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  “I promised I’d go.”

  John left, and ten minutes later, Cope arrived. Dani ran to the door and threw it open, then realized she’d forgotten to check the peephole first. Guilt flashed across her face, but Cope either didn’t see it, or ignored it. He swept her into his arms and covered her in kisses. For perhaps the tenth time that day, Dani burst into sobs.

  “What happened?” Cope lifted her in his arms and carried her to the couch, letting the door slam shut behind him.

  Dani raised her face to look into his eyes, so dark and hypnotizing. Her glance moved down his body, and she nuzzled her head into his neck.

  One of his arms cradled her on his lap, and the other stroked her cheek. “What happened, Daniella? Tell me.”

  So she did, halting when the shame and embarrassment and fear overwhelmed her, but she did it dry eyed. The arm around Dani tightened its grip, the stroking on her face paused. Cope’s heart thudded against her chest when she wrapped her arms around him and clung to him.

  “Did anyone call the police?” It was the first thing he said after listening to the story without interruption.

  “No,” she said in a whisper, eyes averted, because now he’d want to know why. So many valid reasons, but telling him would bring out more shame, and she’d have to admit their on-camera episode during Injury.

  The dreaded word came out tinged with agony. “Why?”

  “Robert, I can’t. The lawyer thinks we’d lose, and I’d be dragged through the mud publicly. He advised me not to press charges.”

  “What does John say about that?”

  Dani shifted to look into Cope’s eyes. “He’s not happy about it, but he’s not pushing me to do it. The studio fired Greg.” Saying his name left a foul taste in her mouth, and she grimaced. “They’ll rewrite the script, use what footage they’ve got, and shoot other scenes to fill in the blanks. Ferguson might need to do a scene or two with Greg, and they still intend to pay him, but my scenes with him are done. Essentially, he’s off the picture. His character will die, and I’ll get a new partner.”

  Cope leaned back against the sofa, pulling her with him, his hand once again stroking her hair. “I knew that son-of-a-bitch still had a thing for you. I saw that interview he did after your mother’s arrest. Was he drunk when he did this?”

  “Not drunk, but not sober.”

  “Not sober means drunk, Dani.”

  “Not with Greg. I’ve seen him worse. He could still function.”

  “Clearly.”

  That made her laugh a little, and she actually felt lighter. “I’ll see my therapist tomorrow?”

  “Is that a question?”

  “No.” She smiled into his chest, so strong and reassuring. “I’m going. John insisted on making the appointment, and it might help.”

  “If you’re asking my opinion, you should go. This must have traumatized you. I’m sorry it happened. What can I do to help?”

  “You don’t think it’s my fault?” Dani said it in a small voice, timid, fearful. It had haunted her through the bulk of the afternoon while she’d quivered on the couch.

  “You have a low opinion of me if you believe I’d blame you for being raped by a drunken jackass. Don’t beat yourself up for what happened. It’s not your fault. Henderson attacked you. He ignored you when you told him no. That’s the definition of rape.”

  Relieved that Cope still wanted her, Dani sat up, spun around to straddle him, and kissed his lips. “Thank you for being so wonderful. Can we still go somewhere together on the weekend? I’m not working tomorrow, then there’s a shoot on Saturday during the day, but I’m all yours by dinner time.”

  “I’ll plan something special.” Cope looked over her shoulder and frowned.

  Wondering what had caught his eye, Dani turned around and gazed at the TV. An image of Henderson and Dani displayed behind the newscaster. She grabbed the remote and turned up the sound. “… made no comment. We will continue to update as the story unfolds.”

  “Oh, God. The media have the story already.” Dani’s heart froze. What had they found out? What had they told the world? And what was Greg Henderson saying about it?

  Chapter 21

  According to the media, Henderson was off the picture due to creative differences. The phone calls from reporters, which had died off while her mother’s case languished waiting for the trial to start, sparked up again.

  Dani had flashbacks to the morning she’d found out her father was dead when she awoke the next day to the phone ringing off the hook. Fooled once before, she didn’t pick up this time and listened to the pleas for a statement over voice-mail.

  The limo waited for her in the parking garage where the reporters couldn’t get to her. The visit to the therapist went well, and Dani was happy she’d kept the appointment. When she returned to the apartment, the crush of reporters surrounding the building made her want to escape. Speed-dialing Cope, she asked him to meet her for lunch.

  As the driver steered the car to a nearby restaurant, Dani’s nerves fluttered. This was their first time in public as a couple. At least they were meeting at a restaurant Cope favored. The paparazzi and her fans wouldn’t expect her to show up there. Now, she wished she’d gone home and changed into something casual that wouldn’t attract attention.

  The car pulled up in front of the restaurant, and Mark came around to open her door. Dani stepped out, mindful of her short skirt and three-inch heels. Heat shimmered off the sidewalk, but she’d brought her suit jacket to cover the spaghetti straps of her tank top. Loose hair grazed her shoulders, falling in a cascade of ringlets. Everyone on the sidewalk turned to stare.

  Dani gave a half-smile to a young boy about thirteen. When his gaze met hers, he turned to his mother and shouted, “Mom, that’s Daniella Grayson. She smiled at me.”

  The mother turned doe eyes on Dani and stopped walking. “Miss Grayson, my son is such a huge fan of yours. I know you’re probably busy, but could we get an autograph?”

  Dani stopped and beamed a smile at the woman. She always had time for her fans, especially the polite ones. If it weren’t for them, she wouldn’t be where she was. “Of course.” She’d always felt too self-conscious to carry around photos of herself, but she had a pen and notepad.

  She signed the paper for the boy, who said his name was Andrew, and handed it to him. Gaze falling to the mother’s cell phone, she said, “Andrew, would you like your mom to take our picture with her phone?”

  Andrew looked as if he might pass out and nodded his head so vigorously she was afraid it would drop off. “Oh, man, yes, please. The guys won’t believe this.”

  Dani let the mom snap a couple of pictures, but by then, a crowd had gathered, and others wanted photos and autographs. Not sorry she’d stopped for the boy, but uneasy with the crowd building around her, Dani glanced at the door to the restaurant. A polite smile on her face, she edged toward the entrance. “Thank you, everyone, I need to get inside now, or I’ll be late for my date.”

  A mic appeared under her chin, and a woman wearing a press badge blocked her path. “Adriana Miller, Miss Grayson. TETN. Who’s waiting for you inside? Is it Greg Henderson? Are the two of you back together?”

  Dani shook her head and pulled away, scanning the area for Mark or Cope. The restaurant was casual and didn’t have security at the door. The crowd pressed in around her, and the reporter continued to shove the microphone in her face. “Miss Grayson, what creative differences caused Greg Henderson to leave Injury 2?”

  “I’m sorry, but I can’t discuss that.”

  A man gripped her arm and pulled her to him. “I’ll help you, Miss Grayson.”

  Dani shook with fear when he put an arm around her. Purse hugged to her chest, she tried to extricate herself from the man’s embrace. He inched her through the crowd but headed away from the restaurant.

  “No, please. I need to get into the restaurant.” She’d been so stupid to come here, to think they could have a quiet lunch. A sob escaped her lips, o
f frustration, of anger, of fear. Cope wouldn’t know where she was. Panic rose, and she twisted away from the man who had his arm around her.

  “Dani?” Cope’s voice penetrated the roar of the crowd.

  Oh, thank God. “Robert!” She saw his head above the sea of people around her and waved at him.

  “Miss Grayson, is that man, Robert, your boyfriend?” The reporter was back.

  A desire to shove the mic into the woman’s face became almost overwhelming, but Dani restrained herself. Gaze locked on Cope’s, she waved her hand to make sure he didn’t lose her in the crowd. At least they were both tall.

  After what seemed an eternity, the crowd in front of her parted, though not willingly. Cope elbowed his way through to her, and she fell into his arms. Hands on each side of her face, he tilted her head up and planted a kiss on her lips.

  “Come on. I’ll get us in there.”

  That he did it without the involvement of a security team or the police force impressed Dani. No fans were harmed or offended. Once inside, Dani relaxed, though she continued to huddle under Cope’s strong, capable arm.

  He guided her to the table where he’d been sitting when the crowd outside had caught his attention. “This is why you need a bodyguard and not just a chauffeur.”

  “Okay.” Dani wasn’t going to argue, remembering the guy who’d put his arm around her and tried to steer her away. “I’m sorry, Cope. This young kid wanted my autograph, and it snowballed. I didn’t think I’d make it in here. Thank God, you came out.”

  “It’s not your fault, but I don’t want you going out without a bodyguard again. I’ve got connections. There’s a guy who’ll be working for me once I open for business who can drive you around starting tomorrow. I can take care of the details, but you’ll have to authorize the tab.”

  “Okay. I trust you.” Trust you. Yes, she trusted Cope with her life. The urge to jump across the table and cover him in kisses hit her and made her smile.

  “What’s with the evil grin?”

  “Just thinking how much I want to, well, attack you where you sit. One drawback of going to a restaurant to eat is you can’t fornicate in public. Maybe we should just stay home for meals.”

  Cope chuckled, and they both looked up when the waitress appeared. The rest of the lunch date turned out to be a pleasant and relaxing interlude. At the end of it, Dani waited in the restaurant while Cope had the limo brought around, and then walked with him to where Mark stood waiting. Despite the crush of reporters and flashing cameras, Dani gave Cope a passionate farewell kiss and promised him a nice dinner when he came over that night.

  Chapter 22

  The Saturday shoot rescheduled to the Monday shoot as the search for a new partner for Dani got underway, and the script was rewritten. Cope took an early day on Saturday since Dani didn’t have to go to the studio. He’d arranged to pick her up in the late afternoon and had told her to wear casual clothes—shorts and a T-shirt and flip-flops or sneakers.

  Unable to contain her excitement, Dani took longer to dress for this casual date than she’d taken for the fanciest date she’d ever had. She settled on denim capris, a white, midriff-baring tank top, and canvas sneakers.

  Neutral makeup and a tousled hairstyle enhanced her almond eyes and highlighted her cheekbones. When Dani verified the effect in the mirror, the results pleased her. She was doubly pleased when Cope expressed appreciation of her efforts with kisses and touches.

  Forty minutes into the drive, the route became disturbingly familiar.

  “Are we headed to your parents’ place?” Dani tried to keep the anxiety out of her voice and thought she’d succeeded.

  “Okay, ya got me. That’s where we’re going, but not to visit them. I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep it to myself for too long. The beach on my parents’ property is a great place for a picnic. I figured that still counts as ‘going out,’ but we won’t get swamped by paparazzi or fans.”

  Eyes wide, Dani clapped her hands and bounced in her seat like a kid.

  Cope turned to watch her and smiled. “You’re so cute.”

  Dani laughed, loud and delighted. “I can’t recall when I’ve been this excited to go on a date. What a wonderful idea.”

  The car pulled off the highway, and Cope followed the route to the cliffs. Dani now considered that beach the location of their first unofficial date. She shuddered at the memory of how that had ended. One day, Dani supposed, she’d look back on it and laugh, but that day hadn’t arrived.

  Twenty minutes later, the car sat parked at the head of the trail, their cell phones turned to silent and tucked away. They sat on a large blanket on the sand amidst a spread of crusty breads; tapenade; a variety of cheeses; a container with a mixture of greens, sliced fresh tomatoes sprinkled with basil; pickles; chopped vegetables; and fruit.

  “You’re amazing.” Dani beamed at Cope, picked up a glass of sparkling peach juice, and sipped, appreciating the change from plain mineral water.

  “You inspire me, Daniella. I love that radiant smile on your face, and I’ll do anything to make it appear. It’s fun to think of things that’ll make you forget everything but us.”

  Touched, she raised the glass in salud, and Cope picked up his own goblet and clinked it to hers. “To us.”

  They ate, enjoying the sunshine, the food, and each other. The ocean lent a romantic ambience. After the meal, Cope packed up the basket, removed his and Dani’s shoes, and pulled her up for a walk in the surf.

  “So cliché, isn’t it?” he said. “A walk along the beach. We’ll milk it and stay until sunset. Today, we won’t be interrupted. Cell phones are off and no one can comment on it.”

  “John doesn’t worry anymore when I’m with you.”

  “Does he know you’re with me now?”

  A wave crashed against her legs, splashing her thighs, and Dani backed out to shallower water, laughing. She pulled Cope after her and put her arm around his waist. “Yes. I tell him when I go out if I’m not taking the limo and the bodyguard. I could resent it, but it’s because he cares, and I can’t fault him for that.”

  Cope nodded. “I can’t be with you twenty-four-seven so I feel better knowing he’s watching out for you too.”

  On tiptoe, Dani turned to Cope, clasped her hands behind his neck, and kissed him, a deep, sensuous, soul-baring kiss. “Let’s go back to the blanket.”

  Cope reached up a hand and fisted it in her hair. “What do you have in mind?” His voice verged on a growl.

  Before she could answer, his arms encircled her, and his mouth covered hers, devouring. Across the ocean, the sun hovered near the horizon. The scent of fish, moss, and salt spray wafted up with every breeze. Dani’s hair floated around their heads like seaweed.

  Cope disconnected, put a finger under Dani’s chin, and kissed her nose. “I brought dessert and tea. If it gets chilly, there’s an extra blanket to snuggle under.” He wiggled his brows and licked his lips. “It’ll be cozy and private.”

  Energized by love for Cope, Dani threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek. “I’ll race you back.” She released him and tore off along the shore, kicking up clods of sand and splashes of water as she flew toward their nest.

  Behind her, Cope shouted, “No fair—you had a head start.” He chased after her.

  When Dani reached the blanket, she fell onto it, then rolled on her back and waited for him to catch up.

  He dropped beside her, then rolled on top of her, kissing her and stroking her as if he couldn’t get enough physical contact.

  “Wait.” Dani pulled away, laughing, and grabbed her bag. She took out her cell phone and switched to camera mode. “Selfie! Lean in, Cope.”

  Cope laughed and pressed his face against hers, the tiny stubbles on his cheek and chin tickling her skin. The phone wobbled as she adjusted the position, and then she took three photos. “This one’s perfect.” She showed him the picture. “I’ll send it to you.”

  Dani switched off the phone, stuck it back in h
er purse, and then turned her attention back to her beautiful guy. Afraid she’d say the “L” word if she didn’t do something fast, Dani pulled Cope’s head down and kissed him. The urge to say she loved him became overwhelming, but she feared it was too soon. What if he didn’t feel the same way?

  “Cope?” She hadn’t intended to speak. That had just popped out. “I love today. Thanks for doing all this.” There. That wasn’t a lie, but missed the mark from what she wanted to say. Dani couldn’t stop smiling and thought she’d look back on this afternoon as one of the most perfect in her life. Yes, she’d been through more trauma, but Cope’s romantic gesture had erased all worries for a few hours and made her feel loved. She really did love this day.

  ***

  Monday morning, the filming got underway just after sunrise. The cast and crew tiptoed around Dani, more polite and solicitous than usual, which made it difficult for her to focus.

  Kind of them to consider her feelings, but it was hard enough to continue with the film without others’ behavior highlighting that everything was uncomfortable.

  “I saw your new boyfriend in the tabloids, Miss Grayson,” Trina said. At least Trina still acted normal around her, still chatted away as if life could continue no matter what had happened.

  Dani wanted to smile, but forced herself to hold still while Sandra, a makeup artist, worked on her face. Trina fiddled with Dani’s outfit, a designer suit which adorned a dressmaker’s dummy, preparing it for the next scene. “He’s hot. The Tattletale had a whole article on how Robert Copeland rescued you at that restaurant on Friday.”

  Forcing her eyebrows to stay still, Dani attempted to speak with minimal lip movement. “That was fast.” It came out as “at uz as,” but Trina apparently could translate, because she replied with “Yeah, pictures and everything. They must have rushed it through.”