them up and throw them on a plane. I know you think that will land me in jail but I'm good with that. If I get them back to Alaska and back in college, I will happily go to jail.”

“If you're in jail, they'll just leave college. As for tying them up, they're about your size, Finn. You could probably take one of them but you can't take both.”

He paused by the window and looked at her. “Want to bet? I'm mad enough to take on a Kodiak bear.”

This probably wasn't the time to point out that the Kodiak bear would win.

“I can't believe Sasha did that,” she admitted. “I can't believe he was that stupid.”

“Despite the visual demonstration?”

“Even then. I'm so disappointed.”

“Imagine how I feel.” He crossed to the sofa and sat next to her. “I know you think I'm being controlling, but now do you see that Sasha will risk his life to get that damn fame he so desperately wants? I have to stop him. He's my family.” He shook his head. “I'm never going to be done raising them, am I?”

She laid her head on his shoulder. “Yes, you are. But you're never going to stop worrying. There's a difference.”

“And here I thought I'd be done by now.” He wrapped his arm around her. “This is why I don't want more kids. It never ends. You can't get away from the responsibility. How do you know you've done a good job? How do you know they're going to be okay? It's too much. God, I want to go home.”

Unexpected emotion swirled inside her. The sharp pain from the reminder that children might not be in her future. Disappointment that Finn didn't share her dream of family.

She and Finn didn't have a future. The fact that he didn't want children and had plans to return to South
Salmon wasn't news. She'd known from the first second she met him that he didn't want to be in Fool's Gold. As for the kid thing, she knew that, too.

But it was possible that sometime in the past week or so she'd allowed herself to forget that Finn wasn't a permanent part of her life. It was possible that he had managed to creep past her defenses, and now she cared about him. Which meant she had to get her feelings under control or she would be at risk of having her already fragile heart shattered.

“Sorry,” he said with a sigh. “This isn't your problem.”

“We're friends. I'm happy to listen. Besides, I'm something of a professional in this area. Feel free to pick my brain.”

“I know what you think.” He kissed her lightly. “You're not exactly reticent when it comes to sharing your opinion.”

“I'm going to take that as a compliment.”

“Good. That's how I meant it.” He glanced at the clock on the wall. “It's late. We should get some sleep.”

“You want to stay here?” she asked, before she could stop herself. What was she thinking? She just realized that she was at emotional risk with Finn, and now she was asking him to spend the night? It's not that she was afraid they were going to have sex. They were both tired and stressed. The real danger came from not having sex. From sleeping together. Sharing. Connecting.

“I'd like that,” he said standing.

They walked into the bedroom and got undressed. She kept on her short-sleeved nightshirt, but took off her shoes and jeans. Finn dropped everything to the floor. They slid into her king-size bed and met in the middle. After she turned out the light, he lay on his back, she curled up next to him. He put his arm around her.

“Thank you,” he murmured in the darkness. “You've been a rock.”

“I'm happy to help.” Which was the truth. Helping was easy. It was protecting herself that was going to be hard.

 

S
ASHA SAT ON A BED
in the emergency room, waiting for the doctor to release him. He had minor burns on his right side and on the underside of his arm. Nothing that wouldn't heal in a few days.

They hurt like hell but had been worth it. On the ambulance ride over, Lani had told him that Geoff had already called a couple of reporters to tell them what had happened. His accident was going to give the show a lot of publicity, which was great for both of them.

The only downside in all the excitement was how pissed Finn was going to be at him. Like that was news, Sasha told himself. He'd survived it before, and he would survive it again. Finn was an old man who couldn't remember what it was like to be young and have dreams. Sasha had his whole life ahead of him.

The curtain to his small alcove parted, and Lani stepped in.

“How are you doing?” she asked, her voice low.

He motioned her close. “Are the guys out there?”

She nodded. “Both cameras. They're not supposed to film in the hospital without written permission, but you know Geoff. He's telling them to get what they can.”

She settled on the side of the bed and grinned at him. “This is so cool. We're going to get tons of airtime. I was thinking, when we get back, we should stage a big fight. They can edit that in to make it look like you wanted to do the Fire Poi to prove something to me.”

He tugged on her long, dark hair. “Have you been talking to Geoff?”

“Of course. Come on. We all want the same thing. Huge ratings. This is one way to get that. Geoff said he's already had a call from
Inside Edition.
They're talking exclusive interview. That would be beyond amazing.”

Inside Edition?

For years now, the thing he'd wanted most in life was to get the hell out of South Salmon. As a kid, the dream had been about only that. He hadn't had another destination in mind—just a fervent need to be anywhere but there.

As he'd gotten older, he'd started to realize he needed a better goal. A place to reach toward, rather than away from. Which was how his idea of being a star had been born. Now he wanted to get on a TV series, or be in movies. He wanted to be someone, to be loved and cared for by millions. And if the price of that was a couple of burns, so be it.

“So we'll stage the fight and then there will be these scenes?” he asked.

“Uh-huh.” She lowered her voice even more. “So I'm thinking I should probably cry and beg you to live.”

He chuckled. “Sure thing. Then some loud kissing?”

She nodded and stood. “Let me go tell the guys.”

Sasha watched her go. She was pretty enough, he thought. But there wasn't any chemistry between them. There were a lot of other women he would rather kiss and then sleep with. But whatever it took for him to get to the next level…

Lani returned. She stood by his bed, drew in a few deep breaths, then started to cry.

“Sasha,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. “Sasha, you have to be okay. Please, please live. S-Sasha?” Her voice broke on his name.

Her talent impressed him. He stared at her for a second, then imagined how all this would feel if he really loved her and thought he was going to die.

“Don't go,” he said, his voice low and husky, as if he was in extreme pain. “Lani, I need you.”

“I'm right here. You know I'm here.” She sniffed. “I can't believe you got hurt. Do you need something for the pain?”

“They gave me something. It's not bad. I'm not going to give up, because I have you.”

Her eyes twinkled with laughter as she said, “Really?
You feel it, too? Our connection? I thought…” Another sob. “Oh, Sasha, I've been afraid to say anything and then when we fought before, I thought you didn't care about me.”

“Of course I care. Getting matched with you was the luckiest day in my life.”