Another Chance Anothertime

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Another Chance, Another Time

by

Catherine Snodgrass

ISBN 1-55316-114-9

Published by LTDBooks

www.ltdbooks.com

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any person or persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2002 Catherine Snodgrass

Artwork copyright © 2002 Trace Edward Zaber

Previously published by RFI West.

Published in Canada by LTDBooks, 200 North Service Road West, Unit 1, Suite 301, Oakville, ON L6M 2Y1

All rights reserved. The use of any part of this publication reproduced, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the publisher is an infringement of the copyright law.

Printed in Canada.

National Library of Canada Cataloguing in Publication Data

Snodgrass, Catherine, 1953-

Another chance, another time / Catherine Snodgrass.

Also available in paperback format.

ISBN 1-55316-114-9 (electronic) ISBN 1-55316-886-0 (REB 1100 1200)

I. Title.

PS3569.N62A76 2002a 813'.6 C2002-904820-6

Dedication

To Brian Cosgrove, who helped keep me straight on the legal aspects.

To Susan Krinard, who told me where the story really began.

To Renee Buckles (the real Renee and one of my biggest supporters), who insisted I put her in a book. She swore afterward she was nothing like the character, then bragged to everyone she was in the book. She passed away June 28, 2001, of breast cancer. I miss her very much, but she's still always there for me.

And, as always, to the men in my life-Les, Jim, and Omer.

Chapter One

Alec Edwards stared into the blinding rain. Traffic crawled along Interstate 10. Typical Los Angeles traffic. At this rate he'd never make it to the fund-raising dinner, and that was fine with him. As Alec had left the hospital that evening, Walt Rushmore had let it slip that his daughter Andrea would be joining them.

Somehow Alec had managed to keep from wincing. The Rushmores were playing matchmaker. As far as Alec was concerned, it would be a match made in hell. An abortive relationship with Andrea four months ago proved that. For some reason, the Rushmores and Andrea couldn't understand Alec just wasn't interested. Tonight was going to be pure agony. The weather seemed to agree.

Traffic slowed, cars wedged bumper to bumper, horns blared from all directions to no avail-nothing was going to move this traffic along. They were stuck here for God knew how long.

Alec smiled. Maybe there was justice in the world after all. The hospital already had his money for the

benefit tonight and now he wouldn't have to bear Andrea's company.

As he thought that, the crawl of cars ground to a halt. Headlights from oncoming cars zoomed by and bathed him in eerie yellow light. They moved a little too quickly for Alec's comfort. He blessed the concrete divider that stood between him and the eastbound lane. Still, his gaze remained riveted to those mesmerizing lights.

Through a sheet of rain, Alec watched in horror as a car broke free from those coming in the opposite direction. It careened off the center divider and sailed through the air.

Alec snapped open his seat belt and dove for the passenger side.

It was silent except for the beating rain, and then came the explosion of metal and glass.

When silence descended once more, Alec eased up, looking for damage. He was safe. The car behind him was a shambles. He shoved his shoulder against the door and sprinted to the wreckage.

Others did the same. A patrolman from the eastbound lane squealed to a stop, leaped the divider, and ran to the wreckage.

"There's a medical bag in my car! Get it!" Alec pointed to his car.

Relief washed over the young officer's face.

Alec stared at the tangled heap of vehicles and wondered if there was any hope someone was still alive. The first car, a beat up Colt, had plowed headlong into the windshield of the second, a late model Cougar.

Crawling up, Alec wrenched open the door of the Colt. The stench of liquor took his breath away. A pair of gaping, vacant eyes stared back at him. Nevertheless, Alec felt for the man's pulse. Nothing.

He jumped down, expecting the same from the Cougar. The door groaned in protest as he forced it open. A woman was behind the wheel, her face, neck, and chest sliced by shards of metal and glass. The Colt's bumper missed decapitating her by mere inches. He gingerly felt for a pulse and then sighed in relief. She was still alive.

Her eyes fluttered open and focused on him. There was a catch in her breath, an awareness in those deep brown eyes of hers. She grappled for his hand and then curled her bloodied fingers around it.

"It's...you." Her voice was no more than a whisper. "God, how I have missed you." She braced her cheek against the seat and drifted off, a touch of a smile on her lips.

Alec stared at her hand still nestled in his. Warmth radiated up his arm until his body was engulfed. Not even the chilling rain could diminish the heat pulsing through him. Who was she? He racked his brain trying to place her. They had never met, had they?

"Here's your bag." The policeman set the black satchel near the open door.

Alec turned to thank him. Shock paralyzed the other man.

"She's going to make it." His tone warned the officer to say nothing to the contrary.

Finally, the man forced himself to nod. "And the other one?"

"He's already gone."

The officer glanced around. "The paramedics are on the way, but with this rain and traffic it might take a while."

"Some butterfly kisses will hold her in place until-"

"Kisses?"

Alec blinked. Where was his head? "Sorry, I meant stitches." When he tried to extricate his hand, her hold tightened. He leaned closer, cupping his free hand over both of theirs. "It's all right. I need to help you. I'm right here. I won't leave."

"Yes, you will. You are never there when I need you most." A sigh heaved her chest and her hand slipped free.

"Not this time." Alec had no idea who she thought he was, but he knew whoever it was, she had to have faith that person would help. It was up to him.

He pulled off the paper strips on the stitches and used them to hold her skin together until he could get her to a hospital. With all the blood, it was hard to tell the extent of her wounds. Around him he was conscious of the officer directing traffic and the pounding rain, but that was all. Every sense was focused on the woman before him. It was only the two of them, as if the world around them had ceased to exist.

Each time he recalled those brown eyes upon him, Alec shivered. She knew him, trusted him. And he would swear he had never met her in his life. Now he was her lifeline, and although Alec had never been one to assign himself God-like qualities, he knew in his heart he was the only person who could save her now.

Another patrol car pulled up. Minutes later, the officer sidled up to him.

"How is she?"

"Fine. She's going to be just fine."

"Paramedics are almost here." He ducked away.

Alec bent over his patient once more to examine his handiwork. He smoothed back her blood-matted brown hair and felt a bump just above her forehead. A possible concussion was added to the list of injuries. That would explain her confusion when she saw him and her unconsciousness now. There was little more he could do for now.

Reaching over to the other seat, he snagged her purse. Her driver's license listed her as Danielle Morgan, age thirty, height five-three, weight one-twenty. In the photo, she was smiling. Her hair brushed her shoulders in a feather-like embrace. A pink dot on the license indicated she was an organ donor.

Alec gritted his teeth. He refused to allow it to come to that. He shifted through the contents of her purse once more and found a passport where another bright smile shined from her photograph. A plane ticket with itinerary was nestled inside the passport. Alec took a peek and didn't know whether to smile or cry for her.

She had been on her way to LAX to catch a flight to Europe. That would behis vacation of choice. Trouble was, he had never taken the time to do it, and never found anyone he wanted to go with. Whoever was waiting for her at the airport was probably frantic.

He waved one of the officers over and shoved the ticket into his hand. "Better call the airline and let them know what happened. They can notify anyone waiting for her there. Any word on that rescue unit?"

"They're about a mile away. I can see the lights from here."

Alec looked in the direction he pointed. Flashing red lights wove along the median toward them. He squatted down and picked up the woman's limp hand. This time, she didn't stir. Her pulse was thready. They were running out of time.

"Hang on, Danielle." No, that wasn't right. He didn't care what her driver's license said. "Dani, hang on."

Alec thought he felt the slightest pressure as she squeezed his hand in response. Impossible. It was his imagination wanting her to be all right.

The sirens ground to a halt in front of the cars. Footsteps beat a hasty path to reach the victim. For now, Alec was in the way. His job would begin again once they got her to the hospital.

He watched the firefighters cut her out of the car with the Jaws of Life. Then the paramedics eased her onto the gurney.

"Coming, Doc?" one asked.

"We'll get your car to you," the officer said as he gathered Dani's possessions.

They didn't have to ask him twice. He slipped the officer his keys. Then, with the right afforded his occupation, he crawled into the rescue squad beside her.

"Radio ahead. I'm going to need x-rays, blood typing, and a surgical team."

"Got it." The paramedic radioed the instructions to the hospital.

***

For Alec, everything was in place by the time the ambulance reached the emergency room doors. The hospital staff wheeled Dani Morgan away to prep her for surgery, x-ray for broken bones, and run necessary blood work. Then it would be up to Alec, and he was going to be good to no one unless he calmed down.

He stopped long enough to slug down a cup of water before marching off to scrub up. Dr. Kevin Samuels was already there, stripping from his street clothes into surgical scrubs. The rain had tightened his red hair to clumps of curls. His blue eyes danced with mischief when he saw Alec.

"If I'd known this was a formal occasion, I would have dressed in something better than jeans."

Normally Alec would have come back with a jibe of his own. Tonight he just wasn't in the mood. He threw his damp suit into a wad at the bottom of the locker. Kevin had the good sense to let it go.

"I was on my way home when you arrived. Thought I'd stay and help." He jerked his head toward the operating room. "She's a mess. Damn fine thing you were there. I understand it was over an hour before the paramedics could get to the scene."

An hour? Had they really been there that long?

"The other driver died on impact. Frankly, I was surprised to find her still alive. You know, she was on her way to the airport. Going to Europe."

Kevin looked up. "So she was conscious during all this."

Alex slipped his blue scrubs on. "No. I was searching for identification and found the tickets."

"So she never spoke at all."

He straightened. Two strides took him to the sink. "I never said that either."

Kevin was on his heels and nearly bumped into him when Alec started to scrub up.

"What did she say?"

"What does it matter?"

He shrugged. "I guess it doesn't if she didn't say anything about any medical conditions."

Alec drew in air to steady his nerves. "She didn't. She just mistook me for someone else."

"Is that what has you rattled?"

Yes. That was it. The whole thing spooked him. Dani Morgan hadn't just thought he was someone else, but sheknew him, and Alec couldn't for the life of himself understand how.

"I guess so."

Kevin's gaze was sharp, appraising. "Are you going to be all right to do this?"

He had to be. She was depending on him. By some instinct he couldn't explain, he had to help her. He was the only one who could save her.

"I'm fine. Let's do it."

Together they pushed into the operating room. Dani looked pale next to the white sheets that draped her. Shock and blood loss had taken their toll. The rest of the team surrounded her. The anesthesiologist was at her head.

"Is she out?" Alec studied her face, deciding where to start first.

"Almost."

"Let me know when, Joe. Anything else?"

"No broken bones, Dr. Edwards," the nurse said. "No hepatitis. No drugs or alcohol in her blood. But there are more lacerations on her torso."

"Then we'll start there." Alec lifted the sheet and blanched. A deep gash followed the curve of her right breast. He tried not to reprimand himself. From the position of the other vehicle, there had been no way to check for other injuries.

That's no excuse,logic argued.You should have checked her again in the ambulance.

"Ready, Doc."

"Thanks, Joe. Okay, people. Let's get to work."

***

Dani Morgan felt herself slip further into that dark place in her mind. She was aware of where she was, what had happened, and that she was very badly hurt. None of that mattered. They couldn't put her under. They just couldn't. No one understood what it would mean.

She had gone there once before when she had her tonsils out as a child. It had terrified her ever since, yet she could speak of it to no one. Now she had to. But the words wouldn't come. Dani couldn't make them understand.

And slowly she went back to that place. That place where she had died.

Chapter Two

Kourion, Island of Cypress-July 20, 365

Adia molded the last loaf of bread into a smooth round and placed it with the other twenty-three near the oven to rise. By morning she would have hot bread to sell in the market. With luck, all would be gone within an hour, as they had been this morning.

She dusted the flour from her hands and brushed back an unruly strand of her long, black hair. No matter how many pins she shoved into it, it always burst free.

"I swear one day I shall hack the entire length of it off." Gritting her teeth, she set the bone hairpin in place once more. Now for her next task.

Her potter's wheel beckoned in the shade of the overhanging portico. Here she could sit and lose her thoughts in her work and force the clay to her will, her design. Adia loved the way the slightest nudge altered the design. If she employed tools, the effect was even more dramatic.

Urns, pots, bowls, and dishes lined the shelves behind her-all fire-treated and ready for painting. Buyers were waiting. She had made a good life for herself, her son, and her sister. It was a long time coming. Finally, the town's folk could overlook everything else that had occurred. She had made a mistake. Very often good girls did. This one was no burden to the public.

That still did not mean she was allowed within their circles. But if their coins helped her survive, Adia could deal with the remarks behind her back.

There was a snort from the corner of the courtyard. She looked up in time to see their mule wandering toward the loaves of bread.

"Oh, no. I do not think so." She snagged his halter and chained him to the stone water trough nearby. "Cameo will have some grain for you later. Maybe a little exercise as well." She added a healthy scratch to the animal's ears and then returned to her potting.

Tucking her skirts around her knees, Adia settled behind her wheel and pumped it to life with her feet. A

little water, a little clay, and soon...

"Adia!"

At the sound of her younger sister's voice, she pulled her head up. Young Sozo bouncing from her hip, Cameo raced into the tiled courtyard. The couple in the rooms across from them peeked out and then just as quickly pulled back. They minded their business and Adia minded hers.

She followed Cameo's progress and prayed the wooden sandals did not trip her. Cameo would survive, but Sozo was barely eighteen months old and did not take kindly to falls of any kind.

Cameo's dark brown eyes were sparkling-a common event. It took little to excite a girl of fifteen years. Adia knew that from experience.

She sighed. Had she ever been that young? It seemed a lifetime although it had only been four years ago.

"Slow, Cameo. The world will not collapse before you tell me the news," she said with an indulgent smile.

Cameo set Sozo to his chubby legs. "There is a ship approaching the harbor."

Adia's heartbeat quickened. She forced it to slow, resumed her work, and smiled when a bowl formed at just the press of her fingers. "Ships are always approaching the harbor."

Cameo grabbed the sleeve of her tunic and gave her a shake. "No. Not this one. The sail is gold and scarlet. It is Demetrius."

The side of the bowl collapsed. Adia froze. "Are you certain?"

"I saw him on the bow myself."

Adia dipped her hands in the bucket of water. Cleansing them gave her time to think, not that she did not know what to do. She had had this moment planned for a long time. But the action gave her time to order her thoughts, strengthen her resolve. Nothing must stand in her way, not even herself.

Still, when she pushed upright onto suddenly wooden legs, she would swear a thousand butterflies danced in her stomach. She clutched the stone column at the edge of the portico for balance.

"I will not be long, Cameo. Watch Sozo for me. And feed that mule before it finds a way into my bread." Her hair tumbled from its restraint. Adia yanked the hairpin away. "Here. Take this. It is worthless to me."

Smiling, Cameo tucked the pin into her sun kissed tresses.

Adia turned away, marching a determined line toward the harbor. Her neighbors would be watching her. There was no doubt of that. They would want to see how she would react, what she would do. They would not be disappointed.

She saw the ship as she rounded the crest of a dune. Itwas Demetrius. Her heart raced at the sight of him standing, strong legs slightly astride, hands splayed at his waist, while he directed his men. The years and sun had deepened the bronze of his skin, a stark contrast to the short white tunic he wore. Hard work carved his muscles into lines so sharp they rivaled the finest statues.

A word was said to him. Demetrius turned, slowly, and his dark-eyed gaze caught sight of her. A smile spread over his face. He jumped from the ship and landed mere inches from the edge of the water.

Hold your position. Let him come to you.

He owed her that much. And in a few minutes he was going to realize he owed her a lot more.

With each stride forward, pleasure beamed all the more on his face. Had it been night, Adia was certain it could have been mistaken for a light beacon.

He quickened his pace, his arms opening to her.

"Adia, my love!"

With a hearty laugh, he seized her around the waist and then covered her mouth with his.

Adia melted in the embrace. Old emotions and feelings she thought long dead sprang to life. He danced his tongue with hers, and retook what he had left over two years before. Quivering with sensation, she clutched his shoulders. It was all too much. His hand drifted to cup her breast, and Adia recovered her senses. Bracing herself, she bit his tongue as hard as she could.

Demetrius yelped in pain. Before he could recover, she whipped first one palm and then the other against his cheek. For extra measure, she did it again.

"Woman, have you gone mad?"

In reply, she jammed her knee deep into his groin.

Demetrius doubled over in agony. On the ship his men fell over in gales of laughter. Satisfied, Adia pivoted on the toe of her wooden sandal and took the path home.

Nods of approval followed her along the way. So did someone else. It took Demetrius little time to recover, but his incapacity allowed her to keep ahead. She anticipated this. He would fail this time. He would know the shame she had borne all these years.

Adia caught a warning glance from one of the street vendors and picked up her pace. It was not necessary. As she neared the tiny rooms she shared with Cameo and Sozo, the child broke free of Cameo's hold and raced toward her.

"Mama. Love."

Adia scooped him into her arms and whirled around to face Demetrius. He was rooted in place right in the center of the market place-his jaw open to his chest. Things worked out better than she had planned.

"Yes, my sweet one. Love. Mama loves you. And, look, here is your Papa. Your Papa. Yes. Who planted his seed deep with sweet words and false promises then disappeared from the face of the world only to return when he felt the need to rut once more. Your Papa. Who swore undying love and devotion, yet never once bothered to share the news with his own kin. Look upon him, Sozo, and see what a true bastard is."

She left Demetrius standing among the snickers, and returned to the shade of her home before her quivering body could crumble. No tears. That would not do. By now someone would have drawn him aside-most probably Aurelius, whose aged eyes missed nothing. Aurelius would tell him all.

How she found herself with child a month after Demetrius departed to trade. How her father cast her aside. How his family refused help because her word was not good enough. How Aurelius offered her shelter until the babe was born. How the villagers scorned and snickered as they did him now. And how Adia came into her own, raised a child, scratched out a living and then took in her own sister when their parents died of fever.

Then he would rush to his family and demand answers. Their reply should not shock him. After all, he held the secret of the love he professed, if it had been love at all.

Once all sources had been checked, Demetrius would come back to her again if only to claim the child. Adia gave him two hours. He was back in one.

From the corner of her eye she saw him enter the courtyard with a large bag slung over his shoulder. Her pottery held more interest. When Adia did not look up, he dared a step forward. Cameo scuttled into the house.

Demetrius tossed the bag on the tile and fell to one knee. "Adia, my love."

A scathing gaze traveled down her nose to him.

He pressed his hand to his heart. "You are my love. You must never doubt that."

She punched down the side of her clay. "I have had plenty of opportunity to do exactly that. And for good reason. You have been gone for over two years and I have heard naught of you. Others have, but not I."

"I was trying to protect you-"

"Thank you. The humiliation was much more pleasant."

"Adia, please, if I had known-"

"If you had checked. Or if you had mentioned to someone, anyone...let me see, what were those words?" She cocked her head to one side as if trying to recall, although they would be embedded in her soul for all eternity. "Ah, yes...that my lips were sweeter than cherries. That my scent was more wonderful than a thousand flowers carried on a gentle sea breeze. That you loved to bury yourself in my rose petal softness."

His head dropped.

"But you said nothing. Imagine my dismay, my horror, my upset, when your family thought I was nothing more than an opportunist trying to take advantage of a hard working trader's absence. 'It could not be,' they said. 'Demetrius would have said something.'"

She balled the clay in her fist and slammed it to the pedestal. "But you said nothing. Nothing!"

Demetrius caught her shoulders before she could demolish the object further. Despite her rigidity, he forced her to look at him.

"The fault was mine, love. The shame is now mine and I will bear it fully. If I must, I will climb to the highest hill and proclaim my error to all. My goal was to protect you from gossip in my absence, not this."

Tears obscured her vision. Adia blinked them away. He would not sway her. But he had already seen her resolve falter and moved in.

"I love you, Adia. I will always love you. You were always in my thoughts. All I did was for you. I made a fortune for us, for you, for the family we would have...the son we already have." He waved his hand to the bag. "Gifts for you. More riches are on the ship. For you."

She swallowed the lump in her throat. "And I would give them all up if you had only stayed. If your pride had not been so great that you refused business with your father and brothers. I neededyou , not riches. I needed you and you were gone."

"And now I am back and we are together. By the time the sun sets tomorrow we will be as man and wife." He drew her close.

Adia pushed him back. Not now. She must be strong.

With a sigh, he let her go and then pulled his bag toward them. Peering inside, he drew out a necklace of beads. All the colors of the rainbow danced before her eyes.

"For you, my love." He tied the strand around her neck.

Adia stared at the beads and fingered them gently. She was losing her battle. Tears choked her throat. The hand he placed on her knee seared her flesh. Much as she longed to punish him, to hurt him, she loved him too much to make him suffer for very long.

"And tell me, Demetrius," she turned her brown eyes up to his. "In these long years when you pined for me, did any other woman warm your bed?"

Guilt flooded his eyes. He stumbled for a response. "A...man has needs, love. It was over two years. They meant nothing to me."

A growl tore from her throat. With a shove of her foot, she sent him tumbling. "A woman has needs, too." She raced for the steps and took them two at a time to the roof.

Demetrius caught her elbow and whirled her around. "And didyou fulfill them?" His face was inches from hers.

Adia narrowed her gaze to match his. "Every night. Every man who came within my reach. Ask anyone. They will all tell you. That is what a whore is for, is she not? You should know."

He gave her a hard shake. "Lies."

She jerked free. "Yes, but nothing less than you deserve." Adia snapped the necklace free and dropped it into the cistern. "Leave. I have managed on my own all these years. I no longer need you, or your pity."

Demetrius took a step forward. For one brief moment, she thought he would take what he wanted from her, and in some part of her mind she longed for him to do so. Undressing her as he had done so many times in the past, his gaze traveled the circuit of her face, her body. He reached for her, snapped back, and trotted down the steps and onto the street.

Her knees crumbled, yet somehow Adia forced herself to move. By the time she reached the sanctuary of her room, tears blinded her. Falling to her narrow bed, she gave in to the agony of her heart.

It felt like hours that she lay there crying, and it may well have been. But her first awareness that time had passed was when Cameo nudged her shoulder.

"Cassia is here."

Adia jerked upright. Demetrius's mother had not spoken to her since the day she sought their help and was denied. She was the last person Adia wanted to see now.

"Tell her I cannot see her."

"I do not blame you," Cassia said from the doorway. She drifted into the room and sat on the stool near the bed. "Words cannot express the shame I feel over the way we behaved toward you."

Adia wiped her cheeks clear. "The fault was Demetrius's, not yours."

"Had he but spoke-"

"There is no need for explanation or apologies. It is in the past."

Cassia slipped her hand over Adia's. "But, child, there is the future to consider. Demetrius ruined the name of a good woman. A woman who loved him, who he loved. Amends must be made. Can you honestly say that you can live in this city with each other and not be drawn to one another again?"

When Adia let her head fall, Cassia patted her arm.

"I did not think so. It would not be love if you could do that. Have patience with him, my child. He is only a man, and they are not often known for their brilliance. Forgive him."

"He deserves to suffer."

She smiled. "He is suffering, as he deserves to. I said to have patience and to forgive. I did not say you had to do it soon. A little groveling will humble him, do him good, and make him easier to handle once

you are wed."

Adia smiled through her tears. "Thank you."

Cassia dropped a kiss to her cheek. "Sleep well tonight. There will be a guardian at your door, for Demetrius is too foul-tempered to allow you to set foot from his sight."

Adia saw her out. Dusk was falling and with the night, clouds moved in. Thunder rumbled in the distance. With luck the roof would not leak this time.

She caught movement near the mule's trough and looked that way. Daring her to make him leave, Demetrius stared back at her. When she did not, he followed her into her rooms.

Adia jammed her palm into his chest. "All fowl sleep in the stable."

He caught her wrist and yanked it around to the small of her back. She felt him hot and hard against her belly. Her resolve crumbled as his lips pushed down upon hers.

Cameo cleared her throat. The sound pulled them apart.

Adia's cheeks flushed with warmth. "Demetrius, you must go. I can ill afford more gossip."

He stepped backward. "I missed you, Adia. My love for you never waned. I will have you again. You will be my wife before another sun sets on this city."

"Have I no choice?"

"Do you wish one?"

She slowly shook her head.

Demetrius smiled. "Good, because you do not have one."

He was nearly to the door when Adia called out his name. He glanced over his shoulder. "Yes?"

"I have missed you so."

"Tomorrow night you will be mine."

The lust in his eyes burned her and set her knees to wobbling. Left alone, it was all Adia could do to prepare the evening meal and put herself to bed.

***

Sleep was impossible. Adia and Demetrius were going to be together forevermore, his arms locked around her each night. Hugging herself with that thought, Adia watched the sunrise peek over the city.

Cameo's mule danced nervously in the courtyard. Seconds later the ground beneath Adia's feet rattled.

Cameo leaped from bed. Sozo cried and ran into his mother's arms.

"It's a small tremor," Adia said, clutching the child to her breast. "See to the mule."

Her sister collided with Demetrius on the way out.

"Are you and the child all right?"

Adia smiled. "We are now." Catching his hand in hers, she drew him to her bed. "It is still early. Come. Lie with us for a little while. I want to feel what it will be like after tonight."

Stretching out, Demetrius drew her against him. Sozo cuddled to her breast. Perfect. Love. Forevermore. Adia felt herself drift to sleep.

The earth beneath them trembled. Sozo screamed. She clutched him tighter. Demetrius draped his arm and leg over them both. There was a jolt. Debris showered upon them. The quake grew, shaking them like a dog would a rat.

The roof cracked. Demetrius drew them closer as if doing so could protect his loved ones from the heavy stone blocks.

They crashed upon them, crushing Demetrius and clipping Adia's neck. Sozo whimpered, then was gone.

Adia struggled for breath, struggled to move. Both were impossible. She could not even cry. At least they would be together in death. The last thing she heard as she slipped into darkness was the mule's hysteric braying in the courtyard.

***

"Quake!" the nurse shouted.

Alec and the team draped their bodies over Dani's. The tremble was mild, yet still unnerving. "God, I hate those things." Alec glanced down at his patient. Her eyes fluttered. "What the hell's going on here, Joe? She's coming out of it."

As if to confirm those words, Dani groaned.

"Damn it, get her back under right now."

"I don't understand what-"

"Just do it." He stretched the kinks in his back and longed to rub the growing ache in his head. Earthquakes always gave him a headache. The bigger the quake, the worse the ache. Hopefully he could finish here before it got too bad. Dani was depending on him, and he wouldn't let her down.

Chapter Three

Alec stripped off his gloves and slung them into the disposal container. He couldn't remember a time in recent history when he had been this furious at work. Joe Pinkus was the best anesthesiologist around. Mistakes didn't happen with him. Yet he was exactly who Alec blamed.

Hands braced on hips, Alec swung on the man. "Mind telling me what happened in there?"

Joe fanned out his hands. "I'll be damned if I know. She had enough to keep her knocked out until well after she reached the recovery room. The best I can figure is that the quake caused something screwy with the equipment."

"Then you'd better check it out. I don't want to see that happen again."

Joe clamped his lips tight. "I know my job, Alec."

"It sure didn't look like it in there." He jerked his thumb toward the double doors.

"You got a bitch, then file a report." He pushed by, clipping Alec's shoulder with his own.

Alec's fist curled of its own accord. Shocked at the violence in that act, he forced himself to relax. When he looked up, Kevin, arms crossed, was propped against the sink while he appraised the situation.

"What's the matter with you? In all the years I've known you, I've never seen you go off like that."

"I don't know. Something about having a patient wake up while I'm sewing her face has me a little rattled."

The reply oozed sarcasm, as well it should. Kevin wasn't fooling anyone. If the situations were reversed he would have behaved in the same way, if not worse.

"No." Kevin shook his head. "You weren't right before you began. Something was bugging you then. And don't give me that line about her mistaking you for someone else. What gives? It's not like you to let your personal life get in the way of the job. Is it Andrea?"

Alec rubbed the ache at his temple. "You know better than that."

"Yeah, and I also know that she's not going to rest until she has her claws firmly in you. I've never seen a woman so determined."

"She can look somewhere else." Alec cracked his neck on one side then the other. "Her parents, too, for that matter. You know they actually had the nerve to set us up tonight for this dinner. Cruel as it sounds, the accident actually kept me from dealing with them." He sighed. "For a minute there I thought that car was going to nail me."

Kevin dropped his arms to his sides. "You wereinvolved in the accident? You didn't tell me that."

"I came this close to being the victim." He measured a space between his thumb and forefinger. "The guy crashed into the car behind me."

A low whistle followed. "I can see where you would be a little shook up under the circumstances."

It was more than that, but how could Alec explain what he couldn't understand? He was alert, functioning. Nothing interfered with the surgery. Yet unease pervaded his senses. If he stopped long enough to dwell on it, his nerves danced on edge. While he worked on Dani Morgan, Alec chalked it up to the urgency of the situation. Now, he didn't know what to call it.

Kevin clapped him on the back. "Come on. I'll buy you a cup of coffee while we wait for her to come out of recovery."

They made it as far as the corridor when Andrea cut across their path. "Finally. How dare you stand me up!"

She was crisp perfection; Alec would give her that. A royal blue suit clung to her slender figure. Sequins along the collar fell deep into her cleavage. A slit up the side of her too tight skirt finished revealing what the short length teased at. She was on the hunt, and he was the prey. Not one bleached hair was out of place. How could it be with the can of hairspray holding it down? She kept it short, almost to the point of looking like a man. But if anyone doubted her sexual inclinations, one glance at her clothing chased it away.

Alec couldn't help it-he laughed. The whole thing was absurd.

"I think I deserve an explanation." She tucked her arms under her ample bosom.

Alec copied her pose. "I would disagree, since this evening was a setup from the beginning."

Confusion drifted across her face. "I don't understand."

"I wish I could believe that, Andrea, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt." To her credit, Andrea maintained her façade. Alec continued. "The only date you and I had tonight was fabricated in your parents' minds. I didn't know you would be there until an hour before it started. And I happened upon an accident on the highway-"

Anger tightened her mouth. She lifted her chin a notch. "So, you thought you'd humiliate me by not showing."

Alec shook his head and gave a humorless chuckle. A woman was gravely injured and all Andrea could think about was herself.

"We had something special, Alec. Why are you avoiding me?"

He actually felt sorry for her. "We dated for less than a month."

"But we shared a bed."

He held up a finger. "Once. And it was a mistake." Boy, he was sure finding that out now.

A red flush traveled up her neck. "Why?"

Alec had no choice. "Because...you're rude, self-centered, inconsiderate-"

"Good night, Alec."

"Good-bye, Andrea."And good riddance.

Kevin gave another one of his infamous whistles as her heels clicked away. "Buddy, I gotta tell you, you haven't heard the last from her."

Unfortunately, Alec had a feeling he was right.

"Ready for that coffee?"

"No, I think I'll check on our patient."

***

Norma Sharp looked up and smiled when Alec and Kevin walked into the recovery room a few minutes later. Her long blonde hair was slicked into a severe bun that gave the illusion of age where it did not exist. It was an unfortunate necessity when dealing with patients and doctors who felt age denoted experience. Norma was the best nurse there was, and determined that others see that, one way or the other. If that meant playing down her good looks until they knew her better, so be it.

"Nice work, gentlemen. You can hardly tell she was in an accident," she said.

Looking down at Dani Morgan, Alec had to argue that. She looked like a broken doll. Blood matted her brown hair around the face and along the edges. Blood still stained her cheeks where she had been stitched together. Her skin had turned a grayish pale. She literally had the look of death about her even though the injuries weren't as severe as Alec original feared.

He motioned Norma aside, out of Dani's range of hearing. Experience had shown that just because a patient was unconscious, that didn't mean she couldn't hear everything that was going on.

"How are her vitals?"

"Her blood pressure and pulse are erratic. Temperature has started to rise as well. Her pupils are equal and responsive." She gave him the chart.

Alec scanned the stats and then handed it back. "I want a white blood count again. We might have missed some internal bleeding."

"Yes, doctor."

After she drew a vial of blood, Alec sat on the edge of the bed to monitor Dani. They had already checked for internal bleeding once and found nothing.

He parted her hair for another glimpse of that bump. X-rays showed no fracture. By all accounts, she should be rallying by now. Instead, she was giving up.

Perhaps it was the accident itself-the fear of what the injuries may have done. If she were an actress or a model, she might think her career was over and feel there was nothing left to live for.

Alec shook his head. That wasn't it. Nothing about Dani Morgan indicated vanity. She wore no makeup, no jewelry except for a Timex. Her fingernails were short, functional, without polish. As far as Alec could recall, she didn't even have a mirror in her purse. Nope, no vanity here. There had to be another explanation, and he would find it. Dani would come out of this. Alec refused to allow any other alternative.

There you go assigning god-like powers to yourself.

He accepted the reprimand humbly and cupped her hand in his. "Dani, I'm Alec Edwards...your doctor. As you know, you were in a rough accident, but everything is going to be just fine. My team and I were able to patch you up good as new. In a few months, no one will know you were hurt unless you tell them."

Kevin nudged him. "Her chart says her name is Danielle."

"This is a Dani, not a Danielle." Alec smiled down at her. "Isn't that right?"

"You're right about that, Dr. Edwards," Norma said as she walked back into the room. "There are about a million people in the waiting room who can verify that."

Chuckling, Alec briskly rubbed Dani's fingers between his hands. "Did you hear that? You've got a ton of visitors waiting. Let's see if we can't get you ready to see them. Norma, could you please get a basin of warm water and a washcloth?"

"My pleasure, Doctor."

She returned a few minutes later and set a large basin and toweling on the stand beside the bed. "If you'll let me in there, Dr. Edwards, I'll take care of our friend here."

Alec slipped the washcloth from her hand. "I'll do it, Norma."

The look she returned questioned his ability to do so.

"Relax," he said, laughing as he wet the soft terry. "I clean up my nieces and nephews all the time. In fact, my youngest niece always insists on her Uncle Alec giving her a bath whenever I'm around."

"Something I'm sure you're going to love holding over her head when she grows up," Kevin said.

"Never." Still smiling, Alec pressed the washcloth against Dani's forehead. "I'll be very gentle, Dani. You don't have to worry. Of course, I'm sure once you're up, you'll want to do a little better job of it."

He dabbed along her hairline. "You've hit your head and have quite a bump there. Nothing to worry about, but you'll probably have a headache when you wake up. Minor cuts are on your forehead, no more than cat scratches. They didn't need stitches. Now here." He followed the edge of her face to her left ear. "There is a small cut somewhat deeper. We used baby-fine stitches to close it up and followed the natural crease next to your ear. Almost like a face-lift, but without all the pulling, tucking, and snipping."

He wrung the cloth clear. Norma replaced the darkened water with a fresh basin.

"Now, Dani, there was also a cut next to that button nose of yours. But, again, we were very neat and careful putting things back in their proper order. I don't want you to be alarmed when you wake up. The stitches are very fine, and we still followed the natural folds in your skin. Your nose is still the same although it might be sore for awhile and you will wake up with black eyes."

Alec rinsed again, and continued on, blotting the blood from her face and neck. "There is a cut on your breast that no one but you and your man will ever notice. Your muscles will be sore for a few days because it was a hard jolt. But the rest of you is perfect. Your eyes weren't injured, nor were your arms and legs. And your..."

He paused, the cloth pressed at the edge of her lips. Seized by the desire to trace his thumb across their pale surface, Alec drew back slowly. "And nothing will ever affect that bright smile of yours. I'm going to clean your arms now, Dani."

As with her face, Alec took his time, talking to her, reassuring her all would be well. When he finished, he pulled the blanket to her neck and tucked her in.

"You're all set. Norma, let's check those vitals one more time."

Alec relinquished his spot to the nurse. Dani's color had warmed to pink during the time he cared for her. He was certain there would be statistical signs of improvement.

Norma checked the readings then straightened. "All normal. You're amazing."

"Not me...Dani." He chucked Kevin on the shoulder. "Let's get out of Norma's way for a little while and talk to those visitors."

***

Kevin followed without comment until they reached the corridor. "I'd have to agree with Norma. You did a hell of a job in there. I've known you...how long now?"

Alec studied the gray-white tiles in the floor as they walked along. "Oh, about ten years."

"Yeah. I've worked with you so many times I couldn't begin to count, but tonight..." He shook his head. "I think you just became my hero."

Stopping dead in the hallway, Alec tossed back a silent laugh.

Kevin ruffled his stack of red curls. "I'm serious, Alec. This is the first time I think I've ever seen your bedside manner. I've heard about it, but I've never seen it. My God, you leave the rest of us in the dust. That woman was giving up and you pulled her back. I am in awe of you. No wonder the board of directors wants to make you chief of surgery."

He didn't deserve praise. He was just a doctor doing his job.

"Sorry, I know you don't like hearing how good you are." Kevin scuffed the floor with the toe of his shoe. "I promise I'll never do it again."

"Good, because I'd hate to have to find a new best friend. Come on. You can practice your own bedside manner with Dani Morgan's friends and family."

***

At first glance, Alec thought there might have been another accident. The waiting room was standing room only. He paused at the edge of the crowd with Kevin and scanned the people for someone who looked like they might belong to their patient.

Most of the visitors were teenagers, huddled in groups while they consoled each other. Others ranged in age from early twenties to sixties. There wasn't a dry eye in the place. One by one, heads turned their way.

"Is there anyone here for Dani Morgan?" Alec asked.

The room moved forward.

"Popular lady," Kevin said under his breath.

One woman close to Dani's age squeezed through the crowd. Her long ash blonde hair curled past her shoulders. Red-rimmed eyes peeked out from a fringe of bangs gone astray with the wet weather. Her shin-length beige skirt was soaked at the hem and dragged the material tight against her petite figure. A matching silk blouse did little to keep her warm-goosebumps covered her bare arms.

"I'm Renee Spencer, Dani's best friend. Is she all right? Please tell me she's all right." She wadded a tattered tissue in her hand.

Alec glanced over the crowd. "Is there any family here?"

Renee blotted the tears from the corner of her eyes. "Both of our parents went to Florida. My brother and her sister are expecting their first baby any day now."

Kevin curled his big hand around her upper arm. "Well, if your brother and her sister are married, I guess that makes you family."

She blinked her blue eyes up at him. "Yes, I guess it does. We never thought about it that way. We've been friends forever. Is she all right? Can I see her?"

The gathering edged closer.

"Are all of you here for Miss Morgan?"

Renee focused on him. "Yes. We were all waiting at the airport to give her a surprise bon voyage party. Friends, her students and some parents, co-workers." Tears spilled from her eyes once more. "This is all my fault. If only I had driven her to the airport like she asked me to."

Kevin slipped his arm further around her shoulders. "Then you would be in here too. Dr. Edwards will fill everyone in."

It felt like a benediction. Alec hoped he could find the magic words Kevin decreed as he addressed the crowd.

"Miss Morgan is in stable condition. She's just come from surgery and won't be ready for visitors until sometime tomorrow or the next day. She isn't even awake."

"She isn't going to die, is she?" one young girl sobbed out.

Alec hated that question. She wasn't supposed to die. Her injuries didn't indicate that was a possibility. Yet thirty minutes ago, he would swear she looked close to it. How could he promise something like that? How could he tell them the truth when he wasn't sure what that was?

"I expect her to be fine." There, nothing wrong with that answer. "I encourage you all to go home. Get some rest. Call tomorrow first before you come down. The instant she can have visitors, they will be allowed."

Clustered together, they shuffled toward the exit. Only Renee Spencer remained. Alec could guess what she was about to say before she could say it.

"I know...you're not going anywhere until you can see her," he said with a smile.

Renee blew her nose and stared at the potted plant beside him. "I have to tell her parents something besides 'I don't know.'"

A chuckle rumbled in Kevin's chest. "Just for a few minutes."

Kevin led her to the recovery room with Alec following at a slower pace.

***

The night had finally caught up with Alec. He should go home and get some rest. As long as Dani was out, he refused to go anywhere. His conscience, his sense of duty wouldn't allow it.

When he reached recovery, Alec saw that Kevin had yet to relinquish Renee. He took a proprietary role where she was concerned, always keeping her close, always comforting while she stared down at her friend.

"She'll be fine," Alec told her. "You should go home and get some rest. I promise I'll call if necessary."

"You're upset. You shouldn't drive. I'll take you." Kevin lightly brushed her arms.

Renee sagged against him. "Dani's things."

"They're at the police station. We'll stop by and get them."

"She'll want a few things for here."

"You can pack them tonight and bring them tomorrow. I'll even bring you in when I come to work."

She gave a weary nod, and let him guide her away.

Alec and Norma looked at each other and then at the couple walking down the hall. Norma opened her mouth and clamped it shut. Alec shrugged. Some things were best left unsaid. This wasn't one of them.

"I suggested it would be a good time to work on his bedside manner. I didn't expect him to take it so literally."

Norma smothered a giggle and slugged him in the arm. Grabbing it, he feigned injury. A muffled groan from the bed pulled them around. Alec hurried to one side of the bed, Norma to the other. While Norma ran a vitals check, Alec tucked his fingers into Dani's cupped palm. To his surprise, she gently tightened that hold.

Norma jotted the reading onto Dani's chart. "Looks like she's coming around, Doctor."

A slit appeared in each of Dani's eyes. Alec could see her watching, trying to focus.

"I'm Alec Edwards, your doctor. This is Norma Sharp, your recovery room nurse. You're..."

Dani rolled her head to one side. With a sigh she drew Alec's hand to her lips, kissed it, and then tucked it lovingly against her cheek. A tiny smile curved her mouth.

Alec's body came alive in a most alarming and pressing way. He had been with his share of women in his life. Some had excited him more than others. But none had had the power to destroy him with so delicate and tender a touch. And, still in his scrubs, nothing could hide the fact that he was aroused. His erection pulsed against the flimsy material and strained for the woman who cuddled his hand.

Norma cleared her throat. "Doctor...Alec...do you know this woman?"

At that point, all he wanted to do wasknow her. "I swear, Norma, I just met her tonight at the accident site."

"I see."

He looked up to find her gaze darting between him and Dani.

"I swear, Norma."

"Uh-huh."

"I think she just has me confused with someone else. Which, in her state, is understandable."

"Yeah." But she didn't sound convinced. "Would you like to change into something more...sturdy?"

"All I have is suit trousers and they're wet."

"They're dark. They'll be better than what you have. You certainly can't walk about like that the rest of the night."

Alec flashed a dirty look her way. "You let me worry aboutthat ."

Norma snapped her pen into her pocket. "Don't take an attitude with me Alec Edwards. Remember...I was once on the receiving end ofthat . I know how focused you are when you want a woman. But this time, you're sniffing up the wrong skirt. My God, Alec, she's your patient."

He eased his hand from under Dani's cheek and then turned on Norma. "Don't you think I know that? I can't help it, Norma. It's a normal, biological function. I'm tired, it's late, and, frankly, it's been awhile."

Alec reined in his rampaging emotions and forced a cocky smile. "Or maybe it's just being near you again."

Norma's eyes glittered with her laughter. "Oh, puh-lease, wait until Rob hears this one."

Panicked, Alec grabbed her arm. "You're not going to tell him, are you?"

Smiling, she patted his hand. "Relax. I might be a crazy in love newlywed, but I'm not stupid. A few things I don't tell my husband. And while you aren't one of them, this is." She pointed to Dani. "Just be careful, Alec."

"It's nothing...really."

Norma looked from him to Dani and back again. Her eyes called him a liar, but she was kind enough to keep the accusation to herself.

Chapter Four

Dani felt like she was crawling from a dark hole and using every ounce of energy she possessed to do so. A sense of loss twisted her heart and made her want to slide back down and let go once more to a place where she wouldn't have to deal with the pain, where the strange images in her mind didn't absorb her.

In some portion of her fog-bound mind she knew the images weren't real despite their clarity. They came to her in a dream state induced by the trauma she had endured. With each step up the ladder of consciousness, more memory of the event surfaced.

What amazed her most of all was that she was still alive. Just remembering that car plowing into hers was enough to take her breath away. There hadn't been time to do more than that.

A chill rattled through her. Instantly a blanket was tucked around her. She was conscious of the bed cradling her, the crisp sheets, that disinfectant smell unique to hospitals. At least she was safe. But how bad off was she?

Dani rolled her cheek into the cushion of the pillow. Something scratched against the cotton. Stitches. There were stitches next to her ear. What else? She forced herself to focus as more of the fog dropped away.

Her face felt swollen, especially next to her nose. She pressed her lips together, testing. Nothing wrong there, but her mouth was dry. Maybe whoever was with her could get her a drink.

It was probably Renee, worrying, stewing, and crying over her welfare. She would have called her parents by now. They would be frantic. Dani had to find some way to reassure them all was well-that is,if allwas well.

"Water," she managed to croak.

"Crushed ice for now," a man replied. The voice was soft, yet had a rich timbre. As he leaned closer, the barest hint of Old Spice permeated the hospital smells.

Curious, Dani forced her eyes open. Her breath caught. She knew this man. Just as quickly, the familiarity faded.

He drew back a fraction, and in the dim light Dani traced the outline of his face. Shadows highlighted sharp angles and a wanna-be dimple in his cheek. His hair and eyes looked to be the same color as hers-somewhere between light and medium brown. If in the sun too long, the edges of his hair would lighten to an intriguing shade of gold. His eyelashes also rivaled hers- long with that perfect curl most women would kill to have.

"Who are you?" she managed to ask.

"Alec Edwards, your doctor. Do you know me?"

"No." She truly didn't, and puzzled over the fleeting recognition earlier.

"Okay, here you go." He scooped up some ice on the end of a wooden ice cream spoon and brought it to her lips.

Dani pulled away as far as her pillows would allow, and wrapped her hand around a wrist so strong and steady her fingers could not touch. "Not with that you're not."

Furrows knitted the space between his eyebrows.

"I do not put wood in my mouth."

He smiled and set the spoon aside. "It must be interesting to look down your throat when it's sore."

"Something I try to avoid at all costs."

He pinched some ice between his fingers and lifted it to her mouth. "I'm afraid this is the best I can offer."

"I'll take it."

She could have picked up the ice herself. That was the first thought that came to Dani's mind as he slipped the cool chips into her mouth. But there was something comforting in the action, a nurturing she sorely needed at that moment. The peace surrounding him was much better than Renee's fretting.

His fingers were gentle, soft against her lips. His demeanor unhurried. Dani accepted each chip he fed to her and let his aura of calm settle over her.

"I think that's enough for now." He set the cup aside. "We'll see how you do later in the day and then start adding clear liquids. How are you feeling?"

"Like I have a ten-ton block of stone pressed against my neck." Her voice cracked a bit, but the ice seemed to have helped.

He carefully tested the area with his hands. "We x-rayed for whiplash and found nothing. I'll order another one."

She leaned into his touch. "Don't bother. It's something I get from time to time. Normally, only after an earthquake."

"Really? We had one while you were under." He eased away. "They give me a headache." His smile spread. "Now that's something I've never shared with anyone, so I'm expecting you to keep my secret."

"You have my word. You're still going to x-ray, aren't you?" She tried to wrinkle her nose in disgust, but couldn't.

"Yes, I am. I'd prefer to be cautious. You were in a terrible accident."

Dani sank into her pillows. "Yes, I know. The other driver?"

To his credit, he did not look away. "He didn't make it."

That age-old fear of death clenched her stomach. Dani closed her eyes and forced away the rising panic.

"I would say he went quickly," Alec said. "I don't know what his blood alcohol content was, but there was certainly no doubt he had been drinking...heavily. His car reeked of booze."

Calmer now, Dani looked at him once more. "You were at the scene?"

"I was in the car in front of you."

A smile raised the corners of her mouth ever so slightly. It was as much as she could manage. "Lucky me."

He brushed a stray tendril of hair away from her face. "More than you realize."

Dani watched his face while he laid out the extent of her injuries and how he had repaired the damage. Not once did his gaze fall from hers. His voice was low, filled with compassion. None of these businesslike cut-and-dry comments. He also wasn't the type to hide the truth. The injuries were bad, but could have been worse. She faded on them after surgery, but pulled back quickly. Everything was going to be fine.

He was also modest in his part of it all. It was always "we," not "I." But in her heart Dani knew he was the force that saved her tonight. Just the thought overwhelmed her to the edge of tears.

"I don't know how to begin to thank you, Dr. Edwards," she managed to say.

He gathered her hand between his. "Thanks aren't necessary. And it's Alec...please."

An unusual request, but somehow it felt...right. "Has my family been notified?"

"I'm sure your friend, Renee, has called them by now. The police caught up with her at the airport." A chuckle filtered up from his throat. "A bunch of your friends and students and their parents had gathered

there to give you a surprise bon voyage party."

Her trip to Europe. Now she did want to cry. She had scrimped and saved for years just to afford it. It might not have been the grand and glorious tour most people envisioned, but she couldn't wait for those eight days.

She turned her head away from him. Self-pity was an embarrassing thing, and Dani refused to be caught indulging in it.

"Those guys. I should have known something was up when Renee couldn't take me to the airport." Her voice cracked at the end and ruined her light-hearted comment.

Alec made a sound somewhere between a grunt and a laugh. "You're handling it a lot better than I would. If some drunk driver ruined my trip to Europe, I'd be pissed."

"Well, I'm not very happy about it, that's for sure." She rolled her head his way. "But there isn't anything I can do about it. Hopefully, under the circumstances, I'll get a refund on the trip and go again another time." Optimism couldn't stop the tear that wandered down her cheek.

Alec caught it on the crook of his finger and wiped it away. "I'll sign anything you need to help support your case."

Thanks seemed unnecessary. She gave it anyway. "I suppose I'd better see Renee now."

"She was upset. I sent her and the others home. I wanted you fully alert before you were inundated."

"And she went willingly?"

There was that smile again. "Yes, as a matter of fact, she did. But I'd bet she'll be back as soon as the sun rises."

A weak giggle lifted her spirits. "She's very protective of her friends."

"Then she's a good friend to have." He gave her hand a final squeeze and stood. "More ice chips?"

Dani's cheeks flushed with warmth. "What I really could use is a trip to the bathroom."

"I think we can manage that." He peeled back the covers, eased the IV stand away, and then tucked her hospital gown securely in place. "At least we can help you maintain some dignity. I'm sure your friend will bring you something more suitable. Okay, here we go."

His arm was strong around her waist, and for a moment Dani half-expected him to tote her to the bathroom. She guessed he was the type of man who would, if circumstances deemed it necessary. They stood by the side of her bed until she was steady enough to walk. But walking meant stepping away from the security of his touch.

Dani laughed at herself. The anesthetic obviously had rattled her senses. She never needed a man's support before and certainly wasn't about to start now.

Gently, she pushed his hand away. "I can manage."

Alec took the IV pole in one hand and maintained a strong hold on her waist. "I'm sure you can, but indulge me just this once. I'm a doctor. I live to be needed."

A nice way of saying that she was going to do things his way. Dani didn't argue but drew the line at the bathroom door. She curled her fingers around the pole and gave him the most direct stare she could possible muster.

"No one watches me in the bathroom. No one. I don't care how great a doctor you are."

Although there was a hint of laughter twitching at his lips, Alec didn't indulge it nor did he tease her. He merely relinquished the IV to her care.

"I'll be right here if you discover you need help."

Without Alec to balance her, Dani's equilibrium was off. Her stomach tumbled in revolt.

There was a vague memory of her last hospital stay. Six years old, her throat raw from a tonsillectomy, her mom holding her head while she threw up into a metal container, and crying.

If her stomach had its way, she was doomed to a repeat performance. Using her free hand to brace herself against the bathroom fixtures, Dani eased her way to the toilet. At least one need could be seen to before the nausea became too much to bear.

Long after she flushed, she sat with her forehead pressed to the cool tile. At this point the slightest movement would do her in. Her poor parents were probably frantic with worry. She had to gain some strength before she called them, or the sound of her voice would be enough to have them rush back on the first airplane. Nothing was going to ruin her sister's joy in being a mother for the first time.

Alec tapped at the door. "Are you all right in there?"

Dani sucked in a breath and pulled her shoulders back. "I'll be fine."

The door opened a crack. "Not good enough. If you can't do better than that, I'm coming in."

In reply, Dani's stomach tumbled over the edge. She spun around and clutched the edges of the toilet. Seconds later, he pressed a cool washcloth against her forehead. Dani leaned into it, let the sickness run its course and then sagged against his legs.

"Better?" He blotted her forehead, cheeks, and lips.

"I think so." Her shaking voice betrayed her. "At least there's some savings here from not having eaten all day."

"Some, but not much. Think you can make it back to the bed?"

"Let me swish out my mouth first."

Alec helped Dani to wobbly legs, even shoved a paper cup under her nose before she could reach the sink. With his hard arm around her waist, Dani soon found herself back in bed and tucked in as securely as if she had never left.

His gaze was lit with tenderness as he mopped her face, and Dani had to admit that even her mother couldn't have made her feel more at ease, more treasured.

The door to the hallway swung open and spilled light into her room. "Dr. Edwards, there's been another accident. A semi filled with illegal aliens. A lot of women and children. They need you down in ER to help with translation...among other things."

"On my way." He beamed a smile down at Dani and smoothed back her tangled hair. "Our patient here is doing nicely, or will be once her nausea subsides."

Dani grappled for his hand. "Don't..."Don't leave me. Please don't leave me.

He cocked his head to one side while an uncomprehending panic raced her heart. His hand was tight in hers, not only by her design but also by his, as if in that grip a bond was formed. Dani gave her head a slight shake. Not formed...reestablished.

Silly. You must have hit your head hard in that accident.

Still, she had to force herself to calm down, to let go of those fingers that intertwined hers. A semblance of a smile lifted her lips.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

Alec's smile sparkled in his eyes. He leaned closer and then drew back, frowning. "Norma will take good care of you. I'll check back as soon as I can."

The nurse replaced him as he zipped through the door. Try as she might, Dani couldn't keep her gaze from following his exit. She barely knew the man. Why the fear at his departure?

Gratitude, was all. He was a doctor. He had saved her life. Naturally there would be some concern that he was leaving her side. Of course, she was on the mend, but the anesthetic still had her so befuddled she couldn't think straight.

Yes...that was it. A lot of patients clung to their doctors-many long after the need was there. Realizing that, Dani determined that she would not fall into the category of burdensome patient. In fact, the sooner she was out of this place, the better.

She glanced up at the nurse who was adjusting her IV. The woman gave her a smile.

"I'm Norma Sharp. How are you feeling?"

"A little queasy, but I think I'll be all right if I can just lie still and sleep it off."

"Most of the time that's all it takes. If you aren't feeling better then, tell Alec and he'll have the ward nurse give you something for the nausea."

Dani tucked the blanket under her chin. "You're not the regular nurse?"

Norma poured some water into a cup. "For little sips only. I'll have someone bring you some ice chips. No, I work recovery."

The panic returned. Just how bad off was she? "Is my situation that..." She couldn't think of the right word. "Dire?"

Smiling, Norma smoothed the bed coverings. "Not at all. There was one small moment in recovery, but that passed quickly. I'm here now only because I came to get Dr. Edwards."

"And he was here because?"

"That's what he does. He dotes on his patients like they were small children. In fact, he once told me that's how they should be treated-coddled and indulged. Because no one likes to be sick or hurt. And you know what?" She gave a final tug on the sheets. "He's absolutely right. If I were lying in a hospital bed, he's the doctor I'd want by my side."

"He almost sounds too good to be true." Already sleep was beginning to pull her back under.

"Almost. But trust me, he's no dream." She pulled the call button within easy reach. "Rest. If you need something, just buzz and someone will be with you shortly."

And there you have it.No wonder she didn't want him to leave. Who wouldn't want to be indulged, treasured, treated as if they were the most important person in the world? He had subconsciously dredged up emotions experienced from childhood. Mom and bowls of chicken soup, cups of sweet, cool rice pudding. The way Dad tucked her under his arm while he read a story to her.

Dani's eyes flashed open. She had to call her parents and assure them she was fine. The phone lay within arm's reach. Renee would have called. They would be frantic no matter how much she reassured them.

Shoving herself to one elbow, Dani reached for the receiver. Her stomach lurched in protest.

"Later."

She eased back down and nestled her cheek into the pillow. A loneliness crept in around her. Childish as it might seem, Dani found herself wishing Alec Edwards was still by her side.

***

Alec tossed his keys to the catchall table near his front door. He didn't bother to turn on the lights. There was really no point when his sole objective was bed. After twenty-four hours with no sleep, more than half of that on his feet, he was exhausted beyond words.

The scene in the emergency room had been horrendous. Women and children, hurt, bleeding and hysterical, with no one to understand them but Alec, an orderly, and two nurses. For five hours he patched wounds, wiped tears and noses, and translated for doctors who could not understand their Hispanic patients.

Officials from the Immigration and Naturalization Service didn't make the work any easier. Despite threats to have them removed, they stayed underfoot, always on the periphery in the event one of the illegal aliens made a run for it. The helpless women and children were viewed as a danger to INS order and discipline. The aliens would be watched. And when they were well enough, they would be sent back from where they came. Alec hated the gendarme tactics, but he refused to waste energy arguing logic with those incapable of dealing with the concept.

Standing in his entryway, Alec stripped down to his boxers and left his clothes by the front door. Hopefully, the dry cleaner could salvage the suit. The leather shoes were ruined.

The thick carpet cushioned his bare feet as he wandered to the refrigerator for something to eat. The cold kitchen floor wasn't as kind. Alec slid the single throw rug under his feet and then chewed on a slice of cold pizza and washed it down with milk straight from the jug.

He should have checked on Dani Morgan before he left. Someone would have let him know if something had gone wrong. She needed rest right now-not him hovering over her. Although simply watching her sleep held its own unsettling appeal. It was a temptation he had to force himself to avoid.

Alec didn't have to remind himself that he was walking a thin line here. His body was having a hard time understanding that. A real hard time. Just thinking about Dani now made him rise to uncomfortable proportions. In his entire career, he had never lusted after a patient.

He slugged down more milk and then smacked the container onto the tile counter. It was more than lust. Watching her, caring for her, how many times had he been drawn to cradle her on his lap, to drop a wispy kiss to her forehead or her lips? The need to hold her was overwhelming in its intensity.

Who are you kidding? What you need is a cold shower.

Alec kicked the rug aside and parked his feet on the linoleum. The chill did little to pierce the annoying ache pushing to free itself from the confines of his shorts.

Dani would have to be assigned a new doctor. That was all there was to it. He tossed the pizza crust in the garbage, shoved the milk back into the refrigerator and shook his head. It would never work. Her care and recovery were paramount to him. Even assigning another doctor, Alec would find a way to insert his opinions.

Alec plodded toward his bedroom. Tired as he was, sleep wasn't going to come easily considering his current state. There was no sense making the excuse that exhaustion had caught him off guard where his patient was concerned. Something else was going on here. He simply had to find a way to controlthat and himself until Dani had recovered and was gone from his life.

That thought made him wince. He wanted to know her better, to see what type of relationship could develop between them, to feel her body pressed against his in pleasure.

Ethical regulations he had once blessed, Alec now cursed. Somehow he had to get Dani to see beyond the doctor to the man, and do so while maintaining a professional distance of some kind.

Impossible.

Dani Morgan was going to be a part of his life. Shewas already a part of it. It was up to him to see that no hint of impropriety touched them.

Alec gave a light laugh. Here he was charging forward with plans, and he wasn't even certain of the lady in question. He was definitely obsessed.

Alec secured the dead bolt and dragged himself to his bedroom. The big bed looked lonely. Sighing, he stretched out, tucked himself under the crisp sheets, and prayed sleep would be quick and without dreams of any kind.

Chapter Five

The scent of flowers gave Dani the incentive to finally leave her tormented dreams behind and open her eyes. Momentarily blinding her, sunlight poured in from the open window. She blinked until the shock passed and then focused on her surroundings.

Floral arrangements and plants covered her half of the room. In the single chair opposite her bed, a huge brown teddy bear waited with a red ribbon tied around his neck. Beside it someone had already helped themselves to a basket of fruit. Judging from the half-eaten apple perched on the table, Dani guessed the culprit was Renee.

Renee never finished an apple. She would take exploratory bites until the skin was gone and then set the rest of the fruit aside.

Dani rolled her head to one side. The other bed was vacant for now, which was probably a good thing. If the flowers were any indication, the room would turn into Grand Central Station once visitors were allowed. Dani would hate to put a stranger through that turmoil. It was often hard enough for her to deal with the lack of privacy.

Oh, they meant well-her friends, family, co-workers, students. They came to her for advice, tutoring,

friendship, to keep her company because they thought she was lonely living by herself. Their consideration touched her despite the irritation she often felt over the intrusion. It was for that reason Dani kept quiet. They were being thoughtful. How could she hurt their feelings?

And if pressed to be honest, Dani would have to admit that ninety-nine percent of the time she didn't mind the company. It was just lately that she had begun to feel...trapped. As if she had no life of her own, as if they thought she had no life of her own.

It was her own fault, really. She was the one who spent her time and energy on others, yet never once sought solitary activity, always on the go, always involved...with others. Dani supposed that was why her trip to Europe had been such a shock to them all. No one wanted her to go alone. Yet she had silently planned and saved for years. It was something she had always wanted to do. Nothing was going to stand in her way.

Looks like the last laugh's on you.

Dani sighed and pressed the button to adjust the bed to a more upright position. Infirmity was going to bring out the caregiver in everyone. The lack of privacy before was nothing compared to what would happen now. Perhaps the hospital would insulate her from being nurtured to death.

As soon as the thought left her head, Dani scolded her insensitivity. One look around the room proved how much they cared. It was a treasure to be so well loved. How could she even think of hurting them? The answer was, she couldn't. Somehow she would indulge their need to fuss over her, and then rest after visiting hours were over.

Dani peeled back the covers and made her way to the bathroom-a much easier trip this time. She avoided the mirror on her way in, but leaving...she had to look. She had to know just how bad her face was. Still, it took her what seemed like an eternity to pull her gaze from the sink to the mirror.

The door pushed open. "It really isn't that bad."

It wasn't necessary for her to look up to know who it was. Alec Edwards's voice would be forever ingrained in her memory.

"I'm just nervous, that's all."

"I understand."

He walked up to her until he was so close Dani could have leaned against him as she had done the night before.

"The stitches are there. You're going to see them. You have two slightly black eyes. And there is some swelling. You'll be sore for a day or two. Itchy as the healing progresses. But if you're expecting to see a hideous creation of Frankenstein when you look in the mirror, you're going to be disappointed."

Those long fingers of his curled around her upper arms and quelled the fear that lay beneath the surface of her skin.

"Trust me. Have I ever lied to you?"

Dani laughed softly. "No, I don't suppose you have."

When she still couldn't force herself to move, Alec braced her shoulders against his arm and lifted her chin gently on his fingers. Dani closed her eyes.

"That's cheating."

"Not to mention chicken," she replied.

"I'll give you this one."

The humor in his voice wrapped around her, bringing a smile to her lips.

"That's more like it. Are you going to satisfy your curiosity, or do I take you back to bed? I don't want you jumping up and down all day trying to decide. And since I'm the doctor, I get to be the boss."

Dani giggled. She didn't know whether he was being intentionally funny, or if that were his true nature, but at that point she didn't care. It put her at ease, enabling her to face whatever she would see in the mirror. Taking a deep breath, Dani lifted her lids. The black eyes dominated her face-not that they were truly black, but actually shadowed crescents. Tiny stitches were nestled in the creases on side of her nose. A dark line down the left side of her face caught her attention. Dani turned slightly. More tiny stitches dotted the skin near her hairline above her ear.

Alec was right. It was hardly noticeable. Once the stitches were removed, no one would ever know. The ones along her breast didn't matter. If that scar bothered anyone who would ever get close enough to see it, then Dani wouldn't want that type of person in her life anyway.

She smiled to herself. That was one heck of a character test.

"Pleased?"

Dani glanced up at Alec's reflection in the mirror and focused on the divot beneath his nose. It was all she could do to keep from turning around and pressing her finger into that tiny space.

"Very." She shook the feeling away. "But, boy, is my hair a mess."

Alec laughed, and turned her toward the exit. "Take care of yourself today, and I'll let you take care of that tomorrow. Come on, I have a surprise for you."

"I hope you mean you're removing this blasted IV."

"Soon."

Dani let him lead her back to bed. The table was pulled over the end of it with a small bowl of red Jell-O waiting in the center.

"Keep that down and we'll talk," he said, tucking her back in bed.

Dani's stomach rumbled. "Strawberry?"

"Is there any other kind?" He reached into the pocket of his lab pocket and whipped out a pink plastic spoon. "I made the ultimate sacrifice for you today to get you this. I had a banana split."

Eyes sparkling, she slipped the spoon from his fingers. "Some sacrifice. You get ice cream while I eat Jell-O."

"You're right. I owe you one. I promise that you can have all the ice cream you can eat if the Jell-O stays down."

Dani scooped up a spoonful. "I've heard that lie from doctors before. And, besides," her tone turned solemn, "I would say that I am the one who owes you."

Alec locked his gaze with hers. This had to be the most intimate conversation he had ever had with a woman, and they had actually said nothing. He felt like a fraud sitting here, knowing how much he wanted her. And, certainly, the last thing he wanted was for her to feel she owed him something. Gratitude was a disastrous reason for becoming involved with someone.

So what could he do? He played out the ridiculous scenario in his mind.

Excuse me, Dani, but you see even though I only met you last night, I find myself intensely attracted to you. I spend every waking hour thinking of you. Well, not every waking hour, but you know what I mean. All I want to do is hold you close and make love to you until we're both too tired to move.

Alec nearly laughed out loud. That ought to impress the hell out of her. Not to mention send her screaming to the Ethics Council.

Of course, he could simply just explain right now that he had lost his objectivity where this patient was concerned. Another doctor would be called in to replace him, and he would be free to pursue...

God, what a predatory word!Dani wasn't game to be hunted. She was a woman to be-for lack of a better word-wooed. And leaving her to the care of someone else was out of the question. He would be insane with worry. That left him back where he started-in charge of her recovery and wanting her, with the extra complication of her feeling as if she owed him something.

Dani paused, her spoon halfway to the bowl of Jell-O. "You're quiet all of a sudden. Is something wrong?"

Nothing. Everything.Why did he want this woman, this stranger, so much? This compulsion was as nagging as his desire for her. If he didn't gain some perspective here, everything was going to blow up in his face.

Before he could reassure Dani that all was well, Renee Spencer burst into the room.

"You're awake!" She stopped in her tracks and clasped her hands under her chin. "Oh, thank goodness you're all right! Thank goodness!" Tears puddled in her eyes.

Dani set the bowl back onto the table. Renee was emotional enough as it was, but for her to cry meant she had been pushed just a little too far over the edge.

And who could blame her? They had been friends for life. The fear of having that connection severed and the isolation of having both of their parents clear across the country during this time would be enough to break anyone down. Dani couldn't sayshe would have been able to hold up.

But what Renee needed right now was someone to lean on. Dani didn't know if she could be that person. The turmoil of emotions seemed too much to bear. She much preferred the peace of Alec

Edwards's light-hearted banter.

"I'll leave the two of you to visit," Alex said.

Dani felt Alec's weight leave the bed. It was all she could do to keep from grabbing his hand to hold him in place.

He tapped the bowl with the tip of his finger. "Try to eat as much as you can, but don't force it. I'll be back later." Alec turned a professional face to Renee. "I want Dani rested. Understand?"

Her gaze bordered on defiance, and Dani braced herself for an argument. Instead, Renee broke eye contact and gave him a nod.

Alec flashed a smile Dani's way. "I'll see you later."

Renee swooped down upon her before Alec could clear the doorway and smothered her in an embrace that made Dani wince. Gently she extricated herself from the grip and pushed Renee at arm's length.

Renee gasped. "I'm so sorry. I hurt you, didn't I? I'm such a dope. Are you in a lot of pain? Can I get you something? Do you need the nurse?"

Dani was exhausted just listening to her. "I'm fine...really." She rolled the table to her, more as a barrier to protect herself from another hug than to reach her Jell-O.

Calmer now, Renee eased onto the bed by Dani's feet. "You had us all scared to death. When the police came to the airport-"

"That was really very sweet of you to plan a bon voyage party for me."

"Don't try to change the subject on me, Danielle Morgan. I get to have my say here."

Dani focused her attention on the bowl and spooned up a small portion. "I know. I'm sorry."

"I came this close to accusing you of speeding." She measured an infinitesimal distance between her thumb and forefinger. "Then I found out you were stuck in traffic when the accident happened. Lucky for you there was a doctor, a plastic surgeon no less, in the car in front of you."

"I don't speed."

Renee tugged at Dani's toe beneath the covers. "You do speed. Everything you do is at warp speed. It's a wonder you haven't burned out long before now. Maybe this accident is a warning for you to slow down a little bit and start learning to relax."

Dani didn't care to hear an old lecture. "I relax. I garden."

Her friend snorted. "You water. Your grandmother planted the garden and your dad keeps it up. Face it. You're always on the go. I doubt you've ever really stopped long enough to enjoy life. For heaven's sake, Dani, you were going to do Europe in eight days. If I didn't know you better, I'd swear you were running from the law."

Finally, the chance to tease and put an end to Renee's rambling dissertation. "Ooo, maybe I am. Maybe last night's accident was some big conspiracy by an underworld mobster to do me in. I'm actually a spy on my way to Europe to save the world."

A steady stare was Renee's response.

Dani giggled, licked her spoon clean, and pushed the rest of the food aside. "You asked for it."

"Okay, you win. I'll let up. Obviously, having a serious discussion with you is out. How did you sleep last night?"

The question sparked a deluge of memories and dampened Dani's humor. She stared inward while strange images flashed through her mind quicker than a slide show. She felt an overwhelming sense of loss, of isolation.

Instinctively, Dani tugged the blanket closer and tried to hug her knees to her chest. The food table got in her way. She shoved it aside, but the stitches in her chest prevented the close contact Dani needed.

Renee scooted closer. "What is it? You're scaring me."

Not nearly as much as Dani was scaring herself. Yet, knowing that, she still could not shake the haunting pictures from her mind. She covered her hand over her eyes, and let them come.

"I had dreams...nightmares, all night long. I can't even call them that because they seemed so real. Like they were really happening." She shook her head. "Hadhappened."

Renee pressed her hand onto Dani's knee. "Tell me about them. Maybe that would help."

How could Dani put into words everything she had seen? Nothing coherent fell into a logical sentence. There were places, but mostly it was the emotions that went with them-fear, loss, and inherent sadness. Dani didn't think there were enough words in the world to express how she felt in those strange places.

"I remember a lot of columns. Tall white stone."

"Ionic or Doric?"

Dani dropped her arm and gave her friend a frustrated glare. "They could have been phallic for all I know. What does it matter?"

"It will tell what place you were dreaming of. The south, Washington, D.C.-"

"No, Renee...old. Long ago. Think Europe."

Her shoulders sagged. "Go on. What else?"

As quickly as the images hit her, trying to talk about them made them fade. "There was water. A lot of it. Dark blue. Sparkling."

"Sounds happy."

Dani shook her head. "But I wasn't. I was sad, lonely. Renee, I...died."

Her friend gave her an indulgent smile. "I can understand you being frightened, but everything you've described is a good omen, not bad. Each facet you mentioned indicates rebirth, a recovery from illness."

She rubbed a sudden chill from her arms. "Even dying?"

Renee nodded. "Even that. Just like when you draw the death card in tarot. It doesn't mean death. It's means rebirth. If you like, I can do a reading for you."

The last thing she needed was to be drawn into Renee's metaphysical schemes. "Did you call my mom and dad?"

"Once I learned you were going to be all right. They were frantic with worry, but I convinced them not to jump on the next flight back." She patted Dani's knee. "You might want to give them a call just to reassure them."

Dani gave an absentminded nod and reached for the phone.

It was a quick call. Yes, she was fine. The other driver died on impact. It was his fault. There was no need to fly back. Stay and enjoy the new grandbaby when he arrived. She loved them very much. And by the time Dani replaced the receiver, all she wanted to do was cry.

It was all too much emotion to deal with-her parents' worry, Renee's worry, the feelings stirred up by those images.

"More Jell-O? It's starting to look a little runny, just as you like it." Renee offered the bowl and spoon.

Dani shook her head.

She sighed and set the items down. "Everyone's very worried. They've called. Some are in the waiting room. Would you like to see anyone right now?"

"I think I'd just like to rest for a little while longer. You'll explain that to them, won't you?"

"Of course. I'll tell them no visiting until tomorrow."

She snuggled deep into her pillow and smiled. "But with all the wonderful flowers and presents I feel they are already here. Let them know that, please."

Renee traced the waffle pattern in the white blanket. "Quite a few presents. Alec and I polished off a pound of chocolates this morning for breakfast."

The image of the two of them mulling over which piece to attack next made Dani laugh. "Is that why you're looking so guilty all of a sudden? You didn't leave any for me."

But Renee didn't laugh. Instead, she turned a solemn blue gaze her way.

Dani's heart quickened in panic. Something was wrong. She now knew how Renee felt when she was hurt. Crawling forward, she grabbed Renee's hands in both of hers.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

Renee smiled. "Nothing bad. Dani..." She squeezed her fingers. "I've met someone. I've met the man I'm going to marry."

Her face screwed up in confusion. "When?"

Laughter bubbled from Renee's throat. "Last night. We spent the night talking. Just being together, nothing else. Oh, Dani, he's wonderful."

Dani eased back into her pillows. "And how does he feel?"

She shrugged. "The same."

When Dani could do nothing more than stare at her, Renee laughed again.

"I don't know how to explain it. I justknow . Didn't you ever justknow something?"

"I suppose so." Her voice didn't sound convinced. It was hard to imagine that Renee, that anyone, could fall in love and plan a future in less than twenty-four hours.

"Don't you want to know who it is?" Renee asked. "Or has Alec already told you?"

Dani focused her gaze on Renee's happy expression. Alec...of course. No wonder Renee backed down when he ordered that Dani rest. And Renee had mentioned his name...how many times? Dani couldn't recall, and at that point didn't want to think about it.

"Yes, Alec told me."

Renee smacked the mattress with her open palm. "I'll have to get on him about that. He took all the fun out of it. Oh, Dani, it's all so wonderful. I'm so happy. Aren't you?"

She rolled back into bed, tucking the covers up to her chin. "Of course."

Then why did she feel so sad?

Chapter Six

"I'm telling you, Alec, this is it. She's the one."

Alec ignored the impassioned plea and focused on his cup of coffee. It was the first time he had had the chance to speak to Kevin without Renee at his side, and he didn't like the answers he was getting any more than when she was with him.

"Kevin..." Alec knew reasoning with him would do no good. Still, he had to give it a shot. "How can you know something like that? How can you plan the rest of your life with this woman when you only met her last night?" He could understand wanting her, but marriage this quick?

Kevin leaned forward. "I just know. I knew from the instant I saw her, the second I put my arm around her. I can't tell you how and, frankly, I don't want to analyze it. I love her, I want her, and I'm going to marry her. It's the most liberating feeling I've ever experienced. It's beyond sex. It's peaceful...

comforting."

Alec could say nothing to change his mind. He watched Kevin's gaze wander beyond his shoulder. By the light in his eyes, there wasn't much doubt that the object of their discussion had just walked into the cafeteria.

Even he had to admit they looked good together, like they fit. Still, it was hard to get used to this rapid change in events. Kevin had gone from a single to a couple in less than twenty- four hours. The entire dynamic of their friendship had shifted. No more spontaneous road trips to Mexico or skiing in the mountains. Every action would be made in consideration of her feelings- forever. Alec didn't know whether he had just lost a friend or gained a new one. He prayed it was the latter.

So far, he liked her. She was friendly, easy to talk with. Her devotion to Dani was unwavering.

"How is Dani?" he asked when she slid into the booth beside Kevin.

"She's resting. A nurse came in to take her temperature and stuff so I left. She tired out awfully quick. Is that normal, Alec?"

He wanted to say no. Once the effects of the anesthetic wore off and she was up and around, he expected Dani to be awake the rest of the afternoon.

"Everyone reacts differently." Alec polished off the remains of his coffee, then crumpled the Styrofoam cup in his hand. "I'd better go check on her. I'll catch up with you two later."

"Wait."

He was nearly to the door when Kevin called out and then hurried his way. "I almost forgot. I ran into Norma earlier. Andrea's been looking for you again."

Hunting him down was probably more like it. "I swear itis going to take a restraining order to keep her

away from me."

"Yeah, and it's not going to do you a bit of good around here. She'll say she came to see her father." Kevin clapped his shoulder. "Just thought I'd warn you."

Andrea was obsessed, possibly insane, and now it looked like he wasn't even safe at work. He refused to allow it to bother him, to take his attention away from patients who were depending upon him. If necessary, he would go to Walt Rushmore directly and tell him what his daughter was doing. Alec thanked Kevin and headed for Dani's room.

Dani lay much as she had earlier that day-deep in sleep. He left her undisturbed and walked to the nurse's station to look at her chart.

The nurse on duty was new, fresh from school, and easily intimidated by those senior to her. Her dark hair defied taming. Short curls framed her face. She tensed when she saw him, and for a moment Alec would swear she was going to snap to attention.

He smiled, trying to put her at ease, and waved her back in her seat. "I just want the chart for Dani Morgan, Betty."

Yanking the record from its slot, she jumped up and slapped it into his palm. Alec bit back a laugh while he flipped it open. His humor faded to irritation when he saw nothing new there.

"Why didn't you record the stats you took?"

Stretching on tiptoe, she pointed to notations made two hours before. "I did, Dr. Edwards."

"Not those. The ones you just took."

Her eyebrows inched together. "I didn't take any. It wasn't time to do so. I haven't left this desk in hours."

"And no one else was down there?"

Betty gave a quick shake of her head. "Not that I'm aware, but then I can't see her room from the station. Do you want stats taken?"

Alec nodded absentmindedly. Betty was more determined in her actions. He watched her work, admiring her gentle efficiency, which couldn't have been easy considering her nervousness around superiors.

Betty made her annotations on the chart and then handed it to him. Alec glanced at it. This wasn't good. It wasn't good at all.

***

Alec braced his head on his arm and stared blankly at the paperwork on his desk. It didn't matter how many hundreds of times he looked at Dani's chart or her lab work, he still couldn't find an explanation for the fever that engulfed her body.

The temperature climb had been innocuous at first, nothing more than a tiny click upward. She had rested comfortably for hours. Dani had slept on through the constant fussing when her vital signs were measured. Her fever had climbed steadily.

He blamed himself for not acting sooner-when her temperature was only one hundred. But it had taken another degree to alarm him. And while he checked for signs of infection, her body added three more.

A flick of his finger closed her record. Nothing. Absolutely nothing to explain why this was happening. And there was no one to provide answers. According to Renee, Dani had always been healthy except for a bout of chicken pox and having had her tonsils removed as a child. Dani's family doctor was away for the weekend, so any questions for him would have to wait until Monday.

That left one alternative Alec didn't want to approach-her parents. They had talked to Dani earlier and were assured she was well on the mend. Now to tell them she had relapsed...

He let his head drop, shaking it. There was no way he could keep them from being alarmed. They would have every right to be. This was not a good sign. How could he, in good conscience, tell themnot to board the next flight home?

Alec punched in the numbers and waited. The answering machine picked up.

"We're having the baby...right now. Do whatever at the beep." The man ended with a cheer.

So much for that.

He hung up. This needed a personal voice, not a frightening message to call a doctor. Still, the joy in the other man's voice made him smile. New babies were an exciting event. He'd always been thrilled with the arrival of a new niece or nephew. If he ever became a father himself, Alec imagined he would be euphoric.

Not that that was likely to happen any time soon. There had never been any woman he considered having a lifelong commitment with, much less children. Unless Da...

Alec snorted. His priorities were skewed once more. Here he thought he had his thoughts in check, and then at the least provocation they went rampant on him again.

His conscience wasted no time nagging him about it either.Keep this up and you'll live to be nothing but a dirty old man.

"Yeah, as opposed to a dirty young one," he muttered to himself.

The door to his office eased open. Kevin poked his head through the opening. "You say something?"

Alec's chair squeaked out a protest as he eased back. "Just talking to myself. How is she?"

"Same." He shut the door behind him, stretched out on the worn leather sofa, and draped an arm over his eyes. "I gotta tell you, Alec...I'm stumped. I've looked over all the test results for you...twice. Nothing. Even had a couple of the guys down in ER with me to look them over. Still nothing. I haven't felt this inept since I was an intern."

That was a feeling Alec could sympathize with. "Was Renee able to think of anything more?"

Kevin didn't bother to shake his head. "Nope. They talked. Dani called her parents. Renee told her about us, then Dani said she was tired and went back to sleep."

And she hadn't awakened since. "Why don't you go home and get some rest? This is your weekend off, remember?"

"Renee won't leave her side." He stifled a yawn. "I'll be all right in a few minutes."

He was asleep before the allotted time passed. Alec left him alone and wandered down to Dani's room. Perhaps if he took up the vigil, Renee would be more agreeable to leaving her side. After all, one of them needed to get some rest, and it damn sure wasn't going to be him.

Renee sat in the semi-dark room, hands folded on her lap as she stared at Dani's bed. Worry and exhaustion made her numb-at least that was the impression she gave even if she never uttered one word of complaint.

Alec checked Dani's pulse, blood pressure, and temperature. No change. At least she was holding steady and not getting worse.

"Still the same?" Renee sidled up to him and peered anxiously around his arm for some sign of change.

There seemed no sense replying to the obvious.

She folded her hands under her chin. "She's stirred a few times, glanced my way and then drifted back to sleep. I kept hoping she would say something. Sometimes in her sleep she'll mumble something about forevermore. Kevin said she's conserving all her energy to fight this fever."

A nice, simple way of putting it. Alec slid his arm around her shoulder and steered her toward the door.

"You need to take Kevin home so he can get some rest. It's been a long time since I've seen him this tired. He won't leave without you."

She held back, glancing over her shoulder to where Dani lay. "She said she had dreams of dying. I told her that meant rebirth and a sign of recovery. Maybe I should have listened to her."

Alec gave her a tiny squeeze. "Nonsense. We'll help her beat this. Go home and rest. I'll be here with her through the night. When you come back in the morning, I'm sure you'll see an improvement."

At least he was hoping the fever would disappear as mysteriously as it began. Alone with Dani, Alec filled a basin with cool water and set it on the nightstand.

"We're right back where we were last night, Dani. I wish you could tell me why." He dipped the cloth into the water. "Well, this worked once-we'll try it again."

But it wasn't the same. Whereas the night before she had been frighteningly still while he wiped the cool cloth over her skin, this time she was responsive. Small sounds, sighs and snippets of words let him know she was aware of what he was doing.

Her eyelids fluttered open, and she focused glazed eyes on him. "Feels good. Cool."

Alec blotted the cloth over her forehead. "Then you just relax and enjoy it."

She replied with a tiny nod and sank further into her pillows. "Is Renee gone?"

"She and Kevin left a little while ago to get some sleep."

Dani's eyes opened to a slit. "Who's Kevin?"

Now that was a difficult question. Alec still wasn't comfortable defining their relationship as they did. In his opinion, it was too new to assign it the importance they felt it had in their lives.

"He's one of my closest friends. It appears as though he and Renee have formed a strong attraction to each other."

She made a sound that came close to a laugh. "She told me. I thought she was talking about you."

Alec didn't know whether to laugh or demand how she could make such an assumption. Renee was nothing like her, yet Dani had no idea how he felt and he couldn't tell her. He dunked the cloth into the basin and swished it around. "I'm definitely not interested in Renee."

She rolled her head his way. A semblance of a smile curved her lips. "Are you going to wring that out or wait until your hand turns into a prune?"

Laughing, he wadded the material in his fist and then shook it out. "Awful talkative for a sick person."

"Let's just say I find you less exhausting to talk to than Renee." Dani turned her face into the cool cloth. "What's wrong with me, Alec?"

"That's what we're trying to find out. Now that you're awake, maybe you can answer a few questions."

He ran through the list of possible symptoms-sore throat, headache, stiff neck or joints, stomach distress. Again, he found nothing. A quick check of her vitals revealed no change.

"What about..."

She painstakingly raised her fingers and covered them over his mouth. "Enough. If there were something, anything, I'd tell you. Jeez, forget what I said about finding you less exhausting."

Alec twined his thumb around hers and drew her hand down before the temptation to kiss her fingers overtook his senses. "Sorry. Rest. I'll be right here if you need something."

After a slight nod, Dani closed her eyes. Still, Alec waited until sleep relaxed her hand before slipping free of her grip.

A movement from the corner of his eye caught Alec's attention. He glanced up to find Kevin standing in the doorway-a plastic grocery bag dangling from his fingers.

"I thought you went home."

"I did," he said, walking in. "Renee spoke to Dani's parents. The same thing happened when she had her tonsils out as a child-high fever with no explanation. Her dad said orange juice was the only thing that helped. Even with her throat as raw as it was, she kept asking for it. Finally, when the doctor had exhausted all other efforts, he gave it to her. By then it had been several days and she was terribly dehydrated, despite IV fluids." Kevin lifted the bag. "So...orange juice. Care to give it a try?"

At this point there was nothing to lose. Alec punched the button to raise her bed to a sitting position.

Dani opened one eye and glared at them. "Now what? Who are you?"

"He's the infamous Kevin." Alec slipped his arm around her shoulders to steady her. "We're trying your father's remedy for what ails you."

Dani grasped the plastic cup as if she were starving and closed her mouth over the straw. Before Alec could caution her to sip, the contents were drained.

"More?"

Licking her lips, she held out the cup. "Please."

The way she drank, Alec began to wonder if the straw would do better service right in the carton. In fifteen minutes, the quart was empty. Dani set the cup aside and drifted off to sleep.

"I'll bring more in the morning," Kevin said. "You should probably go home and get some rest."

"In a little while."

Alec was barely aware of his response or of Kevin leaving. By some instinct, he felt a crisis had passed or was passing. Still, common sense insisted he be sure.

He dragged the chair from its niche. A syringe skittered from beneath and rolled under the bed.

"What the hell?"

No nurse he knew of would have been so careless. Andif that possibility had occurred, the janitorial staff was particularly meticulous. Every piece of furniture was moved, wiped down, the floor mopped daily, so there was no chance it could have been missed.

Retrieving it, Alec took it into the hallway to study it more closely. A small portion of the contents

remained.

Insulin?Could it have rolled out of Renee's purse?

He shook his head. Diabetics were more careful than that. Besides, considering the amount of chocolate she ate that morning, she couldn't be diabetic. But the syringe was under the chair, and she had been the only one in the room that day.

Alec trudged down to the nurse's station. Betty glanced up and her gaze fell to the object in his hand. Irritation flared in her eyes for the first time.

"Dr. Edwards, you should have told me you were going to give something to one of the patients first."

Alec leaned over the counter and held the hypodermic out to her. "I found this under the chair in Dani Morgan's room."

Her eyes widened. "Doctor, I didn't-"

"Take it to the lab. I want the contents analyzed stat."

There was no argument, not that Alec expected any. Betty would carry out her mission while leaning on the lab personnel to hurry up if necessary.

He passed the time pacing in front of the nurse's station and running horrifying scenarios in his head. Drug use? What else could it be? What did they really know of Renee Spencer? What was Kevin getting himself into? And how in the world could he tell him?

Betty snatched up the phone on its first bleep. There was a flicker of a shocked expression on her face. She masked it quickly and replaced the receiver.

"Morphine mixed with dirty water, Dr. Edwards."

"Holy shit!" He raked his fingers through his hair. "Run her blood for opiates."

She was on her way to Dani's room before the last word could die.

Dani didn't take kindly to being awakened by having a needle shoved in her arm.

"I hope you have a good reason for this," she said, her voice husky with sleep.

"Just a test," Alec said, forcing a smile.

She levered herself upright. "Then you fail. A big fat F."

Alec gently pushed her shoulder back down. "I'd expect nothing less from a teacher. Go back to sleep. We won't bother you any more tonight."

After delivering a drawn out sigh of frustration, Dani rolled to her side and tugged the covers over her head.

"This one might take awhile," Betty whispered.

"Go on. I'll stay with her."

"Shouldn't we remove the IV...just in case?"

"Yes. I don't want to wait for the lab results. We could be wrong, but I'd rather be safe."

In his heart, Alec knew he wasn't wrong. Someone had injected the substance into Dani's IV line in a deliberate attempt to harm her. And it looked like that someone was Renee Spencer.

Chapter Seven

Alec picked at a prune danish as he sucked down his fourth cup of coffee. Which, as far as his stomach was concerned, was about four cups too many. It would have been wiser to have something more nutritious at the cafeteria. But the possibility of running into Kevin and Renee was a prospect he couldn't deal with for now.

So he tucked himself into the staff lounge and hoped to pour enough caffeine and sugar into his system so he could drive home without falling asleep at the wheel. It wasn't working. In fact, the couch in his office was looking pretty good-even if he did have to curl up into a pretzel to fit on it comfortably.

He and Betty had reported the incident to the chief of staff. Once his shock faded, Walt Rushmore called the police and alerted security. At least Dani was all right for now. She was awake, alert, hungry, and now occupied a room across from the nurse's station. With the IV removed, the means to surreptitiously administer any more hypodermic cocktails was gone, should anyone try to slip by security. She would feel it if someone tried to stick her while she slept.

As an extra precaution until the police could investigate thoroughly, Alec decreed no visitor be left alone with Dani. For now, that didn't seem to be a problem, since people constantly streamed in and out of her room today. Alec was determined to see that Renee never got the chance to pull a stunt like that again. He was doing everything in his power to protect Dani while the police quietly collected the evidence. But Alec had all the proof he needed.

"There you are."

He glanced up from his coffee as Walt approached. "Good morning. What has you here on a Sunday? Did the police call you in?"

"No. They want to keep a low profile. I came in to catch up on paperwork. Things were a little tense at home."

Alec bet they were. Andrea would be making a scene. Her mother would be indulging her. And poor Walt was stuck in the middle. No wonder paperwork held more appeal.

Walt sat astride one of the chairs and draped his arms over the back. "I never thought I'd say this, but you young guys just don't know how to eat right." He motioned to the pastry. "Never live to be a hundred eating junk like that."

"You could be right, Walt."

"I know I am."

Alec had to give him that. For someone who was sixty-something, Walt had a physique of a man half his age. The snow-white crop of hair was the only true indication he had grown older. Even his skin was burnished to a light bronze, again with none of the obvious effects of sun damage.

"I was sorry to hear about you and Andrea. I had been looking forward to having you as a son-in-law."

"Walt, it never got close to that possibility." He wadded his napkin into a ball and then tossed it neatly into the trashcan across the room.

Nodding Walt followed the shot. "I just wanted you to know that it's not going to affect our working relationship."

"I never considered that it would. I know you're a bigger man than that." The coffee cup followed the napkin.

Walt focused his gaze back on Alec. "Looks like you've been busy around here this weekend. Administration is going to raise hell when they see all the lab tests you ordered. They hate hashing it out with insurance companies. Insurance might refuse to pay if-"

"Walt, you would have done the same thing and you know it. I just never expected to find...this."

He laced his fingers together and let them droop. "Are we really talking attempted murder here?"

Alec couldn't say it, but it was definitely an attempt to cause bodily harm. "I think we're dealing with Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy."

Silence descended while Walt absorbed the words. It was a shock, Alec knew. He was still trying to deal with the repercussions of the discovery himself.

The older doctor leaned back. "I thought we were dealing with an adult patient, not a child. Most victims are children. Most culprits their mothers."

It wasn't necessary to tell him that. Alec had been looking for a motivation for hours. Case histories were filled with mothers who checked their children into the hospital, claiming illness that did not exist. Once admitted, the mothers themselves injected tainted solutions into the child's system to create symptoms. Their reasoning? Attention to prove they are good mothers because they are caring for their children.

But Dani was no child. And the only reasons Alec could come up all revolved around Kevin. With Dani ill, Renee was the poor, devoted friend, helpless, needing this new man in her life. A long shot at best, but the only one he had, and certainly not one he felt like sharing.

"Any suspect? The insurance company will want one. So will the police. Do you have any proof, or plans to get it? Surveillance cameras would need to be set up."

Thousands of questions that Walt should have already dealt with. What was he asking Alec? As chief of

staff, he had the responsibility of the security and reputation of the hospital. Once more, Alec shared all the information and suspicions he had. The only proof he had was the contents of the syringe. Any fingerprints had long been tainted by himself, Betty, and the lab staff.

"So you have no plans to try to catch this person?"

The frustration in Walt's voice bordered on anger. Alec didn't care-he had a higher responsibility. "Isn't that up to the police?"

"My primary concern is the welfare of my patient. I've done my best to see to her safety."

"If we talk to Miss Morgan, tell her what's going on, get her cooperation..."

Alec shook his head. "This is her best friend, her life-long friend. Not only would we not receive her cooperation, but she would also go straight to Renee Spencer with the information."

"But to let-"

"I didn't say I was going to let her get away with it. There's got to be documentation, medical records of some kind to link her with other incidents. Hopefully, the police will find them."

Walt drummed his fingers on the back of the chair. "I agree you've made every precaution, but what about the evenings?"

Alec stifled a yawn and shoved himself to his feet. "I gave her a roommate. Sorry, Walt, but I've got to get some sleep. If you need me, I'll be in my office."

***

It was amazing that something so simple as a shower could have tired Dani out to the extent that it did. Or maybe it was her company.

Six of her students had decided it was time to visit. The mother of one of the girls had driven them. Now there were eight people in the room, not including Dani and her roommate, Elsie Carter.

Elsie was what Dani hoped she would be when she grew to advanced years. The old woman's dark eyes sparkled with humor, affection for all, and a determination Dani couldn't help but envy. She proudly announced her age as eighty-five, and was a little miffed that her granddaughter had seen fit to bring her into the hospital for tests. It was interfering with her quarterly trip to Las Vegas.

Still, she took the setback in stride. She indulged her own visitors, who actually had the common sense not to linger, and then draped her attention over those who visited Dani. Even now she had one girl reading to her from a volume of Walt Whitman, while two others sat enraptured over Elsie's interpretation of the man's work. Dani wished they were that attentive in class.

For herself, Dani endured having her hair blow-dried and nails filed by two budding cosmetologists while she helped a third young lady struggle through the mysteries of compound fractions. Renee and the mother sat chatting like two old friends, happily ignoring the rest of them.

Dani prayed the principal didn't choose that time to visit. If he saw her zipping through math problems, he'd waste no time dropping two of her history classes and shoving her into mathematics. She also found herself wishing someone would come along and empty the room. But the nurses seemed oblivious to the breach of rules.

Again, she took her cue from Elsie.Doesn't it feel good to be pampered, treasured, and in your own pajamas?

Dani found herself smiling. Yes, it did. Seize the day. Enjoy the moment. That's what Elsie would say. Still, she might enjoy it more if one particular doctor would drop by.

Guilt shamed her conscience. Alec sat by her bed all night long. One glance at his face early that morning showed how exhausted he was. And all she wanted was to have him at her side once more. No thought to him, or his other patients.

You're treading a dangerous path, Dani girl. Lusting after your doctor? How teenager-ish can you get?

It isn't lust,she argued back. Alec had saved her life, nursed her back to health. Naturally there would be a certain inclination to want him nearby. It was gratitude, a fear of something going wrong and him not be there to help her.

Dani laughed out loud. Puzzled heads turned her way. She waved them back.

"It looks like a slumber party in here."

They laughed and returned to what they were doing. A lie. Well, not really a lie. Itdid look like a slumber party in the room. But no one need know where her thoughts had wandered.

All right, so Alec Edwards was a good-looking man. Not movie star handsome, but an attractiveness that drew female glances his way. From time to time during the night, Dani would awake and find him there, faithfully standing vigil over her. Alec was her protector from all that was bad in the world.

Once she found him asleep with his head on her mattress, and gave in to the temptation to slip her fingers through that dark tangle of thick hair. Thankfully, he had not woken. That would have involved more explanations than she could possibly give.

How could Dani begin to tell him of the compulsion she felt to press her fingers to his lips? She longed to run her hands through his hair, to nuzzle her body against his. And to run like hell in the opposite direction each time the emotions became too much to bear.

The whole thing was ridiculous. Doctors did not fall for their patients. One look in the mirror confirmed the obvious-that she was definitely not at her most desirable level. But what if he did feel that...yearning?

Dani found herself alternately wishing he did and then praying he did not. Already, the sheer force of his personality overwhelmed her. Seeing him lifted her spirits. She allowed him to care for her in ways not afforded to others. She craved his presence in the room. If he were pulled to her as she seemed pulled to

him, Alec would be the one calling the shots. She doubted very seriously if he would willingly allow her to control each aspect of the relationship.

The very notion of that kind of intimacy with a man intrigued and frightened her. Dani was used to running her own life, taking care of herself, depending on no one...no man. She liked it that way and so did the few men she had dated. But Alec Edwards...

Nearly laughing aloud again at where her thoughts had drifted, Dani shook her head. He was her doctor, nothing more. She was the damsel in distress, falling for the handsome knight. Fairytales were nice to hear, but Dani had never believed in them.

Then why did her gaze keep wandering to the door and hoping for a glimpse of him?

"How are you holding up over there, dear?" Elsie asked.

"I'm fine." Dani wouldn't dream of telling her anything else.

A distinguished looking gentleman walked into the room as if he owned the place. "I don't see how you can be with all these people in here."

Elsie gave him an indulgent smile. "Now, Walter, that's no way to behave."

"It looks like a sorority house in here." He walked to her side and gave her a kiss to her upturned cheek.

"Don't you start now or I'll have to tell these young ladies about how I used to change your diapers."

A red flush crept under his cheeks while the teenagers giggled at his expense.

Dani smiled. "Is this your son?"

"Oh, heavens no." Elsie waved away the suggestion with the back of her hand. "This is Dr. Walter Rushmore. He's the chief of staff here."

"And I still like to think my rules regarding visitors stand." His shoulders sagged with Elsie's frustrated sigh. "All right, you win. But keep the noise level down...So, what are you in for, Elsie?"

Setting her lips, she tsked. "That blasted granddaughter of mine. I told her I was feeling a little dizzy and the next thing you know, here I am."

His regard for the old woman was reflected in his eyes. "We'll do our best to put her mind at ease." Then his gaze turned to Dani. It traveled the circuit of her face, her wounds, before stopping on her eyes.

"I understand you've had quite a couple of days yourself, Miss Morgan."

Before Dani could reply, he was standing over her perusing her stitches. The attention unnerved her. Where was Alec? Why was this man checking his work? Manners kept her from telling him to back off.

"Nice job. Very nice." The words were by rote, given absentmindedly. "Of course, I wouldn't expect any less than perfection from Alec Edwards. Quite a doctor, that one. He could be making a fortune in private practice in Beverly Hills, but he chooses to remain here where he can do the most good. I've seen him work wonders with burn victims and reconstructive surgery. He once said it was like sculpting."

"Oh...is he a sculptor?"

Dr. Rushmore snapped out of his reverie and smiled down at her. "Not to my knowledge. I believe he was using that as a metaphor. Ladies, I must ask you to leave for a few minutes. I need to speak with Miss Morgan privately."

He waiting patiently while each person said goodbye and then he pulled the curtain around her bed. Dani's heart raced with anxiety. Was there something wrong with Alec? Was that why the chief of staff

saw fit to visit her personally?

"Tell me, Miss Morgan, do you recall anything unusual happening yesterday?"

"Not really. Why? Has something happened to my doctor?"

Another smile came as he patted her hand. "Nothing at all. I'm just making certain you've been cared for appropriately by our staff. Thatis my job. All the nurses have been attentive?"

She nodded. "They're great."

"I understand a nurse was here yesterday afternoon to check your IV."

Puzzled, Dani scrunched her eyebrows together trying to remember.

"She's new and still on probation," he said. "I'm just checking on her performance."

"I'm sorry. You'll have to check with another patient. I don't remember much other than seeing her standing there injecting something into the IV line. She told me to go back to sleep and that Dr. Edwards had ordered something for my nausea."

Still smiling, he stood and opened the curtain. "I'll check with someone else then. We just like to know you're getting the best care possible." He left as quickly as he entered.

"That was odd."

Elsie brushed it aside. "He's always gone about things strangely, but he's a good man, a good doctor. I've known him all his life. Lovely wife, beautiful daughter. She was a sickly little girl as I recall. In and out of hospitals a lot. It was a blessing she grew up as robust as she did. Don't pay him any mind, dear. He

was just doing his job."

Then he was going about it in a really odd way. He should have observed the nurse's behavior first-hand, talked to her supervisor, evaluated complaints, not gone directly to the patient for information. It was the equivalent of the school superintendent going to the students.

The encounter was unsettling. Perhaps Alec could shed some light on the man's behavior, or at least see it did not occur again. Dani threw back the covers and draped her legs over the side of the bed. Her robe and slippers lay within arm's reach.

"Going to stretch your legs?"

"I thought it would do me some good." She could hardly tell the old woman that she was going to hunt down her doctor.

The nurses at the station gave her a cheery greeting when Dani stepped into the hallway. They would have no reason not to-she had been encouraged to walk around soon and often. However, if they suspected she was going to leave the floor, Dani doubted they'd be as agreeable.

It wasn't until she reached the safety of the elevator that the full impact of what she was trying to do hit her. How in the world could she hope to find Alec's office in a hospital this size? For all she knew, he could be in wing clear on the other side of the facility. She couldn't manage to shower without wearing herself out. How could she hike all over the hospital?

The elevator stopped two floors down. Dani tensed as the doors opened to a young orderly. Surely he would challenge her presence and escort her back to her room. She was relieved when all she got was a smile and a nod. Dani decided to test her luck.

"You wouldn't happen to know where Dr. Alec Edwards's office is, would you? I'm supposed to meet him there to have my sutures checked."

"Face lift, huh?"

Dani resisted the urge to call him an idiot. Obviously, he was so new he didn't have a clue.

"Yes...do you know where his office is?"

"I sure do. I'll take you there."

That would certainly solve one or two problems-directions and any further challenges. In the end, Alec's office wasn't that hard to find-once she knew where to look. The orderly took her to the second floor. The receptionist near the waiting room didn't give them much more than a glance. Alec's office was halfway down the left corridor.

Having delivered her safely, he hurried back to his duties. Dani stared at the door, at the engraved nameplate screwed in place. After wiping the sweat from her hands, she twisted the doorknob and walked in. Disappointment crushed her-it was Alec's examination room, all bright and pristine and waiting for his next patient.

Her shoulders sagged with defeat. Then she spied the connecting door. Securing the first door, Dani opened the second. It was dark inside and the only light filtered in from under the hallway door. He didn't even have a window.

Dani was about to admit defeat once more and return to her room when she saw a lump on the floor. Giving her eyes time to adjust, she focused on the form, and then smiled. Alec had removed one of the cushions from the leather sofa and was asleep on the floor beside the sofa.

It seemed cruel to wake him, since he had spent the night by her side seeing to her welfare. Still, the need to talk to him made it difficult to budge. Dani shut the door behind her. He had to wake up some time. She would wait him out.

***

The earth shook Alec from a deep sleep. By an instinct he did not know existed, he draped his arm and

leg over the woman curled beside him. Just as quickly as the tremor began, it ended.

The woman patted the floor, searching. "The baby. Where's the baby?"

Still groggy himself, Alec's reply was fast. "The baby's dead."

His answer woke them fully, startling them into reality. Alec fumbled for the light. A headache slammed into his temple.

Dani squinted from the brightness. It was better than having to face him in this embarrassing predicament. She should have stayed on the blasted couch, no matter how uncomfortable-not tossed the remaining cushion beside him. Then to have that old fear rear its ugly head.

Alec grabbed the cushions and shoved them onto the couch before giving her a hand up. She expected him to demand why she was here. Instead, he motioned her to sit, and then joined her. Although on opposite ends of the sofa, there was no more than a foot between them.

"What baby?" he asked.

She stared at the books lining the shelves to avoid looking at him. "It's a silly thing. Nothing, really. In fact, I haven't felt that way-"

"What baby?" It was a demand now. Irritation punctuated each word.

Dani looked down at her hands. "Sometimes I'll wake up suddenly and feel as though I've lost track of a baby."

"Have you ever had a baby?"

"I've never even been pregnant." Frowning, she clicked her gaze to his. It was her turn to take the offensive. "Why would you tell me the baby is dead?"

Alec squirmed and looked away. "I have no idea. The words just came out."

"A little cruel, don't you think?"

Sighing, he massaged his forehead. "What are you doing in my office? You should be in your room."

Dani rolled her neck to ease the sudden ache. "I came to tell you something."

His fingers slipped to her neck. "Let me."

She scooted around to give him better access. "You probably need this more than me. Your head must be killing you."

"I'll doctor, you patient. Now, what was so important that you had to sneak down here to tell me?"

With each press of his fingers, Dani's tension faded. "Your chief of staff paid me a visit."

Alec froze. What in the world was he thinking? No wonder Dani was upset. "What did he say?"

"He kept wanting to know about the nurse who gave me that shot for nausea yesterday afternoon."

"Nurse? You saw her?"

Dani nodded. "She seemed very nice. That's why..."

His laughter cut her off.

Dani turned around and puzzlement wrinkled her forehead. "What's so funny?"

Still smiling, he tapped the end of her nose. "Nothing."

Therewas a nurse. Renee was in the clear. All the worries, the fears were for nothing. Reality erased his joy. There was still the issue of a nurse in the hospital deliberately harming patients.

He glanced down at Dani. At least she was safe and so close he never wanted to let her go. The memory of her body nestled against his when he woke sent a tremor of a different kind through his body. He watched her gaze drop down to his lips and mirrored her actions. If she only knew how close he was to kissing her.

The flickering emotions upon his face amazed Dani. Laughter, concern, and then something else. His hand shifted lower, bracing her back. If she didn't know better, she would say he was going to kiss her. Her heart raced with anticipation.

What was it Dr. Rushmore had said? That Alec likened his patients to sculpting. That was all she was, all she would ever be-his latest project. She reined her heart to normal. Still, if only it would be possible to...

Dani dropped her head and pulled back. "I should be getting back to my room before someone panics."

He stood with her. "I'm sure they already have. I'll go with you."

Considering the awkwardness that had sprung up between them, Dani rather wished he didn't. But she needed a plausible excuse for being gone, and he was the only logical person to give it.

There was a proprietary hand to the small of her back as he led her off the elevator and through the gauntlet of nursing staff. His explanation of examining her in his office was greeted without question. Although one young nurse reminded him to tell them the next time.

He delivered her to her room, and then hovered over her until she crawled into bed.

"I'll be out of the hospital the rest of the day, and I have surgery in the morning. If you need me, here's my beeper number." He whipped out a business card.

Dani thought she felt the tiniest of squeezes as he tucked it into her fingers. It may as well have been a blow from a sledgehammer. Too quickly he stepped back and strode from her side. She listened as his footsteps blended with others and then disappeared altogether.

"Well...that was interesting," Elsie said.

"How so?" Dani muttered, still watching the door.

"I believe that man is sweet on you."

The concept was laughable...wasn't it? "I seriously doubt that."

"He just gave you his beeper number, dear. Doctors don't normally do that. They usually guard their privacy. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about."

So it seemed. Yet instead of feeling joy over the revelation, all Dani could feel was panic...heart-pounding panic.

Chapter Eight

Somehow Alec managed to avoid eye contact with any of the staff on his march to Walt's office. He didn't care if they thought his behavior odd. Someone, one of them, was a potential murderer, a traitor to the medical profession and the hospital. How could he look at any of them without hauling them against the wall and demanding to know if they were the one?

His faith was shattered. His trust in the inherent goodness of what they were doing here destroyed. Through this red haze of betrayal, one happy thought was able to sneak in-at least it wasn't Renee.

He felt a tremendous amount of guilt for having suspected her in the first place. But how was he to know? The evidence seemed to be there.

Her innocence was clear. She was truly the close friend she claimed and, hopefully, the woman Kevin believed her to be. All Alec could do now was wish them well, support Kevin's plan, and be there if it all fell apart. So where did that leave him and Dani?

Alec snorted. He didn't want to think about Dani now. He was too rattled by their last meeting. But it looked like that was exactly where his mind was going to go-not on Dani his patient, but on Dani the woman.

In his sleep he dreamed of her, soft and warm and inviting, nestled against him. His body responded with an aching intensity that demanded to be appeased. As he reached to draw her close, the ground quivered beneath them as if the very earth felt the connection between them. The movement grew, shattering his dream, his sleep, and he realized Dani was protected in his arms, just as he realized the baby she unconsciously searched for was dead.

What baby?

Alec stopped short of Walt's door and swiped his fingers through his hair. Just thinking about it put him on the edge of hyperventilation. None of it was real, yet he wanted to fall on his knees and weep over the loss of a nonexistent child.

"If you're looking for Dr. Rushmore, I just saw him leave, Dr. Edwards."

Alec looked around as the nurse zipped by. Was she the one? Thinking about it made his head ache even more. He'd confront Walt at home. They could talk more freely there. But that meant leaving Dani alone, unprotected.

What choice did he have? No matter how strong his attraction to her, he had other patients to consider. She couldn't be his sole priority. If he didn't stay focused, everyone was going to suffer.

But Dani wasn't alone. Visitors would surround her, and Alec knew there were two of them he could trust.

Glad to finally take some positive action, he hurried back to Dani's room. Things were as he expected. Between Dani and Elsie, there were twelve people in the room. Young and old, male and female, mingled, no one mindful of whom they were there to visit.

Alec held back, watching the scene. Despite the difference in their ages, Dani and Elsie weren't that much different. If he didn't know better, Alec would swear there was a relationship between them. And in watching Elsie, he wondered if he were seeing a glimpse of what Dani would be when she reached that age.

Both were vivacious women, loved by friends, co-workers, and, in Dani's case, high school students. They attracted people through the sheer force of their personality.

It was no wonder Alec was drawn to Dani. He loved the way she smiled and her way with people. How could he have allowed lust to taint their relationship? Oh, he wanted her, no doubt about that. But he refused to let an ugly word like lust diminish her value.

His gaze traveled the circuit of the room and fell from time to time upon Dani's face. She looked tired. Didn't they see that? Why didn't she say something to them? She sat cross- legged on her bed with a boy of about sixteen across from her. A map was spread out between them. But, instead of following the directions she pointed out, the boy stared enraptured at her face, her hair...and right down the top of her pajamas.

A red haze clouded Alec's vision. He shoved his way into the room and stomped toward his target. Dani barely had time to gasp before he grabbed the boy by the collar and hauled him into the corridor.

"Hey, man, what's going on?" the boy asked.

Alec slammed him up against the wall and pinned him beneath his forearm. "I think you know what's going on. Tell me, you little pervert, did you get a good look?"

The boy blinked while he sputtered for a response. "I...I don't know what you're talking about."

Alec pressed him harder into the wall. "And a liar too."

He balled his shirt in his fist and hauled him forward until his could smell the greasy burger he'd had for lunch on his breath. "Save the cheap thrills for one of your little girlfriends. I don't want to see your worthless ass around this hospital again. If I do, I'll-"

"That's enough, Alec," Kevin said from behind. "Let him go."

Alec shoved the boy away from him.

Eyes wide with fear, the boy staggered back, then caught his balance and sprinted for the elevator.

Alec waited until the doors closed him in before turning around to face Kevin. He didn't realize Dani would be standing there too.

Anger highlighted the hint of gold in her brown eyes and erased any pretense of the mild-mannered woman he had seen before. Her intent clear on confrontation, she shoved her way past Kevin. For one brief moment, Alec felt the urge to cover his groin. He met her lethal stare with one of equal energy.

Dani jerked a finger toward the elevator. "What the hell was that all about? That was uncalled for."

Alec took a stride forward, forcing her to bend her neck back to glare up at him. "He was looking right down your top."

His words were low, measured, for her ears, not those of the nursing staff hovering at the nearby station. As Dani absorbed them, a pink flush brightened her skin. Still her gaze held steady.

"I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it. He's a kid."

Alec clenched his jaw in an effort to stop the tick twitching at his temple. "Trust me. He knew what he was doing."

The pink tinge turned into a full-fledged blush. She broke eye contact and her gaze dropped to his mouth. There was a shift to her demeanor, and in that action Alec felt her very soul wrap around his. It was all he could do to keep his hands at his sides and away from the woman who unconsciously beckoned to him.

Kevin gently pulled Dani away. Smiling, he turned her over to Renee's care. "It's been a rough couple of days. Dani, you'll have to excuse Alec. He's like a bear with a sore ass when he's tired and I can tell he's close to exhaustion right now. And as your future friend-in-law and a doctor in my own right, I'd say you're not far behind. Visiting hours are over."

She dusted a chill from her arms. "No, please don't hurt their feelings. I'll be fine."

The far-away look in her eyes followed her back to the room. Now it was Alec's turn to fall under Kevin's care, but the looks he got were less than friendly.

"Let's go." With a jerk of his thumb, Kevin motioned to the lounge.

Short of making another scene, Alec had no choice but to follow. Once there, Kevin propped himself against the counter and folded his arms over his chest. Alec sank onto the vinyl couch. It squeaked in protest and then sighed as if giving itself up to its fate.

"I'd offer you a cup of coffee, but it looks like you've had one too many as it is."

"He was-"

"Looking down her top. Yes, I heard." He made a sound somewhere between a laugh and a snort. "What's the matter with you? You haven't been right since the night the accident happened."

Alec squeezed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. He didn't want to go into all this. His reactionwas over-the-top and uncharacteristic. Yet each time he thought of the kid salivating over the glimpse he had stolen, Alec wanted to snap his scrawny neck.

Then to have her stand so close. No, that wasn't correct.He had stepped into her space and staked his claim. His reaction had put the boy's to shame. Thank God his lab coat had hidden it. Now...if it would just go away.

"Someone's trying to kill her."

"I thought the car wreck was an accident."

"It was. I mean here...someone here. That nurse Renee saw yesterday gave Dani an injection of morphine and dirty water."

Kevin gave a long, low whistle, and, absorbing the shock, stared at the tabletop. "Anyone else?"

Alec shook his head. "Not that I know of, but then I haven't checked and I certainly haven't asked around. I've only just had my suspicions confirmed. I was on my way to talk to Walt about it. Can you

keep an eye on things here?"

An absentminded nod followed. Alec was nearly to the door when Kevin's confusion faded.

"That still doesn't explain why you hauled that kid off the way you did."

Alec didn't bother to turn around. "I'm dead tired. His flagrant disrespect set me off wrong. Beep me if you need me."

He hurried away before Kevin could dissect his excuse. But once in the haven of his car, Alec lost his purpose. There was no sense trying to confront Walt now. Everything would come out jumbled. He was rattled, his emotions raw.

Dani was safe for now. That was all that mattered. Kevin would protect her. Walt could wait a little while longer.

***

Dani knew the minute Alec left the hospital. No one had to tell her. She just felt the absence of his presence. Now, if only the heat that remained after their encounter would go with him. Her body was flushed with warmth, taking away any rational thought, any thought but of him.

If she lived to be a million years old, Dani would never forget the wayhe surrounded her in the hallway. Not his body, his...she hated to think of the word. It was too mystical, and she was not the type to indulge in psychic phenomena. But there was no other way to describe it. His aura engulfed hers. Feelings rushed in upon her, intense, conflicting. And it had taken every ounce of strength Dani could muster to stand within that halo of Alec's and not give in.

Desire had twisted her heart, her stomach. Heart-breaking pain followed in equal force. Her hand twitched from the compulsion to whip it across his face and at one point almost burned as if she had done so.

Thinking about it made the sensation in her hand return. Dani curled her fingers into her chest. Then there was the need to drive her knee deep in his groin. A hundred times since then she had asked herself why. The answer was puzzling. Because of the pain, hurt, and betrayal he had caused. Yet Alec had done nothing but help her.

The spell had been broken when Kevin had pulled her away. From the instant Dani had stepped away, all she wanted was to be near Alec once more. She longed to drape herself around him, to feel his arms wrap her in a steel-like embrace, to cry for the loss of...

Dani's breath caught. There it was again-that thing about the baby. A baby she had never had, that never existed.

"Miss Morgan, what's wrong?"

Of all the students to notice her distress, Dani was lucky enough to have it be Brandy. The girl's high-pitched screech scattered the rest of the visitors, and brought first Renee and then Kevin to her side.

Kevin snatched up her wrist before Dani could assure them she was fine. "You're hyperventilating. Why? What's wrong? What do you feel? Are you sick?"

Dani pulled free of his hold. "I was thinking about something and it scared me. That's all."

"That's all?" His eyebrows arched. "Your pulse is racing."

"I'm fine...really. I just need..." To be left alone and go home where everything is familiar and safe. "I need a little fresh air. To walk around and stretch my legs."

He waved his arm to her company. "Visiting hours are over for the day. Miss Morgan needs her rest."

So much for the fresh air and walk. At least her privacy was insured. Still, it took several minutes more

for each individual to say good-bye, give her hugs, gather whatever personal items they had brought, and leave. To make certain they found the exit, Kevin and Renee provided escort. But when Elsie's friends also decided to go, Dani refused to allow it. After all, there was no need for Elsie to suffer because of her.

Forcing a smile, she swung her legs over the side of the bed. "Dr. Samuels is overreacting. I need a walk, not rest. I won't be long."

No one challenged her presence in the corridor. Dani doubted they would be as lenient if they knew her objective was the elevator again. But she needed air, sunshine, neither of which was present in these sterile halls. Somewhere there had to be a patio or a courtyard for patients. All Dani had to do was find it.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Dani jumped at the sound of the nurse's voice. Trying to appear nonchalant, she glanced over her shoulder as if she had every right to do whatever she pleased. "I was looking for some place to walk in the fresh air."

The young woman smiled. "Wrong elevator. The one to the gardens is on the other end of the ward. It gives patients access while also allowing them privacy so they don't have to traipse through the hospital in their pajamas."

Dani followed the woman's directions. In less time than it took to walk to the elevator, she was standing at the entrance to the arboretum.

Birdsong mingled with gurgling water to set the tone in the garden paradise. Tall trees in the center reached to the glass ceiling while sunlight filtered through to kiss the branches. A wide path edged with pansies curved into the foliage, beckoning visitors to take a walk. To one side, a pair of elderly gentleman hovered over a checkerboard. It could have been just a day at the park, except for the fact they were wearing hospital robes.

Smiling, Dani let the walkway claim her. At the first turn all the signs of a hospital disappeared behind flowers and greenery. She wandered along the path and enjoyed the serenity. From time to time she caught a glimpse of other patients strolling through the maze or sitting on the many benches strewn

throughout the garden. Visitors were sparse, probably due to the afternoon hour when most patients napped.

She was nearly mid-way through the garden when she saw Alec just ahead, almost unrecognizable in a pair of tan Dockers with a pullover golf shirt to match. Her gaze lingered overly long on his backside and the way the cut of his trousers accentuated the...asset. Realizing the direction of her thoughts, Dani felt a blush warm her cheeks and concentrated on the man.

Alec stood before an expanse of roses-red, pinks, yellows, and whites- and stared with such intensity, Dani didn't know whether he was daydreaming or trying to memorize each individual flower. On impulse he pulled a knife from his pocket, cut one perfectly shaped red bud and then drew it to his nose to inhale the scent. His fingers caressed the velvet petals, and Dani could swear she felt it, too.

Slowly his gaze turned her way, stealing her breath, rooting her in place. Never had she wanted a man more. Never had she wanted to run away more. A terrible contradiction, and there was nothing she could do about either feeling. All she could manage was to keep her eyes focused on his as he walked toward her.

"Here I was trying to find a way to apologize to you, and you appear. It must be magic."

Dani swallowed to moisten a mouth gone dry. "At least that."

He extended the rose to her. "I don't have an excuse. I behaved like a buffoon up there. Would you accept exhaustion and possibly find it in your heart to forgive me?"

She wrapped her fingers around the stem and drew the blossom closer to inhale its scent. He dropped his hand slowly. Reluctantly?

"I do, but I doubt T.J. Costas will."

"I couldn't care less what T.J. Costas thinks. Every time I think of that pasty-faced geek looking down-"

"Yes, you made that quite clear." Dani looked up in time to seehim blush.

"Let's drop the subject, shall we? I'd just as soon forget it."

"Of course." The whole incident had forever altered her relationship with her student. She would never be able to forget it. Every time she tutored T.J. or answered one of his many questions, she would always wonder if his quest was for knowledge or a cheap turn-on.

He craned his neck and looked over her head and around. "Are you here alone?"

"No...you're here."

A chuckle rumbled in his chest. Dani bit back a smile and brushed the rose against her cheek.

"I meant Kevin and Renee."

"Kevin chased all my visitors away, then made sure they went by showing them to the door. With Renee's help, of course."

"Of course." He curled his fingers around her upper arm and gently kneaded. "Kevin can be trusted."

That presence Dani had felt earlier crept around her. "I would sincerely hope so, since he's marrying my best friend." Despite her attempt to make the words lighthearted, the tremor in her voice came through.

He caught her other arm, lifting her into the center of the vortex. "Dani."

The whisper made her skin tremble. "What do you want from me, Alec?" she asked in a rush of breath.

"Nothing...everything. I just want you, Dani. Just you."

She closed her eyes and felt the warmth of his mouth as he dipped nearer. Renee's shout shattered the moment.

Simultaneously they stepped away. Renee called out again.

"Over here." Dani's voice was barely audible. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Here, Renee."

Alec pointed to the rose. "Be careful of those thorns. They can hurt you when you least expect it."

Away from him now, Dani's fog cleared. "That goes for a lot of things."

He squared his shoulders and drew himself to his full height. "I'll see you sometime tomorrow."

Before she could say good-bye, he was gone, and Renee rushed to fill the spot he had vacated.

"There you are. You scared me half to death. Don't you ever do anything like that again."

Dani rolled her eyes to the ceiling. The last thing she needed was a nonsensical lecture. "I was only going for a walk. Calm down."

Tears flooded Renee's eyes. "Oh, Dani, didn't Alec tell you? Someone's trying to kill you!"

Chapter Nine

"Are you all right? Dani? Say something."

Whatcould she say? Someone was trying to kill her. Why? Who? What could she have possibly done to warrant such action?

Dazed by the revelation, Dani let Renee lead her back to her room. Kevin met them halfway and took a position on one side.

"I'm not going to faint." She managed to squeeze the words out, but they were choked, difficult to understand.

As the shock bore into her gut, her legs wobbled from the effort to keep her upright. Kevin snagged a wheelchair and pressed her into it. Dani didn't bother to argue.

Elsie's conversation stopped mid-stream when he wheeled Dani into their room. Dani longed to reassure her. This time the words refused to come.

"Do you need some help getting into bed?" Kevin asked.

She gave a quick shake of her head and crawled up. Elsie peeled back her own sheets to help.

Kevin waved her back down. "She just over-extended herself. She'll be all right."

He closed the curtain between the two beds, shutting the old woman out. That simple act, a courtesy to Dani, an insult to Elsie, rattled Dani back to her senses. Reaching up, she pulled the curtain open.

"It's okay." As an added reassurance, she put in a tiny smile. Once Elsie settled back down, Dani let the façade drop.

"Why, Kevin? Who? And why didn't Alec tell me?"

"It was a random act of violence. We're investigating it. And I believe Alec was merely interested in protecting you and your recovery."

He steered the wheelchair out the door and ended further conversation. Renee followed. Elsie picked up her conversation with her friends. And Dani was left to the privacy of her thoughts.

Alec's business card stared at her from its place on the stand beside her bed. Dani picked it up, fingering the edges. He had lied to her, out and out lied. Dani didn't care if his reasoning was to protect her. It was a lie. And it was enough to prove her point. It didn't matter how great a doctor Alec might be, as a man she couldn't trust him.

Now all she had to do was remember that the next time she was near him. And there would be a next time-Alec had made that quite clear.

A shiver quaked through her body. He wanted her, and if she didn't do something soon to prevent it, he was going to have her.

So, where's the harm in it?Her conscience demanded to know. How could she want something and not want it at the same time? Fear was integrated in the desire.

Dani closed her eyes and fell back against her pillows. Snatches of conversation droned on in the background, Elsie with her friends, Renee and Kevin from the hallway, but all Dani could think about was that moment in the garden.

She didn't need Alec to kiss her to know how it would feel. His lips would be soft yet demanding. And if she allowed her thoughts to wander further, an image of their bodies naked and pressed together in passion filled her head as if they had already been lovers.

What harm could there be in indulging? Plenty as far as she could tell. They would be good together, and then one day he would be gone and she would be left behind to pick up the pieces of her shattered heart and life. It didn't matter that she had never been in that situation before. This was different. Every ounce of her being warned her to take care.

He lied once. He will lie again. Again he had lied.

Sucking in her breath, Dani forced the unbidden thought away and opened her eyes. Two days ago she was on the threshold of seeing a life-long dream fulfilled. Now everything was in turmoil-her life, her emotions, and now an attempt on her life. What in the world had she done to deserve this?

One thing was certain: Dani was not going to sit by and allow events to weave webs around her. Alec was about to discover that...and a few other things as well.

She twirled Alec's card through his fingers. All she needed was a little time alone to confront him, and seize control once more.

***

Alec turned off the hot water faucet and let stinging needles of ice pierce his skin. The cold shower did little to diminish the rampaging need Dani's closeness had wrought. Only one thing could quench that craving, and if he didn't watch his step, he was doomed to a life of cold showers.

The move was stupid, yet he couldn't control himself. That wasn't exactly true. Hehad controlled himself and the instinct to press her down on one of those concrete benches, strip those silky pajama bottoms off her, and slam himself full tilt into her. The scenario alarmed Alec with its intensity. He had wanted women before and had had them, but not with this complete lack of decorum that assaulted him.

Each moment he spent in Dani's presence diminished his sensibilities more, making him forget he was a gentleman, her doctor no less. He wanted her, had to have her,would have her. And underlying all of that-lust-was the panicked feeling that he was running out of time.

That much might be true. Dani was healing rapidly and at this rate he couldn't keep her in the hospital more than another day. Once gone, he could only hope to see her a final time to remove her stitches. If he didn't make a move soon...

Alec smacked his fist against the shower wall. Some move. He didn't know whether to damn himself for telling Dani exactly how he felt, or Renee for interrupting him. And what about Dani? She hadn't struggled to be free. If anything, she seemed to fall into that...that whirlpool that surrounded him.

Dani now knew exactly how he felt. But did she realize that he was also laying claim to her, and damn any man, or boy, who tried to take that from him.

Insanity. Pure insanity.

Alec flicked the drain closed with his foot and let the tub fill with cold water. When the depth crept toward his shins he turned the shower off and sank down. It was the only solution he could think of for the moment. He had to gain control, get his perspective back. There was still the issue of the psychopathic nurse to deal with. He had to get his emotions under control before confronting Walt.

The reminder that their hospital now harbored an in-house fugitive took care of his pulsing libido. That was where his focus needed to remain-on finding a potential killer before she struck again.

As for Dani, he didn't know what to do. In some respects, he had just lobbed the ball into her court. He wished he could retrieve it and start over.

He groaned and leaned back. Nothing had changed. Nothing would change until he confronted Walt, and then tried to square things with Dani. And he had to do so soon or sleep would be elusive. That was hardly fair to the other patients waiting for him to be alert and efficient tomorrow morning or to the career and respect he had worked so hard to achieve.

Alec hauled himself from the tub, slinging water in all directions.

Thirty minutes later he was maneuvering down the narrow, winding residential street toward the Rushmore home. Cars parked before the houses this lazy Sunday afternoon made the drive more like a test through an obstacle course. Trees lined up in perfect precision, shading the lane and casting shadows in inviting patterns across the lawns. Alec was watchful of children playing, the pets that joined from the sidelines, and the knot of teenagers clustered at each corner.

Then the atmosphere shifted from old neighborhood to new. Sunlight chased away the coziness. Here each house was set apart from the others, back from the street. Yet no trees dared take root on the pristine front lawns. To do so would defeat the whole purpose of ownership-to say, "See me. See how successful I am."

Alec turned into the Rushmore cul-de-sac-a title he had assigned to it because the sprawling Rushmore home was nestled at the head of the curve. Like the others, the grass spread before it, a green-carpeted welcome mat. The only other landscaping was the line of gardenias tucked against the cream-colored siding.

The driveway looked as if it had never seen a car. He eased to a stop in front to keep from destroying the illusion. As he switched off the engine, the front door swung open.

Walt braced himself against the doorjamb. "I was wondering how long it was going to take you to show up."

Alec tossed his keys in the air and caught them in one hand. "You could have saved me the trouble and stayed at the hospital."

"No need." He hiked a shoulder. "I had something to take care of and I knew you'd find me." He waved Alec inside. "Let's go to my den. Andrea will be here shortly and I'm sure you'd like to avoid her. Her temper has been a bit foul lately."

Her temper was always foul. She ran to her mother at the least provocation, so naturally his rejection would have her beating that well-worn path to Mommy. They would ensconce themselves in the rear sunroom, Andrea weeping, Barbara coddling. With any luck, Alec would be gone before she got here.

Deep cream carpeting muffled their walk to the rear of the house where Walt's sanctuary was tucked. Still, it wasn't quiet enough to escape his wife. Barbara turned a corner from the kitchen in a cloud of

flowing blue silk. The outfit was simple, cool, a design that looked like nothing more than giant handkerchiefs sewn together. Barbara could wear anything and look graceful, delicate. She had a style about her that Andrea didn't inherit, and an obsession with plastic surgery that could rival the most vain of models.

On instinct Alec scanned her hairline for signs of her latest face-lift, courtesy of his own scalpel. Everything was healing nicely. However, instead of pulling her platinum hair close to her face as most women did after surgery, she pulled hers back. Alec wasn't sure if it was to show off her new adjustment or to thumb her nose at convention.

"Alec, how wonderful to see you." She clapped her slender hands together. "May I offer you something? Lemonade, perhaps? Andrea will be here any moment. This would be a perfect opportunity for the two of you to patch things up."

"I'm sorry, Barbara, but that just isn't going to be possible. I came here to speak with Walt. I won't be long."

Her lips twitched in an effort to retain a smile. He turned with Walt to continue their trek to the den.

"May I ask why it's not possible?" she called to their backs.

Alec swore he saw Walt sigh. Still, they turned as one to face her.

Walt held out his palms to her, pleading. "Barbara, please-"

"It's a simple question. A mother has a right to know."

This time Walt's sigh was unmistakable, earning him a glare from his wife.

Alec could spend hours detailing his reasons, but it just wasn't information parents needed to know about a daughter. "It's simple," he finally told her. "We aren't compatible."

She lifted her nose much in the same way he had seen Andrea do. "Yet you continued to share a bed."

Now that was where Alec was definitely going to set the record straight. Andrea could explain to them why she had lied. "Once. It was a mistake. And if she tried to pull that 'I'm pregnant' crap, she needn't bother. I was careful. I always am. Now, if you'll excuse us, I have business to discuss with your husband."

He led the way to the rear of the house like he owned the place. Let Walt deal with Barbara's sputtering.

Walt chose to ignore it. He cut ahead of Alec and shoved open the door to his own private haven. Once inside, he closed them in. The scent of old leather and books surrounded them. A male oasis in a sea of femininity.

Simultaneously, they sank into dark green recliners-the only two chairs in the room. The cushions cradled them in comfort.

"I'm sorry, Alec. Barbara is very protective of Andrea. She always has been."

"And I'm very protective of my patient." Alec leaned forward, resting forearms on knees as he laced his fingers together. "You had no right to approach her."

"I'm the chief of staff. I had every right," he calmly replied.

"Not without me being there. Your presence and your questions upset her. Her welfare and recovery are my concerns and I should think they would be yours as well."

"They are. That's why I was anxious to get to the bottom of this. Understand my position, Alec. I have a nurse going through the hospital trying to kill the patients. I can't let a second pass without trying to find the underlying cause of this. I regret having upset Miss Morgan, and I'm sorry I overstepped your rights as her doctor. But my primary responsibility is to all our patients, not just one."

Alec would give him that. "Then let the police handle this."

Walt avoided looking at Alec.

"My God, you didn't call them, did you?" Alec gasped.

"Naturally, the police should be notified."

"You didn't call the police."

"I had to be sure of what we were dealing with."

"My word wasn't good enough?"

Walt fanned the air. "I'll take care of it. Miss Morgan might be able to recognize the nurse. We could bring in every nurse in the hospital until we find the one we're looking for."

"That's going to put her in even greater danger." Where was his head? "We can post security outside Dani Morgan's door until this woman is caught."

"But that's not going to do much to protect anyone else." Walt's shoulders sagged. "I had hoped to keep this quiet, but I don't see any way to do so. I'll contact the Public Relations Department first. Once the news media gets wind of this, I'm screwed."

Walt did not intend to call the police. Alec eased back to hide his shock. What had happened to the hospital? This sudden self-interest was uncharacteristic of Walt. The hospital had weathered other storms just as bad, all of which Walt handled with his normal unflappable good charm.

The older man must have realized his lapse. He glanced up at Alec, his mouth moving to find the right words to redeem himself. Fortunately, Alec's beeper covered the awkward moment.

He snatched the device from his belt. One peek at the number raised fears Alec thought he had under control. "It's Dani Morgan's hospital room. Mind if I use your phone?"

Alec didn't bother to wait for an answer. The phone was within easy reach, perched on a cherry-wood table between the two chairs. His hands were steady as he punched in the number, but it had to be by sheer will because alarm knotted his insides.

Dani's voice reached him halfway through the first ring and relief flooded his senses.

"I believe you beeped me." A calm enough statement when all he wanted to do was shout down the walls that she had scared him half to death.

There was a slow intake of breath on the other line, then, finally a response. "I think it's time you and I talked, and maybe you can give me a damn fine reason why you neglected to tell me that someone was trying to kill me."

An ultimatum, not a request, and he had a feeling that whatever future he hoped to have with her hinged on how he replied.

"I'll be right there."

She muttered a word of thanks, and then quietly clicked the receiver in place. Alec did so as well.

"That was her, wasn't it?"

Andrea's shrill demand yanked Alec and Walt around. She stood in the doorway, arms crossed in angry

defiance, eyes overflowing with hatred.

"Answer me," she shrieked.

Walt raced to engulf her in a fatherly embrace. Andrea shoved him back with both hands, then descended upon Alec. He pulled himself to his full height and stared her down.

"Quit playing me for a fool, Alec Edwards. I heard how she grabbed your hand after the accident." She screwed up her face in a sneer. "So happy to see her lover was there to protect her."

Alec shook his head and snorted at the scenario her pathetic mind had created. "Andrea..."

This time she threw herself at him. Alec caught her wrists. She curled her fingers into claws. A snarl curled her lips. "I saw you, Alec. I saw how you stayed by her side. How you slept with your head on her bed. How she ran her fingers through your hair. I saw you. How could you? How could you?"

Her face crumpled into tears and a wail brought her mother racing to her side. Andrea covered her face with her hands and fell into Barbara's arms.

"This is ridiculous. Andrea, you need some serious help."

Alec beat a hasty retreat to his car. Andrea's sobs grew in intensity, following him all the way. Only the sound of his engine drowned them out. Walt flagged him down before Alec could drive away. Reluctantly, Alec lowered his window.

"I'm so sorry, Alec," Walt said, avoiding his gaze.

"No, I'm the one who's sorry. Andrea is in desperate need of mental help, not coddling."

He nodded, but still refused to look up. "Is what she says true? Did you have a prior existing relationship with your patient?"

"I never met Dani Morgan until the night of the accident."

"And is your interest now simply that of doctor to patient?"

Unwilling to lie, Alec shoved the car into gear. "That's no one's business but mine."

Walt grabbed his arm, finally making eye contact. "It's mine if the hospital's concerned."

"What's the matter? Can't deal with more than one scandal at a time, especially when both involve the same woman?"

The intensity in Alec's eyes was enough to make Walt move away. He was still standing in the middle of the street when Alec pulled out of the cul-de-sac.

Chapter Ten

Dani was still shaking ten minutes after she had hung up the telephone. She curled her hands on her lap. It did little to quell the turmoil in her gut.

What had started out as a demand for an explanation shifted into something else entirely-Alec coming here. That was the last thing she wanted or needed. Over the phone Dani had considered the distance safe. She couldn't see him or be overwhelmed by whatever magnetism drew her to him...or so she thought.

But with the first sound of his voice, Dani had known the situation was beyond her control. Still she had tried, adopting a severity to her tone normally reserved for troublesome students. Alec had undermined her even then. No argument, no defensive tactics, just complete acquiescence. She wanted to talk, he would be right there.

Dani should have pressed the issue, demanded to be heard and not put off. Instead, she let the conversation end and then sat back in a sea of nerves waiting for him to appear.

Then what? By the time he arrived, Elsie would be back from her tests. Or Renee and Kevin would be parked in her room. Dani and Alec would have no choice but to go elsewhere for private conversation.

In some respects, Dani wondered if she subconsciously sabotaged her own efforts. Now they would be alone. God only knew what would happen.

She closed her eyes and plopped against her pillows.So let it happen. In her heart she knew there wasn't anything she could do to stop it. He wanted her, had claimed her. The pull was too great. Dani wanted to cry, to fight...to give in and damn the consequences.

The consequences?Her heart tightened.

Why was this man so different from the others? Dani laughed at herself. Because this one was definitely in control and it seemed there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it. It was like a vortex pulling her under, and the harder she fought to crawl away, the more it tugged. She was wasting energy fighting. It was better to give in, enjoy the moment. She was a strong woman. She could handle the hurt when Alec walked away. And he would walk away because...

He's always left just when I needed him most.

A strange feeling and a horrible characteristic to assign to a man who had only shown her kindness. Even telling herself that and knowing it to be true weren't enough to keep tears from flooding her vision.

A ring from the phone shattered whatever nonsense possessed her. Dani wiped the heel of her hand

over her cheeks and lifted the receiver.

"Hello?"

Nothing. Dani cocked her head to one side. No, there was someone there, someone breathing. It was too much of a coincidence to be a prank call. Someone, probably the nurse who tried to kill her, was checking up on her.

"Yeah, I'm still alive. Is that what you wanted to know?"

There was a click at the other end, followed by the dial tone. Dani slammed the phone down.

"That's about how I feel." Elsie shot an ugly look at the orderly who pushed the wheelchair. "That's far enough, young man. I can walk the rest of the way."

"Trying to put me out of a job, Mrs. Carter?" he asked with a smile.

Crossing her arms like a petulant child, she grumbled a complaint and let him have his way.

Dani felt herself smiling. At least Elsie could help take her mind off her troubles until Alec arrived. She wasn't happy and was determined that anyone within hearing range heard about it. Sure enough, once the orderly cleared the room, Elsie kicked back the covers and readjusted the bed to her liking.

"I swear they pile enough blankets on a person to roast them."

"Obviously the tests didn't go as well as planned."

"Well, they got what they wanted, I'll say that much. They poked and prodded and bled me half to death until they finally found something to worry about." She wiggled into her mattress and clicked on the

television. "Made me miss my damn soap too. Chased away all my friends and-"

"What did they find?"

A muscle in her cheek twitched-the only sign that her indifference was a façade. "A blockage in my heart. They want to do bypass...tomorrow."

"Oh, Elsie." Dani threw her legs over the side of the bed.

Elsie raised a palm, holding her in place. "It's all right. I have to do what must be done. It's just...inconvenient, that's all." She pulled back her shoulders and faced Dani with a tiny smile. "Come play poker with me and help me take my mind off myself."

Dani's eyebrows shot to exclamation points. "Poker? Not canasta?"

Elsie waved away the suggestion. "Life's too short for canasta. Takes too long to finish. With poker each hand is a winner."

"I'm terrible at poker. How about a couple of hands of gin?"

She drummed her fingers on her thigh, and then nodded. "But you have to keep score."

Dani pushed their hospital trays together and sat cross-legged across from Elsie. It was a good diversion, a nice way to pass time, but that was about it. Dani could hardly concentrate on the game. The hunched over position pulled her breasts forward, tugging at the stitches there despite the bandages. And Elsie was quiet for a change, her own troubles keeping her from the round of stories Dani loved to hear. The old woman tucked her hand of cards in place, studied the arrangement, and made adjustments.

"Gin." She fanned them on the table.

"That was quick." Dani gathered the cards. "I double dog dare you to do that again."

Elsie jerked her head toward the door. "You have a visitor."

Her heart quickened. Alec had gotten here sooner than she expected. Forcing away any sign of joy her face might hold, Dani turned. But it wasn't Alec. It was a police officer.

He stood in the doorway, fumbling with his dark blue hat and doing all he could to keep from looking at her. Dani squinted at his gold nametag, McLane. He looked like he was barely old enough to shave.

"Are you Danielle Morgan?"

"Yes." Why wouldn't he look at her? The facial stitches weren't that hideous.

Elsie leaned forward and whispered. "I think he's embarrassed that you are in your pajamas."

Dani rolled her eyes. The pajama thing again. Was he looking down her top too? She'd like to see Alec try to manhandle him out of the room. It was ridiculous. Nevertheless, she retrieved her robe, tied it in place, and tucked her fingertips in the pockets.

"You wanted to see me?"

McLane cleared his throat and forced his head up. "Yes, ma'am. I have to get your statement from the accident. I sure am glad to see you doing so well."

Offering a smile to ease his discomfort, Dani motioned him to the chair, and then perched on the edge of her bed. "Thank you. I understand I was pretty much a mess."

A flush colored his cheeks. He covered it by searching for his notepad. "What can you tell me about the accident?"

She shrugged. "Not much. I was stuck in traffic. The rain was horrible. I could barely see the car ahead of me."Alec's car.

"When I saw the headlights coming toward me, it didn't click that they were where they shouldn't be. I just thought someone had them on bright. It happened so fast. I remember struggling with my seatbelt, but I was so scared I couldn't find the release. The other car hit. The jolt knocked me back. And that's about all I remember."

He nodded while he scribbled a few notes. "Think hard. Anything will be of help."

White columns flashed through Dani's mind-rocks, a falling building, the rumble of thunder. She drew in a breath, scattering the images.

"Nothing." She cleared her throat. "Has the other driver's family been notified? I would also like to have my insurance company contact his."

McLane tucked his pad into his pocket. His inability to look at her was starting to grate on Dani's nerves. She longed to grab his shoulders and demand eye contact.

"His family was contacted. The vehicle wasn't insured."

Of course not.At this stage of the game, Dani wouldn't be surprised if the man's family found some way to blame the accident on her. She could just about kiss her trip to Europe good-bye. She'd need the money to fix her car. Dani supposed she could put a claim in with her insurance company. They would most probably sue the man's family to recoup their expenses. That hardly seemed fair to make them suffer for his mistakes.

"If you can think of anything else, Miss Morgan, give me a call." He stood and held out a business card between two shaking fingers.

Dani slipped it free. "Tell me, Officer McLane...This wouldn't happen to be your first case, would it?"

"Yes, ma'am. How could you tell?"

"Just a hunch."

"I assure you, ma'am. I'm very thorough."

"I'm sure you are." She glanced over his shoulder and saw Alec in the doorway. "There is one more thing, Officer McLane."

"Yes, ma'am?" He reached for his notepad.

Lifting her brows, she settled her gaze on Alec. "Apparently, someone in this hospital is trying to kill me."

Elsie gasped. Alec merely smiled. Dani waved her arm his way. "Dr. Edwards will be glad to fill you in on all those nasty little details."

There was a flicker of excitement in McLane's eyes as he converged on Alec. "Why wasn't this previously reported?"

Alec's smile disappeared. "I asked that same question not thirty minutes ago. Let's go to my office where we can have a little privacy. Miss Morgan, would you care to join us?"

She feigned a yawn and stretched against the pillows. "No, thank you. I'm suddenly exhausted."

"I'm sure you are. However," he sauntered toward the bed and slipped his fingers around her arm, "I'm

sure you'll want to come along if only to add your own unique insight into this unfortunate turn of events."

Dani pulled free of his gentle hold. "I honestly don't think I could take the exertion of walking that far."

"I'll get a wheelchair, if necessary." The corner of his mouth lifted in a smirk. "I'd offer to carry you, but you're much too heavy to tote."

Her eyes narrowed to two evil slits. "I can walk."

His smile broadened. "I thought as much."

They were back on Alec's turf. Somehow he had turned around her attempt to corner him and take him unaware, and neatly yanked the home ground advantage from her hands. She wondered if he realized the value of his victory. Of how it threw her off-kilter to know that after the interview with Officer McLane was finished, she and Alec would be alone.

***

Once they reached Alec's small office, Dani paced a slow path before the bookcase. She felt caged, knowing that her destiny awaited her. When she left this room, everything would be changed. All she longed for was to get it over with, to experience that life-altering moment and move on.

Alec refused to speak without the hospital chief of staff present. There was an agonizing delay while they waited for him and McLane called in a report to his station. Dani passed the time tracing the lettering on the spines of the books and trying to ignore Alec. He watched her progress along the shelf. She could feel his gaze on her.

Dr. Rushmore and a Detective Regan arrived at the same time. Instead of relegating McLane to the sidelines, Regan stood back and let the younger officer take the lead role. Dr. Rushmore wasn't as generous. He assumed Alec's chair the instant he walked into the room, then propped his forearms on the desk and effectively took charge...or so he thought.

Alec jumped in before Rushmore could draw breath to do so. "Naturally, we want to keep this as quiet as possible," he told the officers. "We have other patients to consider, the hospital's good name and reputation. Panic is the last thing we need. I believe that was Dr. Rushmore's intent when he didn't call you immediately."

Alec laid out the events in chronological sequence, pausing long enough at certain intervals to allow McLane to catch up. When he was done, focus turned to Dani.

"Do you think you can identify this nurse?" McLane asked.

She nodded. "But I don't want every nurse in this hospital trotted out before me."

Walt smacked the desk with his open palm and pushed himself to his feet. "Fine. We'll go down to Personnel. We have everyone's record and photo on file."

"You don't need everyone," Alec added. "Just the women."

"Right. Come with me."

***

Rushmore shoved his way to the door and led them down the hall at a pace Dani was embarrassed to say she could not meet. With each step she fell further behind. Rushmore didn't care. Regan was intent on keeping up with him. McLane shifted worried glances between her and the two older men. Only Alec stayed with her, never more than a step behind.

He muttered something unintelligible-a curse, a sound of frustration. Whichever, it was enough to make Dani glance over her shoulder. Her step faltered with the sudden movement, and she stumbled toward the wall.

Alec snapped his arm around her waist. Before she could protest, he caught her under the knees and lifted her.

Dani fanned her palm against his chest, ready to protest. Instead, the feel of his strength pulsing beneath her hand calmed her.

Suddenly too shy to meet him fully, she looked at him from under her eyelashes. "I thought I was too heavy to carry."

"I'm not carrying you. I'm holding you. Big difference," he softly replied. "Are you ready for that wheelchair now?"

Footsteps scurried their way. "We don't have to do this today," McLane said. "I'm sure Miss Morgan would like to rest."

"No." The reply came in unison from her, Alec, and Dr. Rushmore.

"I don't want the police milling around here during working hours," Rushmore snapped.

Alec lifted his chin. "And I don't want to spend another night wondering which nurse I can't trust."

"And I don't plan to be here after tomorrow." Dani expected to be challenged. She wasn't wrong. Alec's eyebrow arched in question. It was all that needed to be said.

"I...I think I'm all right to walk now," she somehow managed to say.

Alec yielded to her request...slowly, keeping her body tightly pressed to his as he set her on her feet. Nothing was left to her imagination. For extra measure, he kept his hands at her waist, ostensibly until she obtained her balance. In actuality, to dispel any lingering doubts she might have that the ridge against her belly was for her.

"Let's get this over with, shall we?" Rushmore pivoted on his heel and marched toward the personnel office.

Alec ignored him. "Just take your time, Dani. There's no real rush. Nothing's going to happen without you, and you aren't taking another step."

A snap of his fingers drew the attention of a passing orderly. Dani flashed Alec an evil glare when the wheelchair appeared.

He merely smiled and gently pushed her into it. "Indulge me."

What else could she do? Dani tucked her robe neatly around her legs. "You do like having your way, don't you, Dr. Edwards?"

"No more so than you, Miss Morgan."

How could she help but smile? "As long as there is no misunderstanding between us."

He wrapped his fingers around the handgrips. "I don't think there is a misunderstanding regarding anyone's intent here, except yours to leave."

"It isn't a point to be negotiated, Dr. Edwards."

"My point exactly, Miss Morgan."

"Then it will be interesting to see which one of us gets his...or her way."

"Interesting, indeed." Chuckling, he steered her toward the infamous personnel office. This time the police officers, either out of guilt or consideration, stayed close.

***

Dr. Rushmore had the computer up and running. The necessary records were sorted and awaited her perusal. For a minute or two, Dani thought Alec intended to push her right up to the desk. Instead, he stopped just inside and let her slip into a chair.

"All you should have to do is scroll through the records." Dr. Rushmore shoved the mouse under Dani's hand.

The men shuffled into position around her. Parking his hand on the back of her chair Alec took a proprietary spot directly behind her. His arms were a brace against her shoulders-a place for her to lean if the need arose.

Dani glanced at the scene. Already there was a problem. "There are hundreds of records here. You have this many nurses?"

Dr. Rushmore tucked his arms over his chest. "I personally refuse to believe any of our nurses could be responsible. These records are for all the women, full-time, part-time, and volunteer, who work at the hospital."

This could take hours. "Is there any way to narrow the search?"

He leaned forward and took the mouse. "Sure. Just tell me what you want."

"She was Caucasian that much I know."

With a click of a button, Rushmore knocked the list down considerably. "Anything else?"

Dani struggled to remember. It had happened so fast. The only clear recollection was that the woman had been so nice. "She was blonde."

"Could have been a die job," Regan said, the first words he'd uttered since arriving.

"Thin?"

"Could have lost weight since the photo was taken," McLane added with a grin, obviously pleased he could think as quickly as his supervisor.

"Okay, fine," Dani snapped. "Her age. She looked like she was in her late thirties." She glanced around waiting for someone to counter her. No one did.

Rushmore made the adjustment and stood back. "There you are."

The list was down to one hundred. With each face she scanned, Dani became less sure of herself. No one fit the image. And when the program cycled back to the first record, Dani sagged into the arm Alec offered.

He curled his fingers over her shoulder. "It's all right. You were groggy. We'll get to the bottom of this."

All she could do was nod. She was so certain she could identify the woman.

McLane tapped his notepad with the end of his pen. "Maybe it was a man dressed like a woman."

She shook her head. "The voice, the body was definitely a woman."

"Maybe-"

"That's enough." Alec straightened but never relinquished his hold on her shoulder. "Go file your report. If we come up with anything else, we'll let you know."

"She should have a guard posted at her door," Regan said. "I'll send someone over."

"I'll take the day watch." McLane raised his hand.

"I wanted this low-profile," Rushmore snapped.

"And we want her alive. Miss Morgan, I'll send a sketch artist over in the morning. That might help." Regan gestured to McLane and the two left.

Rushmore whirled around on Alec the second the officers cleared the door. "I told you I'd call the police. Why did you feel the need to go behind my back?"

"I didn't."

His rage focused on Dani. "You?"

The man's gall raised her hackles. Pushing to her feet, Dani met him glare for glare. "No. He came to discuss the accident and I informed him. And why shouldn't I? A crime was committed...against me." She jammed her thumb into her chest. "The pity of it is I shouldn't have had to. Youshould have."

Defiance faltered under the weight of truth. Rushmore looked away and sadly shook his head. "You're right. This had just been such a shock. I promise you, Miss Morgan, you'll be protected, and I'll do everything in my power to find this woman. Do you need help getting back to your room?" He gave a light laugh. "Of course not. Dr. Edwards will see to you. I'll...I'll stop by in the morning."

Alec had never seen Walt so rattled. His poor choice of words earlier was nothing compared to this outburst. Surely he hadn't expected to have no police involvement. He knew Alec better than that. He also knew that Alec would use and insist on the police using the utmost of discretion. Why the panic?

"I meant what I said, Alec."

He looked at Dani's upturned face. In the last hour and a half he had done everything he could think of to claim her as his. It was a wonder she was still speaking to him. Alec wasn't sure he deserved the attention.

"About what?"

"I want to go home...now. I don't want to spend another night in this place."

The doctor in him stepped to the forefront. "I can't in good conscience authorize that."

When she opened her mouth to argue, he raised his palm. "You had surgery less than forty-eight hours ago. Less than twenty-four hours ago, you were fighting for your life. You can't even make it down the hallway without exhausting yourself and you-"

"Everyone was walking too fast. I had been on my feet off and on since this morning- naturally I would tire out. If you let me go home, I promise I'll rest, I won't do any heavy lifting, and I won't leave the house."

She almost had him convinced until that last bit. Alec arched his eyebrows, questioning.

Dani hedged. "All right, Iswear I won't leave the house. Heaven knows, I have more than enough to keep me busy." Realizing she had said too much, Dani clamped her lips shut.

Alec fought a smile and motioned her to the wheelchair with a sweep of his arm. There wasn't much

more she could say. By her own words, she had sealed her fate. She settled into the chair without discussion.

"Where to now?" he asked. "Your room? The garden? You did demand to speak with me, or are we finished?"

"I...we're..." There really wasn't anything left to say-at least, anything she could put into coherent words. "We're finished."

***

Alec wheeled her back to her room in silence, but the undercurrents of desire still swirled around them. Dani wondered why in the world he didn't take advantage of their time alone, why he didn't make some move to lay final claim to her. He had already made her blatantly aware that he wanted her. So what in the world was he waiting for?

The delay made her as edgy as anxiety had earlier. She should speak up, force the issue, press the stop button on the elevator and demand to know exactly what was on his mind.

No, damn it. He started this flirtation. She was going to make sure he worked for it with absolutely no encouragement from her whatsoever.

Elsie tossed aside her magazine when they rounded the corner of the doorway to Dani's room. "You're back. Good. Now maybe someone will tell me what all this nonsense is about."

Alec gave her an indulgent smile while Dani crawled into bed. "I'm sure Dani will fill you in later. But you've got to keep this absolutely quiet, Elsie. We want to catch this person, not frighten her away."

He enclosed Dani and himself within the privacy curtain.

"I think it would be wise if I removed myself from your case. I'm sure you understand why."

Dani's heart raced with anxiety. The very idea of someone other than Alec overseeing her recovery was out of the question. It had to be him-no one else.

Staring him in the eye, she slowly shook her head. "I refuse to accept another doctor."

"Dani...the ethical-"

"Screw them."

In the back of her mind, one thing pushed forward.I need you and you're leaving me. She tamped the fear down.

"So you want me. Big deal. I'm not offended. But I will be if you walk out that door." A tremor in her voice ruined her attempt to sound tough.

She cleared her throat and tried again. "You're who I want." A double entendre if ever there was one. She prayed he wouldn't call her on it.

"Very well. Let's take a look at those stitches."

Professional. That's what struck Dani the most. Gone was any trace of desire, any teasing repartee-this was business. He examined her face, gently pivoting her chin to take advantage of the lighting.

"Nice," he muttered. "You do heal quickly."

"I always have."

He gave her an absentminded nod. "I'm going to need to see the others as well. Unbutton for me, please."

Dani flashed him a quick look to scan for signs of an ulterior motive. None existed. Though her fingers shook, she slipped the buttons from their holes.

Alec peeled back only enough fabric and bandaging to view the line of stitches along the inside curve of her breast. The rest of her breast he kept discreetly covered.

"You can button up. There's still swelling there, but the bandages can come off," he said as he pulled back. "You've been up and around too much."

"If I promise to..."

Laughing, he shook his head and looked toward the ceiling. "God, this woman just doesn't give up." Still smiling, he braced his hands on either side of her thighs. "Okay, I'll bend a little on this one."

Dani sucked in a breath to thank him.

He measured a distance between his thumb and forefinger. "A little. We'll see how you're doing tomorrow and discuss discharging you then."

"Thank you for at least considering it."

"That's about all I'm doing. If I agree, I intend to set some strict rules I expect you to abide by."

He leaned closer. Dani's stomach clenched.

"Understood?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"No," he said with a smile. "Sleep well and stay in bed." He tapped her on the end of her nose, and then opened the curtain. "I'll be in surgery in the morning and I'll stop by afterward. In the meantime, you have my beeper if you need me."

Dani found herself shaking her head long after he left. "Elsie, I just don't understand men."

The old woman snorted. "Who does? What's he done this time?"

It wasn't what he did. It was what he didn't do. "It's not important."

"It never is." She patted her mattress. "Now, come over here, deal these cards, and tell me what's going on."

***

Dani watched the hands on her clock pass another hour mark. Sleep was impossible, despite the armed police officer outside her door. She was sure that she must have dozed at some point, but the slightest noise jerked her awake. At this rate, Alec would never agree to let her go home. Or maybe he would when he saw she couldn't rest here.

Who could with a murderous nurse on the loose?

There was a strangled sound from Elsie's bed, then a muffled cough. In the dim light, Dani watched her try to sit without success.

Dani levered herself to one elbow. "Are you all right?"

"No," she whispered.

"I'll call the nurse."

"No. Just...just sit with me."

Dani flicked on the night and hurried to her side, taking Elsie's blue-veined hand in both of hers. "Please let me call the nurse. You don't look well."

"Everything's fine, child. There are just some things you shouldn't fight." She squeezed her hand, and then went limp.

"Oh my God." Dani smacked the call button. "Officer, in here now! I need help giving CPR."

She straddled Elsie's body and positioned her palms. The door burst open.

"Code Blue!" the nurse yelled.

An orderly raced in behind her and yanked Dani from Elsie. "Get back!" He shoved her toward her bed, closing her behind the curtain.

Dani pulled the edge open. Light flooded the room. One piece of equipment after the other was rolled in. She bit her finger to keep the panic away, to fight the fear, to pray it wasn't so.

By the time the doctor gave up, by the time Elsie's body had suffered one indignity after another in an effort to resuscitate her, Dani was trembling. She listened to them clear the room and then pull back the curtain. It looked empty now, lonely, frightening, even with the hint of sunrise in the window.

How dare the sun shine?she wanted to scream. A wonderful woman had just died.

"Are you all right, ma'am?"

She forced herself to look at the young officer. A woman had just died in her arms. She doubted she'd ever be all right again.

"Yes, yes, fine," she mumbled, adding a nod as an afterthought.

"I'll be right outside if you need something."

Dani nodded again and pulled the covers tight against her chin.I need you, Alec. God knows I need you.

She pulled the telephone to her pillow, punched in his beeper, then curled into a fetal position and cried while she waited for him to return her call.

Chapter Eleven

Alec indulged himself in a first cup of coffee while he monitored the progress of his patients in the recovery room. Two were coming along quite nicely and could probably be released to their rooms shortly. Full recovery would take a little longer. Fortunately, both had family support to help them along.

He braced himself against the counter surrounding Norma's station while he watched the husbands with their wives. Mr. Utley took advantage of his wife's wired jaw to tease her about not being able to talk. That same man had sat in Alec's office Friday morning, painstakingly digesting the details of the surgery

Alec was to perform in order to correct the reconstruction of Mrs. Utley's chin-which was quickly succumbing to degeneration of bone.

As for the Gasters, the mood was more solemn there. This morning's breast reconstruction was what they hoped would be the last in a long line of surgeries and hospital stays. Alec hoped so, too. He had been an unofficial part of their team since their first visit with the oncologist a year ago. What began as a lumpectomy evolved into a double mastectomy, aggressive chemotherapy and finally the surgery to reconstruct her breasts.

Through it all Mr. Gaster had been by his wife's side, just as he was now, holding her hand, delicately tracing her thin fingers. And had their situations been reversed, Alec didn't doubt Mrs. Gaster would have done the same. True devotion. The exact opposite of the third and final patient now being prepared to leave the recovery room.

Nick Remini was the reason for Alec's early call. Somehow in the wee morning hours, Remini had done the unpardonable-slept. That offense was enough to set off this wife. In a fit of rage apparently indicative of their marriage, she smashed a broomstick across his face as he slept, crushing the bones. It was the final act in a pattern of abuse perpetrated upon her husband. Jealousy was her motive. Her husband's good looks attracted the glances of other women.

Using photographs of the man as a guide, Alec did his best to repair the damage. Still, despite his work and that of the oral surgeon, Remini would never look the same. At least he wouldn't be hideously disfigured. Unless, of course, he was foolish enough to return to his wife when he was released. For now, his mother and sister were prepared to see to his after-care.

He watched Norma orchestrate Remini's move.Yep, he's gonna be back.

Kevin ducked into the room before the doors could close on Remini's stretcher. After helping himself to a cup of coffee, he joined Alec at the counter.

"Looks like a busy morning for you."

"I understand you had a busy night yourself."

"Yeah...Two rival gangs got into it last night. Knives. I worked a split shift. I was just heading home when they brought him in." Kevin motioned to Remini. "Once I saw his face, I had them contact you. How's he doing?"

He detailed the surgery, downplaying his take on the domestic violence. Not that Kevin didn't see his share of that working ER.

Nowthere was a job Alec would hate. Sure, you were doing good work, but the pace could be frantic. And where was the time to add the personal touch people needed?

Kevin slurped at his coffee, an annoying sound he knew Alec hated. He normally used it as effect, acoup de grace when Alec's football or basketball team was losing to Kevin's.

"What," he snapped.

Kevin studied the contents of the supply cabinet behind the counter. "Have you checked your beeper lately?"

"Now how the hell can I do that? As you just pointed out, I've been a little busy. Why?"

He indulged in another extra long slurp. Alec tightened his grip on his own cup to keep from snatching Kevin's away from him.

"Something else happened last night...early this morning." Kevin dipped into the pocket of his lab coat and pulled out Alec's beeper. "Here."

Alec glanced at the display. Dani...about the same time he was in surgery with Remini.

"Elsie Carter died early this morning. Cardiac arrest. Dani isn't taking it too well. Apparently, she called you to...comfort her." He pulled down a smirk that raised one side of his mouth and tried to cover it with

a drink of coffee. "And here I thought you were only doctor and patient."

The comment jerked Norma's head up from the chart she was reviewing. Alec refused to look at her. He couldn't do much to ignore the tsk she made. As for Kevin, he wasn't about to get into a discussion with him now about Dani. Obviously, Kevin suspected the truth. He didn't need clarification.

It was the call from Dani that most affected him. In the time it took to recognize the number, Alec's emotions ran the full gamut. Joy over the victory was supplanted by overwhelming relief that he hadn't screwed things up in his obvious efforts to make her aware of his interest in her. Shame slipped in next. How could he callously treat this call for help as a trophy? Now, all that remained were sadness that he hadn't been there when she needed him, and fear that his one chance with her was lost.

Alec tucked the beeper onto the waistband of his surgical trousers. He had an obligation to his patients. If he and Dani were to have a relationship, she would have to understand that. If she didn't, there was no point in taking things further. In the long run, it was better to discover that now before they became entrenched in a relationship that made them miserable.

He exhaled slowly. He was already miserable. For the first time since he had chosen a career in medicine, duty and desire were at war with each other. Drawing lines had been easy before, clear-cut. Now...

He forced his attention to the cubicles where his patients lay. The lines were still clear. He had an obligation to fulfill. Nothing must supersede that, no matter how much he wanted it to.

Reaching over the counter, Alec punched in the number to Dani's room. It took three rings before she answered. Her voice was small, frightened, doubling his guilt.

"I just got your page. I've been in surgery since early this morning. Kevin told me what happened. I'm sorry, Dani. I'll be down as soon as my patients are out of recovery. About an hour."

There was a sniffle. "It's okay. I understand."

How could she understand when he was finding it difficult to do so? "An hour, Dani. I promise."

"Don't. Don't promise something you can't control."

She was right, yet the irony of the situation wasn't lost on Alec as he replaced the receiver. How many times in how many relationships had he wiggled out of making a promise by saying he had no control? This time he wanted to prove he was right, that he'd be by her side in an hour to rebuild whatever trust might have been shaken by his inability to come to her when she needed him.

Alec shoved away from the counter.Focus. One thing at a time. He set his mask of professionalism in place and returned to his patients.

Kevin and Norma watched him. He could feel it. They were probably judging him as well. That was their business, this was his. He refused to hurry, refused to give Mrs. Gaster and Mrs. Utley less than sterling attention simply because he wanted to attend to personal matters.

It will take as long as it takes. Dani will have to understand.

And so would he.

***

By the time his patients were safely tucked into their rooms, Alec's one hour was closer to two. The elevator couldn't move fast enough for him. When the doors finally opened to Dani's floor, he was ready to shove them aside.

Renee stood outside the room talking with Kevin. Alec lengthened his stride, now desperate to reach her. Renee intercepted him halfway to his goal. She barred his way gently shoving her palms into his chest to made sure he went no further.

Alec glared down at her, then at Kevin who stood behind her ready to augment her if necessary. "Let me by," he demanded through clenched teeth.

She was not intimidated. "There's something you need to know before you go barreling in there."

When Alec didn't move, Renee dropped her hands.

"Dani has just come face to face with her greatest fear."

"A lot of people fear death." Alec tried to shoulder his way past her.

Renee jammed her hands into his chest once more. "Not this way. The very notion makes her hyperventilate. She and I have never been able to discuss this subject. It was so bad when she was a child, that instead of telling Dani their dog died, her parents had to tell her the dog ran away."

"So they lied to her instead of making her deal with it. A lot of parents do that." Idiots!

She gave him a shove. "Instead of having her go into hysterics. She's not stupid. She knows what they were trying to do. But she and all the rest of us have always worried about how it would affect her when someone close to her dies. So far, that hasn't happened."

"Sounds like she needs counseling."

Renee dropped her hands and moved away from him as if he were diseased. "Right now she needs a little compassion and understanding."

"I'm not going to lie to her. This is part of life. She has to deal with it."

She slowly shook her head. "Don't you have a fear? Something so great, so terrifying you can't even mention it?"

Until that point in time, Alec would have said no. But he did have a fear. And it was terrifying and great...and all centered around Dani. He had to be with her. He had to see her...now.Before it's too late again.

Alec pulled in a deep breath and stared down at the woman more than a head shorter than he.

"If you don't move out of my way right now, I will physically pick you up and put you to one side."

The words were carefully measured, each one pushed out with lethal intent. Kevin caught Renee by the waist and tugged her aside. Alec mumbled a sarcastic thank you and marched toward Dani's door.

There the urge to shove it back upon its hinges overtook him. Alec forced himself to be calm, in control. It was a façade. Inwardly everything was still in turmoil. Though his hand ached to take action of its own accord, Alec inched the door open.

Relief swept over him. Just the sight of her propped against her pillows was enough to make him want to fall to his knees and thank God that she was here, safe.

She stared at the television through red-rimmed eyes, the remote held limply in her hand. Her nose was red and puffy from all the crying. Then he saw the spots of blood on her pajama top. Her stitches had ripped.

Alec pushed the door wider. Her gaze slid his way, yet she did not move her head, nor did she speak.

"I came as soon as I could."

"I know."

Feeling awkward, not knowing what to say or do, Alec fell back on the one thing they had in

common-her recovery. Squaring his shoulder, he strode toward the bed.

"You've ripped your stitches. Let's have a look." He reached for the top button of her pajamas.

Dani shoved his hand away. What a fool she'd been. Hours she had waited for him, longed for his comfort all because she believed he had hinted a deep relationship was pending. Now to be treated so clinically.

"Don't touch me. I want to go home. You said I could."

Not exactly the greeting he expected. Alec narrowed his eyes. "You beeped me at the break of day just so you could go home?"

Tears flooded her eyes. Grief. Embarrassment. He could never know it was her heart that reached for him. "Yes. Yes. That's exactly what I did." Her voice quivered. "I want to go home. I want to go home now."

"Not in your current mental state."

When he moved away, Dani scrambled to her knees and grabbed the lapels of his lab coat. She crushed the material in her fists.

"There's nothing wrong with my mental state."

He caught her face between his hands. Careful to avoid brushing the stitches, Alec forced her to look at him. "Dani...sweetheart, Elsie's dead. Running away isn't going to change that."

She sagged against the weight of the words while rivulets of tears drifted down her cheeks. Alec gathered her close, tucking her under the protective circle of his arms. Dani buried her cheek into the cushion of his chest and cried, not heart-rending sobs, but soft sniffles. This was what she had wanted, and even though she had no right to ask for it, Dani was going to steal what little comfort she could from

his nearness.

"She was holding my hand. She said, 'There are just some things you shouldn't fight.' Then she was gone. I tried to do CPR but-"

"Shh...it's all right." Alec rubbed slow circles on her back and wished for magic words to make this easier for her. None existed, but he certainly wasn't going to let her bury her head in the sand. This was reality. It had to be faced. No matter how well meaning her family, they were wrong.

"She seemed like an exceptional woman," he told her. "It was a pleasure to have met her."

Dani nodded. "The funeral. I should go. Are you going?"

Tough question. Because of his hesitation, she pulled back to look at him. Alec brushed her tears away with his thumbs.

"If it's important to you, I'll take you."

"But otherwise you have no intention of going."

"Death is a fact of life, especially in this business. I wasn't her doctor. I didn't really know her. I hate to put it this way, but no matter how sweet and wonderful she may have been, to me she was just another patient."

"Is that what I am? Just another patient?"

He caught her chin between his thumb and forefinger. "You know that's not true, don't you? Otherwise you wouldn't have called me." Dipping forward, he kissed the trails left by her tears.

Dani closed her eyes. She wasn't wrong in reaching out to him. She hadn't mistaken his intent.

His beeper shattered the moment. Dani drew away.

"Damn it!" Alec snatched the device from his waistband to check the display. "Damn it!" He clicked it back in place. "I have to go."

She eased into the bed. "Of course."

"I'll see you later."

Dani gave a nod. "I'll be here. Apparently I'm not going anywhere soon."

It was hard to watch Alec walk out the door. Logically, Dani knew that he had patients to care for, but some part of her felt he had let her down, that he wasn't there when she needed him.

Guilt weighed her soul. That wasn't true. Hehad been there. He came as quickly as he could.

She pressed her fingers to where her cheeks still burned from his kisses, sweet and delicate. The comfort and reassurance she sought when she punched in his beeper number were there. Now that she had it, all Dani wanted to do was run the other way.

***

The door swung open. Dani's heart lifted with the hope it was Alec, then plummeted when she saw Renee.

"I brought you a fruit plate from the cafeteria." She held out the container. "Yogurt too."

Food was the farthest thing from her mind. "What I'd really like to do is talk." Smiling, Dani patted the side of her bed.

Renee set the Styrofoam container on the table. "About Elsie?"

"No...about Alec."

It helped to sit across from her life-long friend and share secrets as if they were teenagers again. Dani could give nothing concrete about Alec. All she could dissect were her feelings. It didn't matter that Renee offered no solutions. It was only important that she listen.

The one thing they could not discuss was Elsie's death. Renee knew Dani well enough not to try. There was nothing rational about Dani's fear, nothing in her life to trigger it. Just the thought of it could be all it took to paralyze her, to send her screaming from the room.

Thankfully, with age and maturity Dani had learned to control it, to shove it from her mind. Each time the panic seized her, she rushed to the nearest task and attacked with a vengeance, or filled her mind with a nonsensical song. This time was different. Death had come to her. It was stalking her. First, with the accident. Second, the nurse who tried to harm her. Elsie had been its innocent victim, a warning.

But Dani couldn't think about all that. It was too debilitating. So she concentrated on Alec, on the turmoil, the peace his presence created while she and Renee picked through the fruit.

Renee popped the last red grape into her mouth. "Do you think you're going to be okay now? I really have to go into the office for a while. You know how it is during tax season."

Dani smiled. "The CPA becomes everyone's best friend. Go...I'll be fine."

A hug, and she was gone. Dani was alone with her thoughts, fears, and worries. No one would visit today. They had all been asked to give her time to rest. She shouldn't have been so hasty.

Dani moved her gaze around the room, taking in each flower, plant, and gift delivered. How in the world was she going to carry everything home? And where would she put it when she got there? The stuffed animals were cute, but there were dozens. She supposed she could pass a few along to friends with children, or save them for when her baby nephew was old enough to appreciate them. Better yet...

She snapped her fingers and jumped from bed. As promised, Officer McLane stood outside her door.

"Officer, I could use your help. We're going to the children's ward."

"Yes, ma'am."

***

This was the distraction Dani needed, the balm to her fear. She went to the Hispanic children first, those injured when their parents were trying to sneak across the border. Apart from their parents, with only a spattering of English, they stared at Dani and McLane in silence and fear.

All the years Dani had cursed the necessary evil of learning a second language gelled into this wondrous moment. She could speak to them, ease their worries, and make them smile. With each word, each toy, happiness replaced their suspicions. But it was McLane who really made the difference. Taking center stage in the room, he launched into his own unique version of Little Red Riding Hood, complete with sound effects, slapstick and translation.

The laughter brought the staff to the door. Children from other rooms were wheeled in. McLane's performance earned him applause and a demand for an encore. He obliged with Three Little Pigs, bringing howls of laughter from the group over his interpretation of the asthmatic wolf.

In the midst of blowing down the house of sticks, Dani felt a touch at her waist. She looked over her shoulder, but already knew who it was.

Alec's eyes crinkled at the corners and accentuated his bright smile. "I had a feeling I'd find you here."

"Why?"

"I heard you and McLane were piled down with stuffed animals. I didn't think you were heading for the black market." He tugged her toward the door. "Come on. There's someone I want you to meet." He waved good-bye to McLane. The officer nodded, never once breaking character.

***

Alec maneuvered her through the crowd.

"Who is it you want me to meet?" she asked once they reached the elevator.

"Dr. Ira Roberts." The doors slid open. "He's a psychiatrist."

Dani parked herself in the opening. "No."

"Yes." Alec snagged her arm, pulled her in, and pressed a button for the next floor.

"You have no right." She smacked the stop button.

He re-started the elevator. "I have every right."

"Why? Because you want to have sex with me and don't want this little problem getting in the way?"

Alec let the doors open, then closed them again and hit the key for the arboretum. Once they reached that destination, he latched onto Dani's hand and led her along the winding path until they reached a

wrought iron bench tucked into a small alcove.

"Let's sit."

Pulling her down with him, he didn't give her much of a choice. Still holding her hand, Alec draped his arm over the back of the bench and effectively trapped her.

"I think it's obvious that I want you, but I'd really like to believe it will be more than just sex."

"And how many patients have you said that to?"

It was a cruel remark, and Dani knew the answer before he gave it. Still, there was that slight narrowing to his eyes that indicated she was pushing him. She expected a comeback equal to hers. Instead, his shoulders rose on a deep breath.

Alec smoothed the back of his fingers over her cheek. "Only you, Dani."

He kissed her then, slow, sweet, a gentle press of his lips to hers. Dani opened herself to more. Alec took his time, nipping at her lips, lapping at the corners, teasing until she wanted to weep for what she could not have.

Her body ached for closeness. The frustration was more than she could bear. She slid her fingers around his neck and deep into the dark hair dusting his collar. Holding him in place, Dani slipped her tongue across his.

Alec sucked in a breath and drew her over his lap and cradled her in his arms. It was new, yet familiar. She felt his hand at her ribs, gently circling with his thumb, testing the way.

Her breath quickened. Dani yanked open the belt on her robe. Her nipples strained forward, dotting the fabric of her top with little peaks. A slight sound rumbled in his throat. Alec swooped upward, encircling her breast in his hand.

Dani cried out, from pain, not pleasure. Alec jerked back.

"Honey, I'm sorry. I forgot about the stitches."

She had, too.

"Here, let me see."

He slipped the buttons free from their holes. This time there was no hint of professionalism. He bared her chest as if he had every right to do so. And he did.

Alec surveyed the damage. "I'm afraid the scar will be a little wider than I had originally planned." He dotted kisses along the curve, up her throat, to lap at the well nestled at the base.

"Oh, Alec, please. This isn't the place." Yet she was the one who held his head captive.

Slowly, reluctantly, he pulled away and re-buttoned her top.

Dani tucked her robe in place as she sat up. "I want to go home, Alec."

"And I want you to talk to Ira Roberts. You can't keep living with this."

"I'm not crazy."

"No one said you were. I think you just need help sorting out your fear. Let a professional help you deal with it."

It made sense, but the last thing she wanted was to have to talk this out. "If I agree to see him, then can I go home?"

"That's blackmail if ever I heard it."

"But it's the only way I'll do it."

He thought for a moment and then nodded. "All right." He tapped the end of her nose. "But you have to agree to talk to him, not just see him."

Dani's jaw dropped. How in the world could he have undermined her intent so quickly? "And if I don't?"

"Then you're here a week...Miss Morgan."

Not acceptable. She'd go stir-crazy in a week. "All right. I'll do it."

"Good." He slapped his hands on his thighs and pushed to his feet. "Let's go."

Dani looked up at him. "Alone, Alec. I talk to him alone."

"Not a problem. I have patients all afternoon...Promise me you'll go." He nailed her in place with a gaze so intense Dani had no choice.

"I promise."But I'll be damned if I'm going to tell you what was said.

Chapter Twelve

Dani stared at the nameplate on the door.Dr. Ira Roberts. No flourishes, no initialed designation following it, no pretension, just his name. At least he had that in his favor. She still didn't like this one bit.

Biting back the urge to tell Alec he could stuff it and that she was going home whether he blessed it or not, Dani rapped on the door. It opened before the sound could officially die.

Ira Roberts was not what Dani expected, not that she could pinpoint exactly what she imagined him to be. His manner was open, warm. His greeting was like that of an old friend ready to hug the life out of her. He ushered her inside with a grand sweep of his arm, and Dani stepped into a cozy room that could have easily doubled for a living room.

There was no sign of a desk. It was either hidden behind an oak paneled screen in the corner, or tucked away in a different office. The requisite bookshelves lined one wall. Pictures covered the others. Again, no degrees attesting to Dr. Roberts' credibility were displayed.

Two recliners, one black leather and one brown tweed, were canted across from an early American sofa and chair of green and brown plaid. It wasn't exactly her choice of decor, but it worked. The furniture looked...embracing.

"Sit wherever you like. Wherever you'd feel most comfortable."

Dani aimed for the sofa, then changed her mind and opted for the brown recliner. Dr. Roberts eased into the black one and leaned forward, forearms on knees. Open, inviting...so far.

His age was hard to determine. Dani guessed him to be somewhere in his forties. There was a sprinkling of silver in his blond hair. His blue eyes were bright behind his glasses and crinkled at the corners. His hands showed no visible sign of age, but the silver wedding ring on his finger looked like it had been there for a while-the luster had faded.

She glanced around the room again. There were no family pictures, nothing to distinguish the man himself, except for a personality that leaped out at her, made her want to trust him. Dani's tension eased. Maybe this was going to work out after all.

"I'm so glad you decided to come see me."

Like she had a choice. "Dr. Edwards and I came to an arrangement."

"He can be stubborn." A broad smile cut across his face. "Somehow I get the impression you can be too."

She tilted a nod his way. "Very perceptive, Dr. Roberts." It was hard not to like this man.

He laced his fingers together. "Alec explained the difficulty you've been facing. Before you and I get into all of that, I just want to tell you that what you fear is common. Most of us fear death at one time or another."

Dani stared at her lap. "To this degree?"

"It's hard to say since many people choose to deal with fear in their own way."

She found herself nodding, smiling. "That would be me."

"You've had a lot of life-threatening experiences thrown at you these last few days. That would have a profound affect on anyone. Almost like death keeps missing you and getting the guy next to you by mistake."

Tears rushed to her eyes. She squeezed them back. Dr. Roberts covered her hand with his.

"I've always been afraid," she said, her voice shaking from the effort to maintain control. "For as long as I can remember. I don't understand and I've never been able to explain it."

"Probably something from childhood. Something innocuous to an adult, but grand to a child. Something your mind built on. We might be able to discover what that was. But you have to keep in mind that learning what started it is only a portion of the battle. You've had this fear a long time. Overcoming it, even once you know the source, will be a long process."

Dani flicked away a tear. "Then what's the point? I've been doing just fine."

"Not according to Dr. Edwards."

"Alec exaggerates."

"No, he doesn't. He wouldn't have come to me if he hadn't felt the need." He gently shook her hand. "Aren't you the least bit curious to discover where all this came from?"

That much she would admit to, but she couldn't see the point in finding out and said as much to him.

"What harm would it doto find out? You'll be no worse off than you are now," he said. "And it might do some good."

Again, he had a point. Resigned to get it over with, Dani blinked her eyes clear and leaned into the chair.

"All right. I suppose we're talking about something like hypnosis."

He raised his right hand. "I promise I won't make you cluck like a chicken."

Laughter bubbled from her throat. "I really don't think it works that way."

"Right." He tapped her knee. "I'm glad you are aware of what we're dealing with."

"I do have one or two conditions. First, no one is to know what we uncover."

He tilted his head to one side. "Not even if it helps someone else?"

Oh, good point."Only to help someone else."

"Done...and second?"

"If something...if it becomes too much, I want to be brought back quickly. We need a signal."

"I'll bring you back on the word 'grapefruit.' The signal will be when you tell me to say the word. Control will be in your hands."

That was good enough for her. "Then let's get started."

"Sit back and relax. I'll be recording the session unless you have any objection."

Dani didn't. Now that the decision had been made, she just wanted to get on with it. After the mundane tasks of preparation, her answering questions from a form, him setting up the recorder, it was time. She clutched the arms of the recliner as she eased back.

"Okay, Dani, close your eyes and lift your arm. Listen to the sound of my voice and follow my direction. You are safe. You will remain safe. Relax. Your arm will feel heavy. You may drop your hand, but not your arm. Slowly, very slowly."

His voice soothed her, pulled her downward. She was in control-she felt it. It was twilight sleep, nothing more. At any moment, any time she desired, she could awaken.

"Very, very good. Now go back. Go back to that time, that place when you first experienced that fear."

Panic enveloped her. Dani fought it. She had to know, wanted to know. She pushed backward, despite the urge to scream. And slowly she went back to that place, that place where she had died. Tears choked her.

"It's all right, Dani. You're safe. Tell me where you are."

Ira watched the young woman before him, her strength of will. Not many patients were as easy to put under as she had been. Most fought or made fun of the process. In fact, he expected her to battle the entire way. Yet, here she was right at the point of the problem. This was good proof she was willing to do what it took to work this through. He adjusted his glasses on his nose and pulled his notepad closer.

"Where are you, Dani?"

Her reply was a language similar to Spanish. Not uncommon considering she was bilingual and a teacher. Her logical mind fought against the knowledge she was trying to uncover.

"In English. I must be able to understand you so I can help, Dani."

She snorted. "Why are you calling me that? I am not this Dani. I am Adia."

Ira looked at her over the rim of his glasses. This was a joke. Alec Edwards was playing a joke on him. Everyone on the staff knew of his interest in reincarnation. He shook his head. Alec wasn't the type. His heart leaped at the possibility.

"Where do you live?"

"Kourion by the sea."

Impossible!He drew in a breath and leaned forward. "And the year?"

"I died. The earth shook. The walls crushed us all." She began to weep. "I thought we would be together forevermore in life, not in death."

"Shh. Who is with you?"

"Demetrius. He came back for me to die in his arms. And Sozo, my baby, our baby."

"So you, your husband, and baby died in an earthquake."

Dani shook her head. "He was to be my husband...finally. He was not there for me in the beginning. How cruel that he would be with me in the end." She started to hyperventilate. "The pain. I cannot move. The blocks. It is darkening. I am afraid."

"Come forward. Come away from that. You are safe."

He paused while he waited for her to give him the signal to bring her out. It never came. She sat there like a statue, her arm dangling as if held in place by a puppetmaster.

"You are away from that place now and safe."

She shook her head. "Away, not safe. They are to stone me."

Her voice was different, older. So, the woman she called Adia had not died. "Who."

"In the arena. The crowd. I am with child. How can they call me a harlot? I am the daughter of a senator. Where is Marcus? He promised he would be here. He promised he would save me. And now..." She smothered a muffled scream. "They have started."

Ira tossed his notes aside and scooted to the edge of his chair. "What city? What time?"

Whimpering, she ducked. "What does it matter?"

"Tell me."

"Rome in the year four hundred." She cried out and gasped for breath. "Pain. It hurts. No more. Marcus..."

He grabbed for her and pulled back. There was no signal, and he debated on whether or not she could even give it. "Come out of there. Dani, can you give me the signal?"

Her breathing slowed. He reached for her pulse and pressed hard to feel it. "Grapefruit, Dani! Grapefruit!"

Air filled her lungs. She gasped. "Cannot breathe. How much more? I am drowning. Lord, please let them see I am not a witch."

Ira dropped her hand and snapped to his feet.Good God, who is she now? Where is she now? Her accent was German. The time?

"Who are you?" The question came out shaky. It had every right to. In his wildest dreams and wishes, Ira never thought he would actually stumble onto a case like this. And it scared the hell out of him.

"Greta. I am the village milkmaid. I did as Carl instructed. He is the doctor. It was not magic which brought the child back. Yet they blame me. It is Helga. She is jealous because Carl chose me and not her sister. If only he would return." She held her breath, choked, and gasped.

Ira was beginning to see a pattern here. The problem would be to convince Dani of that...if he could bring her back.

"Enough of this. Dani, you haven't given me the signal, but I'm bringing you back. The word is grapefruit and you will come back to the present now."

She was quiet so long he was afraid he had lost her. Not her body-her pulse beat strong beneath his fingers. Her mind. He didn't doubt for a minute what he was witnessing. He'd always believed reincarnation existed and he'd devoured every piece of literature on the subject. What he doubted was his ability to deal with it now that his fondest desire had come true. Above all, he needed to maintain his objectivity.

"They are bombing us again," she said in the voice of a young Englishwoman. "Will they never stop?"

London? Germany? France? Where the hell was she now? How many more lives?

"Where is your man?"

"Derek was to meet me here at the rail station. He did not make the train. Then the planes came..." A smile curved her lips. "I hear him. He's digging for me. Shouting my name. I can feel the air." She lifted her arms, and then dropped them. Tears drifted down her face. "The baby is gone. Tell me there will be others. Tell me we will be together forevermore."

Ira felt his own eyes tear up. It was clear what had happened. He was at a loss to know what to do. Was there more? He calculated her age, the last estimated time. Possible.

"Come...come forward." It was a strain to get the words past the lump in his throat. Tragedy. A couple in love, never destined to be together. He watched her progression. "Who are you?"

A sigh lifted her shoulders. "Dani Morgan."

"Does this body house the soul of others?"

"Only one soul."

Bad question."Has this soulbeen others?"

She nodded. "I have been Adia, Octavia, Greta, and Miriam. Now I am Dani."

"And the men you have loved. Did they possess the same soul?"

A grimace twisted her face. "Oh, yes...he is the same...always."

He swallowed hard. "And does he exist now?"

Dani began to hyperventilate.

"Does he exist now?"

"I can't answer."

"You must."

"No."

"Who, Dani? You want to tell me. Tell me! Who, Dani?"

Her nails dug into the fabric. "I will die if I let him in. It is almost summer. He will not be there for me. He will not save me. He has never been there when I needed him most."

"Say the name."

Her eyes flashed open, but she was still under. "It's Alec! Give me the signal! Oh, please, God, give me the signal!"

"Grapefruit!"

With a shudder, she broke through and flashed a wild-eyed gaze around the room. "No," she breathlessly exclaimed. "No!"

Before he could stop her, Dani ran for the door. She wrenched it open and slammed full force into Alec Edwards.

He caught her in a gentle hold, and Ira could see the affection buried in the look he gave her.

"Dani, sweetheart, what-"

"Let me go!" She jerked away, whipped around him, and tore down the hall.

Alec whirled around on him. "What the hell happened? You were supposed to help her, not do that!"

Ira raked his shaking fingers through his hair and then down his neck.

"What happened?"

"I...can't tell you."

"The hell you can't." He shoved by and toward the tape.

Ira grabbed his sleeve. "Don't, Alec."

He shrugged him off. "What is it? Was she raped? Molested? Threatened? Did a brother or sister die?"

"I can't tell you, Alec. She asked for confidentiality. And I don't have time to argue with you. I have to find Dani. In her state, there's no telling what she'll do."

He shut and locked his door and took off down the hallway. Alec stomped along beside him. They caught up with her as the elevator doors started to close. Alec wedged his arm between them, opening them once more.

Dani's eyes were wide and tearful as she looked from one to the other. "I'm going to my room. I'd like to be alone for awhile."

Ira saw the war of emotions in Alec's face. Then, reluctantly, they both stepped back and let her go.

***

Dani had never been more frightened in her life. Whatever Dr. Roberts had helped her uncover was bad, that much she knew. The details could remain a mystery as far as she was concerned. All she did know was that she had to leave...now.

She shoved her bra into the small overnight bag with the other clothes. The damn thing wouldn't go on with stitches in the way. She'd have to do without. She jammed her feet into her tennis shoes and slung the bag over her shoulder.

There was only a small window of opportunity here. Alec would try to stop her. He might even succeed. As for the nursing staff and her police guard, all the screeching in the world wouldn't do any good.

Dani darted into the hallway, making a straight line to the elevator. By the time the nurse and McLane realized she was packed to go, she would be safely in the elevator and on her way down. They would call down. Efforts would be made to stop her. To hell with them all.

As the doors opened on the ground floor, Dani saw her goal ahead. Pressing her breasts tightly in place to keep them from bouncing and ripping her stitches, she ran for the exit and the bus stop ahead.

Chapter Thirteen

"That's the biggest bunch of bullshit I've ever heard!" Alec jerked his thumb into his chest. "I'm her doctor. I have a right to know what went on. It directly reflects her physical well- being."

"No, it does not."

Ira's response was calm, rational, and damned annoying. It was virtually impossible to argue with him when he wouldn't argue back. The blasted pager at Alec's waist didn't help either. Each time he got a good case going for himself, the damned thing beeped.

"Aren't you going to answer that?" Ira pointed to it. "That's the third time it's gone off."

"I know how many times it's beeped," Alec pushed out through barred teeth. He snatched it from his side, glanced at the display, and then threw the device into the trashcan. "Where's your damn phone?"

Eyebrows raised, Ira pointed to the oak paneled screen.

"Don't even think about trying to analyze me!" Alec stomped to the phone.

"I wouldn't dream of it."

Sarcasm. Great. Just what he needed right now.How 'bout a little cooperation instead. He pounded each number on the dial, wishing he could jam the suckers through the faceplate.

Betty picked up on the other end, efficient, no nonsense. Good, because he didn't have time for games.

"This is Dr. Edwards. What did you want?" He was short, nasty even. Apologies could come later.

"I'm sorry, doctor. I didn't realize you already knew."

"Knew what?"

"That Miss Morgan packed her things and ran out of the hospital. We-"

"How in the hell can one woman get by a police officer and station filled with nurses?"

"Sir, we never expected-"

"Well, you should have." He slammed the receiver down so hard the cradle chipped.

Grabbing it again, he punched in Dani's home number, and then drummed his fingers on the desk while he waited for her answering machine to pick up. The message was perky, pleasant-his was not.

"Dani, I want you back at this hospital now." Alec made a move to hang up, and then lifted the receiver once more. "Better yet, I'm coming over there to drag you back here." He tossed the receiver in place.

"You need to calm down for a minute." Ira slid his hand over his shoulders.

Alec shrugged it away and stomped toward the door. "What I need is for you to get out of my way."

"Stop and think for a second-if you're capable of that right now," Ira shouted to his back. "She couldn't have gone far. She had no transportation. You know how notoriously slow the cabs are in responding. Even if Dani called a friend to get her, not enough time has passed for that person to get here."

Ira was right. Alec braced himself against the wall in an effort to rein in some measure of control.Deep breaths. Calm.

Ira placed that solicitous hand over his shoulder again. "Check the front entrance. She could still be there."

Nodding, Alec pushed away, yet refused to meet Ira's gaze. He had made a fool of himself, lost all recognition of control and gone stark raving mad. All because Dani had run from the hospital, because she was afraid and he wasn't allowed to know why. He felt helpless when all he wanted was to be there for her, to let her know she could depend on him.

Yeah, she's really going to feel that way when she gets that phone message.

"I'll go with you. She may need-"

"No." Alec pressed his lips together before he could say anything else he would regret later.

But Ira refused to be ignored. "In her current state I doubt she'll come to me."

"I know she won't. She didn't want to in the first place. I should have listened to her. I won't make that mistake twice."Not when I'm making so many others.

Not waiting for a rebuttal from Ira, Alec hurried to catch the elevator to the ground floor. His colleague was no more than a step behind him.

Just as Alec took a heated interest in the physical welfare of his patients, Ira was equally concerned for the mental well-being. It was the primary reason Alec chose to speak with him in the first place. Now Alec wished he had never gotten him involved. Ira would be as voracious as he in seeing to Dani's health.

Silently he followed Alec into the elevator, to the ground floor, and the entrance to the hospital. Together they scanned the area for some sign of Dani. Nothing. She was well on her way home...to that horrendous message he left on her machine.

Alec dug a quarter from his pocket and marched to the nearby bank of pay phones. She would listen to all her messages. He had one chance to fix this. He rehearsed his speech while he waited for the answering machine to pick up. Once it did, he was tongue-tied.

"Dani...sweetheart...that last message...I was a jerk."Again. "Again. I just went crazy when I heard you left. You scared the hell out of me when you ran out of Roberts's office. I'm on my way to..."Take care of you. To hold you. "I'm coming over and-"

"There she is." Ira jerked his arm toward the street. Alec followed the direction indicated. There, huddled on the aluminum bench by herself, was Dani. He hung up the phone and wiped the sweat from his palms.

"It would be best if you approached her alone," Ira said. "She'll come back in if you ask her."

He kept his gaze focused on Dani, willing her to stay put. "How do you know? She's probably so mad at me right now for talking her into seeing you in the first place-"

"From what I understand, you didn't talk her into anything. She agreed with conditions of her own."

True. No one talked Dani into anything she didn't want to do. She was too strong a woman for that. It was that strength he admired and also feared. Dani could stand on her own quite well. If she faltered for any reason, there was a devoted web of family and friends ready to support her. What the hell did she need him for?

***

Dani listened to the footsteps come closer. Some part of her knew it was Alec. There was no need to verify that by looking over her shoulder. Silly as it sounded, she felt him reaching out to her-a force so strong it was hard not to run to it.

No, let him come to you.

The effort exhausted her. At least that annihilating fear had dissipated, but it left her weak, vulnerable.

Dani shook away her rambling thoughts and concentrated on the man behind her.

"You said I could leave after I spoke to Dr. Roberts."

She expected him to stop. Instead, he walked around until he was in front of her, then squatted down and took her hands in his. They were shaking, as were hers.

Dancing his thumb over her knuckles, Alec drew in a deep breath. "And I meant it. Just not this way. Come back inside and we'll have admin draw up the discharge papers for me to sign. I'm sure that will please your insurance company much more than having learned you left against medical advice."

"That almost sounds like a threat."

A semblance of a smile twitched his lips. "Yes, I suppose it does." Standing, he extended his palm to her. "Come in with me and we'll take care of this the correct way. I gave you my word. I intend to keep it. Trust me, Dani."

She lifted her gaze from his outstretched hand to his deep brown eyes. Sincerity looked back at her from those obsidian centers. Dani slipped her hand into his and he gently pulled her to her feet and under the protection of his arm. Snagging her bag with his free hand, Alec led her inside.

Dr. Roberts waited at the entrance, watching their progress. No doubt she had frightened him with her hasty exit. For that Dani was sorry. But as far as she was concerned, her obligation to see him, to speak with him, was complete. It had been to no avail. Whatever he had uncovered had only doubled her fear. She was back to where she had been before-fighting a battle to control a fear she could not explain. One which, after today, she didn't want to explain. She just wanted it to go away.

"My office or back to the ward?" Alec asked.

"I don't much care."

"Did you leave anything in the room?"

Dani shook her head. "Only the flowers, and they can be distributed to other patients."

"Then my office. I'll be in and out. You'll be more comfortable there."

Dr. Roberts fell in step behind them as they stepped through the door. Alec ignored him. That worked for her, but Roberts kept right on, sticking to their heels like a lost puppy. His persistence and Alec's lack of challenge cracked the door on suspicion.

Alec asked for her trust. If he violated that now, she would never forgive him. It was best to know up front whose side he was really on.

Dani jerked to a stop and pivoted from under his arm. The men stared at her, mouths slightly ajar, a cross between puzzlement and alarm as if they expected her to turn into a shrieking basket case at any second.

All right, she would concede that point. Less than a half-hour before, she chose to do just that. But now the whole incident was nothing more than a faded memory, a hazy dream.

"I'm beginning to feel like a calf being led to the slaughter house. Why are you following us, Dr. Roberts? If this is a trick-"

"No." He raised his hands, warding off further accusations. "I just wanted to ask you a couple of questions."

Alec shoved himself between them. "No more questions. She's been upset enough."

"She's not upset now. Right, Dani?"

That was true, but how did she know his questions wouldn't set her off? He took her silence as consent.

"Do you remember anything?"

"Nothing." And she didn't want to.

"The entire session is taped. You might want to listen to it."

Dani started shaking her head long before he finished. "I don't care what's on the tape. As far as I'm concerned, this matter is closed."

"Don't you want to know what causes-?"

"No." It was firm enough neither of them should have cause to doubt her intent.

Alec cupped her elbow. Together they turned in the direction of his office. Footsteps echoed behind them. In unison they stopped and faced Dr. Roberts once more.

"Now what?" Alec's tone was confrontational.

The other man's rubber-soled shoes squeaked on the tile as he stopped. "I just want to watch."

"Watch what?" they demand in unison.

Roberts' gaze shifted between them while he struggled for a response. "I meant observe. I have to be certain you're all right."

He had a point. Obviously, Alec thought so too. With Roberts in tow, they made their way to Alec's office.

Using her bag as a pillow, Dani curled onto the tiny sofa. She was conscious of Roberts nearby watching, but Alec's actions were foremost in her mind as he set the wheels in motion to have her released.

***

Ira felt like a voyeur. Alec and Dani were clearly a couple even if they had yet to acknowledge that. Theirs was a centuries-old relationship about to be repeated. Hopefully, the result would not be as disastrous. Yet the pattern of the past seemed to doom them to failure. They had to break that pattern and Ira somehow felt it was up to him to see they got it right this time.

He wiped away the sudden urge to laugh at his own imagination. The last thing he needed was to jump to conclusions based on one session with one patient. For years Ira had longed for a discovery like this and had all but given up hope of finding it. And here it was, the dream of a lifetime.

His research must be thorough, without holes. He needed facts, proof. But how in the world could he proceed when his primary witness was unwilling?

Oblivious to how she had affected his life, she slept in a little ball on that cramped sofa. All he knew about Dani Morgan was her extreme past, nothing about the woman who existed today.

Logic. Think.Ira had to discount the possibility of false memories, of any preconceived notions Dani might have about the subject. Her background, her upbringing, religion, all had to be taken into consideration.

He heard Alec hang up the phone. "You said she was a high school teacher. What subject?"

"History. Why?"

"Just curious." That would explain her knowledge of historical events. He snickered to himself. Or explain why she was drawn to history in the first place.

Ira studied the second piece in the puzzle. Alec Edwards, a doctor now, a doctor once in the past, according to Dani revelations. A logical stepping-stone would be to regress Alec to see if could pull the same information from him.

No, not pull. He couldn't lead him in any direction. Alec would have to provide the information on his own. Ira couldn't see that happening any time soon. While Alec agreed with the need for psychiatric counseling, past lives simply weren't in the realm of possibility for him.

"Are you in love with this woman?"

"I just met her. How could I be in love with her? And her name is Dani."

Ira hid a smile behind his hand. "All right. Bad choice of words. Youare attracted to her, though, and youare planning a relationship."

"Yes."

His tone was defensive, as if daring Ira to say or do something about it.

"That was rather quick. Why do you suppose that is?"

He looked up in time to see Alec shrug. "It happens sometimes."

"Has it ever happened to you?"

"Yes...no...I don't know." He shoved himself to his feet. "Look, if you want to evaluate the rapid development of relationships, go to Kevin Samuels. He met Dani's best friend for the first time Friday night and the two of them are already planning to get married."

Ira nodded. "Interesting. I think I will."

Therewas a possibility of a second study, but it was Dani and Alec who held his attention despite the obstacles in uncovering information. With this tidbit of a clue, Ira was driven to delve into the full story. He had always liked Alec, admired him. And Dani, he had been drawn to her from the instant they met. All he had wanted to do was hug her close like a long-lost friend.

"I have to do my rounds and pick up Dani's discharge papers. Can I trust you to keep an eye on her while I'm gone...with no funny stuff?"

"No funny stuff." His reply was absentminded as he watched Dani sleep. When the door clicked shut behind Alec, Ira knelt on the floor beside her.

The questions he could ask, if only she and Alec would cooperate. He made a mental note to speak with Kevin and his lady as soon as possible. Their story could be just as intriguing once he delved into it.

Ira leaned against the sofa, close to Dani's arms. What was his own story? Did he have one? The earth certainly hadn't moved when he met his wife. In fact, their relationship progressed just about the same as everyone else's-slow, cautious. They had been married twenty years and had weathered good times and bad, and were still dealing with child-rearing. He couldn't picture himself with anyone else. Didthey have a past...or a future?

Ira wanted to know...needed to know. The possibility of a life without his wife felt empty, pointless. They had discussed past lives before. She was, thankfully, very open-minded. Maybe now was the time to look into that for themselves.

Who was he? Where had he lived? What had he endured? Who did he know before that he knew now? Everyone had baggage in their life. How many people did that baggage haunt from life to life?

The possibilities were endless, and Dani Morgan held the key to that door. True, she wasn't the only key. But she was the most promising. If only he could get more information, put her under one more time.

Ira shifted to look at her more fully. She was sleeping, unaware that he sat cross- legged on the floor in front of her. He liked watching her at this level. It seemed more natural, more equal. Like a child at last finding his parent at his own level.

He smiled. There were quite a few times when he had woken up to find one of his kids staring at him.

Dani mumbled something unintelligible in her sleep. Ira cocked his head to one side. Just how deep in sleep was she? What were the chances that he could slip her back further?

He shot a glance to the door. Alec should be gone for a while. No one would be the wiser and the value of what he could uncover would be...

No.Ira settled against the sofa. What had happened to his ethics? What he proposed was unequivocally wrong. No matter what secrets were buried in her head, her far past, he refused to stoop that low. He'd get his answers someday. It might take him the rest of his life, but he'd get them.

He rested his head on the cushion behind him-a little intimate since it was in the small space made by the curve of Dani's body.

I should move.

Before he realized it, Ira had drifted into twilight sleep-aware, but not awake. He let his mind wander wherever it wished, wrestling with his boys, snuggling with his wife, laughing with his parents. There was a small boy...running, giggling, reaching for his mama. Reaching...not his mother, but it was...it was...

Ira scrambled to his feet. The sudden movement jerked Dani awake. Confused, she frowned up at him. He couldn't put two words together.

Alec swung into the room. "All done. Ready to go home?"

Dani snagged her bag. "More than ready."

Ira forced his legs to move, to follow them into the hallway, and then he watched them walk away, Alec

hovering protectively near Dani. The answers he had been looking for had just slammed into him with full force. They were disconcerting, to say the least. Now he understood the true nature of Dani's battle-to keep at bay the emotions of a life which no longer existed, to separate that past reality from the present. It was up to him to help her deal with it before all emotions, past and present, collided. Theirs was an old debt he had to pay. But he couldn't do so until he had thoroughly evaluated his new patient-himself.

Chapter Fourteen

"This isn't the way to my house."

Alec tensed, but kept his gaze focused on the freeway. Dani sounded like she was just about ready to accuse him of kidnapping.

"I'm taking to you my apartment. I thought you could rest better there. I know it's not the same as your own place, but it will be less trafficked, for lack of a better word. Once all your friends and students learn you've been released, they'll beat a path to your door to help. You still need to recuperate. You can't do that if you're entertaining. At the hospital, the staff could protect you, but at home you'll have no barrier-"

"Enough." She raised her hand. "I'm too tired to argue with you. Just take me by the house so I can get a few things."

He was afraid to say anything more for fear she would change her mind. Following her directions, Alec pulled off the freeway, through crowded intersections, then into the quiet, tree- shaded residential area. Dani was guiding them back in the direction they had just come, but through back streets.

"We could have made it quicker on the freeway."

"Not at this time of day," she said. "Turn here."

Alec glanced at his watch-nearly rush hour. They would have been stuck in bumper- to-bumper for God-only-knew how long. He took the street she indicated. The trees thickened. This was an old part of the city, similar to the streets leading up to the Rushmore cul-de-sac, but more used. The road had been patched so many times it looked like someone had splattered black paint all over place. In some spots, pieces of the original brick surface peeked through.

The houses were still side-by-side, yet each was set away from the street and cozied up in nests of green. Happy, homey...

"Right there."

Alec glanced in the direction Dani pointed. An honest-to-gosh cobblestone drive led to a small house best described as belonging to Hansel and Gretel. Freesias and lilies leapfrogged each other along the driveway. Roses girdled the brown-shingled house. In a niche by the front door, a bed of irises burst into a variety of color. As he turned into the drive, a pair of hummingbirds zoomed to a feeder dangling before the latticed front window. It was quaint, warm, welcoming. It felt like...home.

"What a great place!"

Dani watched the delight in his face, and then looked at the house, seeing it through fresh eyes. She had always loved its fairytale quality made doubly special by the smell of her grandmother's oven-warm cookies and fresh baked bread. Somehow through the years, Dani had lost touch with that. Life had intruded. If it hadn't been for her father, all the love and care her grandmother had lavished on the yard would have been wasted. Dani hadn't had the time, didn't take the time. She had been too much in a hurry, too busy with...well, with things that just didn't seem that important now.

"It is a wonderful place. It belonged to my grandparents. They sold it to me a few years ago before they moved to Arizona." Dani's gaze traveled over the lawn. The recent rain had really made it grow.

"Looks like your grass could use cutting."

She smiled. "Alec Edwards, mind reader."

Chuckling, he cut the engine and draped his arm over the back of the seat. "More so than you think. If there is any doubt, let me make this perfectly clear. I may have agreed to release you from the hospital, but under no circumstances are you to even attempt to mow this lawn."

Dani giggled. "I think my father would prefer it be done right. I was going to hire one of the kids from school."

A frown drew his eyebrows together. "T.J. Costas?"

The force with which he said the boy's name took Dani by surprise. She couldn't call his behavior jealousy. The intensity of it went beyond protectiveness to something much deeper, more meaningful. T.J. had shown a distinct lack of respect, and Alec took it as his personal duty to see it never happen again.

No one had ever protected her that way. Her father forced her to stand on her own, to fight her own battles. The few men in the past hadn't cared either way. Most shrugged and looked the other way or snickered. But with Alec, respect would be demanded. No one would think otherwise, or they would deal with him. And to think she had been ready to run from him.

He will not be there when you most need him.

Dani forced the taunt away. He was a doctor. She did not have a monopoly on his time. Hewould be there if she really needed him. Alec had proven that.

"There are some things you just shouldn't fight."

Elsie was right, and this was one of them. Dani didn't know how long this was going to last, didn't want to think about the pain when and if he walked out of her life one day. But she did know one thing-she deserved, for once in her life to learn what it was like to succumb to passion.

Alec settled back in his seat. "Forget it. I shouldn't have brought it up."

Forget what? What had they been talking about? The grass, that's right. By the time Dani remembered, Alec had her car door open, her bag in his hand, and waited for her to get out.

He walked close beside her; however, his attention was everywhere but on her. He studied the house, the yard, the birds, as if he couldn't quite take it all in. The screen door groaned a protest when Dani opened it, bringing Alec's gaze back to her...until they stepped across the threshold.

***

Home. Yes, this feels like a home.It was nothing Alec could pinpoint, just a sense. Comfort existed here, warmth too. Despite the mismatched pieces of second-hand furniture, the miscellaneous rugs scattered over the dark wood floor, all that mattered existed in the atmosphere around it. He ran his fingers across a walnut end table, old, solid wood, exquisite.

Dani winced. Dust never mattered to her. You cleaned one week and just had to do it again the next. As long as the house was uncluttered, it was no big deal...until today.

She stared at the streaks left by his fingers and wanted to crawl into the nearest hole. God help her if he tried to sit on that hideous olive sofa. The springs would probably gouge a hole in his rear end.

Every stick of furniture in the house was second-hand, sometimes fourth. They were hand-me-downs from friends, purchases from yard sales. Free, cheap, something to get by on while she pooled her money for a trip to Europe. Now she would have given anything to have at least one nice thing in the place.

She wandered to her answering machine to retrieve her messages.

"I wish you wouldn't do that."

Dani glanced over her shoulder. "Why?"

"Because I was stupid."

She looked at the machine. Two messages waited. "How many times were you stupid?"

"Once, then I called back to fix it."

Fair enough.Dani hit the delete button. His sigh of relief made her smile.

Alec moved toward the monstrous burnt orange chair. It was big enough to hold two and so heavy it took four people to carry it-the perfect chair for those rare occasions when she was under the weather and wanted nothing more than to sit mindlessly in front of the television.

Alec sank into the cushion, and then wiggled around. "What a great chair." His smile was big, and the light in his eyes verified his words.

Relief sagged her shoulders. "I found it in the back room of a used furniture store. It was on its last legs. The flowered upholstery was dingy and barely holding together in spots. The owner gave it to me for twenty dollars, and then threw in a bolt of fabric to cover it. Not exactly my choice of color, but-"

"It'll do." He wiggled around some more, testing the cushion for give. "This thing is huge. Big enough for two."

"Just think, Miriam. Soon I'll be sitting here with our son tucked under one arm, our daughter under the other, reading story after story."

Alec leaped from the chair and stared down at it, eyes wide. He was looking, but not seeing.

Dani's heart thumped with anxiety. Was he hurt? Having a seizure of some...?

"What kinds of flowers were on the upholstery?"

"Daisies, I think. Why?"

He just stared, unblinking, frightening her with each second that passed.

"There was a ring," he said, "shoved deep into the cushion. A surprise."

If this was a joke, it wasn't funny. If it wasn't a joke, it still wasn't funny. Dani slid her hand up his arm, molding her fingers to his bicep.

"Alec, please stop."

He blinked, shook his head slightly, and then looked down at her, deep into her. They moved in slow motion, she stretching, he bending, until their lips were a breath away from touching.

"If I kiss you now, Dani, I can't promise I'll be able to hold back."

"Then don't," she whispered. She curled her fingers around his neck, deep into his thick, dark hair, and pulled his head closer.

There was nothing hesitant in his kiss this time. No teasing, no taunting. It was urgent, hungry...demanding. He mapped the contours of her mouth with the swiftness of flame, dancing against her tongue, until Dani was intoxicated from the sweetness of the building passion. Alec sealed their kiss, and Dani expected no more. She was wrong.

He gave her barely enough time to catch her breath before searing another hot brand into her. And then another and another until she could do nothing but press against him in anticipation of the next delicious moment.

A groan tore from his throat when her belly came into contact with the hard ridge below his navel. It pulsed between them, yet she refused to budge. Wiggling her hands to his belt buckle, Dani released the catch, snapped open the fly button, and slid her hand around the roundness of his buttocks.

Her victory was short lived. Devastating her senses, buckling her knees, Alec nibbled at the tender flesh along her neck. Her cotton blouse rubbed the points of her nipples and added to the pleasure shooting through every part of her body.

He pushed his hand deep into her back and made her arch until her groin wedged into his. Dani gasped and opened herself to more. Her hold on him was broken. The band of his arm held her in place, while he peeled her bare with his free hand.

Shuddering more with each pass, Dani quivered beneath the sweep of his palm. She was sprawled across his lap. Somehow he had maneuvered them into the chair. His kisses devoured her once more while his fingers drifted in lazy circles down the inside of one thigh, up the inside of the other, barely touching what lay between.

Shamelessly, she arched toward him and begged with her body for what he denied. He parted her folds with the tip of his finger and tested the wetness that beckoned, yet avoided the hard nub that strained for his touch.

She whimpered beneath his lips. He answered and slipped first one, then two fingers deep into her.

Dani tossed back a soundless cry as he pressed upward. Then his thumb hit gold. He traced a path around, across, under, until Dani thought she would die if release didn't come soon. With each flick, she twitched in his arms and prayed for relief.

He built her slowly, always keeping her just on the edge. She was mindless to all but the pressure ready to explode beneath his hand. It was close, so close, just one more touch and...

Alec shifted beneath her.

"No, don't stop. Please, don't stop."

He grabbed her by the waist and set her astride his lap. Somehow he had stripped. He was naked, hard, ready. His erection waved proud and protected between them.

"Take me, Dani. Now. I want to be inside you." He raised her slightly, then took himself in one hand and guided it to her center.

Dani teased at the tip, reveling in the groan she pulled from him. Then she sealed them as one.

Alec's arms shook from the effort to maintain control. She held on, afraid the slightest movement would destroy his good intentions. Then his thumb found her once more. He teased it to the edge, quickly this time, each jolt of pleasure punctuated by his thrust.

Using his chest as a brace, she met him fully, in awe of the tension crawling into her stomach and amazed that he could become harder than he already was. He went taut, fighting once more to hold back, but she was too close. Shoving deep into the pleasure he gave, Dani pushed them over together. Alec grabbed her waist and let go.

Wave after wave shuddered through them. Dani had heard the phrase before, even read it and laughed. But this was real. Finally, they collapsed in each other's arms, yet stayed as one.

Alec caught her face in his hands and kissed her. "I hope I didn't hurt you. I tried to be careful. I wanted to wait until your stitches were out, but-"

A smirk lit her eyes. "Are you saying you regret-?"

"Does it feel like I regret it?"

Not when he was still deep inside her, hard as he was when they had started.

Smiling, she shrugged a shoulder. "I don't know. Maybe you faked the orgasm."

Alec tossed his head against the chair and laughed. "You found me out."

"Then I guess we'll have to do it until you get it right." She rose up, and then lowered herself slowly.

Alec closed his eyes on a sigh. "God, honey, that feels..." He grabbed her waist and held her in place. "We can't. I don't have another rubber with me. Let's get your things and go back to my apartment."

Dani's mood to tease faded. She traced designs along the muscles in his chest. "If it's all the same to you, I'd really rather stay here. I don't know how to explain it..."

He tucked her hair behind her ear. "No need. I understand, but I want you to rest while I'm at work. No hoards of visitors."

She lifted her little finger. "I pinkie swear."

"Good." He gave her bottom a pat. "Make a grocery list for us. I'll stop there on my way back from my place. I cook, I clean, I take care of you this week. You," he tapped the end of her nose, "rest...only."

Mischief dancing in her eyes, she pulled herself from his lap, slowly. "We'll see about that, won't we?"

Dani admired his rear end as he walked toward the bathroom.Nice. Tight. Round. Perfect little indents on the side.

"Not that door," she blurted out.

Alec glanced over his shoulder. "You have an insane husband locked up in there?"

"The bathroom's the next door." One thing at a time. Very few people ever saw her project room. It was in too big a mess and Dani wasn't exactly proud of it. In there were failed attempts at creativity, projects started yet never finished or fulfilled. She just could never find that one thing she was looking for.

By the time Alec left the bathroom, Dani had the grocery list ready. Somehow she suspected his idea of cooking was whatever fast food place delivered. Still, she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

He took her extra house key, kissed her at the door, and waved as he pulled out of the driveway. Normal, everyday, as if they had been together forever. Yet, she couldn't shake the fear that she wouldn't see him again. Tears flooded her eyes without warning. Dani blinked them away and laughed at herself.

***

The house was quiet by the time Alec returned. He cursed the squeaking screen door when he tried to sneak in. Luckily, Dani slept through it. He peeked in her bedroom and found her plopped on top of the bed, still in her robe. She hadn't even bothered to turn down the covers.

She was exhausted. She had to be. He never should have made love to her until she was completely healed. It was that blasted chair. If he didn't know better, Alec would swear the thing was possessed.

Not that it wasn't worth it. Making love to Dani was supreme. She was everything he expected and more. If he had his way, he'd spend all day in bed with her. In fact, just watching her there, asleep, her robe slightly parted-it was all he could do to keep from going in there and slamming himself into her.

Alec raked his fingers through his hair. He hadn't been this randy since college. He closed her door and walked back to the kitchen, skirting the haunted chair as he did so. Dani wasn't an object for his lust, and he was going to make damn sure she knew that. He didn't have a clue where this was going, but one thing was certain-it was going to last a while. The last thing they needed was to get off to a rocky start.

He put away the groceries-probably in the wrong place, but she could fix that later- then returned to the

living room. Dani had dusted in his absence. A woman like Dani could only be restricted so far.

He fiddled with the idea of turning on the basketball game, but didn't want to risk waking her. The books he brought didn't hold much interest. His gaze wandered to the chair.

A ring shoved down into it. The image nagged at him. Removing the cushion, Alec pushed his hand down the sides. Nothing. Yet he could see the action as clearly as if he had done it himself.

He felt the cushion. Foam rubber. Probably replaced when Dani re-covered it. He shoved it back in place and sat down, daring the chair to mess with his head. Again...nothing. And he would be damned if he was going to sit there and let something happen. There were dozens of things to do around the house-lots to keep occupied until Dani woke and it was time for dinner.

He started with the screen door, tightening and oiling until it was silent. Then he attacked the lawn and worked as far from her bedroom window as possible. Still, the chair and the ring stuck with him.

It was set in white gold, emerald cut, a full carat. The box was square, dusty rose with a gray interior. And it was in that chair, he knew it, and he was going to find it if he had to slice the thing to ribbons to get to it.

He looked up and saw Dani walking toward him-a glass of ice water in her hand. She was dressed in yellow leggings and an oversized yellow and white striped T-shirt. She looked rested, happy, and irresistible.

Alec cut the engine to idle. Taking the glass in one hand, he caught her around the waist with the other and kissed her. When he drew back, her gold-brown eyes were glowing.

"I'm almost through here, then I'll be in to start dinner." He downed the water in one gulp, then handed back the glass.

She smiled sweetly. "Dinner's started and nearly ready."

He shook a finger in her face. "I told you..."

Dani pressed a kiss to his lips, shutting off further argument. "I'll let you wash the dishes."

It was the most he could hope for, and Alec had to admit that it was probably a good thing Dani cooked.

***

The scent of garlic bread reached him the instant he walked in the door. Dani had spread the food on the coffee table in the living room. It looked like a picnic: salad tossed with creamy Italian dressing, cherry tomatoes, black olives, and red onions; chicken something with zucchini and carrots topped with cheddar cheese; and tall glasses of ice tea.

"I like to watch TV while I eat. I hope you don't mind," Dani said.

"If you tell me you're going to watch the basketball game, I'll know it's love."

Dani's eyes brightened with her laughter. "Sorry, but I'll make a concession for you." She tossed him the remote, and was a good sport about it too.

Dani sat by his side while Alec made a pig of himself and zoned in on the game. She endured his sideline coaching, listened when he griped about a play, and even had the sense not to ask how the game was played. It might not be love, but it was really close.

It wasn't until the horn sounded at the end of the last quarter that the chair intruded again. True to her word, Dani sat back and let Alec clean up. As he straightened with a pile of dishes, it hit him.

"I know where it is."

"Where what is?"

The plates clattered in his haste to shove them in the sink. Before the chair once more, Alec tossed the cushion aside and pushed his hand into the back of the seat.

Deep. As deep as it could go. Then turn the palm over.

He fumbled around for a few minutes. It would be dead center, the length of his arm. His fingers brushed against something soft, something not part of the stuffing. He closed his hand around it-square, velvet, and stuck.

"I think I found it."

Dani crawled closer. "Found what?"

Alec gave it a tug. The box came free, but he couldn't get his hand out while he held it. "It's a small box, but I'm stuck. I don't suppose you'd let me cut your chair open."

"Absolutely not."

"I didn't think so." He squirmed his hand until the box was at the opening, and then wiggled it through. It bounced to the center of the seat.

Dani peered over the arm of the chair, but said nothing. It was just as well. Alec couldn't have replied. His hands were shaking as he reached to open it. The lid was tight, the hinge long since rusted. Inside, nestled securely as the day it was placed there, was an emerald-cut diamond set in white gold.

"How did you know?"

At least she didn't accuse him of putting it there. "I don't know."

"What should we do?"

"I don't know that either. Here." He set the box on the table. "It's your chair. It's your ring."

Dani stared at the winking diamond. It was beautiful, but the whole thing was a little too spooky for her. The look on Alec's face when he searched for it still unnerved her. He was...well...obsessed. Like a dog digging for a rabbit. Renee would have a field day with this when and if she found out about it. Dani was inclined to keep it from her.

She listened to Alec clean up the dinner dishes, heard him say afterward he was going to take a shower. When the water started to run, Dani picked up the box.

It had to be an engagement ring. But who had worn it, and why was it hidden it that chair? The furniture store had gone out of business years ago. She didn't know the owner's name. Even he couldn't remember where the chair had come from. He referred to it as "that piece of junk."

Dani smiled and slipped the ring on her right hand. The ring was probably worth more than all the furniture in his store. It was clearly worth her long-wanted trip to Europe or a down payment on a new car. And yet, it seemed a sacrilege to sell it.

She held her hand up and let the light sparkle off the diamond. No, she couldn't sell it. But maybe, one day, she would find out who it belonged to and return it to her.

"It looks beautiful on your hand," Alec said from behind her.

The fresh scent of soap, water, and shampoo drifted to her. She could feel the warmth lingering on his skin.

"I've never seen a woman with more beautiful fingers. Long, slender." He captured them in his and kissed the tips of each. "I'm ready for bed. Are you?"

She nodded. Alec pulled Dani to her feet, and led her by the hand to her bedroom and clicked off lights along the way. He wore only a towel. Already it was tented. Here it was their second time together and the urgency was just as great as the first time.

He built her up slowly, deliciously, to the very edge. When she could endure no more, Alec pulled her atop him and joined them. Dani watched the play of ecstasy on his face and reveled in the power she possessed to pull these reactions from him, the power he had to make her soar. He brought new meaning to the word orgasm.

They lay together in the after-glow, spent and exhausted, until sleep overcame them.

***

Dani woke to the annoying blare of the alarm and the warmth of his arms.

Alec dropped a kiss to her forehead and tucked her under the covers. "Sleep. I'll see you after work."

Smiling, Dani snuggled into his pillow. It was mid-morning before she pulled herself out of bed. A note taped to her dresser mirror directed her to the refrigerator where Alec had left a half cantaloupe filled with strawberries. A second note suggested a bubble bath and a good book. In a corner of the bathroom she found one red rose in a vase.

Dani stretched in a sea of bubbles. "I could get used to this real fast, Alec Edwards."

She tossed the book aside and let daydreams entertain her until a visitor at the door intruded. No one knew she was here except Renee, and she was at work. She had promised Alec no visitors. Still, with each second that passed, the knocks grew in urgency until whoever it was, beat at the door.

Muttering a curse, Dani pushed from the water and tossed on her robe. She had to be firm, that was all. Whoever was there would simply have to understand.

She dared a peek out the window to forewarn herself, and saw a tall blonde woman standing there. Her face was pinched with rage, her eyes spouting evil intent.

Dani pulled the phone closer, just in case. "What do you want?"

"Open the door!" Her voice screeched, out of control.

"I will not. Who are you and what do you want? If you don't tell me, I'll call the police."

She picked up a rock from the yard and ran to the window. "I'll tell you who I am. I'm Andrea Rushmore, Alec Edwards's fiancée. I'm sick and tired of this shit. You think you're the first patient he's had the hots for? You're wrong. Stay away. Just stay away. You hear?"

Dani's heart twisted in a knot. "No problem. He's all yours."

A sneer pulled up the woman's lip. Tossing the rock to the ground, she stalked to her car and drove off.

Dani crumbled into a ball in her chair. She knew it was all too good to be true. The pain wasn't supposed to happen this soon. But it did. And all she could do was cry while her heart wrenched into a hard knot.

Chapter Fifteen

"You seem awfully jubilant today." Norma shoved the chart for Alec's latest patient in its slot. "Did you win the lottery or something?"

Alec couldn't help but smile. In fact, he had spent the day smiling at everything and everybody. "Something like that." He jerked his head toward his patient. "She's clear to go to her room. I'm going to make my rounds and then I'll be heading home."

She made a great show of looking at her watch and letting her jaw drop. "Before eight o'clock?"

"Very funny. I'll meet you and Rob there around five."

Squinting, she tilted her head to one side. "And just what are we moving again?"

"You'll see when you get there."

Alec hurried away before she could question him further. Once Norma discovered he was moving the bed in his spare room to Dani's house, she would either tease him unmercifully or lecture him. He wasn't in the mood to hear any of it. At least with her husband around all he would have to deal with would be telling looks, a cluck of her tongue. Eventually, Norma would have her say. By then Alec hoped he would have the fortitude to endure it.

***

His final rounds of the day took him to his patients from the day before. Mrs. Gaster was alert, sore, and attempting to walk across the room. She leaned heavily on her husband's arm, but determination blazed in her eyes. She wanted to go home, to be with their children, to start living again.

Mrs. Utley sipped a milkshake through a straw. The wired jaw hadn't slowed down her conversation, just made it more difficult. By tomorrow she would be on her way home. Her husband, exhausted from worry and his vigil, slept in the chair nearby.

The spousal devotion touched Alec as it always did until he reached Nick Remini's room. His wife sat by his side, sobbing, begging his forgiveness. Nick, still in pain, caressed her head. How she was released from jail, Alec couldn't begin to guess. Why Nick was willing to forgive her was an even bigger puzzle.

"Mrs. Remini, I need to examine your husband. If you'll excuse me?"

Dabbing tears, she scurried from the room.

Nick let a sigh settle him in the pillows. "You think I'm crazy, Doc?"

"That's not for me to say."

He chuckled softly. "But you want to say."

No doubt about that, but it wasn't Alec's place. When he said nothing, Nick sighed again and closed his eyes.

"I love that woman like crazy, but I'm not crazy, Doc. Much as I love her, she frightens me. I forgive her, but I don't trust her. She needs help and maybe she'll get it in prison. I know they'll send her to prison. When she gets out," he shrugged a shoulder, "who knows."

He opened his eyes then, focusing on Alec. "All I know is that I can't keep my hands off that woman. She's the only one for me. Despite everything she's done, I love her to death."

Alec couldn't help but feel that's exactly what it was going to wind up being-Nick's death. He didn't know who needed counseling more, Nick Remini or his wife.

"When can I leave, Doc?"

"A couple more days and you can go home. I'll see you tomorrow."

He had barely cleared the room when Mrs. Remini zoomed back to her husband's side. It was spooky, but Alec couldn't shake the feeling that he had just left a dead man. Nick Remini definitely needed counseling, and Alec doubted he'd make the effort to receive it once he was discharged. That left only one alternative. If Nick wouldn't go to counseling, Alec would try to take it to him.

***

Within minutes he was standing before Ira's door and staring at the nameplate, questioning his interference in yet another patient's life. The abortive attempt with Dani yesterday should have been enough to tell him to mind his own business. Yet, here he was again, reaching out for Ira to help someone else.

He tapped at the door. A muffled call to come in followed. Alec stepped inside.

Ira turned off his tape player and looked up, smiling when he saw Alec. "I'm sorry about yesterday. Dani was quite specific that no one know-"

"It's all right. I understand. I came here about another patient-Nick Remini. I was wondering if you could talk to him."

He gave an absentminded nod. "Sure. I'll go up right away."

Alec's forehead creased. "Is something wrong?"

Ira popped the cassette from the player, held it up as if to give it to Alec, then set it on his desk. "Nothing. Nothing at all."

"Is that the tape from Dani's session?"

"No, it's...um...someone else's." Squaring his shoulders, Ira stood. "I'll go up and check on Remini now. I'll check back with you once I'm done."

"I'm leaving for the day. Tomorrow will be fine."

The semblance of a smile lifted Ira's lips, but he stared beyond Alec. "Of course. It's good to see you finding a life outside this hospital."

Alec's frown deepened. "Somethingis wrong. What is it?"

He forced his gaze to Alec, not truly seeing him. "Really...nothing's wrong. How could it be when I've just gotten the answers I've been searching for my whole career?"

With no further word, Ira wandered past him and out the door.

Alec glanced toward the desk where two cassettes lay side by side. It was tempting, but also none of his business. If Ira wanted to share, if doctor-patient ethics allowed him to share, then he would do so. Until then, Alec could only be there to offer support.

He laughed at himself.Too bad you couldn't be that logical yesterday , he told himself. But yesterday had been about Dani, and one thing was already quite clear-he was not logical where she was concerned.

***

Alec beat Rob and Norma Sharp to his apartment by a mere five minutes-long enough to gather bedding, some more clothes, and a few more personal belongings. Norma didn't have much to say as he and Rob loaded the bed onto their truck. Of course, she still didn't realize its destination.

He could almost see her expression when she discovered it was Dani's house. Her eyebrows would lift ever so slightly. Her gaze would calmly appraise each of them. Then she would nibble on the inside of her cheek. Thankfully, she would keep quiet while Dani was around. Once alone with him, though, she would take full advantage of their long-standing friendship. Norma wasn't one to hold her tongue or her opinion.

As they made their way through the myriad of freeway and back street connections to Dani's house, a sense of euphoria built. He was going home and couldn't get there fast enough. By the time he pulled into the driveway, all he wanted was to see Dani, to hold her, to reaffirm that she existed for him, to feel the peace of her presence surround him. He cut the engine, whipped back the seat belt, and sprinted for the house.

***

"Dani, I'm home," he called as he seated his key in the lock.

With a flick of his wrist, the door opened. The chain lock jolted him back in his place.

"What the...Dani, honey, it's me. Open up."

There was movement on the other side of the door. Alec stepped back, waiting for her to slip the chain free. Instead, she shut the door.

Dani pressed her back into the door. She had been waiting for this moment, this confrontation all day. Now that it was here, she didn't know if she had the fortitude to carry it through. She wanted him, cared for him. The bottom line was, he wasn't hers to want and care for.

"Go away."

Calm, deadly, definitely no-nonsense. Alec wracked his brain trying to figure out what he could have done wrong. His answer-nothing...as far as he knew. He glanced over his shoulder. Rob and Norma leaned against their truck, watching, waiting.

"Dani, open the door."

"I said go away."

"Open the door so we can talk about whatever's bothering you."

She opened the door to the length of the chain. "There's nothing totalk about...Your girlfriend stopped by. Excuse me,fiancée ." Her voice trembled. She damned the emotion that gave her away.

Alec balled up a fist and pressed it into the wooden sill. Andrea.

"Don't deny it, Alec. She told me everything."

She was fighting for composure, trying not to cry. Who could blame her? All he wanted to do was get past that door.

"She lied. Anything Andrea told you was a lie. We dated briefly several months ago. She can't accept it. She's been harassing me-"

"Did you sleep with her?" A horrible question to ask and a stupid one. Of course he had slept with her. Why did she have to have verification of it?

Alec drew back. "I don't think that's any of your business."

"Good-bye, Alec." She pushed the door closed.

Alec wedged his shoulder in the crack. "All right, yes. I slept with her. Once. She was beautiful. She wasvery accommodating. And I was damned horny."

Dani squeezed back tears. It shouldn't matter. It was before her. Then why the hell did it hurt so bad?

"A man has needs, Dani."

"So does a woman, Alec."

He tightened his fist. The very idea of another man making love to Dani...

"Fine. Then I'll provide you with a list of all the women I've slept with, and you provide me with a list of all the men you've slept with."

The chain slid off the lock. She swung the door open. "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard of."

"Yeah, but at least it got you to open the door." He cupped her cheek and traced the curve with his thumb. "Whatever happened in the past isn't important. Here, now, you are all that matters. There will be no one for me but you while we are together."

Thankfully, he didn't try to kiss her. Dani wasn't sure she could have handled it if he had. One touch of his lips to hers and she would have crumbled into tears, clutched him tight, and made a complete fool of herself.

She looked beyond him to the couple by the truck- a woman whose long blonde hair drifted like a cape down her back and the Nordic god hovering by her side. "Who are they and what are they doing here?"

Alec looked at the Sharps. As expected, Norma was already gauging the situation. "Rob and Norma Sharp. She's a recovery room nurse at the hospital. I brought the bed from my spare room. It's a little bigger than yours and in a lot better shape. I thought..."

He had gone too far. The coldness in her eyes told him that. Andrea's accusations, no matter how false, still loomed between them.

"I guess I should have asked you first."

"Yes...you should have."

The chill in her voice frightened him.

"She said it's common for you to have affairs with your female patients. Is that true? Am I another victim of your special kind of medical care?"

His eyes narrowed. He took offense to that. Good. It gave her the distance she needed right now. Things were moving too quickly. He was starting to move in, for crying out loud. Something needed to set them apart.

"That's a lie!" Alec jerked his thumb to the Sharps. "You don't believe me, ask Norma. Go ahead. Ask her."

The force behind his denial scared her. Dani tucked herself into the orange chair in an effort to control her quivering. "That won't be necessary."

Jerking forward, Alec braced his arms on either side of her and pinned her down with the force of his presence. "Do not take that superior air with me. It will not work. I will not be played with."

He pulled her to her feet. "You asked a question. You're going to get the answer." He steered her from the house, toward the puzzled couple.

Dani wanted to die from embarrassment, wanted to alternately beg his forgiveness and stand her ground. She succumbed to the latter. Digging in her heels, she yanked them to a stop.

Anger darkening his eyes, he stared down at her. She matched him with equal intensity. "I'm the one who won't be played with, Alec. Put yourself in my shoes. How would you feel? Wouldn't you want answers?"

The fury in his eyes softened. Tenderness engulfed her. "You know the answer, Dani. You know you are the only one. Youknow that."

She did and she didn't. And at that point, she couldn't think any more about it. She waved her hand toward the truck. "Just get the damn thing in the house. Ask your friends to stay for dinner. It's the least we can do for all this...trouble."

Pivoting on her heel, she hurried inside.

Alec watched Dani until the screen door slammed shut. He didn't know whether he had won, lost, or merely had a truce called, but he wasn't taking chances. He stomped toward the Sharps.

"I suppose you heard all of that."

Rob coughed into his hand. "Most of it. We'd love to stay for dinner."

"If only to watch the rest of the show," Norma added with a smirk.

Alec yanked the rope from the tarp covering the bed. "Andrea screwed things up for me royally. Just get in there and fix it."

Her eyes widened with a lift of her brows. "And what do you expect me to do?"

"I don't care. Just fix it." When she started to walk in the direction of the house, he added, "Don't make it worse, Norma. Just fix it." Alec would swear he saw her laugh.

***

The busy work involved with preparing dinner kept Dani's thoughts directed on something other than Alec. The presence of the Sharps over dinner would alleviate any further confrontations...if they decided to stay.

Dani prayed they would. She needed time to get herself emotionally realigned.

"Anything I can do to help? You've just been released from the hospital. Should you really be whipping up dinner for four?"

She glanced up at Norma Sharp and made herself smile. "I'm glad you're staying."

"Anything to keep you two from coming to blows."

"I seriously doubt it will come to that."

Norma wandered toward the counter, craning her neck to see what Dani was cooking. "Oh, I don't know. The two of you looked pretty angry. In all the years I've known Alec, I've never seen him manhandle a woman like that."

"And how many years is that?"

"Oh...about five."

Dani slapped the knife on the counter and turned around. "And did you sleep with him too?" She hated the words the instant they left her mouth and would have given anything to retrieve them. "I'm sorry. I-"

"Nothing like cutting to the quick, is there? Andrea really did a number on you, didn't she?" Norma braced herself against the stove. "The woman is psychotic, obsessive. From what I understand, she also spent some time in a mental hospital. Personally, I think they should have kept her there. I don't know what she may have said to you, but it was a lie. Alec broke it off quick with her months ago. She won't let go. As far as I know, he's seen no one else until you."

She had to know, had to ask. "She said he's always sleeping with his female patients."

"Puh-lease." Norma waved the notion aside. "If Alec slept with every female patient or nurse who crossed his path, his pecker would fall off."

Dani couldn't help but laugh.

"Alec is a decent man, Dani. An honest man. Don't let Andrea's interference and lies destroy whatever relationship the two of you might have going."

"It's hard to believe in a relationship that's moving so quickly you can't catch your breath."

Norma put her hand on Dani's forearm. "Then take your time to catch that breath. If it's a relationship that's going to last, it will still be there afterward."

That was good, sound advice and much better than Renee's rapid fire I-think-you- should-do-this, I-think-you-should-do-that.

"Thank you," she said with a smile.

"You're welcome. Now give us a hug." She spread her arms wide, giving her no choice.

Dani liked this woman...and her husband. The Sharps lingered over dinner, providing desperately

needed congeniality to break the tension of Andrea's visit. They sat on the floor around the coffee table, laughing, talking, like two old couples, like getting together this way was a common event.

Time passed too quickly. Before Dani realized it, she and Alec were at the door bidding the other couple good night. They were left alone, awkward in the silence that descended. Like two combatants, they took positions on opposite sides of her sofa. Both avoided the chair. It seemed hours before either of them spoke. Then Alec did.

"Rob and I set up the bed in your room." He kept his gaze on his hands. "I didn't know where you wanted the old bed. Your spare room?"

"No, there's no room in there." She pointed to a spot in the far corner of her living room. "Tuck the mattress over there. I'll sleep out here."

His head jerked up. "No."

Dani looked away from the intensity in his eyes. "Alec, things are moving much too quickly for me. We need to slow it down."

"Fine. We'll slow down. I swear I won't touch you again until you're ready." He shoved himself to his feet and stared down at her. "But I'm not leaving. And Iwill sleep by your side at night. I need that, Dani. I need you."

She forced herself to look up, beyond the bulge that threatened to rip the seams from his trousers. It wasn't easy. The thing pulsed, beckoning, and her body answered of its own accord with a warmth and wetness she found embarrassing.

"All right," she managed to squeeze out. "What time shall I set the alarm?" An innocuous question she hoped would diffuse the sexual tension inundating her.

"No need. I've arranged to have my patients covered. You wanted to go to Elsie Carter's funeral. I'm taking you."

Dani wanted to hug him close and cry. All she could do was mumble a word of thanks.

She watched his gaze trace her face, her body-devouring her with a look, making love to her with his eyes. He moved away, breaking the spell, and strode toward the bathroom.

Halfway there, Alec's footsteps stopped. Dani glanced over her shoulder. He stood before the door to her spare room and stared at the closed door.

"What's in here, Dani?"

She pulled in a deep breath and turned to face him. "The biggest mess you've ever seen in your life. Go ahead. Open it."

Alec grasped the doorknob, hesitated, and then eased it open.

"It's not the portal to hell." Dani came up behind him and flicked on the light. "It's just a junk room."

An understatement at best, but it was the most intriguing junk room Alec had ever seen. In every corner and in every available space was a craft project, all incomplete. Stretched along the wall was an easel with canvas, a loom, macramé, cross-stitching, knitting, wood-working, pottery, pieces of a quilt, a sewing machine. And in the middle of the fiasco, her kitchen table sat with a lump of clay in the center.

Alec dared a step across the threshold. There was a clear path around the periphery of the room. Once inside, he realized things didn't look as disorderly as he first imagined. Everything was stacked neatly in its place, as if just put aside. He wandered to the table and ran his finger along the edge of the clay.

"So now you know my terrible habit," Dani said. She was still by the door, her voice nervous. "I'm afraid I've been like this all my life. I pick up a project because I think I'll be interested, and then shove it aside the minute I get into it. I used to drive my parents crazy. Girl Scouts, dance class. Daddy finally put his foot down when it came to piano lessons. He made me sit at that damn piano until I learned to play and play well. Probably a good thing or I never would have learned any discipline."

Alec nodded. She had to have some discipline in her own right or she never would have made it as a teacher.

"Pretty disgusting, isn't it?"

"At least you can say you have a hobby. Where'd you find all this stuff?"

"The same place I find everything. At yard sales."

He drew a semi-circle in the clay, and then pushed up the edges.

"Looks like an ear," Dani said.

"Hmm...yes...it does. Got any more clay?"

"There's a whole box of it underneath the table. Indulge yourself."

Dani watched him lay out the tools, position a block of fresh clay, set out a bowl of water. He was inside himself. She no longer existed. Under his strong fingers, the clay quickly took on the shape of a head. There was a slender column of a throat, a delicately pointed chin, high cheekbones. A woman. He was sculpting a woman.

Intriguing how fast he works.She had labored on her lump for a week and still managed to make it look the same as when she started. Yet Alec seemed at one with the clay, instinctively knowing just how to shape it. It could be his skill as a surgeon coming through, but she hated to put it in such logical terms. To watch him was...well...magic.

She tugged an oversized beanbag chair from the corner and pulled out a long discarded piece of

needlepoint-a birth announcement for her new nephew.

"The clay will dry your hands. There's lotion in the bathroom."

Alec responded with a companionable grunt. Wiggling into her nest, Dani lifted her needle.

***

Alec studied the bust. He had no idea where the image of the woman had come from. She was just something spawned from his imagination. There was still work to be done. The hair needed adjustment-there should be ringlets draping the left side of her neck. He didn't like the haughty set of her lips-one corner should be lifted in the hint of a smile, a crease framing it. But it would do for now.

He eased into Dani's room and peeled back the covers. Sometime around midnight she had fallen asleep in the beanbag chair. Alec had carried her to bed and tucked her in. Two hours later, he tried to join her. The sculpture called to him, begging for completion. Now at dawn, hands slathered with lotion, he could rest.

Dani snuggled into his body. He curled his arms around her. In sleep she accepted him. Awake? Who could blame her? If their situations were reversed, Alec couldn't say he would have stayed the night, not that he had given Dani a choice.

He closed his eyes and let sleep claim him. It was peaceful, deep, dream laden.

The next thing Alec knew, he was alone. The smell of coffee permeated the house. He rolled to one side and discovered a steaming cup waiting for him.

Dani stood before the closet, a towel wrapped around her while she searched through her clothes. She was fresh from a shower, her hair still pinned up. Wisps of damp curls clung to the nape of her neck. The white towel hugged her heart-shaped bottom, an enticing sight to wake up to.

Alec levered himself to his elbows. "I don't suppose you'd reconsider this slow down period you ask for."

Clutching a black dress to her chest, Dani glanced around and directly at the erection that tented the sheet.

Alec smiled. "I promise I'll be quick. You won't feel a thing."

She laughed, good and hard. "I doubt that. By the way, the bust is beautiful."

"So's yours."

Another hearty laugh. At least she was smiling, even if she did reject his offer. He'd renegotiate later. One thing was certain, he couldn't take much more of this or he'd explode. Just having her near and not being able to touch her the wayhe wanted was hell.

Two hours later when they reached the church where Elsie's service was to be held, Alec realized what true hell was. He watched the grief, the fear on Dani's face, and cursed himself a thousand times over for bringing her. She battled on her own, each hyperventilated breath tearing his heart into shreds. And he couldn't do a damn thing.

She pushed aside his proffered hand and clutched her own in her lap until the knuckles turned white. She shrugged aside his arm when they walked to the gravesite. He didn't know if it was Andrea's doing or that blasted fear of hers. It didn't matter. This rejection truly hurt. He wanted to be there for her. She wouldn't allow it.

Alec and Dani returned to her house in silence, forgoing the condolence call at the Carter home. She tossed her purse to the chair, kicked off her shoes, curled into the corner of the couch, clicked on the television, and shut him out thoroughly.

"I'm going to the hospital for awhile."

"Okay."

She didn't look up. Didn't acknowledge him in any other way. Another sting to the ego. What the hell would it take to...?

"Alec?"

He was almost out the door when she called. "Yeah?"

"Thank you for being there today. For not smothering me. I can't begin to tell how much it means having your support."

Puzzled, he muttered, "You're welcome," and ducked out the door.

Women.He'd spent the better part of the day trying to figure out what he was doing wrong; now he had to figure out what he'd done right. He'd snag Norma once he finished his rounds. Maybe she could explain.

***

Alec had barely pulled into his parking space when his beeper shuddered at his side- some number in the hospital. He'd call once he reached the ward. In the elevator, it sounded again-the same number. Something was wrong.

Mrs. Gaster came to mind. She may have had a relapse or difficulty from the surgery. Mrs. Utley should be fine...unless fever had set it. The elevator doors slid open to a ward swarming with police officers.

Betty started toward him. Officer McLane and Detective Regan motioned her back. She clutched her hand to her mouth and sat down. Alec let long strides carry him to the scene.

"What is it? What's happened?" Had the nurse made another attempt and found another victim?

McLane and Regan steered him to the lounge.

"I'm afraid it's one of your patients, Dr. Edwards," McLane said. "Nick Remini. His wife hid a thirty-two in her purse. Shot him and then herself."

Alec's stomach roiled.

"Or so it seems," Regan added. "Let's face it, Doc. You've had a few problems with patients these last couple of days. Anything you want to tell us?"

***

Dani sagged with relief when the lights to Alec's car finally pulled into her driveway. Relief faded when she saw the stricken expression on his face. So, he didn't handle death as well as he pretended.

She welcomed him with a hug. He clutched her tightly, and then eased her away. She understood. The emotions were too much to deal with, too much to share all at once.

He lifted her chin, dropped a simple kiss to her lips, and then stumbled to the sculpture. Dani watched his hands shake as he picked up the knife. She couldn't leave him alone, not yet.

Alec looked up when she walked in. For a second, Dani thought she saw tears in his eyes. Fear. She recognized it well. She slipped her hands over his shoulders, and then nuzzled her cheek next to his.

"Kevin told me what happened."

He caught her by the waist and drew her across his lap. "The police thought there might be a connection with the attempt on you. That someone might have a vendetta against me and was attacking through my patients."

"Andrea?"

Alec nodded. "Then they realized that the Remini incident was murder-suicide. Was Andrea the nurse you saw giving you the injection?"

"I never saw her until yesterday."

He stared into space. "And I knew it, Dani. I knew when I left him yesterday that Remini was a dead man."

She combed his hair back. "It's going to be all right."

"Is it? Remini's wife smashed his face a few nights ago because he was so good- looking she was afraid he would go to another woman. He forgave her." He shook his head and snorted. "He said he loved her to death even though she frightened him and he didn't trust her. That he couldn't keep his hands off her. He was obsessed with her."

"And anybody with common sense would see disaster looming for the man."

"I should have warned the staff. I should have..."

She pressed her fingers over his lips. "You're a doctor, not a mind reader. And who in the world would have thought she would be bold enough to pull a stunt like that in a hospital?"

Alec kissed her fingers, her palm, the underside of her wrist, the curve of her elbow, the inside of her upper arm, her shoulder, and finally her lips, slow, deep, sweet. Then he sealed it by holding her tight.

"Come to bed," she whispered against his ear.

He shook his head and lifted her from his lap. "Not yet. I want to work on this a little. It...helps." When he picked up the knife, his hands were steady.

Dani watched him stick on a piece of clay and turn it into a ringlet. Sighing, she tucked into the beanbag chair and reached for her needlepoint.

Yes.Peace and contentment. This is what he hurried home for, to be with Dani, to feel her surround him, to occupy his mind with the clay. Home was here, nowhere else. It wasn't obsession he felt. It couldn't be. Obsession hurt, killed. Andrea proved that. Nick Remini did as well. And both tossed out the word love as an excuse.

Alec glanced up at Dani, absorbed with the cloth on her lap. Was this love or obsession? The question was driving him crazy, but he was afraid either answer would cause him to lose her.

Dani was right to suggest they slow down. They needed time to evaluate just what was happening here. But to be away from her was impossible. He needed her. That alone screamed of obsession, and it scared Alec to death.

Chapter Sixteen

"You could cut the tension in this house with a knife. The two of you need to relax."

Dani stared up at Renee. She knew from experience what was coming next and regretted she had ever opened the door to Renee and Kevin.

"We are relaxing." Alec rubbed lotion into his hands. "Or we were before you two showed up. I was sculpting and Dani was doing needlepoint."

The other couple stared, blinked, and then laughed.

"I don't believe you," they said together.

Alec pointed to the project room. When the two scrambled forward, he gave Dani a look that mirrored her exasperation.

"If we don't feed them, maybe they'll go away," she said.

He snickered and pointed to a paper bag by the door. "Unfortunately, I think they brought their own food."

"Beautiful piece of work, Alec." Kevin plopped into the chair and pulled Renee beside him. "I can't say I'm surprised considering the magic I've seen you work on patients...Speaking of patients, how's this one doing?"

Nothing like being talked about over your head. Dani eased onto the sofa. "This one is fine, thank you very much. In fact, I'll be going back to work on Monday."

Renee's eyes widened. "But you still have stitches."

Ignoring Alec's glare of disapproval, Dani shrugged. "Big deal. Just about everyone saw them while I was in the hospital. It doesn't bother me."

Renee jumped to the edge of her seat. "I'm glad to hear you say that. Kevin and I are having an engagement party Saturday and wanted you to be there." She flashed a smile to Alec. "You too, of

course."

Why did Dani feel they had just been finagled into a position where they couldn't say no? "You're not waiting for your parents to get back?"

She tossed her hand into the air. "We'll have another then for the families. We wanted to have an informal thing now for all our friends. There is a huge poolside patio at Kevin's apartment complex that would be perfect."

A shudder rumbled through Dani. She hated pools. Just the sight of them made her nervous. She had visions of falling in, drowning.

"Relax," Renee said softly. "It's big enough so that you never have to go near the pool. You know I'd never do that to you."

Alec finally settled down on the opposite end of the sofa. "Another fear?"

"Let's just call it intense dislike." She focused her attention back to the couple. "So what's in the bag?"

Renee dusted an imaginary speck of lint from Kevin's trousers. "Cheese and crackers. A couple of bottles of Grenache."

"And?"

Kevin took the forefront. "Just hear us out. The two of you have been under a lot of stress these last few days."

Here it came-the real reason for their visit. Dani refused to look at them, focusing instead on Alec. He'd put a halt to their scheme in a heartbeat.

Their silence was taken for acquiescence. Kevin went on. "Renee's shown me a few relaxation techniques that really work. We thought, under the circumstances, you might be interested in trying them out."

Alec stared from one to the other. Dani nearly laughed out loud. It was great having someone in her corner, someone to back her up.

"Why not?" He shrugged. "What could it hurt?"

It was her turn to stare at him in dumbstruck silence. She waited until Renee and Kevin raced to retrieve their bag of tricks, and then smacked Alec in the shoulder.

"Are you crazy?" she whispered. "I don't want to sit here and meditate."

"So you'd rather spend a couple of hours arguing with them over it?" He draped his arm over the back of the sofa, facing her fully. "Let them do whatever. The sooner they get what they want, the sooner they'll leave, and we can get back to doing what we were doing."

He had a point. "I can think of better ways to relax than this."

"So can I." His breath caressed her ear, setting off goosebumps. "But you wanted to slow things down."

A flush heated her cheeks. Carefully, she nestled her arms under her bosom. "Perhaps that's an issue that needs to be revisited."

"I'd be willing to discuss it."

"Yes, I know...you'll be quick and I won't feel a thing."

He pressed closer. "There will be nothing quick about it. And, believe me, you'll feel it. Every single bit of it."

Smiling, Dani settled into the curve of his arm, although the temptation to tell Renee and Kevin to leave was almost more than she could bear. Out from their bag of trick came the wine, crackers, cheese, then what Renee would call the good stuff-incense and twelve white votive candles each in a crystal holder. While Alec traced circles on her upper arm, she watched them set the scene.

Kevin popped the cork on the wine and poured it into the cut-crystal glasses Renee brought. It was pleasant, fruity, Dani's favorite, but then Renee knew that. By the time the first glass was gone, Renee had dimmed the lights. Candles lit the room, reflecting off the crystal. The crackers and cheese were neatly arranged on a tray in the center for later, as was the second bottle of wine.

"Very pleasant." Alec set his glass aside, then placed Dani's next to it. "I'm relaxed already. Are we done?"

Dani's smothered giggle earned her a glare from Renee.

She bit back a second one. "Go ahead."

"Thank you. Now, it's very simple. Just settle back comfortably. Close your eyes and let your mind wander wherever it wants. Try to focus on the good, not the bad. Just relax."

***

"We have visitors."

Marcus looked up at his assistant. The words had barely left his lips when the entourage appeared behind him. The purple stripes of cloth over the white toga caught Marcus's attention first, a member of the Roman Senate. Then his gaze darted to the man's face- Licinius.

Behind him, a veiled woman whose eyes would haunt Marcus's until his dying day- bright blue, slightly slanted, flirtatious. The edge of her palla, the woman's toga, covered her black hair. Two ladies in waiting hovered behind.

He bowed at the waist. "An honor, Senator. I trust you are still pleased with the statue?"

"A stunning piece of work. It is the envy of many. Including," he motioned to the woman, "my daughter, Octavia."

She stepped forward, her sandals making barely a sound on the stone floor.

"I am commissioning you to do a likeness of her as well. To frame her in the bloom of womanhood."

"It would be my pleasure, Senator."

The man smiled. "Then I shall leave her in your capable hands."

Marcus bowed with the man's exit. His daughter and her ladies remained.

"Leave us." Octavia swept her hand toward the two. "I do not want your chatter to distract the sculptor nor do I wish for your gossip to spread word of the work before it is complete. Wait in the shade of the courtyard."

She waited until the door closed and then tossed the palla from her hair. Slowly she released the veil as she approached him. Her smile highlighted her blue eyes.

"See? I told you I would find a way for us to be together." Nimble fingers crept under his tunic.

Marcus snapped his hand over her wrist. He longed to crush the delicate bones beneath his grip, to punish and hurt her as she had him.

"I will not be played with, Octavia," he hissed through barred teeth.

She whimpered under the force of his hold and fell to her knees before him. "Marcus, please, I-"

"You whisper your love to me in one breath, then vow to marry another man in the next. Did you open your legs to him as willingly as you did to me?"

"No." A sob ripped from her. "I carry your child. What was I to do?"

Shock loosened his hold. Clutching her upper arms in disbelief, he dropped beside her. "A child? You are with child?"

Octavia gave him a shaky nod. Taking his hand in hers, she pulled it under her garments to her belly. There it was, a swell ever so slight-their child.

"Love. My precious love," he whispered. "I will not have you wed another. I will not tolerate you in the arms of another nor have another call our child his."

She combed her fingers through his dark brown hair. "There is little more we can do. You are a slave. I am the daughter of a Senator. Would you have me labeled a harlot and stoned for birthing a bastard child?"

"Then why come to me now? Why not let me think...?"

Tears shimmered in her eyes as she pressed her fingers to his lips. "Because...I love you. Although it pains me to marry someone else, it would kill me to let you think I did not love you. I had to let you know that this..." She placed her hand over his where it still rested on her belly. "Is your child. So you can at least watch him grow from afar."

"No." The word came out with more force than Marcus intended. "You will be mine."

"But-"

"Mine, Octavia. We were meant to be together."

"How?"

"I will take care of everything...everything."

He lifted her garments to her waist, baring her, and gently dropped a kiss to her belly and the child within. She shuddered in response. Smiling, he dipped lower.

"Oh, Marcus, I have missed you so."

***

Dani jerked upright, eyes wide. A dream? Yes, that's what it was. The most vivid dream she had ever had in her life. She still tingled where Alec...no, Marcus had touched her. Not her-Octavia. It was strange, unnerving.

Embarrassed to be so overwhelmed by a dream, she dared to look at the others. Kevin and Renee still sat in the lotus position with their eyes closed. But Alec...

Alec studied the contours of Dani's face in the shadows cast by the candles. How could he put into words what had just happened? There was a logical explanation. A combination of his work on the bust, Dani dancing around the day before in a towel, a stress filled week, the wine, and the promise of intimacy combined with his imagination to create a story. It was as simple as that.

Not so simple was the aftereffect. It might have been Marcus who made love to Octavia, but it was Alec whose body reacted. Dani shifted closer. He liked the way the flame highlighted the gold hidden in her eyes. She reached for him, sliding her hand up his chest, his neck, coming to rest beneath his ear. How could any sane man resist?

He slipped his hand beneath her T-shirt. She shivered when his fingers brushed her skin, drifted upward. Ever so carefully, he flicked his thumb across her nipple. It peaked, begging for more. His body replied, surging.

Dani nuzzled his chin, taking tiny nips along the point. He let her explore, let her kiss him, let himself be indulged, but only for a moment before he gave back what she had given. Remembering they were not alone, they sealed the kiss simultaneously.

"I think our company has overstayed their welcome."

Dani nodded against his whisper and pulled away.

"I've had enough of this." Alec clapped his hands on his thighs and jumped up to start turning on lamps. "It's time for you two to go."

Renee stammered for a response.

"You heard the man." Dani leaned forward and blew out the candles.

"But what about the..."

Alec shoved the cheese tray into the bag along the bottle of wine and candles. "We don't mean to be rude. The visit was appreciated. Kevin, if I don't see you at work tomorrow, we'll see you Saturday."

Alec herded them through the door, and then seated the bolt.

***

Alec stared at Dani for what seemed like hours, memorizing the desire on her face for all eternity.

"If I live to be a thousand years old, I'll never forget how you look right now." He took her hand. "Come to bed with me."

Dani forced herself to walk when she wanted to run. Or, better yet, yank him to a stop and take him right there on the floor.

Alec switched on the bedroom lamp. "Undress for me."

"And you?"

He was already shrugging off his shirt. Licking her lips, Dani traced her gaze across the sculpted lines of his chest to the dusting of dark hair gathered at his navel. She followed the hiss of his zipper. Her breath caught at the sight of him. She wanted to kiss, touch, taste, draw him deep within...

"I'm waiting, Dani."

Alec had seen her body before, professionally and personally, but this time he took the time to appreciate what he saw. Dani was softly rounded, her skin smooth. She was a woman who took care of herself. Her body was built to cradle a man. He longed to rest his head in the cleft between her breasts to gaze in wonder while her nipples peaked at his touch, to watch her give in to pleasure.

"You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."

She raised her hand to the stitches at her breast. "Even with these?"

"Superficial." He cupped her breast, weighing it gently in his hand, then bent and dropped a kiss to the tip.

Dani closed her eyes as he suckled her into his mouth. She felt treasured, loved. Through slit eyes she watched him move from one side to the other. He dotted kisses to the perimeter of each, along each rib. His tongue lapped a circuit around her belly button until each breath she released came with its own tiny sound.

She knew his destination and welcomed it. Nothing could prepare her for the reality. The first touch of his tongue there brought a cry from her throat, a groan from his. Alec pressed her to the mattress. Dani fell back, open to his tender assault.

Anticipation had never been as supreme as this. With each caress, tension mounted. He drew it out, teasing as he had done before until she writhed beneath his mouth. He lifted her buttocks higher, wider, and took her pulsing center between his lips.

Flames shot to every part of her body. She tensed, reveled in the freedom of the climax, and then collapsed.

Alec shifted, easing her further on the bed. He wedged his knees between her thighs, pushing her even wider. Dani reached for him, pulling him closer. His hand was between them. She shoved it away, finished smoothing the condom in place, and guided the swollen tip to her opening. In one thrust, she was gloriously impaled.

Dani arched against him, urging him on. Whispered endearments accompanied each beat of his body into hers. He was bringing her with him once more. Again, pleasure washed over her. He froze, fighting for control, fighting for the chance to please her a third time.

Her heart swelled with love. Dani was unwilling to let him make the sacrifice. She ground her hips against his, beckoning. His muscles tensed beneath her hands. Alec pressed deep. A low growl tore from him. A shudder followed. Grabbing her hips, he lifted her higher, withdrew and slammed forward again then again while the pulse of his climax throbbed against her walls.

In the afterlove they kissed, gently, simply, and then curled together to sleep.

"So much for slowing down," she said as she snuggled against him.

"Impossible." He dropped a kiss to her temple. "I'll turn out the lights and be right back."

It wasn't obsession. It was love. Alec felt it in his heart, his soul. Still, it was too soon for Dani to know that. She had just opened to him, accepted him. The last thing she needed was to be bombarded with his feelings this soon.

He padded through her house, clicking off the lights. By the time he was done, Alec was ready to make love to her again. Slow down? They were just getting started.

***

Dani stood at the wrought iron gate with Alec watching the crowd of people shoved onto the patio of Kevin's apartment building. It was standing room only.

Alec lifted the latch. The gate creaked open. "I should have known that Kevin would be incapable of having alittle party."

"I don't like this at all."

"Good. Then let's leave before..."

It was too late. Waving a frozen daiquiri, Kevin ran toward them.

"You made it! Come on in!"

Dani dug her fingers into Alec's arm. "You will not stray from my side. Understood?"

Smiling, he squeezed her fingers. "I wouldn't have it any other way. Don't worry, honey. I'll make sure we don't go near the pool."

It was an infeasible task. As much as she and Alec tried to stay on the periphery of the crowd, friends kept drawing them closer to the center. Finally, they found a safe haven at a deserted table.

All in all Dani had to admit she was having a good time. It was nice to be a couple for a change and not have to endure people who just happened to know of a man who was available, or the well-meaning friend whose cousin was in town for the weekend. She could actually relax and enjoy herself.

A squeal from across the courtyard turned heads that way. Kevin smiled at Dani. "I believe that would be the roses I ordered."

Dani wrinkled her forehead in confusion. Sure, Renee loved flowers. Who didn't? But squealing was a bit of an overreaction.

"Fiftyroses," Kevin said, apparently reading her expression. He held up his glass in a toast. "One for each year I plan to be married to her."

Smiling, Dani stretched on tiptoe for a glimpse of Renee. "You've probably got her blubbering like a baby."

Kevin laughed. "You're just jealous."

Dani nudged him. "No, but I do need to see the look on her face."

"Leave some of those happy tears for me to mop up."

Laughing, Dani hurried to find her friend and share the joy. She got no more than three steps when a man cut across her path, bumping her. Teetering on the edge of the pool, Dani flailed her arms for balance. The man spun around, apology frozen on his lips. He grabbed for her, obviously forgetting the icy drink in his hand. Dani gasped from the shock of cold against her stomach and fell.

Alec knocked over the table and chairs to reach Dani's side. He swiped for her arm and caught air. She tumbled backward into the deep end of the pool. He kicked off his shoes, ready to jump in after her when she surfaced and swam to the ladder.

"I thought you didn't like pools." He extended his arm to help her up.

"I don't, but I'm not stupid enough to not know how to swim." She wrung out her clothes. Dani glanced up and frowned. "Are you all right? You look petrified." Laughing, she hugged him, and then laughed all the more when she saw his clothes were wet.

Alec held her in a smothering embrace. Hewas petrified. Images plagued him. A woman was drowning, his woman. It was Dani, but it wasn't. His heart slammed against his ribs.

Kevin's guests must have thought he was an idiot. Alec couldn't help it. He couldn't think clearly, much less make intelligent conversation.

He was conscious of Renee rushing up, insisting they come inside, shoving towels into their arms. Alec heard it all from a distance, his movement automatic.

The woman's name was Greta. A milkmaid. With hair the color of spun gold.

Alec rubbed at the ache in his temple.

Dani touched his cheek. "You're still upset."

"Just...just a little tired."

"Let's go home. You can take a nap."

Good idea. He needed to rest. He would catch a few winks, then wake up and be his old self. Alec let Dani drive.

"She is not a witch! Good God, have you all gone mad?"

"Get the rope," someone shouted.

"He's her consort," another shouted. "I saw them in the wood."

Alec shook his head again. The images refused to go. Bed was more tempting than ever. He couldn't get inside the house fast enough.

"My head's killing me, but don't let me sleep more than an hour."

He'd make it up to her later. They'd go out to dinner. The door to the bedroom was almost closed when he heard her in the project room.

"Hello, Octavia. You're looking beautiful this afternoon."

He swung the door back on its hinges. "What did you say?"

Laughing, she kissed his cheek. "I had a dream about her last night when we were supposed to be meditating. It just seems fitting to name her after that. Go take a nap. You look half dead."

Alec stumbled into the room and shut the door behind him. He was going insane. There was no other explanation.

Chapter Seventeen

Alec never thought he would be the type to seek psychiatric help. It was for other people, not him. True, he wasn't perfect and never pretended to be. But everything in his life had been pretty normal until now-childhood, school, relationships...except for this fiasco with Andrea. And then there was Dani. He never knew he could love a woman so intensely, so quickly.

This thing with his head was ruining everything or it would if he didn't do something about it now. There was no shame in seeking help. He didn't hesitate to refer his patients. So why was it so damn hard to knock on Ira's door?

He squared his shoulders and lifted his fist. The door swung open before Alec could make contact.

Betty jumped back, colliding with Ira. "Dr. Edwards, I...the Reminis..."

Alec raised his hand. "There's no need to explain. I'm here for the same reason." Not exactly true, but not false either.

She tried to smile, but didn't quite make it. After a nod, she slipped past him and walked away.

Ira waved Alec in, motioning to the living room arrangement in the center of his office. Alec sank into the

brown recliner, kicked back the footrest, and closed his eyes.

The leather chair next to him sighed with Ira's weight. "The Remini incident was difficult on everyone. I've seen every nurse on duty that afternoon and several of the patients. I'm not surprised that-"

"I think I'm having a nervous breakdown, Ira."

There was almost a full minute of silence before he replied. "You put in some killer hours here, Alec. You have for as long as I've known you. As a doctor, I know what kind of dedication it takes to get to where you are right now. If the board of directors chooses you, you'll be the youngest chief of surgery this hospital has ever had. It's not surprising the pace you put yourself under would begin to take its toll."

"It's more than that." Alec swallowed hard and kept his eyes closed. He could barely bring himself to say this; looking at Ira while he did so was out of the question. "I've been having...visions...images...premonitions."

"How so?"

At least there was no snickering in his tone. Slowly, carefully, Alec told Ira everything. About the ring in the chair, the sculpture, Octavia and Marcus, Remini's death, and, lastly, the drowning incident.

"And when did all this start?"

"A little over a week ago."

"And what happened then?"

Alec frowned. A week would have been Friday. He had performed initial reconstruction of a baby with a cleft palate, consulted with the Utleys and the Gasters, met with the board of directors.

"The day was routine. Busy, as usual."

"And the night?"

"I was going to the fund raising dinner. Then there was the accident and I came back to the hospital with Dani."

Had that only been a week ago? Had he actually only known Dani a week? It seemed an eternity. He opened his eyes and leaned forward.

Ira rested his chin on his hand. "Hmm...It does sound rather routine. Yet something about that day triggered these events you described. Was that your first meeting with the board?"

"Yes, but I knew the substance of the meeting for several weeks."

He gave an absentminded nod. "Interesting." His gaze locked onto Alec. "We can try a little hypnosis to isolate the problem, evaluate it, and put it in its own perspective."

Alec didn't like the sound of that at all.

"Everything will be recorded for you to listen to. I can assure you that you will remember everything when you come out of it." He raised his fingers in the Boy Scout sign. "I swear."

"Then why can't Dani remember?" Alec asked.

Ira looked away. "Because she chooses not too."

"If it's that traumatic..."

Ira shrugged. "The choice is yours."

Suspicions lingered, but Alec was willing to give it a shot. He kicked back in the chair and plopped his arms on the rests.

Ira drew in a slow breath to calm himself. The last piece of this particular puzzle was sitting before him. He had to proceed carefully and not lead Alec. The revelations had to come out on their own.

As he had done with Dani, as had been done to him, Ira went through the routine of preparation. Alec's patience was running short. If he didn't hurry, the opportunity would be lost- most probably forever. He had a duty as a psychiatrist to help his patient. But Ira also knew he had a larger duty to fulfill and a chance to right a wrong made centuries before.

"All right, Alec. Let's start. We'll go back to last Friday."

He fought the process. Ira knew that. His answers were by rote, a chronological day timer. Ira let him have his way.

"Very good. Now it's evening. There's a bad accident. It's upsetting. You'll have to relax even more to get through this. So...relax...relax."

Alec sagged a bit. Finally, the response Ira was hoping for. He was under. "Tell me what happened."

"There's an accident. Horrible. One man dead...the driver. There's a woman. She's...good, she's alive...but..." A frowned inched his eyebrows together. "She thinks she knows me. 'I have missed you so.' That's what she says." He fingers clenched.

"You're doing fine. Just continue to relax." Ira leaned forward. "Do you know this woman? Relax and think back."

Alec was silent for so long, Ira was afraid the moment was gone, that his patient had shut him out. Then Alec sucked in a deep breath.

"It's her!" The words came out on a gasp. "After all this time. It is her! I must save her. This time I will not fail her."

"You failed her before?"

He gave a strangled laugh. "I have failed herevery time."

"Tell me about those times. Tell me about the time before this that you failed her, Alec."

Silence, again. Then...

"I am not Alec. I am Derek," he said in a British accent. "Miriam thinks I am cheap. Wait until she sees this ring. She'll say I won it in a poker game." He laughed. "I have scrimped and saved all my pay for this beauty. Even now she's waiting for me at the train depot." He laughed again. "She is going to be furious when she learns I'm not there. She'll come to our flat...I should meet her at the station. No sense getting her too angry. But first, I shall have to hide this. I swear that bloody landlady of ours is a thief." Alec snapped his fingers. "Our chair. Perfect. By tomorrow this time, Miriam will be my wife." His face screwed up as if in pain.

"What's happened?"

"The Germans are back. Oh my God, they're bombing the depot!"

Derek saw Miriam silhouetted against the blast. He screamed a warning but it was too late. The building collapsed, raining debris upon her. This was his fault.

"I have her. She's hurt badly," Alec said in monotone. "Still, she smiles up at me. 'I have missed you so.' Those are her words. She takes my hand. 'We are having a child.'" A tear slipped down Alec's cheek.

"Ah, love...we'll go far from here. To America where it is safe...She's dead. The ring. She never knew...The planes are making another run. At least we can die together."

Ira watched Alec wince and duck. In his mind he was Derek futilely trying to avoid the collapsing building. As with Dani, it hurt Ira to hear it, and he knew there was so much more. He briefly considered ending the session, then asked himself who he was sparing, himself or Alec?

"It was an accident." Ira cleared his throat. "You didn't fail her."

"She died because I wasn't there. If I had been on the train, we would have left before the bombing. I can't believe I let this happen. Never again."

"Tell me about the other times."

"It hurts too much. It shames me too much."

Ira reached forward to grasp Alec's hand, breaking his own rules. "It will be fine. You will be able to tell me. The pain and shame will not exist. Tell me about the other times."

Alec sighed and nodded. "I was a doctor. I had responsibilities. I could not be expected to attend a child birthing when another was in danger of losing his leg. I left Greta with the woman. She begged me to stay. I refused. She helped with the birth. The child was born, and then died minutes later. Greta was accused of being a witch. They yanked her from my arms, then drowned her. I begged for her life. They took mine as well. Just as they had done before."

"Before?"

"I did not listen to Octavia. I asked for her hand in marriage. I compromised her position. I escaped the

city and promised to return to get her. They stoned her, called her a whore in the center of the arena. I rushed to her side, but was too late. With her last breath, she warned me of the lion's attack."

"Anything more?"

"I tire of speaking of this. No more. I want this done."

Ira leaned back. So much tragedy for two souls. Yet here they were on the path to being a couple. There was nothing to stand in their way. His task was too simple. All he had to do was help Alec understand there was nothing wrong with what he had been seeing.

"Very well. Enough is enough. You will awaken on the count of three and you will remember everything. One...two...three."

Alec slowly opened his eyes and focused on Ira.

Ira smiled. "Who am I?"

"Ira Roberts."

"Fine...who was I?"

Still groggy, Alec replied, "My mother, Cassia." He blinked, not quite believing what had just come from his lips.

"And do you remember?"

The fog in his head drifted away. Alec stared at the man in front of him and saw beyond the physical. It was both frightening and yet intriguing.

"Yes...I remember. I'm not sure I believe it, but I remember."

"Maybe these will help." Ira slid two cassettes across the table toward him. "I'm sure you will want to listen to yours as well."

Alec spared the tapes a glance. "Do I want to know whose sessions those are?"

"You'll find out soon enough." He hit the rewind button on the tape player. "I know this is difficult. I won't try to convince you either way. Just listen to the tapes, search your soul, and decide for yourself. You can take them with you, or listen right here. I'll be glad to give you some privacy."

Ira didn't wait for Alec to decide. He popped the third tape from the recorder, laid it beside the others, and left.

Using his index finger, Alec lined up the tapes. Labels identified each: Danielle Morgan, Ira Roberts, Alec Edwards. The images in his head persisted; not images, memories. He was more confused than ever.

"Oh, well...here goes."

Alec slid his tape into the recorder.

***

Two hours later, Alec was still confused. At least the panic was gone-the session with Ira had certainly helped that way. As for the rest...it sounded like the biggest bunch of bull he had ever heard in his life despite the evidence on the three tapes.

Lining up the tapes in their original order, Alec rested his forearms on his knees while he judged their validity. There was a logical explanation for everything.

Dani's experiences were a combination of the accident, the attempt on her life, her fear of death, and the attraction between her and Alec. Ira's were as result of wanting to believe in reincarnation and having the chance to use Dani's session as a springboard. As for himself, it was stress, his need to be a good doctor, and his fear of obsession.

Even as he tried to categorize it all, Alec shook his head. He couldn't speak for Dani or Ira, but he was his own proof. He knew the diamond ring was deep in the chair. He had caught glimpses of the lives he had supposedly lived long before Ira regressed him-Marcus and Octavia, Greta drowning while Carl watched helplessly.

"Now that could have been brought on by the sculpture," he said to himself. "Or was the sculpture a carry-over from that?" That made more sense. How else could he have sat before a mound of clay on his first attempt and sculpt a perfect bust?

"I'm a plastic surgeon, damn it. That's how." But there was a big difference between a person's face and a lump of clay. And while it was true that he had always had a tremendous knack for reconstructive surgery, Alec couldn't see how that skill could help the other. Unless it was the purported past life sculpting that helped him with...

Alec shoved himself out of the chair and paced the width of the room. He was thinking himself in circles, driving himself nuts trying to piece together this puzzle. It made no sense, and yet it did.

His mind wandered back to that big orange chair. The chair where Miriam and Derek had planned their future. The chair where he and Dani had made love for the first time. The chair that magically reappeared in their lives because Dani had subconsciously recognized it in a second-hand store. And the baby-the one both he and Dani subconsciously knew was gone.

Then there was this business with Ira. Alec was the one who said Ira was Cassia, his mother from Kourion. He had rewound the tapes dozens of times to see if the clue had been fed to him. Nothing. Dani never mentioned Cassia, and Alec didn't hear Ira's tape identifying him as Cassia until after Alec named him.

He didn't like this in the least. Supposing this was true, was he now going to start recognizing others for what they used to be? Talk about unnerving. How could a person function when he was always looking over his shoulder for people who didn't matter any more?That would be obsession for sure.

The door opened behind him. Alec turned slowly, hands clasped behind his back.

Ira stood in the doorway. He waited for Alec to say something. Trouble was Alec didn't know how to respond. It was all very interesting, he supposed, if it were true. And it would certainly help to explain his instant, immediate attraction to Dani. Other than that, it meant nothing. It was in the past and didn't really matter. Here...now...that's what was important.

"Well?"

Alec knew Ira couldn't stand the silence much longer. Any amusement he might have felt over his impatience was fleeting. "What did Dani have to say about all this?"

"She doesn't know," Ira said. "Doesn't want to know. She ran out of here seconds after she came out of hypnosis. But what about you? How do you feel about this?"

How did he feel? How could he feel? "I find it..." Alec searched for the right word. "Intriguing, but irrelevant. Although I will admit that having the knowledge of it has eliminated the panic I felt before."

"Irrelevant?" Ira rushed forward, stopping to within a foot of Alec. "How can you say that? These are events which have shaped the person you are."

"Wrong. My parents, my family has shaped the person I am. They are who have given me morals, values-"

"Given or guided you along that path and provided you the opportunity and circumstances to fulfill your destiny?"

"And what destiny would that be, Ira?" He pointed to the table where the cassettes were neatly aligned. "According to those, in each of my...of our past lives, the woman I loved died in my arms or I in hers along with our child." He shook his head, trying to order his thoughts. "We died together. Are you saying my destiny is for Dani and me to die together?"

The look in Ira's eyes said it all.

Alec tossed back a hearty laugh. "That's ridiculous." When Ira continued to stare, Alec tried to approach the situation from his perspective. "Look. In each past life, he, I...whatever...wasn't there when she really needed him. I was there when Dani really needed me. I was there when the accident occurred. I was there again after the nurse put that crap in her IV."

"You hadn't established a personal relationship with her at that time. You have now. And don't try to deny it," he added quickly. "The attraction between the two of you is obvious, especially on your part. You can't hide it. Even the staff has noticed. You're following the same path as the people you were before, and it won't be long until she's pregnant."

Grinding his teeth, Alec shoved a finger in Ira's face. "You're my colleague, not my mother. Don't lecture to me."

"But I was your mother. Dani's too when she was Octavia."

Turning away, Alec shook his head and braced his hands on the back of the recliner. "This is absurd."

"At times it seems like that to me, too," Ira readily admitted. "But there's a pattern here which cannot be denied. There was a child, there was a danger, there was death. It's inevitable."

Sucking in a breath, Alec swung around. "No, it isn't. I control my destiny. It does not control me. First of all, there will be no child. I'm more responsible than that-"

"Because you've learned from past lives."

Alec longed to roll his eyes. It was impossible to reason with someone who didn't want to listen. "And, secondly, I will be there for Dani. Ihave been there for her."

"So far, but I believe neither of you have faced the ultimate danger, the final test."

"Ifthat should happen, I'll be there. I'll always be there when she needs me most."

Ira lifted his palms. "How can you believe that? You're a doctor. You can't just drop what you're doing."

"That's for me to worry about, not you. I love her. I'm not going to let her down."

This time.

Alec let those words remain silent, but they would forever be carved in his memory. This was what he had felt the night of the accident. She was depending on him. He was the only one who could save her. Now he knew why.

Destiny might decree that they be together, but Alec would be damned if it meant they would die together-at least not right now. When they lived to be of extreme old age with great- great-great grandchildren running around their ankles, then he might reconsider. Until then, that part of destiny wouldnot repeat itself.

Chapter Eighteen

Clutching her sack lunch in her hand, Dani walked toward the teachers' tables. Space was already at a premium. The din of the multi-purpose room reverberated around her. Not that she wasn't used to it, but after a full morning of classes, of students whose concerns drifted from her to themselves and back again,

she would have preferred a little quiet. Unfortunately, privacy was nonexistent wherever she chose to go-her classroom, the benches outside, the teachers' lounge-someone was always there.

Three arms lifted as she neared. Pam, Alicia, and Diane-blonde, brunette, and redhead. What other teachers, and a few students, referred to as the triple threat.

"We saved you a seat," they said in unison.

Smiling, she hurried forward and slipped into the folding metal chair. In an instant the three leaned forward, chins braced on fists, smirks dancing on their lips.

"So...who was that gorgeous looking man who dropped you off this morning?" Pam asked.

Triple threat indeed. She was corralled and cornered. Escape was impossible.

Dani ripped the Velcro open on her vinyl brown bag and studiously set out her meager lunch-an apple, a bag of carrot sticks, and string cheese. How in the world could she begin to explain about Alec?

She twisted off the cap on her bottle of water while her gaze wandered to each woman. Their smirks were infectious.

"His name is Alec Edwards. He is...was...is...my doctor."Bad choice of words, Dani.

Alicia sat back and folded her arms across her chest. "Hmm, odd. My doctor never drove me to work before. And he certainly never gave me a good-bye kiss."

Dani bit off a chunk of apple to hide the laughter that bubbled up. "Okay, so he's more than my doctor."

The trio leaned closer. "Details. We want details."

We went at it like two rabbits all weekend. We couldn't get enough of each other."Believe me," she said with a laugh, "you can't handle the details."

Pam nudged her arm. "Just a little tidbit to satisfy our rampant curiosity. You know how we love to live vicariously."

"Let's just say this..." When Dani tried to take another bite of apple, Diane snatched it from her fingers. "All right...a tidbit. I've never met anyone like Alec before. He's domineering, determined to have his way, yet he treats me like a princess. And..."

"What? What?" they pressed.

Tears suddenly clouded Dani's vision. "And I'm so crazy in love with the guy my heart tightens every time I look at him. And for the life of me, I don't know how to tell him. It's only been a week. It's too soon."

A chorus of "aws" and hugs followed. On the heels of that came a flurry of advice and suggestions while Dani picked at her food. She didn't have the heart to tell them that this joyous, wondrous emotion scared the hell out of her. Thankfully, none of them made an issue of the diamond ring on her finger. It had been there since Alec found it. Dani didn't have a clue how to explain it to them.

"Ladies, I hate to interrupt..."

Conversation squealed to a halt as the four of them look up at the school principal. Ed Ferguson's face was red, dimming the effect of his red-blond hair. It was common occurrence, that red face, but no one knew if it was red because he was angry, embarrassed, sunburned, or just built that way. And no one took the chance to find out. He towered over students and teachers alike and never had to raise his voice. He was a gentle man who ruled by sheer power of personality, not by brute force.

"Miss Morgan, I need to speak with you in my office as soon as you finish eating."

"I'll be right there." She tossed the leftovers back into the bag and grabbed her purse. It was the perfect excuse to leave her well-meaning counselors.

Mr. Ferguson was polite enough to wait for her, yet he didn't utter a word about the purpose of his summons.

***

Something was wrong. That feeling was verified when Dani saw Detective Regan sitting in the reception area with another man in a dark suit. Regan read the notices on the bulletin board while he waited. Both men glanced her way and stood.

With no introduction, Mr. Ferguson ushered them into his office, then to the chairs. As the door clicked shut, the second detective pulled out his badge.

"Miss Morgan, I'm Detective McDonald. Do you know a T.J. Costas?"

Dani didn't spare his badge a look, but instead matched his steady gaze. "Of course, I do. He's one of my students. Has something happened? I noticed he was not in class today."

McDonald stuffed his badge back into his pocket. "What do you know about his family?"

"Not much, really. His father lost his job some time ago and they've been having trouble financially. His mother works nights cleaning office buildings. He rarely misses school. He's not the brightest student I have, but he tries."

"Do you tutor him after school?"

"Well, yes. I tutor several students." Her eyebrows inched together. "Why? What's going on? Is T.J. in some kind of trouble?"

Detection Regan cleared his throat and leaned forward. "Miss Morgan, last week T.J. Costas came in and told us he was the one who injected the morphine and dirty water into your IV."

Dani stared at him, mouth agape. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Impossible," she said in a rush of breath.

Regan laced his fingers before him. "He gave a detailed description of how he did it and when. What he said at the time, what you did at the time-"

"No." Dani shook her head. "It was a woman, not a man."

"With all due respect, you were groggy and trying to recover from surgery. You can't rely on that."

She disagreed. The face was clearly etched in her mind. All she needed was a chance to put that face to a person. But there was no sense arguing with Regan about that now.

"This is ridiculous. What reason would T.J. have to harm me?" She fanned her fingers to the base of her throat.

"That's what we were hoping you could tell us. We'd like you to come to the station and answer a few questions," McDonald replied.

Dani tilted her head. Something didn't sound right. Why go to the station when she could tell them anything they wanted to know right here? "Are you asking me to make an official statement? Has T.J. been charged with this?"

"Actually, no," Regan said. "People come into the police station all the time, confessing anything you could possibly think of. Without corroborating evidence, it's difficult to charge them."

"And that's what you're looking for from me?"

"In some manner of speaking." McDonald levered himself to his feet and walked behind his chair. He splayed huge hands over the back. "Miss Morgan, T.J. Costas indicates the attempt on your life was made because he feared you."

Puzzled, Dani screwed up her face and stared at the man. "He's not the best student, but I've always tried to encourage him. I've never threatened to fail him. That's one of the reasons I offer the tutor-"

"Miss Morgan, did you have sexual intercourse with T.J. Costas?" McDonald asked.

"What!"She was on her feet so fast the chair toppled over.

McDonald didn't blink. "It was a simple question. All we want is a simple answer."

"No! Was that simple enough for you?" Her arms shook with rage. She balled her hands into fists in an attempt to control it. Outwardly it worked. Inwardly Dani quaked.

"Fine. If you'll just come down to the station, we'll get this all straightened out."

McDonald's response was calm, reasoning, a ploy to lull her into trusting him. Dani didn't buy it for a second.

"Not without my lawyer present."

"If you did nothing wrong, why bother?"

"Because I'm innocent and want to keep it that way."

"Then confront your accuser." McDonald gave her a lazy smile. "I'm sure he'll back down."

Dani didn't know much about the law or police work, but she was fairly certain the accused never got the chance to confront the accuser unless it was in the courtroom.

"I'm sure he will too, once I have my lawyer present."

"We could always arrest you."

The threat made her hair stand on end. Dani pursed her lips.Calm. Just stay calm.

Mr. Ferguson's chair creaked as he stood. "Gentlemen, I think this has gone on long enough. Miss Morgan has made her innocence and her position clear. I'm sure you don't want to risk the possibility of violating any of her civil rights by pursuing this further."

McDonald's nostrils flared with the breath he sucked in. "And what about that kid's civil rights? I doubted Miss Morgan took the time to consider those."

He shoved himself upright, motioned Regan to the door with a flick of his wrist, and left. Regan paused before he followed, almost as if he wanted to say something. Whatever it was went unsaid. The door clicked shut.

"I think it would be a good idea if you took the rest of the afternoon to consult with an attorney," Mr. Ferguson told her.

She didn't even know a lawyer, much less have one. "I didn't do anything."

"That won't stop them from coming back with a warrant for your arrest. You need an attorney now. Go

on. We can cover your last two classes."

At least he believed her. There weren't enough words in the world to express how grateful she was for that. "I need to call for a ride. My car-"

"Of course." He turned the phone around. "Help yourself."

Dani stared at the numbers for a long time after Mr. Ferguson left. Her first instinct was to call Alec. She fought it. Their relationship was new. What in the world would he think when he heard this? And he absolutely hated T.J. Costas. She desperately needed Alec's support. The question was, would she get it?

Cradling the phone against her ear, Dani punched in the numbers. It was better to know now before her heart got more involved. She laughed at herself. Her heart was already his.

She slammed down the receiver after the first ring. How could she be so selfish? There were people who depended on Alec, needed him desperately. How could she put herself above them for something trivial in comparison?

If she and Alec were to have a relationship beyond this point, she could not go running to him for every little thing that happened. True, this was hardly little, but it was also far from being an emergency. Her parents had raised her to be strong and independent. Dani could stand on her own when necessary no matter how tempting it was to lean on Alec. She had managed all these years by herself; having him in her life shouldn't change that. If anything, her independence should strengthen their bond. If not, again it was best to know now.

She'd deal with this later-after school. Tonight was soon enough to tell Alec. He would either believe her or not. If not, she would have a double whammy of hurt to deal with. If so...Dani closed her eyes and prayed he wouldn't go after T.J. He already had an intense hatred for the boy. This would cinch it. Then they'd both wind up in jail.

Jail. Dani shuddered.Oh, please, don't let it get to that point.

Whatwas the name of that guy her parents used? Maybe Renee knew. She'd ask her when Renee picked her up after work. Another sigh. Renee would be outraged at the accusation. There was no choice but to tell her. She would find out eventually.

Lifting her chin, Dani opened the door to the outer office. Mr. Ferguson started her way. Dani forced a smile.

"Don't bother to find a sub for me. I'll finish out the day. I'll fix this later on."

"If you're sure."

Dani didn't know if that was relief or concern on his face. "I'm sure. Two hours isn't going to make much of a difference."

At least she didn't think it would. The threat of arrest didn't sit well with Dani, but surely it would take time to get a warrant issued. The very idea that these false accusations could go that far made her stomach turn.

***

As she returned to her classroom, Dani nodded at the students who passed her in the hallway. Their smiles and greetings went unreturned. As much as she wanted to reach out to them as she had in the past, the sense of betrayal made that impossible.

What good did it do to be their friend, their mentor, if it led to something like this? Dani resented the extra hours spent tutoring, guiding, encouraging. They were a waste of effort. In a blink of an eye, they turned on her. Actually only T.J. had stabbed her in the back, but it was only a matter of time before someone else did.

She was a fool to think she could make a difference in their lives. Only an idiot would think she could guide them on the path to future success, to meet their goals with confidence and pride. It meant nothing. Never again. Her time was her own and they could keep their distance- something the other teachers had tried to tell her before. If the students didn't understand or couldn't pay attention in class, to hell with

them. Dani refused to suffer for their inadequacies.

Her conscience nagged that it wasn't fair to punish everyone for what one person had done. Dani didn't care. It wasn't fair that her good-heartedness had allowed someone to take advantage. But who cared? Life wasn't fair.

She had certainly learned that this last week. Her European trip was ruined by a random accident. Her car was totaled. A crazy nurse tried to kill her. And now this. One thing after the other. The only good to come out of any of it was Alec, and even he came with baggage called Andrea Rushmore.

The students were already assembled in the classroom by the time Dani got there. No surprise there-her classes had the best attendance records in the school. It was something she prided herself on; now she wished they would all go away.

"Break up into your discussion groups and let's get started. Penny, your group first, and remember...I want to know from each group what you feel created the downfall of the Roman Empire, compare it to today's society, and make suggestions on how the United States can keep from a similar fate."

Each group's presentation was insightful and enthusiastic. Dani found it difficult to keep up a barrier of indifference. Yet each time she felt herself wavering toward them, all she needed to do was remind herself of T.J.'s betrayal. It made these last two classes tediously long.

***

When the final bell rang, Dani ushered the kids through the door and hurried for the exit. Renee waited in the parking lot. Six spaces away, Detectives McDonald and Regan lounged against their unmarked vehicle. Dani wanted to cry.

McDonald took a final drag on his cigarette, flicked it to the ground, and then snuffed it out with the ball of his foot. They were coming for her. Obviously a warrant didn't take as long as she'd hoped.

Dani kept them in the periphery of her vision and tried to concentrate on Renee. She had to get to her first, to explain, tell her to find that blasted attorney.

McDonald intercepted her. "Good afternoon, Miss Morgan. As promised, I'm back." He slipped a folded piece of paper from his coat pocket and fanned the air with it. "I have a warrant for your arrest."

Renee shoved her car door open. "What's the meaning of this?"

"If I were you, Miss Morgan, I'd tell your friend to stay away."

Dani's jaw tightened. "I don't respond to threats, Detective McDonald."

"And I don't respond to child molesters, Miss Morgan." Grinning, he slipped his handcuffs from his pocket.

"That's enough," Regan snapped. "Quit trying to manhandle her. Put the cuffs away. I'm sure Miss Morgan will be cooperative."

As if she had a choice.

Stepping to one side, he motioned to their car with a sweep of his arm. "Miss Morgan."

Renee slammed the door and ran toward them. "I don't know what's going on here, but she goes nowhere until you've read her her rights."

McDonald shrugged. "Fair enough."

He recited a litany of you-have-the-right-tos, and then snagged her arm. Regan clamped his hand over McDonald's and pried his fingers away. Dani didn't know whether to thank him or be suspicious of a trick.

"Dani, what's this about?" Renee demanded to know.

McDonald snorted. "Your friend here's been playing patty-cake with her students."

It took a second or two for the snide term to sink in. When it did, Renee sucked in an outraged breath. "Impossible. Dani would never,ever do something like that. Someone's lying."

Regan stared at the ground. "Unfortunately, it looks like that's going to be up to a judge to decide." He gently cupped Dani's elbow. "Miss Morgan, we have to be going."

Tears clouded her vision. Dani blinked them back only to have new ones rush in.

Renee choked back a sob. "Dani, what can I do?"

"Call my mom and dad's attorney and see if he can come down to the station." She swallowed hard. A tear slipped down her cheek, then another. Angrily she brushed them away.

"Anything else?"

"Yes." She nodded, stronger now. "Don'tcall my mom and dad. Or yours either."

McDonald snickered. "What the matter? Ashamed to let Mommy and Daddy know their angel has tarnish on her halo?"

"That's enough, Mac," Regan said.

"Oh?" His eyebrows wiggled. "She doin' you too?"

Regan balled the man's jacket in his fist and jerked him to a stop. "Just shut up." He shoved him away.

McDonald staggered, snapped his jacket in place, and marched to the car. Seconds later, the engine roared to life.

Regan motioned her forward. "Miss Morgan?"

Dani didn't know if they were playing the old good-cop, bad-cop routine with her and frankly didn't care. But one thing shewas certain of.

"Renee...call Alec."

Chapter Nineteen

"Just let me regress you one more time. You have to know who your enemy is."

The argument drained Alec. He could have spent all day in surgery and had more energy. What was it going to take to make Ira realize that he didn't need regression? All the memories and emotions of five lifetimes were alive in his head. No matter how much logic he used, Alec couldn't deny it.

Acknowledging it made Ira more adamant, if that were possible. His argument grew and prevailed. The man was certain Alec and Dani were doomed, and the only way to protect them was to uncover the enemies from the past in order to learn who they were now.

While he went on...and on, Alec scanned the volumes of memories dancing in his head. A patternhad

emerged, but that was as far as it went. Any enemies of the past remained in the past. There was no one in this life that fit the mold.

"Ira, please." Alec was strangely calm. As if the centuries-old information gave him sage-like wisdom. "I know who they are. There was one in every life except Kourion and this one."

"Wrong. There was one in Kourion. Leta, friend and neighbor to Cassia, convinced Demetrius's family that Adia was a liar. There was one then. There is one now." He jabbed his index finger into the leather, punctuating each word.

All right. He could have a point. In Rome it was his assistant. In Germany it was the sister of the woman whose child had died. In London, that hateful landlady. But here? Alec frowned. No one he could readily pinpoint.

"What about Andrea?" Ira asked.

"No." Andrea had her problems, but she was far from being this ancient enemy Ira insisted on finding.

"Maybe you just can't recognize her."

Alec laughed. This was getting them nowhere. As interesting as this was, he had wasted enough time. "Maybe this person doesn't exist in this life."

Ira's shoulders sagged. If he had been Alec's mother in one life and, surprisingly, Dani's in another, Alec could appreciate his concern and desire to finally set things right.

Leaning forward, Alec put a hand on Ira's shoulder. "There is no enemy. Everything is fine. Dani and I have met. We are together. And if I have anything to say about it, we're going to be together for a very long time. Maybe the whole purpose of all of this, if there is a purpose, is not for us but for you."

"At least take your copy of the tapes with you. Maybe listening to them will help trigger something."

Alec scooped up the tapes. If that's all it took to end this discussion, he'd take ten copies.

There was a staccato rap at the door. The visitor didn't wait for a reply, but shoved it open.

"Why the hell is your beeper off?" Kevin snapped. "I've been looking all over the hospital for you."

Alec stood, tucking the cassettes in the pocket of his lab coat. "You didn't look very hard. I let everyone know where I would be. What's wrong?"

"Renee called. Dani's been arrested."

Alec's eyebrows slammed together. "For what?"

Kevin's gaze shifted to Ira.

"Tell me."Now. Before I lose what little control I have.

"She's been accused of sleeping with one of her students."

Alec's fingers tightened around the tapes, gouging indentations into his palm. "That's a goddamn lie."

"You don't have to convince me." Kevin jerked his head. "Convince them. She needs a lawyer. Apparently the family attorney passed away several months ago. I thought you could call- "

"I'll take care of it." Alec ducked behind the partition. His hands shook as he punched in Chuck Lauria's phone number. Ira was right. There was an enemy. One which had struck while Alec and Ira were

playing a stupid little mind scavenger hunt trying to find him.

Destiny rearing its ugly head. Dani in trouble, needing him, and he wasn't there to help. But destiny was going to have a fight on its hands this time because Alec refused to let Dani down again.

***

Dani clutched the chipped mug between her hands, more for warmth than anything else. The coffee was the worst she had ever had. All the powdered cream and sugar couldn't disguise the taste.

This whole thing was like a scene from some horrible nightmare. Unfortunately, it was all too real. Dani wondered how long it would take for the shock to wear off. At some point she would have to summon the wherewithal to dig in and fight, not stare off into space. There had to be some place deep inside where betrayal didn't hurt so bad that she couldn't function.

She shivered and took a sip of the dreadful concoction. Why did they have to keep the room so cold? The jail cell was just as bad. At least her attorney was finally here, or so the police guard said. It had certainly taken Renee long enough to find him. Maybe he could get to the bottom of this more quickly and she could go home and crawl under the covers with Alec...if Alec were still part of her life.

Dani slumped in her chair. She didn't want to think about that now. It hurt too much, and she already had more than her share of woes to deal with at the moment.

The door swung open. She glanced up. Another detective, this one Hispanic, lean. There was a black leather portfolio tucked under his arm. Before the door could close behind him, he stepped forward, hand extended, smiling.

"I'm Chuck Lauria, your attorney. Alec Edwards hired me to represent you."

She should have realized his gray suit was too crisp and un-rumpled to be a police detective. Dani shook his hand slowly. "What happened to my parents' lawyer?"

"It's my understanding that he passed away several months ago."

And Alec to the rescue. That was a good sign that he hadn't deserted her...yet.

"Where is Alec? When can I see him?" Her voice quivered. Nothing like being on the edge of your emotions.

"He's out front with Ms. Spencer, Dr. Samuels, and Dr. Roberts."

What's Roberts doing here?

"I'm afraid you won't be able to see any of them until after the arraignment tomorrow morning."

Dani dropped her head.

"The jail would allow a visitor to come in with me, but I don't think that's a good idea. Alec did sign a statement indicating that although he paid my retainer, the attorney-client relationship exists between you and me. But he's nothing more than a boyfriend. No privilege exists to keep him from telling others what we say here."

She pulled up her chin. "Then you don't know Alec Edwards at all."

"I know him well enough to say that he will do everything in his power to protect you. If he heard any of the information you divulge to me to help your case, I doubt he would have the patience to allow me handle it. He would inadvertently compromise our situation."

She pressed her palms into the cold metal table. "You don't understand. Ineed him here." His strength, his comfort, his reassurance were her lifeline.

"No." The answer was simple, direct, and unequivocal. "If you don't like that, then you can find another attorney, Ms. Morgan."

Dani shielded her eyes from his view and covered up an onslaught of tears by pretending to rub away the ache in her forehead.

"Now let's get down to business." He tossed the portfolio to the table and slid out a chair.

"I'm innocent."

He clicked his pen then poised it over a yellow legal pad. "Yes, I know. Alec and Ms. Spencer were quite adamant about that. I've also reviewed the investigation to date. Tell me..." He folded his hands under his chin and looked up. "What do you think could have prompted T.J. Costas to make these accusations?"

"I've been over that a hundred times. I can only come up with one thing, but it makes no sense."

Lauria didn't prompt her, but was content to wait for her to continue on her own.

Dani shrugged one shoulder. "When I was at the hospital, a bunch of my students were visiting. We started discussing the latest homework assignment dealing with the Roman Empire. One of them had a map so we spread it out on the bed. T.J. sat across from me. Finally it was just him and me talking over the map. The next thing I knew Alec was hauling him out of there by the scruff of his neck."

A flush heated her cheeks. "Apparently he was looking down my top. Alec told him to leave and not come back...and he wasn't polite about it either. I was actually afraid that Alec was going to hurt him. T.J. ran out of the hospital and I haven't seen him since. That's the only incident that's occurred."

"Why you? Why pick on you? Why not Alec?"

"I've asked myself that a dozen times. It just makes no sense."

"Then let's see if we can't figure it out together. Tell me everything you can about this kid, starting with your first contact with him. No matter how insignificant, I want to know about it."

***

The desk sergeant flashed Alec and his companions another dirty look. They weren't welcome. Fine. Alec got it the first time the over-stuffed windbag glared at them. They were taking up space needed to process the in-flow of business, which had yet to diminish since Alec arrived. The place was as hectic as ER, and the clientele just as diversified, excitable, and demanding. Alec didn't begrudge the man his evil stares, but he did not intend to leave until Chuck finished talking to Dani.

At least they were out of the way. Which was more than Alec could say of the two reporters circling for breaking news. They were the ones the desk sergeant should be glaring down. Instead, he didn't seem to realize they were there. The short, pudgy one even had a video camera slung over his shoulder.

Kevin smacked Alec's arm and pointed across the room. "There he is."

Chuck's face held no emotion, no hint of what he and Dani had discussed. And Alec knew he wouldn't break client confidentiality to tell anyone.

Renee jumped up and met Chuck halfway. "How is she?"

"She's holding up."

A noncommittal answer if ever he heard one. Was she crying, hysterical, frightened? Alec stood. He'd been in the plastic chair so long his backside was molded to its shape and all Chuck could say wasshe's holding up.

"I want to see her." I want to hold her and comfort her. I need to let her know I'm here for her and tell

her how sorry I am I wasn't there when she needed me most.

"We've already discussed this. The answer is no. You can see her at the arraignment tomorrow morning."

Stubborn, straight-faced, unmovable. Good qualities in a lawyer, but hell when they stood between Alec and the woman he loved.

"This is ridiculous. Dani didn't do anything." Renee's voice carried. Kevin caught her arm and shushed her. Too late. Ears cocked, the reporters pivoted their way.

Chuck's gaze shifted toward them and then back to Renee. "Unfortunately, we will now have to prove that. For now, the best I can do is review the current evidence and arrange to have her released on her own recognizance. If that fails, I'll request release on bail."

Renee started to cry. "I don't understand any of this. Who would accuse her of something like this?"

Alec wanted to know that himself. She was open to her students-a little too open as far as Alec was concerned. Dani made herself available to them twenty-four hours a day. Hell, she even tutored them when she was in the hospital. She cared, genuinely. How could one of them turn on her this way? A better question was why?

"You'll find that out in the morning, Ms. Spencer. Until then I won't divulge any information exchanged between Ms. Morgan and me. I have a meeting with the DA. I suggest you all go home and try to get some rest. Dani's going to need your support tomorrow-not tears. I'll see you in court then." He settled his gaze exclusively on Alec. "I'll walk you to your car."

A good ruse. Maybe now Chuck would tell him what was going on. But the minute they were out of earshot of the reporters, Chuck rounded on him.

"I'm telling you right now, Alec, stay away from this kid and his family. No matter how difficult it is, you can't take the law into your own hands."

Alec glowered at him. "I wouldn't think of it."

Chuck stared back, unblinking. "I've known you since high school. You've always been the calmest, most levelheaded guy I know...until now. You love this woman. You'll do anything to help her, and so far everything you have done has been the right thing. Don't screw it up now."

"I don't intend to."

"See that you don't, or you might find you're my client instead of the guy paying the bill." Chuck took two steps away, and then stopped. "Once she's arraigned, the press is going to jump on it."

"Grace under pressure. That's my middle name."

The sarcasm made Chuck smile. "And here all this time I thought it was Aaron. See you in the morning, Grace."

It was a nice attempt to ease tension, but Alec wasn't amused. He'd smile again when Dani was by his side and out of this mess. Chuck was smart to warn him. As much as Alec swore his anger was under control, it seethed beneath his skin. But he honestly couldn't say what riled him most-the accusations against Dani or that he wasn't there to protect her from them.

Alec shook the thoughts away and slid into his car. He couldn't do anything about either event now. He snapped his seat belt in place. Morning was an eternity away, night an endless void. Should he spend it at his apartment or Dani's house?

It didn't matter. In either place he would be lonely without her. Going back to the hospital was always an option, but hardly fair to patients, since his mind was elsewhere.

Alec drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. He couldn't help Dani. He couldn't help his patients. What could he do? He'd never felt so helpless, so at a loss.

There was a tap on his window. Ira. He hadn't uttered a word since they left the hospital. Alec lowered the glass.

"Ready to look for that enemy now?"

Alec gave a slow nod. "Yes...yes, I am." He could do one thing. "Follow me. We're going to Dani's house."

***

Alec forced himself to stay seated when the guard brought Dani into the courtroom. She was shielded behind a Plexiglas wall for her protection. Chuck sat nearby in order to confer with her. Her dress was wrinkled from a night in jail, dark circles shadowed her eyes, but not one hair was out of place.

"She looks terrible."

Renee's whisper carried in the silence of the courtroom. Chuck shot them a warning glare to be quiet. Alec focused on Dani. His gaze hadn't left hers since she walked in. He longed to tell her how he felt, and even thought of having Chuck pass her the message. That schoolboy idea was dismissed as quickly as he thought of it. Now was not the time to tell her he loved her, and certainly not via a note.

Alec pressed his index finger to his lips, kissed it, and released it discreetly her way. Her eyes glistened. She folded her hand beneath her chin and sagged into her seat.

Again that helpless feeling surrounded him, along with guilt. Thanks to his session with Ira, Alec was relaxed and calm after a good night's rest. Too bad Dani couldn't have had the benefit of Ira's time.

As for the rest, regression was a waste, as Alec suspected it would be. No new information was unveiled. Enemies of the past didn't seem to be present...yet. But the knowledge was there; now all Alec had to do was recognize this person when he saw him or her. Not an easy task. As Ira pointed out, Alec would have to see beyond the surface to the soul deep within.

"All rise."

The judge climbed to the bench. Dark circles rimmed his blood-shot eyes. His nose was puffy and red, evidence of one hell of a cold or some killer allergies. Whichever it was, Alec hoped it didn't detract from fair and impartial judgment.

He narrowed his eyes, trying to see beyond the surface to what was hidden deep within. Nothing. He was probably trying too hard. This was supposed to be a subconscious feeling. A knowing, Ira called it.

Arraignment was a short procedure. Others waited in queue behind Dani for their turn. The charges made Alec's stomach churn: lewd and lascivious acts with a minor, unlawful sex. And the minor in question? Chuck was right, Alec was furious.

"How do you plead, Miss Morgan?" the judge asked.

Dani stood, hands clutched before her. "Not guilty, your honor."

The case was set for trial. The judge ordered her released on her own recognizance. At least they didn't have to worry about getting money together for bail.

Dani looked Alec's way, and then beyond. Her eyes widened. She whispered something to Chuck. His gaze followed the direction she nodded. Alec twisted around in time to see a woman in a gray suit duck through the courtroom doors. His focus shifted to the two reporters perched on the last row. The woman was probably a cohort calling in her story.

As Dani was led away for processing, Alec and the others filtered through the door. Chuck was right behind them. The reporters weren't long in following.

Chuck steered Alec's group further from the vultures. "That woman. Did you see who she was? Dani says that's the nurse who gave her the injection."

Alec tensed, ready to race outside to track her down. Discretion and common sense prevailed. At the rate the woman left the courtroom, she was long gone now. Plus any sudden action would have those reporters hot on his heels.

"No. I missed her."

Chuck cursed. "I need her. If I can convince her to testify that she was the one who shot up the IV, that will prove Costas a liar on at least one point."

Renee clucked her tongue. "Fat chance of that. Even if you find her, how are you going to convince her to implicate herself?"

"Immunity." Alec had seen enough courtroom drama, both real and fictional, to know that. "And we've got company." He jerked his head toward the reporters who strode forward, ready to record every word.

"I'll handle it and catch up with you at the police station." Chuck blocked the reporters' paths.

The last thing Alec heard as he ducked out the door with Renee and Kevin was, "I assure you my client is innocent of these heinous charges and we will do everything in our power to prove that. In the end, justice will prevail."

All it was going to take was convincing an elusive nurse to step forward and say, "Yes, your honor, I tried to kill Danielle Morgan."

Alec didn't think the woman was that crazy. For some reason she wanted Dani gone. The trial and a conviction were the perfect means to do so. The only question remaining was why?

Chapter Twenty

Dani stuffed everything into her purse. She never realized how much she had crammed in there until she was forced to inventory the contents. It was taking as long to get out of this place as it was when she was brought in.

"One watch."

Dani shoved her hand through the band.

"And one diamond ring." The property clerk held it up to the light, admiring the play of sparkle on the facets.

"May I have my ring, please?" She held out her palm.

The other woman gave a nervous laugh and pressed in the center of Dani's hand. "Sorry. It's just so beautiful. I've never seen anything like it. Must have cost a small fortune."

Dani issued a noncommittal grunt. "What about my lunch sack?"

The woman was ogling a ring worth thousands and here Dani was worried about a five-dollar insulated bag. She didn't care how it looked. These people ripped her dignity from her. The least they could do was return all her possessions.

The clerk's smile faded. She looked in the bin, and then pulled out the bag. "Sorry, I must have overlooked it."

A tiny ring she finds, a big bag she misses. Dani kept the comment to herself and signed the receipt for

her things. Slinging the purse over her shoulder, she glanced at her policewoman escort.

"Anything else, or may I go now?"

"Detective Regan would like to see you."

Now what? All she wanted was to go home. She wrapped her fingers around the strap of her purse. "Not without my attorney."

"I understand he's already with him. They're in Interrogation Room Three."

So much for that argument. Dani had no choice but to follow the policewoman. Once there she was left on her own. She eased the door open and stepped inside. Regan and Lauria stood, but Regan slid out a chair for her.

"Miss Morgan...please sit."

She clutched her purse tighter. "No, thank you. I've been released and I'd like to go home."

Lauria hurried forward, arm extended to draw her in. "Something's come up, Dani."

She ducked his reach. "Have I been accused of performing satanic rituals for my students? Sacrificing small animals? Fornicating on top of my desk with the principal or, better yet, other female teachers?"

Regan pulled away from the intensity in her eyes. "It might not seem like it, Dani, but I'm on your side here. I don't believe these charges for a minute."

"Too bad you couldn't have convinced your partner."

"He's not my partner. We just work together."

"Apples, oranges...it's still fruit." Dani didn't care how sarcastic her voice. She was exhausted and damned tired of this whole business.

Chuck draped an arm around her shoulders. "Dani, please. All we want to do is identify the woman you saw. Detective Regan wants to bring in a sketch artist." He tried to pull her toward the chair.

Dani held her ground. "Not without Alec."

His arm dropped. Dani focused on the far wall. She was conscious of the men questioning each other with a look, and then Regan stomped away. Minutes ticked away. Dani kept her back to the door, her feet rooted in place, statue-like. And only one man could break the self-induced spell.

His aura embraced her long before he could reach her. Dani turned as he crossed the threshold and was wrapped in comfort and protection, and then his arms closed a circle around her. She burrowed into the broad plain of his chest and slipped her hands beneath his jacket.

"I missed you so." Her chin quivered.

Alec tensed and tightened his hold. "God knows I missed you, honey." He kissed the top of her head.

Tears spilled down her cheeks. A fear deep inside broke loose-the fear that she would never see Alec again. Yet here he was holding her, standing with her in this horrible fight. She had never known a greater love. Infinite emotions she couldn't begin to express boiled to the surface in those unstoppable tears.

"I want to go home, Alec. Please take me home," she somehow managed to say.

"We need her here, Alec," Chuck said. "We want her to work with a sketch artist to identify that

woman."

Feet shuffled around them. A chair skidded back. Dani dug her fingers into Alec's back.

"It's all right, honey. No one's going to take you from my arms."Not this time. Not ever again.

She knew in her heart those were his thoughts. It didn't matter that they made no sense. She took comfort from them.

"What's the matter with you people? Can't you see she's exhausted?"

"But this woman-"

"Can wait until Dani's rested enough to concentrate on what she's doing. We'll be back tomorrow. The only place Dani's going right now is home."

"Don't snap at me, Alec. You hired me to prove her innocence. That's what I'm trying to do."

"And I know you'll do an excellent job...tomorrow." Tucking her under his arm, Alec left. Neither man dared follow.

***

Near the exit Alec stopped and stripped off his jacket. "Reporters are waiting outside. Throw this over your head. Maybe they won't harass you as much."

Dani let the garment dangle from her hands. "I haven't done anything wrong. This feels like a witch hunt."

Alec slipped the jacket from her fingers and tossed it over her head. "Then let's give them something to hunt."

Dani pushed it to her shoulders and tugged the edges close. "No. I haven't done anything wrong. The more I try to hide, the more they'll hound me."

"They'll hound you anyway."

Alec was right. Once they grabbed onto any story, they ran it into the ground. She was no exception. No place would be a haven until this was resolved.

"Do you suppose they're at my house?" Her voice echoed the defeat she felt.

"I'm sure of it. That's why we're going to my apartment. Security won't let them past the front door. Renee went to your house to get our things."

"Well...it looks like you have everything under control." She swung his jacket off her shoulders and handed it to him. "But I won't hide."

He hooked it on two fingers and tossed it over his back. "Then let's go."

With his arm firmly caped around her, they stepped into the harsh glare of sunlight and accusing stares. Chuck caught up with them before the first wave attacked.

"It's best to show a united front," he said, looping his arm through hers. "Appearances are all we've got going for us right now. Let's take full advantage of them. Not a word from either of you."

Kevin pulled Alec's car to the curb. Flanked by both men, Dani ran the gauntlet. Questions were flung from all directions and from so many sources at once it was difficult to sort out the words. Which was probably best since the words Dani could pick out were cruel takes on the accusations against her.

When the reporters didn't receive the response they demanded, they pressed closer, barring the path to Alec's car mere feet from the safety it offered. Microphones were shoved in their faces. One clipped Chuck on the chin, cutting him. No one apologized. If anything, the reporters became more aggressive.

Alec elbowed his way through the crush. A path cleared by inches. It was enough. By slow degrees they reached the car. Alec yanked the back door open, shoved Dani inside, and then joined her. The crowd closed around Chuck, smothering him against the car.

"These people are insane." Reaching across the front seat, Alec pushed the door open.

Chuck wedged himself into the crack and squeezed inside. "Talk about feeding frenzy. Let's get the hell out of here before they attack the car."

But already the surge was dissipating. Cameramen caught parting shots of their car as Kevin drove away. Reporters did closing monologues. A few rushed to follow. Most probably headed for what they thought was the next destination-her house.

***

Dani hoped Renee got away before the reporters inundated her. She doubted Renee would be very successful in keeping quiet if faced with angry taunts. Frankly, Dani was surprised Alec had.

She stole a peek at him. He stared ahead, stone-faced, mouth set in a grim line. Nothing could be worse than putting a gag order on a hero. Dani burrowed her head into the cove of his arm and closed her eyes. It seemed a good way to escape.

Alec's stomach churned. He had just done the impossible-kept his mouth shut while the woman he loved was vilified. A witch-hunt-the similarity hit too close for his liking.

He traced a lazy circle on her shoulder with his thumb. At least this time they were together. And

although he had no control over the outcome of these events, her protection until then was in his hands. No one could wrench that from him. He would be her staunchest defender. The world would know she was innocent.

Tension made Dani rigid. Who could blame her? Once they reached the sanctuary of his apartment, she could relax. Alec would devote the rest of the day to her comfort.

"My van is over there." Chuck pointed to a gray Voyager with a baby's car seat in the back. Kevin maneuvered into place behind it.

Chuck shoved open his door. "Get some rest, Dani. I'll see you at the police station tomorrow morning at nine."

"After three. I have work in the morning," she said without raising her head.

He opened his mouth, then clamped it shut and draped his arm over the seat. "I hate to be the one to break this to you, but I'd also hate for this to be a surprise...or a shock."

Dani forced her head up to meet a gaze Chuck could not hold.

"I doubt the school district will allow you to continue work until this is resolved. They will either suspend you or force mandatory leave pending the outcome."

"Thank you for telling me. I'll call the school once I get to Alec's place." Her response was choked, barely audible, controlled. As Chuck left, she settled into the seat, distancing herself even from Alec.

He let her have the space up to a point, but Alec refused to let her battle this new betrayal alone. He laced his fingers through hers and kept them bound until Kevin pulled into the parking lot of Alec's building.

Renee was already there. Any greeting or comment she would have made was wiped away by the

devastation on Dani's face. In silence, they gathered the suitcases Renee had packed.

***

In the apartment, Alec pointed Dani to the phone. It took less than five minutes for her to confirm Chuck's suspicions-she was on suspension.

The pain in her eyes tore through him. Alec didn't know whether to hug her or leave her be.

"Honey...I'm sorry."

Blinking away a puddle of tears, she swallowed hard. "At least I know this attorney you hired is on top of things, ahead of the game, one step ahead of the competition." Her bottom lip quivered. "I can't think of any other clichés."

Alec lifted her chin on the crook of his finger. "We'll get through this, Dani."

"How?" Tears spilled down her cheeks and splashed to his arm. "Alec, I could go to jail. It's his word against mine and so far no one's listening to me."

"But they will, honey. We'll find this nurse and-"

"And she'll come to my rescue?" Dani lifted her right hand. "'Yes, your honor, I'm the one who tried to kill Danielle Morgan, not T.J. Costas.'" She gave a harsh laugh. "Alec, this is a woman who, for whatever reason she has fabricated, wants me dead. Even if we find her, she isn't going to help me."

Alec could hardly argue with that, since he had the same thoughts. He wasn't about to insult Dani's intelligence by placating her with false hope. He caught her face between his hands.

"We'll find a way. We won't give up. We'll keep trying. And when the weight is too much for you to bear, I'll be there to carry it and to carry you until this is resolved and you're vindicated."

Each sentence was punctuated by a kiss, to her forehead, each tear-streaked cheek, and finally her lips, and then he tucked her under his chin. "I know it's hard to be optimistic when you're tired. My bed has your name written all over it."

"A shower sounds so much better."

"Right down the hall. I think Renee has already put some of your things in there." He kissed her forehead and eased her away. "Can I get you something? Water? A glass of wine?"

She erased tear tracks with the heel of her hand. "A cup of tea would be great."

"I'll put the kettle on."

Dani's mouth fell open. "You have a teakettle?"

"Well, yes...why?"

She blinked away a new rush of tears. "No reason. Down the hall, you said?"

Dani didn't wait for a reply. If she stood there much longer, she would be blubbering her eyes out, blurting things best left to simmer for now. She shut herself in a bathroom of seafoam green and coral tile. As warm, bright, and welcoming as the man she loved.

She twisted the water on, stripped off her clothes, and stepped beneath the warm spray. Strange how the mention of a teakettle yanked her emotions to the surface. And for the life of her, Dani didn't understand why that would make her cry...or maybe she did.

It was just like the feeling she had at the police station when she was finally folded in Alec's arms. Relief washed over her, embarrassment followed that she had doubted he would be there, and finally an overwhelming desire to be protected. A stupid teakettle. Such a small thing, it normally wouldn't have mattered. Lumped in with everything else that had happened, it was just more proof that she had misjudged him.

Alec wasn't like the caveman types Dani had dated in the past. True, he descended to those depths on occasion. But a guy who owned a teakettle...

Dani jammed her head under the shower. Here was a man willing to stay through the good and the bad, and all she could focus on was that blasted kettle. He had saved her life, repaired her face, nurtured her to health, and then leaped to her rescue with his own attorney-all the evidence she needed that Alec was in her life to stay. And yet, all these things considered, the fact that he was making her tea was the most romantic thing she had ever experienced.

She twisted off the water, patted herself dry, and wrapped her wet head in a towel. Her robe lay over the counter-a cup of tea beside it. This was it. Another second couldn't pass without telling Alec how she felt. It was a risk, but so was life, and she was tired of hiding from it. He deserved to know. She owed him that much. She owedherself that much.

Knotting her bathrobe in place, Dani clutched her cup between her hands and marched from the bathroom. Her resolve faltered when she saw Renee and Kevin still there. Declarations of love were private. This one would have to wait.

At Renee's direction, Dani sank onto the overstuffed couch next to Alec. The creamy leather cradled her. Alec pulled her feet to his lap and massaged them while Renee blow-dried Dani's hair. Pampered and treasured, just what she needed after the scene outside the police station.

"Were there many reporters at my house?"

"A few," Renee said. "They were starting to gather. You might want to call your mom and dad in case this goes national."

"Would you do it? I'm just too tired to talk to anyone right now." Dani swallowed the last of her tea and

gave herself over to their care while she looked around Alec's apartment.

Two chairs matched the couch. The tables punctuating the arrangement were dark, solid wood, the perfect contrast to the light leather. All faced a matching entertainment system that covered one wall: TV, VCR, a stereo to die for. The opposing wall contained a bookcase stuffed to overflowing.

The living room melded into a small dining alcove overlooking a patio view of whatever lay below. Wrought-iron chairs were tucked neatly in place around an octagonal table of stone gray. Beyond that lay the kitchen-bright and compact.

Everything was clean and orderly, just as she would expect of a doctor. Dani snorted to herself. Living at her house was probably a nightmare of disorganization for him. She didn't know how he tolerated it.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

Dani tucked her robe around her legs and stretched out more fully. "Nothing. I was just noticing how clean everything is."

A smile lifted the corners of his lips. "The maid was here yesterday, otherwise-disaster area."

She chuckled. "I have no car. I have no job. I can't go back to my house unless I want to get mobbed. And now you tell me you have a maid. What am I supposed to do while I stay here?"

"For now," he tucked her robe over her toes as Renee flicked off the dryer, "rest. We'll worry about keeping you occupied later."

Yes, worry later. Nowthat was appealing. Dani closed her eyes.

Alec nudged her. "Oh no you don't. You're going to sleep where you won't be disturbed."

***

Before Dani could protest, Alec lifted her like a baby and carried her to the biggest bed she had ever seen. A flick of his wrist tossed aside the covers. The sunshine scent of freshly laundered sheets beckoned.

She traced the laugh line carved in his cheek and smiled when his gaze latched onto hers. "Why don't you see Renee and Kevin to the door." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "I need you, Alec. I need you inside me."

He didn't hesitate. He didn't argue. All he did was set her on the edge of the bed before he left.

Dani dropped her robe and crawled inside the cool, crisp comfort. In the distance, she heard the door click shut. Her heart hammered in anticipation as she nestled her head into the mound of pillows.

Stripping off clothes as he went, Alec charged into the room. By the time he reached the bed, all that remained were his trousers.

Dani pulled her bottom lip between her teeth as that last barrier fell. His erection was full, heavy. Alec pulled open the nightstand drawer.

"No." When he questioned her with a cock of his head, Dani peeled back the covers and opened her arms to him. "Just you. I love you, Alec."

He slammed the drawer shut and crawled over her. "I love you too. More than I can ever say." Nudging her thighs apart with his knee, he entered her without foreplay.

They took their time, letting one deep kiss after the other build the heat between them. Every unhurried motion confirmed their declaration of love. Each gentle thrust of body to body sealed their hearts, but not nearly as much as the rocking climax joined their souls.

In the joyous aftermath, he tucked against her. But instead of sleep, need rose again, and again he took her. Harder this time. Faster. Pounding into her with a fierceness that ripped the orgasm from her and left them spent.

"That can't happen again, Dani. A baby would only complicate things. I blame myself entirely. It's not like me."

She pulled herself from the edge of sleep and rolled into his arms. "It was safe. I would never take a risk like that...not now."

He draped his body around hers. "We're going to get this resolved, honey. Now get some sleep. We've got a busy day tomorrow."

She snuggled closer. "I don't suppose one of our tasks could be to remove these stitches, could it?"

His response was nothing more than a grunt.

Alec waited until Dani's deep breathing signaled sleep, and then slipped from bed. He knew the risks. He knew the pattern set by their previous lives. And yet he ignored them. Each step forward was following the same path no matter how informed he was. It was up to him to get it right this time, and he was still screwing it up.

He hauled on a pair of boxers and wandered to the kitchen. It was too late to undo what had just happened. The sperm were already winding their way toward their own destiny. Dani might think herself safe, but pregnancy was a certainty.

Alec popped the top on a beer. There was only one solution. Somehow he had to convince her to marry him now-before her case was resolved.

And if she wound up going to jail? That wasn't a possibility Alec would even consider. This time hewould do the right thing and they wouldn't die trying.

A slug of beer raised goosebumps. Or was that fear, because that's what this was about-getting it right, or dying. The pattern was set. He had to break it.

Chapter Twenty-One

Detective Regan greeted Dani and Alec with a smile and two cups of coffee. Dani waved hers away. Alec had no such compulsion. Doctors and cops-bad coffee was in their blood.

"Your attorney's already in back." Regan hiked his thumb to indicate some mysterious destination within the bowels of the police station. "We're ready to get started whenever you are."

Then they would never be ready. By now the nurse's face was nothing more than a jumble, an impression. Dani didn't know how to begin describing a person she could only recognize on sight. A line-up might work, but to build a likeness from nothing?

Chuck's laughter reached them as they neared the doorway. A woman's laugh followed. The two were kicked back in their chairs, open and at ease with one another. Old friends, that was the impression Dani got.

Both stood when Dani walked in. The woman extended her hand with a smile. Her handshake was firm. "I'm Bea Lauria."

Dani's eyebrow lifted of its own accord.

Bea laughed. "I'm Chuck's baby sister. Shall we get started?"

"I'm not sure where to begin."

Bea smiled. "No one ever is. It can be a long process, but don't let that frustrate you."

They sat next to each other so that Dani could watch the work in progress. Bea slid one long leg over the other, adjusted the sketchpad on her lap, and then selected one pencil from those lined up on the table. One look ordered the men to give her distance. A mask of professionalism slipped in place.

"Okay, let's start with her face. The shape...square, round, you know. Anything leap out at you?"

Dani found herself nodding. "There was a drawn look about her. Everything...face, hair...all pulled back. Tight, slick, severe. In the courtroom she wore a hat. I have no idea about hair color. My first thought when I saw her was that she was blonde. She looked harsh, but when she smiled, her features softened."

So far nothing was on the sketchpad. Dani knew she was being vague. Bea was in no rush. She tapped her pencil while she digested the information.

"Anything unusual about the smile?"

"Only that it transformed her..." Dani's eyes widened. "Her face was oval. Chin pointy."

Bea set the shape to paper.

"A small nose, but straight. Eyes...her hands didn't match the rest of her."

"What do you mean?" Bea poised her pencil in midstroke. "Could this have been a man?"

"I've asked myself that question over and over. I know the boobs could have been fake-they did look rather high and perky even for a young woman. The voice was too feminine, kind of baby-ish. She had

the face and body of a young woman, but the hands gave her away. They weren't smooth."

"Extensive plastic surgery," Alec said.

Bea flashed him a shut-up look. Reprimanded, he retreated to silence with the other men.

"Could makeup have covered her age?" Bea asked.

Dani had no idea. The hospital room wasn't dark, but the light had come from behind the window blinds. In the courtroom, the woman was wearing makeup.

"If you have to give her an age, what would it be?"

"I thought late thirties, but in the courtroom she looked more like fifty-five. My mom's age. Maybe older."

Bea wrote the number in the corner and started back into the drawing. "Let me know when I'm on the wrong track."

Dani leaned closer. Bea was good. Seeing the work grow helped to jog her memory, and Bea adjusted with Dani's suggestions. Chin more rounded, cheekbones higher, smaller earlobes, wider forehead, eyes almond-shaped. No wrinkles, no identifying marks of any kind.

When the last nuance was in place, Bea turned the pad to Dani. "How's that?"

"Yes." She nodded. "Yes. That's her."

"Anything else? Eye color, height, weight?"

"Slender build, medium height...Eye color?" Dani shrugged. "I couldn't tell."

"Good enough." Bea plopped the pad on the table.

The men leaned over as one.

A chill ran up Alec's spine, raising the hair on his neck. Bea couldn't have done a better job if the woman had been standing before her. Every facet of her perfectly symmetrical face was in place. Alec knew it well. After all, he had helped create it. But it made no sense. Why would Barbara Rushmore want to harm Dani? She didn't know her. They'd never met.

That old pattern of destiny slammed into Alec. Of course. The facts were there. Yet he had been too close to see them. Barbara wanted him for Andrea just as all those ancient people had wanted him for their daughters or sisters.

He shook his head. It seemed too much of a coincidence. He had known Barbara for years. Nothing in her demeanor ever suggested behavior this vile. She was a pillar of society, an icon others admired. Her only obsession was her looks and doing everything in her power to keep the illusion of youth.

Despite the evidence staring him in the face, Alec couldn't name her until he was certain she was the woman they were looking for. And there was only one way to find out. He had to look in her eyes or, rather her soul, as Ira would say.

Regan pushed away from the table. "It's a start. We'll have copies made and see if anyone from the hospital recognizes her."

Alec's stomach roiled. Everyone would recognize her. Any discretion, any hope of surprise would be gone.

"That won't be necessary."

All heads swiveled his way.

"Do you know this woman?" Chuck asked.

How could he answer? "She's obviously had extensive plastic surgery to hide her age." More than any of them would ever realize. "Let me check my files first. I'll take Dani home, and then go straight to my office. I'll call you from there."

The answer appeased everyone except himself. It was a stall for time. Why? Who was he protecting? Certainly not Dani. The hospital? Walt? Barbara? Where did his priorities lie? With Dani, if he had learned nothing else from living, it was that shemust come first. There was only one course of action to take.

He saw Dani safely to the apartment. So far the reporters hadn't found her here. It was just a matter of time. A kiss parted them at the door.

***

Then Alec returned to the police station.

Regan greeted him with a puzzled frown from behind a desk cluttered with case files. His tie was loosened, his jacket draped over the back of his chair, the phone glued to his ear. He pointed to the chair beside the desk.

Alec shook his head. He couldn't sit if they paid him.

"I'll call you back." Regan tossed the phone down. "That was quick."

Quicker than you think."I didn't want to say anything in front of Dani. I didn't want to alarm her. The

woman is Barbara Rushmore."

He snapped up a pen. "You got an address?"

"I'll do better than that...I'll take you to her."

"That's not-"

"With you or without you, I'm going to the Rushmore house."

***

Dani zipped through Alec's apartment dusting objects and furniture that didn't need it. It was the only way she could keep from going stir crazy by the end of the day.

She was used to being active, working, having people around her. Ironic how days before she had cursed the lack of privacy, and now she had all the privacy in the world and couldn't stand it. It might be all right if she were in her own home, with her things. This was too strange...even if it was part of Alec. So she cleaned, stamped her imprint on the place. And she'd do it every day if that's what it took to keep herself from going nuts.

Dani tossed the dust rag into the basket of laundry sitting by the front door-her next project. That would kill a couple of hours.

She peeled the sheets from the bed, snapped the towels up from the bathroom, and as she ducked through the door, snagged Alec's lab coat from the hook behind it. The clatter of plastic made her hesitate. Still on the move, Dani hoisted her load to one arm, jammed her hand in the lab coat pocket, and pulled out three cassettes. She was halfway to setting them on the stereo cabinet where the rest of Alec's music lived when the writing caught her eye. A different name was on each tape, each neatly printed in black marker-Ira Roberts, Alec, and herself.

Dani tapped her fingernail against the plastic. She knew what this was-her session with Dr. Roberts. She had made her feelings quite clear to Dr. Roberts about keeping the contents confidential. Yet here it was in Alec's possession with two others.

She could confront Dr. Roberts, demand to know why her instructions were ignored, or she could go right to hospital administration with the complaint. That would begin another investigation-not exactly what she needed in her life.

"All right. Let's just see what was so damned important you couldn't keep to yourself."

She dropped the laundry to the floor, but when she started to insert her cassette into the stereo panic clutched her heart. Her session with Roberts was supposed to rid her of that nasty fear that paralyzed her. The result had been the opposite. Sheer willpower shoved it away. To listen to it now might bring it pouring back.

Dani jammed the tape in the slot. She'd dealt with the fear before. She could do so again. Her head braced against the entertainment center, Dani listened to a voice that was hers, yet was not, tell a story so bizarre that every logical fiber of her being refused to believe it. Another life, lives...impossible. Yet each brief tale explained facets of Dani's existence she had often questioned. Her father had always accused her of trying to cram three lifetimes into one. It looked like he might have been right.

After it finished, she punched in Alec's tape. The narration confirmed what she already suspected. They were soulmates still searching for happiness together. Or were they a tormented Romeo and Juliet trapped in a loop of destruction? There seemed only one way to find out.

Dani tucked the tapes in her purse. She hated to spend money on a cab, but under the circumstances a bus was too public.

***

The wait for Dr. Roberts was expected. Dani passed the time flipping through magazines, looking at words that were nothing more than jumbled letters. Two hours passed before the door to his office finally opened.

His eyebrows shot up when he saw her. He pushed his door open wider, inviting her into the inner sanctum of his office with nothing more than a glance, while he said good-bye to his patient.

Dani walked inside, spread the tapes on the table, and sat in the recliner before them. She didn't look up until she heard Roberts shut the door.

"Have you listened to them?"

She didn't bother to look up. "Not yours."

"Do you want to?"

Dani shook her head. "I've heard enough."

The chair beside her sighed with his weight. "And what do you think?"

"I don't know what to think. I'd be lying if I said the possibility of reincarnation never crossed my mind. But I never thought..." She shook her head. The last thing she wanted right now was to engage in a metaphysical discussion over the whole thing.

"Like I said, I don't know what to think. But I do know this. Someone is out to get me, and I want you to help me recognize that person before it's too late."

***

Regan jerked his head toward the Rushmore home as they neared the apex of the cul- de-sac. "Is that her?"

"Yes."

Dressed in light blue slacks and matching checked shirt, Barbara Rushmore tended her flowerbeds in the front yard. A straw hat protected her head from the sun and leather gloves guarded her hands. It was unnecessary work. They had a gardener. But his work was never good enough. Besides, being outside gave Barbara the chance to flaunt the figure her husband paid so dearly for her to have. Alec wouldn't doubt that the plastic surgeons got a healthy portion of their business thanks to another woman's green-eyed glance at Barbara's re-sculpturing.

"Try to be discreet. I don't want the neighbors gossiping."

Regan maneuvered the unmarked police sedan into position on the street and cut the engine. "Do you really think she deserves that kind of consideration?"

"She does if we want her cooperation." He shoved his shoulder into the door and stepped out.

Barbara spared them a look, and then flicked bits of grass from her knees as she stood. There was no other greeting. Away from the shade, she fished through her pocket and pulled out sunglasses. By the time Alec and Regan reached her, the answer Alec sought was hidden.

"This is a pleasant surprise." The lack of smile said differently.

"We'd like to talk to you for a few minutes, Barbara."

Her gaze traveled to the other man. "And who is we?"

Regan slipped his badge from his pocket. "Detective Regan, LAPD."

She tilted her head to one side and tugged her gloves from her fingers. "And what is this regarding?"

Alec swept his arm toward the house. "It might be better if we spoke inside."

Fiddling with her gloves gave her time to consider his suggestion. "Very well." A final tug freed her hands. She slapped the gloves against her thigh and marched ahead of the men.

Her destination was clear-the kitchen in the rear of the house. It was up to them to keep up.

"Lemonade, gentlemen?" She tossed the question over her shoulder.

They muttered a negative response. Still, she pulled three glasses from the cabinet.

"If you don't mind, ma'am, I'd really like to get to the point." Regan pulled a notepad from his pocket.

"Very well. Let's do that." Barbara tossed her sunglasses onto the cabinet. "What can I do for you?"

She focused exclusively on Regan. But even on the edge of her gaze, Alec caught the essence of her soul. Ira was right. It wasn't something he could directly see. It was something felt. There, just beyond the physical surface, centuries of frustration and rage lived. Barbara was the embodiment of those lifetimes, determined to finally win. Cooperation was out of the question. Somehow they had to try.

"Are you familiar with a woman named Danielle Morgan?"

Smirking, she propped her forearms on the counter. "Anyone who watches the news would be. Another school teacher caught diddling with the students."

"Were you aware of her before the news broadcast?"

"How silly." She laughed lightly. "Of course I knew of her. My daughter and I have a very close

relationship." Her gaze drifted to Alec. "She tells me everything."

"So she and your daughter are friends?"

Any humor Barbara may have entertained faded. Her eyes narrowed. "Hardly. Miss Morgan stole my daughter's-"

"Don't start, Barbara," Alec said. "A relationship with Andrea never existed."

One corner of her mouth twitched in an attempt at a smile. "According to you, yes. Andrea feels differently. She's heartbroken."

Regan cleared his throat pulling her attention his way. "How long have you known Ms. Morgan?"

"We've never crossed paths, and I can't say that I would want to."

Undaunted, he pressed on. "Mrs. Rushmore, Dani Morgan has implicated you as the nurse who gave her a potentially lethal injection of morphine and dirty water during her stay at the hospital."

Her eyebrows shifted. "Did she now? How cruel. She can't get to Andrea, so she's made me her target. How much more is my family supposed to endure because of this woman?"

For the first time since the questioning began, Regan looked up from his notepad. "If you've never crossed paths with Dani Morgan, how do you explain the fact that she identified you perfectly to a sketch artist? Right down to the age spots on your hands."

Red blotches spread up her neck. "I think you'd better leave."

"All we want is your cooperation, Mrs. Rushmore. If you'll testify that you were the one who-"

"I'll do nothing of the sort. If you have anything further to say to me, you may do so through my attorney."

Regan snapped his pad shut. "I'll do that, ma'am."

She followed them to the exit, and slammed the door behind them.

"Now what?" Alec asked when they reached the privacy of the car. "She did it. I know it."I feel it.

He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. "The syringe is still in evidence. If we can pull a print off it-"

"It probably has a half dozen prints on it."

Regan smiled. "Hospital staff. All I have to do is find her print on it. A match puts her where she shouldn't be. If she's innocent, she won't mind giving us a sample. If she's guilty," he shrugged, "we'll find out soon enough."

***

Enlightened...that's how Dani felt as she left Ira's office. For the first time in her life, she had the answers to questions only flirted with. The knowledge didn't buoy her nor did it depress her, but with it came a sage-like wisdom. Like she had suddenly matured in the last two hours. The past had opened up, giving her a wondrous gift that brought peace and calm to her soul and delivered an enemy.

Dani couldn't name the woman, but her identity was clear. One glance would be all it took. There was nothing the woman could do to hide, not with three from her past seeking her. It was just a matter of time.

She winced at the concept. Time. A never-ending cycle, always with the same result. Someone, something had to break the circuit, stop the repeating. Yes, finding this enemywas a matter of time...but whose?

"Miss Morgan, what a surprise."

Dani blinked, focusing on the man hovering over her. She was so deep in thought she hadn't seen him until he spoke. There was a familiarity about him. Considering her recent session, placing him confused her.

"Walt Rushmore, hospital chief of staff." He stuck out his hand and smiled.

Dani shook it slowly. "Of course. I remember now. I'm sorry I didn't recog-"

"No, problem." He waved her apology away. "Actually, I'm glad we've had the chance to run into each other. If I could have a moment of your time."

He led her to the chairs in the hospital foyer. Apparently, she was going to give him her time whether she wanted to or not.

"It's about Alec," he said as they sat.

"What about him?"

"I don't need to tell you what a wonderful doctor he is."

She shook her head and waited for him to continue. It seemed forever until he did so.

Rushmore laced his fingers on his lap. "He is highly thought of here and is being considered for chief of surgery. This hospital prides itself on its sterling reputation, ethically and morally. This recent incident of yours does not cast Alec in a favorable light. His name, his likeness are linked with yours."

"And, therefore, yours?"

He gave a nod. "Something like that. But I'm more concerned with Alec. A man infatuated with a pretty woman often doesn't think clearly. To be connected with you and this...scandal...well, it can't help but diminish his reputation."

He leaned forward so fast Dani drew back.

"Miss Morgan, if you care for the man, let him go. Alec has worked very hard to reach this point in his career. Don't let him give that up now. It would be a worse crime than...well, than what you've been accused of. Think of all the lives he's helped...all the lives he could help...but not if his reputation is soiled. Since his involvement with you, I have to say his patients have been neglected...all because of you. That hardly seems fair to those individuals who are depending on him."

Dani stared ahead and saw nothing. The words dug deep, hitting a nerve. By the time she recovered, she was alone. Half dazed, she somehow managed to call for a cab. When it arrived, it took every ounce of energy to crawl inside.

Rushmore was right. She was the ruin of Alec. She had been his ruin every time. If not for her, he would have lived full and prosperous lives. This was the cycle of destruction to be broken. No matter how much they might love each other, they were just not good together. Together meant death. She had the power and knowledge to control that fate. Now all she needed was the courage to leave. She had to return to her own home...alone. That meant braving reporters, facing those horrible accusations, the nastiness.

"This is ridiculous. I refuse to be bullied and I will not be a prisoner."

"You say something, ma'am?" the driver asked.

Dani shook her thoughts clear. "Yes, wait for me at the apartment. I won't be long."

It was the hardest thing she had ever done. All the justification in the world didn't make it easier. Dani shoved her belongings into the suitcases and refused to think beyond the act of packing. To do more would bring tears, regret. She didn't have the time for either.

Pausing at the door for one last look around, pain knifed her heart. That ancient fear overwhelmed her. Death. Not of the body, but of a love. There wasn't much difference. Without Alec, any living she did would be by rote.

"I do love you, you know," she whispered.

Before she slipped through the door, Dani pulled the diamond ring from her finger and placed it on the table by the door.

"I will always love you...forevermore."

Chapter Twenty-Two

Alec never realized how much he hated waiting until these last two days. One lousy fingerprint had to stand out against how many others? His, Betty's, the lab tech...if only he had been more careful.

He wrapped fingers around his neck and dug deep into aching muscles. A cigarette sure sounded good, and he didn't even smoke.

What was he thinking when he decided to wait at the police station? He could have gone just as nuts in his own office until word came and not endured funny looks from the other officers. Plus his presence inconvenienced Chuck who was forced to be present in order to protect his client.

Who cares? That's what I'm paying him for.Dani was his only concern.

"Bingo!" Regan slapped his palm on his desk.

Chuck jumped, sloshing coffee down his white shirt.

Alec spun around and braced his knuckles on the edge of the desk. "Did they-"

"We have a perfect print right on the top of the plunger all by itself."

Of course. Barbara would have used her thumb to inject Dani. No one else touched that part of the syringe at least not without rubber gloves. "How do you tie it to Barbara Rushmore?"

Regan grinned. "It's not too hard when you have a name to search for. There's definitely a match."

"Now what happens?"

Chuck blotted the coffee stain with his handkerchief. "We'll go to the DA with the information. See how he wants to proceed. See if we can't get her to cooperate once she discovers we have her cornered."

The DA was responsible for prosecuting Dani on the other charges. Alec doubted he would listen to any evidence contrary to his interests. "How can that help Dani?"

"I honestly don't think it will." Chuck put the handkerchief in his pocket and stood up. "As an attorney I can pretty much guess how this will go. Yes, you can tie Barbara Rushmore to the incident in the hospital and that will prove the boy is lying about that. A psychologist will be brought in and call it some type of referral syndrome. The child was so distraught he transferred his anger to the attempt on her life and imagined he did it. It was an act of revenge because he was helpless to do anything more than that. As for the syringe..."

He straightened his tie and buttoned his jacket. "The DA will probably bring up the chain of custody issue. He could even call it a plant by the boyfriend to save Dani."

"That's ridiculous." Alec levered himself upright. "Dani and I weren't a couple then."

"Prove it. Prove you didn't meet months ago."

"I...can't."

"My point exactly. It will be their word...Andrea's word...against yours."

Regan folded his hands behind his head and propped his feet on the desk. "So what would you suggest, counselor?"

"We do our jobs. Follow procedure. I just wanted you both to understand what we're up against. It's good evidence. Don't get me wrong. I just have to figure out the best way to use it. After all, thatis what you hired me for."

So, after all the waiting, all Alec could do was go home and wait some more.

Chuck clapped him on the shoulder. "Come on. I'll walk you to your car."

They were well out of earshot from the police station when Chuck revealed his true purpose.

"I know you're upset and worried, Alec," he said without breaking stride, "but you had no place being here today, either at the station or the Rushmores. Your very presence might have compromised what little chance we have of winning this case."

He stopped short. "I wouldn't sit at your elbow watching you perform surgery. I would trust you. You have to trust me."

"You don't understand." And Alec didn't know how to explain without Chuck questioning his sanity. "Dani's depending on me. I can't let her down."

"You haven't. You've done all you can to help. You don't want to let her down? Then be there for her because she's going to need a lot of support these next few months. Don't let tilting at windmills distract you from that, Don Quixote."

He slugged him on the arm and left.

Keys in hand, Alec wandered to his car. Chuck was right. He was chasing clues and forgetting his primary goal. Was that how it had been for his previous selves? Was each incarnation so intent on protecting the woman he loved that she was forgotten until it was too late?

Alec laughed at himself. Getting things right was hard, no matter how many lives he lived. He was giving himself a migraine worrying if his next move was going to be the wrong move. Time to relax and trust his instincts. He and Dani were meant to be together.That's what uncovering the past proved to him. All they had to do was ride out this trouble...together, and they could go about their lives.

"Easier said than..." He tossed his keys up and snatched them from midair. "Ah, hell." Life wasn't easy.

When he got to his apartment an hour later, a bouquet of spring flowers in his hand, Alec discovered just how hard being together was going to be.

***

No reporters lurked outside Dani's house, but they had certainly left their marks. Paper cups, cigarette butts, and fast food containers littered the lawn. The flowerbeds were trampled beyond repair. The freesias, lilies, and irises were all broken at the stems. Even the pole where the birdhouse sat was bent.

Tire tracks gouged a path in the grass leading away from it. She felt violated.

Dani paid the driver and lugged her suitcases inside. The red light on the answering machine flashed. Forty-three messages and probably all harassment. For the first time in her life, Dani wished she had an unlisted number. She punched the delete button and unplugged the phone.

"That takes care of that."

She sank into the chair. Derek and Miriam's chair. Odd how that worked out. Nice that it did because now it gave her a comfort she sorely needed.

Dani tucked her feet under her and rested her head on the cushioned arm. Here isolation lessened. If it crept in, she could find plenty to occupy her mind...and her heart.

Memories of her and Alec making love in the chair flooded her. Miriam and Derek's joining shadowed that. Leaving him was for the best, for his benefit. That's what love was about- protecting the one you cared about most, making a sacrifice no matter how painful.

She jumped up and grabbed a plastic trash bag from the kitchen. This is where being home came in. There was a lot to do in her nest to keep the lonelies away. There was enough crap in her yard to take hours cleaning up. Down on her hands and knees, picking the cigarette butts from the grass would take at least an hour. After that, she'd tackle the flowerbeds. After that, there was house cleaning. After that...

A car pulled into her driveway. Afraid that reporters were back, Dani tensed and looked around. Renee waved and then picked her way across the grass. Her low-heeled shoes still made her approach wobbly. Finally, she gave up, slipped them off, and strode forward.

"Alec called. He's pretty upset. I convinced him to let me come over first. I don't know how long that will keep him away."

Probably not long, knowing Alec. Dani blamed herself for taking the coward's way out with no note or no explanation. It was as if she was subconsciously sabotaging her own effort to leave.

"I think it's time we talked," Renee said.

"Yes." Dani tied off the bag. "Yes, it is. But I doubt you'll believe anything I tell you."

Another ridiculous assumption. Renee lived for stuff like this.

Inside, they brewed a pot of tea and fixed up a bowl of popcorn. Then, over a jigsaw puzzle spread on the coffee table, Dani told Renee everything. To her credit Renee kept any comments to herself. When the last syllable died, she reached for her cup of tea and still said nothing.

Dani traced her finger around the rim of her cup while she waited. She had thrown a lot Renee's way, but never in all their lives had she known Renee to be at a loss for words.

"I wish you would say something."

She gave a soft laugh. "I wish I could think of something to say. Anything I can think of comes off rather selfishly."

Dani leaned on the table. "What do you mean?"

"Oh...I keep wondering how long you and I have really known each other. I wonder if Kevin and I have lived and loved before. I wonder if Dr. Roberts could regress me." She snickered. "Then I remind myself that this isn't about me. You're in a terrible dilemma and I ought to be able to come up with something to help, some suggestion." She shook her head. "Only nothing comes."

Headlights flashed against the window. A car door slammed.

"That's probably Alec."

"I'd put money on it." Dani sipped her tea and fit a piece of the puzzle.

He walked in without knocking, filling the room with his aura. Alec jerked his thumb toward the door. "Time's up, Renee."

She unfolded herself from the floor and left. Dani kept her gaze glued to the puzzle. Once the door clicked shut, Alec tossed the ring before her.

"Why?"

She traced the circle with her finger. "Because I love you."

"I love you too. I'm going to marry you."

"It might have been nice if you asked me first."

"I was getting around to it."

"I found the tapes, Alec."

"Then you know it's imperative for us to get things right this time."

Dani tilted her head back to look at him. "Or destroy ourselves again?"

He sat in the chair behind her and pulled her against his knees. "That's not going to happen."

"It's already happened. I don't know about you, but my life was running pretty smoothly until I stepped into your orbit. The second I come into spitting distance of you, nothing's gone right. The accident, that nurse, this crap with T.J. None of this would have happened if I hadn't met you."

As much as she loved him, Dani hated to put it in those terms. But if she looked at things objectively, this was the bottom line-they were bad for each other. Actually, he was bad for her.

He combed her hair from her face. "I'll give you that much. But I look at those things as pulling us closer together, making us bond. I didn't need a session with Ira to tell me I loved you. I knew it the minute I saw you. You reached out to me too. That has to count for something."

Dani twisted around. "Nothing good. Our relationship is costing you dearly. Your reputation is being dragged through the mire with me. You've shoved your patients aside for me."

"Wrong."

The word came out harshly, quickening Dani's heartbeat.

"As much as I love you, I would never neglect my patients. I've cleared my schedule of non-critical surgery and seen those in recovery released to home. I'm not the only plastic surgeon at the hospital. And if an emergency arises, I'm only a beeper away."

"But the board of directors..."

He lifted her chin on his finger. "I don't want to be chief of surgery."

Dani pulled his hand away and laced her fingers through his. "But your reputation, Alec. You've worked so hard. I can't...I refuse to let you give that up."

His eyes narrowed. "Did Ira tell you this?"

"No." Dani forced herself to meet his gaze. He had to understand that she was serious. "Dr. Rushmore spoke to me after I left Ira's office."

Alec stared, blank-faced, his body rigid. "That explains a lot."

Then explain it to me because I don't understand.

He ran his thumb slowly over her knuckles. "His wife, Barbara, is the nurse you identified. I recognized her from the sketch. Regan and I confronted her."

"She's the enemy?"

"I knew as soon as I saw her eyes. And she fits the pattern...the family member trying to get me for the sister, daughter, whoever. She wants me for Andrea and would have been after any other woman in my life. It just happened that woman is you."

"Coincidence or destiny?"

He shrugged. "I've given up trying to figure it out. All I know is that I love you. Me, Alec Edwards. This isn't about Demetrius and Adia, Marcus and Octavia, Carl and Greta, or Derek and Miriam. This is about you and me. We're going to get through this. We're going to be married and raise a family and love each other-"

"Forevermore?"

Alec chuckled. "Something like that."

"And what about Barbara Rushmore?"

The sparkle in his eyes faded. "She's gone. I got a call earlier from Chuck. Regan went to the house to bring her in for further questioning. Walt told him she had left the country for an extended vacation."

"Obviously he knows what she did."

"Or he suspects. He'd want to protect her."

"No." She shook her head. "Not her...himself.His reputation. The hospital's."

"Possibly." Alec retrieved the diamond ring and held it up to catch the light. "I love you, Dani. I need you in my life. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. You make me happy. You fill my heart. You give me peace."

"What about the others?"

"We aren't trapped in the same loop as our predecessors. We have control over the situation. Ira's seen to that. Like I said before. This isn't about them. This is about us. Don't let fears that don't matter come between us."

He took her left hand in his and poised the ring over her finger. "What do you say? We get married and live happily ever after with a dog, a cat, and two point one children?"

Dani didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She did a little of both. "Yes. As soon as the trial is over."

"Agreed." Grinning, he slipped the ring in place and pulled her over his body. Before he could seal their engagement with a kiss, a knock at the door interrupted.

"Who is it?"

His bark was better than any guard dog. Despite her fear that reporters were at the door, Dani smiled as he charged forward.

"I said, 'Who is it?'"

A small voice from the other side replied, "It's...it's...we want to see Miss Morgan. We're her kids."

"And her friends. If you don't open the door, we'll bust it down."

Dani laughed at the sound of Diana's voice-the triple threat was here. She leaped over the table and ran to the door.

Alec barred the way. "It could be a trick."

She shook her head. "No...let them in. I need them."

With a twist of the knob, he swung the door wide to the swarm of students, parents, and friends.

Alec sat in their chair and watched Dani engulfed with affection, righteous indignation, and plans for fund-raisers to pay legal fees. She was innocent and they were damned determined to prove it. Yes...this was what she needed.

Dani was unique, drawing people into her circle of warmth unknowingly. He knew that the night of the accident when he walked into the waiting room and saw these same people standing vigil.

It would be a crime to take that from her. That's what prison would do. Her spirit would be dead within a week. No one would be the same without Dani to center them. Alec especially. Watching her, absorbing the moment, he didn't have the heart to tell her that unless Chuck came up with a miracle, they

didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of finding her innocent.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Dani stared at the pregnancy test wand in the bathroom trash. Positive. How could anyone miss it, glaring the way it did? Discussion would have to come later. Any joy she felt over the news was washed out by the trial. She grabbed the bag.

"Why are you taking out the trash now?" Renee asked.

"I think you know." She marched past her. "The last thing I need right now is to have Alec see a pregnancy kit in my bathroom trash. Especially one with a positive reading."

"I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"Obviously. With any luck the garbage will be picked up before the neighborhood dogs scatter the trash all over the yard."

"I'll take it. You finish getting ready."

Dani was as ready as she was going to be. She had been for hours. The waiting might not be so bad if Alec were here. But an early morning call from the hospital took care of that. Hopefully, he would be done by the time the trial began.

She studied her reflection in the full-length mirror. She was the picture of professionalism and maturity. Chuck had gone through her wardrobe and selected a navy blue coatdress with white piping. It was understated, yet screamed quality. Unfortunately, it was also her favorite. If things didn't turn out, Dani would never be able to wear it again.

The front door slammed. "Chuck's here. Are you ready?"

No."More or less."

She grabbed her purse and met Chuck at the door. "Alec had to go to work. He'll meet us at the courthouse. My parents should already be there."

"Good. Ladies..." He led them to his van. "I understand there's quite a crowd at the courthouse. I just wanted you to be prepared."

Dani appreciated the attempt, but it didn't help.

***

Hundreds of people jostled for position on the courthouse steps: the public carrying signs with the words "whore," "sinner," "repent" in big, black letters; friends and students on the other side also with signs "Justice For Dani", "T.J. Costas lies"; and reporters who recorded everything for the world to see.

Her mind flashed to another time, another life. Octavia facing the mob in Rome, Greta facing the same in Germany. Both women also unjustly accused with sickening results. Dani's stomach clenched.

Chuck weaved her through the crush, ignoring questions flung their way. Inside, more of them waited for a piece of her. Camera lights blinded their progress. The air around her grew stale, smothering. The room shifted and then she realized it was her, not the room. Darkness clouded her vision. She clutched Chuck's sleeve in an effort to hold herself upright. It was no use.

***

Dani shoved the ammonia capsule from under her nose. Strong arms pulled her upright. Her head wobbled, but she forced her gaze to focus on Alec's blurry features.

"You made it," she whispered.

Alec frowned. "Of course I made it. I told you I would." He pushed the smelling salts her way.

Dani drew back. "I'm fine. No more."

Alec forced a paper cup to her lips.

"I don't want any water."

"It's orange juice and you don't have a choice."

Apparently not. Clutching it between shaking hands, Dani drained the cup.

"You haven't eaten for two days. It's a wonder you didn't faint long before now."

She glanced over his shoulders to her parents, finding no help there. Her mother wrung her hands. Her father crossed his arms and nodded. It wasn't fair. She was the daughter, yet from the instant they met Alec he had become a favored son. Dani thought it was cute and she was tickled they liked him so much, but not when they took his side against hers-even when he was right.

"I just couldn't see the sense of eating if I was just going to barf it back up." She crumpled the cup in one hand and tossed it to Renee.

"I offered to write you a prescription to keep your stomach settled."

"Kevin didn't seem to think it would do any good."

"Kevin isn't your doctor."

Dani poked her nose in his face. "And neither are you."

Chuck wedged himself between them. "You two can argue all you want later. You don't want to keep the judge waiting. Dust yourselves off and let's go."

She glanced down at her dress. It was filthy from her fall to the floor.So much for pristine appearance. Dani prayed it wasn't a hint of what was to come.

The buzz of the crowd reached her a few feet from the courtroom. Here was a smaller version of what greeted her outside plus one extra, added attraction-Andrea Rushmore's smirking face right on the aisle.

Dani looked away. Alec sat in front with her parents, Renee, Kevin, and Renee's parents directly behind the defense table. That was where she placed her concentration as she took her position next to Chuck.

"All rise."

The Honorable Sandra Lockley waddled to the bench. Her black robes did an excellent job of hiding her pregnancy. If Chuck hadn't mentioned it, Dani wouldn't have guessed.

According to Chuck, she was testy. Dani didn't blame her. Finding yourself expecting a baby just when the others have been kicked out of the nest was always a surprise, sometimes good, sometimes bad. But to be pregnant in her late-forties-Dani was surprised her doctor still allowed her to work.

She settled on the bench with a sigh as heavy as she was, and then smacked her gavel. "Be seated. Time for a little house-cleaning." She laced her fingers before her and stared at the assembly. "I want every

camera, still and video, every recorder, every microphone out of my courtroom now. This will not turn into a media circus. If I hear any complaints, every reporter will be next."

They shuffled to the door. "I want everyone under the age of eighteen who is not testifying out of my courtroom. Check that...even if you're testifying, I want you out. The bailiff will call you when it's your turn on the stand."

This time a couple of groans filtered through the room. Judge Lockley ignored it and went on. "Every pager, cell phone, watch alarm will be turned off. Not put on buzz or vibrate or whatever charming little ditty you want to call it. Off. If it isn't, it's mine."

More fumbling followed. When it was quiet once more, Lockley leaned back and smiled. "Thank you. Now, one more piece of business. Counselors, let's get this over with quickly. If you think it's hot outside, you ought to be eight months pregnant and under these robes. My patience level expired in my first trimester. Don't screw with me. No theatrics. Present your case and let's be done with it. Understood?"

They replied in unison.

Lockley's gaze settled on Dani. "You're looking a little pale. I understand you fainted outside. Are you all right to continue?"

"Yes, your honor."

"Very well. Bailiff, bring in the jury."

Six men and six women of varying ages, race, and occupations filed in. Chuck said it was a good mix. Looking at them now, Dani prayed they were open-minded as well. Of course, if they had an ounce of prejudice against her in the first place, Chuck would have picked that out during jury selection.

The attorneys gave opening remarks. Mr. Dresler repeated the charges, pushing the point that she had damaged the life of this boy, and he would provide proof of the charges. Chuck countered that she was the victim, innocent of a wrongdoing, and that he too would provide evidence on her behalf.

Dani clutched her hands in her lap. The easy part was over-now came the testimony.

The prosecution's main witness was T.J. Anyone else called would only verify that T.J. had spent a lot of time in Dani's company.

T.J. shuffled to the stand. If Dani hadn't known it was him, she never would have recognized him. His shaggy hair was trimmed, combed back. The baggy pants, three sizes too big, were gone. A pair of gray knit slacks in their place. He wore a light blue shirt and a gray tie. All of which made him look more like an altar boy than the street kid Dani tutored.

His testimony was vivid, scathing. He painted a picture of Dani that turned her stomach. He spelled out in graphic detail acts of perversion she couldn't begin to imagine. Things she and Alec hadn't even whispered, much less considered doing. At one point his voice quavered. He recovered quickly.

Chuck's response to all this? "No questions at this time, your honor."

Dani knew to expect that. Chuck's plan was to present his witnesses, and then use their testimony to refute everything T.J. said.

He began with the principal, school counselor, and other pictures of T.J. Each person testified to his poor grades and lack of social interaction-until Dani added him to the growing list of students she took under her wing. Dani was a model teacher who always put the interest of her students at the forefront.

The kids were next. She was caring, an adult they could talk to about whatever was on their minds. Sure, they saw T.J. at her place. Who wasn't at her house? But never did their friendship with her exceed what was appropriate, nor was anything inappropriate suggested. If anything, she discouraged them from becoming sexually active.

Then it was Dani's turn. Her voice shook as she took the oath, so did her hands. Seated, she folded them together once more and tried to look no further than Chuck.

"Miss Morgan, how did you become acquainted with T.J. Costas?"

"I met him in September of last year. He was a student in my World History class."

Chuck nodded. "A good student?"

"An average student in history. His real problem was in his English and mathematical skills. He had trouble getting along with the other students, although he tried hard to fit in."

"How so?"

"By dressing in a way he thought would gain him friends. He saw many of the kids spent a lot of time at my house and started hanging out. When the kids are with me in their free hours, we get into some hard tutoring. Me with them. Them with each other. At some point he got caught up in it and I just started teaching him like all the others."

"In history?"

Dani glanced toward Mr. Ferguson. She was doomed to teaching math now...if she got out of this. "And mathematics. The English fell into place from hanging around the other kids."

Chuck's face wrinkled in puzzlement. "Why? Why spend your free time tutoring kids you've been with all day?"

She shrugged. "Why not? What else was I going to do with my time? A lot of times their parents and my friends were there too. It's no secret that I cared. My parents raised me to care, to give something back to the world if I could. I guess what I have to give back is educating others to make a better place for themselves."

"Were you ever alone with T.J. Costas?"

Dani laughed. "I'm hardly alone with anyone."

Mr. Dresler stood. "Your honor, please instruct the witness to answer the question."

"Answer, Miss Morgan," Judge Lockley said.

"No...I've never been alone with T.J. Costas."

Chuck pressed his index fingers to his lips and stared at the ground. "Miss Morgan, from the testimony given today, you appear to be a stellar teacher. The kind every parent hopes their child will have. You've gone above and beyond to help a poor student excel, to bring him into social alignment, for lack of a better word, with his peers. Why in the world would T.J. Costas accuse you of such heinous acts?"

She looked directly at the jurors. "I've asked myself that dozens of times. None of it makes any sense. The only incident that comes to mind is when I was in the hospital."

"Explain." Chuck folded his hands behind his back, turned to the jury, and stared at the wall over their heads.

"The kids were visiting. They had a map of Europe spread over my bed. We were discussing the Roman Empire and had taken a break so T.J. and I were talking over a math problem." She shrugged. "I wasn't paying much attention. Next thing I know Alec's dragging him out of the room."

"Who is Alec?"

"He was my doctor. He's my fiancé now."

He spun around. "Why did Dr. Edwards drag T. J. out of your room?"

She sighed. A headache built behind her eyes. They'd rehearsed this so many times. Why was the real thing taking so long?

"Alec felt-"

"Go on."

"Alec wasn't too pleased with all the visitors in the room. He felt I needed rest, but he didn't press the issue because he knew I was just trying to help the kids. Then he saw T.J. staring down my pajama top."

"And he asked him to leave."

"More like threw him out. T.J. was belligerent and disrespectful. Alec wouldn't tolerate it. Less than a week later, the charges came down."

"No further questions."

Mr. Dresler snapped forward. "Miss Morgan, you've been teaching for how long?"

"Six years. All at the same school."

"And your desire to help, to tutor your students began right away?"

"Yes."

He gave a slow nod. "With all that activity at your house, I would imagine it would be difficult to have a

social life."

What was he getting at? That wasn't even a question.

Dani kept her mouth closed.

"Did you date much?"

"Objection, your honor."

"Sustained."

Dresler sucked his lips in. "Miss Morgan, prior to the relationship you now have, when was your last long term relationship?"

Chuck pushed himself to his feet. "Objection. Your honor, this line of questioning has no relevance."

Lockley heaved a sigh. "I would have to agree. Mr. Dresler, please get back on track."

"Your honor, I'm trying to prove-"

"Whatever you're trying to prove, do it without wandering."

He zeroed in on Dani. "To the point, Miss Morgan. Is your sudden engagement to Dr. Alec Edwards a cover to hide the fact that you're pregnant with T.J. Costas's child?"

A collective gasp echoed through the room. Dani's was among them.

She fanned her fingers against her throat. "What?"

"Are you pregnant with T.J. Costas's child?"

From the corner of her eye, Dani saw Alec lean forward. What in the world must he be thinking? The unprotected sex they'd had two months ago, coupled with her fainting and nausea had to be racking up suspicions with him right now.

Dani glanced at Renee. She nodded ever so slightly and then whispered in Kevin's ear. His jaw dropped. Renee smiled and folded his hand into both of hers.

"No, I'm not." Dani glared at Dresler. "I'm not pregnant at all. And, Mr. Dresler, I suggest you get your facts straight in the future before you snoop through someone's garbage. The test kit belongs to my friend, Renee. She's the one who's pregnant."

A flush built under his cheeks. "No further questions."

Dani returned to her seat, and Chuck recalled T.J.

Casting sidelong glances at the spectators, T.J. shuffled to the witness stand. He was a kid and Chuck was determined to use that to his advantage.

Chuck strolled forward, smiling, putting the boy at ease before his attack. Dani's nerves quivered. This was her last chance.

"T.J., I was reviewing your school record. You went from below average to above in nine months. In math alone, you were failing and you passed your grade as the most improved. Why is that?"

He hiked a shoulder. "I don't know. Miss Morgan just made it easy to understand."

"Did she give you more special tutoring than other students? Devote more time to you?"

"No...sometimes the other kids did the teaching."

"You spent a lot of time at Miss Morgan's. Why is that?"

"Everyone else did. Everyone was there."

"But not every day like you seemed to be." Chuck paced before the witness stand. "Things have been a little rough at home the last year, haven't they? You're sister was sick. You're dad lost his job. You're having trouble in school. Must have been nice to go some place where problems didn't exist."

T.J. smiled. "Miss Morgan, she'd make you work. It wasn't fun and games. If you went to her place, you did it to study. She cares. Someone was always there. Some of the guys had problems, just like me. We could talk."

"Then it's fair to say you're grateful to Miss Morgan for providing you with a safe haven."

"Yeah. All of us are."

"All of you?"

"Yeah...the other kids."

Dani saw the look in Chuck's eyes. He was going for the throat. "You haven't seen much of the other kids lately, have you?"

"No...they're pissed off because they think I lied."

"And did you?"

Dresler leaped to his feet. "Objection."

Judge Lockley tapped her pen on the arm of her chair. "Overruled. Answer the question, young man, and remember...you are under oath."

T.J. squirmed and looked to his parents for help. Chuck stepped before him, blocking the view. He scanned the crowd for a friendly face until his gaze settled on Dani. She held the moment, though she wanted to look away. Tears puddled in his eyes and then drifted down his cheeks.

"Tell us, T.J. Tell us what really happened. Did Miss Morgan really do all the horrible things you've said she did?" Chuck's soft entreaty put the boy over the edge.

"I didn't want to." A sob broke his throat. "They took our car. They were gonna take the house. It was a chance to help my family."

"How could something like this help your family?"

"A woman came by. Offered money. A job for my dad. All I had to do was..." He broke down, bawling into his hands.

"Miss Morgan never did any of the things you accused her of, did she?"

"No." The answer was muffled but clear.

"Is the woman who hired you in court today?"

T.J. peeked above his fingers, and then shook his head.

"No further questions. Your honor, with the prosecution's permission I request that the charges against Danielle Morgan be dismissed."

Dresler's chair scooted across the floor. "No objection, your honor."

Judge Lockley smacked the gavel. "Charges dismissed. Mr. and Mrs. Costas, I'm sure the DA is going to want a word with you. The jury is excused. Thank you for your time. Courtroom... dismissed." With a final smack, the courtroom erupted in a cheer.

Laughing, Alec swung Dani up and into his arms. "I told you everything would work out. Now can we get married?"

She caught his face in her hands. "I'll race you to the altar."

He kissed her hard, uncaring of who saw.

Leaving the courtroom was just as hard as entering had been. Hugs, congratulations, more reporters. Dani let Chuck deal with the press. Her mind refused to function beyond the knowledge that it was over. Still, she smiled for the cameras and held onto Alec's arm as they picked their way down the steps.

She heard her students cheer and raised a wave their way. Light bulbs flashed, capturing the moment.

A microphone appeared before them. "Miss Morgan, how do you feel right now? Any animosity toward the boy?"

Dani looked beyond the glare of the camera's light. A woman stared back. She was dressed in black, her now raven hair whisked against her cheeks. But her eyes gave her away.

"Alec, it's her!" She jerked her arm toward Barbara Rushmore.

Too late she saw the gun. Someone screamed. Alec yanked Dani back. There was a shot. His body jerked. Blood splattered Dani's cheek.

"Nooo!" She caught him as he fell, but his weight was too much to bear. Falling with him, Dani heard another shot. Pain burned her stomach. She gasped for breath.

Alec fumbled for her hand, pulling her to him. "No, honey, not this time. I won't lose you this time."

Dani longed to reassure him. The pain stole her voice. In the background, Kevin shouted instructions and shoved people out of the way. Then darkness closed in.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Alec smoothed Dani's hair from her forehead. They'd made it. This time they made it. They faced the ultimate danger, the final test and passed. If only she would open her eyes.

As if sensing his wish, her lids fluttered. "Alec, thank..."

He swallowed her words with a kiss.

She cupped his ear and pulled him back. "How bad-"

"I took it in the shoulder. You've got a gut shot."

"Did they-"

"Barbara's been arrested."

"Are you ever going to let me finish a sentence?"

He chuckled. "Sorry. I'm just so glad we're alive. Thank God Kevin was there. Although I understand we scared the hell out of him."

There was a sound behind them. Alec moved to one side to find Walt hovering in the doorway.

"I just wanted to apologize." He scuffed the floor with the toe of his shoe. "My wife's been sick for a long time. Andrea's not much better. I've always denied it.

"No, that's not true. I tried to hide it. She loves Andrea to obsession and has always been determined to prove it. A classic case of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy when Andrea was a child. You can imagine my panic when you first suggested it. I exhausted myself trying to hide it and protect her. I hoped it had gone away once Andrea was gone. I was wrong. Nothing was more important to her than Andrea's happiness. I just never realized the extent to which she would go. I hope somehow you can find it in your hearts to forgive me." He walked away without another word.

Alec crawled into bed beside Dani. "He resigned as chief of staff shortly after Barbara was arrested. In some respects, I think this was a burden he was glad to get off his shoulders."

"Should we tell him that it goes well beyond what he thinks?"

"I wouldn't know how to explain and I doubt he'd listen."

Dani tried to snuggle closer. "You're probably right. So, when's this wedding of ours?"

"I can have a minister here within the hour. That soon enough?"

She smiled and gave him a kiss. "No, but it will have to do. Now hurry. I don't want to waste another second of the rest of our lives."

***

Dani tied off a thread on her needlepoint and smiled. Alec sat in the big orange chair, their son under one arm, their daughter under the other. Point one child was safely nestled within Dani.

"And they lived happily ever after." Alec closed the storybook and kissed each child on the head.

"Is that true Mama?" Lizzie asked. "Do they live happily ever after?"

Dani smiled. "Yes, indeed." She caught Alec's gaze. "For all time."

About the Author

Anything Is Possible! That's Catherine Snodgrass's motto. Blessed (or cursed) with a vivid imagination, Catherine has learned to turn that "talent" inward. She grew up reading Victoria Holt, Phyllis Whitney, and others, and loves to "go places" in her writing. Readers should expect different locales and deep

emotions in Catherine's books. She also believes that life is to be lived not watched, and has done some inner exploring of her own-hiking a new path, learning a new skill, and even conquering a life-long fear of singing in public to take a turn or two on the stage of the local community theater. Her work as a paralegal in family and tax law has helped her tune in to the emotions of others and further deepen that aspect of her writing. Having set her children off in the world to explore their own paths, Catherine lives in the beautiful desert of Southern California with her husband (a genealogist) and the animals she loves.

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Table Of Contents

Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-One Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter Twenty-Three Chapter Twenty-Four About the Author More Paranormal Romance from LTDBooks