Always Dangerous

by Dee J. Adams

  Although at the moment, those two things were debatable.

  Kim hadn’t pressed Leo about his decision or asked too much about Megan. He was a private man and this was a private issue. Had he not had to do the stunt, she had no doubt she’d still be in the dark about it. But his note made her wonder who he’d named as his trustee if he didn’t have anyone else. Probably a lawyer, which for some reason made her sad.

  Hoping that Leo would be released tomorrow, Kim had been on the phone, working on transportation. The helicopter had got them there, but now they needed to get home. They were just outside of Vegas, but that was over four hours from Los Angeles via car or an hour in the air. She couldn’t book anything until she had a definite release day and the doctor was leaning toward keeping Leo a second night.

  They’d learned Leo’s cinematographer had finished shooting everything on Leo’s shot list—thank God—and took the footage to the editor, so that took a load off Leo’s bruised head. Kim fielded the dozens of phone calls from his team so he could get rest. Besides the different crewmembers calling to check on him, the list included his agent, manager, publicist and a number of women who quote, “had his number.”

  Kim set the dinner tray on the windowsill and moved the rolling cart next to Leo’s bed as he surfed the limited channels of the hospital television. Hearing footsteps behind her, she expected to see the nurse.

  “Hey, Leo. Hey, cousin.”

  It was the last voice she expected to hear. It probably shouldn’t have surprised her. A combination of annoyance and relief blew through her in a sudden wave as she took a deep breath and readied for the next few minutes. At least it wasn’t a stranger looking to spend time with Leo. It might not be too bad depending on how obnoxious Wilson acted.

  “Hey, Wilson. You didn’t have to come all the way out here,” Leo said as she faced her cousin.

  But Kim knew why he’d done it. Yesterday’s sun had deepened his tan and he looked as carefree as a puppy in a dog park. “Hi. This is a surprise. What are you doing here?” In Las Vegas instead of getting back to your conference?

  Wilson’s smile spread wide across his face and showed off a dimple he loved to flash. It was a dimple she’d teased him about for years. All the girls fell hard and fast for that little divot in his cheek. “I figured Leo might need some things, so after I helped take down the tents and reload the equipment yesterday, I brought his clothes and a few things you both might need to last you another night or two. I didn’t know how long he’d be here so…” He shrugged and handed her a stuffed backpack.

  “Thanks, man,” Leo said, downing the last bit of juice in his cup.

  “Wow.” He’d helped take down the set. That shocked her. “Thank you.” She took out a few items from the top. Leo’s clothes, his wallet and personal items that Kim hadn’t thought to bring along because she’d been so worried about him. She would’ve checked the contents of Leo’s wallet, but didn’t dare do that in front of Wilson. Besides, Leo didn’t carry that much cash on him anymore simply because he didn’t have that much money to flaunt.

  Wilson had just done her a giant service by bringing this bag. Now a whole huge heap of guilt settled on her chest along with a side of extremely grateful. The tiny niggle of doubt had to do with owing him something. But she shoved that aside for now.

  “This was really nice of you,” she said, stuffing everything but the clothes back inside. She opened the small closet and set them on the shelf at the bottom.

  “Just glad I was here to help.” Wilson gestured to Leo’s head. “What’d the doctor say? You’re going to be fine, right?”

  Leo gave him a thumbs-up. “Good as new in a couple of days.”

  “Great!”

  The three of them stared at each other in an awkward pause and the genuine smile on Wilson’s lips actually brightened her spirits. Leo was going to be okay and Wilson had done them both a huge favor. Life could be much, much worse.

  “So, where are you staying tonight?” Wilson asked her after looking back and forth between the two of them.

  Kim wouldn’t be surprised if he was looking forward to a night in Vegas. What better place to feed a gambling addiction. Part of her wanted to send him off with some money because he’d gone so much out of his way for them, but even as the thought materialized, she knew she couldn’t or wouldn’t put him in that position. Carolyn would probably haunt her from the grave if she did. “I planned to stay here,” Kim said. “I doubt the nurses will let both of us stay,” she added, in case he thought he’d pull up a chair and stay the night as well. That wasn’t going to happen. No way, no how. Though she completely appreciated everything he’d done, she wanted to be alone with Leo.

  “Oh.” His smile faded, but he nodded. “It’s okay. I can get a motel close by and hang around until Leo is released. That way I can take you both back to L.A.”

  “Wilson, you don’t need to do that. We can rent a car or take a flight.”

  “I won’t take no for an answer. Really.” Wilson waved off her excuse. “Leo was nice enough to let me come watch the filming and if I know you, you’ve been busting your butt making him comfortable for the last twenty-four hours. Besides, I drove all the way back here after helping the crew get everything to L.A.” He lifted his eyebrows, almost daring her to say no.

  Without Wilson they would have spent an exorbitant amount of money on a car service or an airline flight. Leo would’ve insisted on paying the bill when he couldn’t afford to. So, yes, her cousin was saving their butts and Kim would be pretty heartless not to appreciate it. Though she didn’t want to do anything that would indebt her to him, this favor was for Leo.

  Wilson lifted his phone. “You’ve got my number so just text when you’re cleared to leave. I’ll be here in a flash.” He patted Leo’s knee and didn’t seem to realize the grimace on Leo’s face at the contact. Both of his knees had serious road rash from the desert floor. “Hey, feel better soon.” Wilson sauntered out the door like he owned the place.

  Kim let out the breath she’d been holding.

  “Why do you look like you’ve swallowed poison?” Leo asked. He played with the edge of the bandage over a particularly nasty gash in his arm.

  He had enough on his plate without hearing her bitch about Wilson. She laughed off his question. “No reason. I’m just surprised Wilson came all this way for us.”

  “Nice of him,” Leo said.

  It was nice of him, so maybe it was time she had an attitude change toward her cousin. What if he had quit gambling? What if he had been helping Carolyn because he loved her and wanted to be there for her? What if Carolyn had it all wrong when she didn’t split her inheritance more evenly between them?

  Kim put herself in his shoes and thought about his reaction after meeting with the lawyer. She might’ve been just as angry. So, yeah, maybe he had a few bad habits, but maybe he wasn’t the heartless guy Carolyn had suggested. Maybe she should consider giving him part of the inheritance. She’d have to rethink all of it.

  Just like she’d had to rethink Leo. At the moment, she didn’t want to talk about her cousin. She wanted to talk about the man in the bed next to her. “Can I ask you something?”

  He adjusted gingerly under the sheet and shut off the television. “Sure. What?”

  “I’ve been thinking about you. About your reputation.” His eyes narrowed and she continued, “I don’t know if you remember what I said two months ago about you changing, but I think I understand something now.”

  “What?” He still had that hard skeptical look in his amazing eyes.

  “I think you’ve always been a good guy, you’ve just made sure the world hasn’t seen it. You deliberately give the press rag-worthy material to keep them busy so they don’t find out about Megan. Deep down, you’re a good guy.”

  It took him a few moments before he answered and he looked away from her when he finally did. “I guess that’s a matter of opinion.”

  She nodded. “Very true. And it’s my opin
ion.”

  Leo glanced out the door then back to her. “Don’t spread that around,” he warned her. “It’ll be our little secret.” Despite the big white bandage on his head and all the scratches on his face, the man oozed as much sex appeal as an Armani model dressed in a tux. The hot gleam in his eyes all but invited her to join him in his hospital bed.

  Kim resisted the urge, leaned back in the recliner and propped her feet on the footrest. What else did she need to learn about this man?

  With his moonstruck cousin and Leo whispering in the backseat of his car, Wilson considered driving into oncoming traffic. He pondered driving off the side of the road and into a telephone pole. He thought about slamming on the brakes and letting the occasional semi crash into them. All the different scenarios played in his head as he cruised down the 15 freeway toward Los Angeles.

  Problem was he didn’t want to be dead himself. So he’d have to wait and come up with a different plan to get his money from Carolyn—Kim. Damn, why did he keep doing that? Though he hadn’t intended to kill Leo Frost, he had to admit that watching them giggle and grope in the back seat made him wish he did. He hadn’t expected to be driving them like a goddamn chauffer, but Kim had insisted on sitting next to Leo instead of turning her head to check on him the whole drive.

  He hadn’t realized what a tough nut Kim was before now, but he was pretty sure he was wearing her down. For a while there, she seemed to be turning into Aunt Carolyn. No matter what he did or how much he helped, he got a cold shoulder and a look of disdain. Like he wasn’t worthy enough for the likes of them. But this trip had changed that.

  A big orange semi with a massive grill loomed in the distance and made Wilson consider the head on accident scenario anyway. Yes, he’d die with them, but he almost didn’t care. What did he have to live for anyway? Amanda? His daughter rarely even talked to him on the phone, so he doubted she’d miss him. Chloe sure as hell wouldn’t care. His ex had wiped him out when she left.

  Listening to the two people behind him whisper and giggle sent a red haze swirling in his brain. Their behavior only confirmed his suspicion that Leo was the father of her baby. Soft laughter had him glancing in the mirror. He didn’t plan to be the butt of their jokes for the rest of his life and the more they laughed at him the more his blood pressure skyrocketed.

  Bitch, bitch, bitch. He wanted her dead.

  The semi drew closer and Wilson laid on the gas. It would only take a small swivel of the wheel to get in his way. He figured they were both moving at about seventy miles per hour. It would be over before he knew it.

  His palms sweat furiously as he gripped the wheel tighter. He heard them laughing again and felt heat rise into his face as he shifted in his seat.

  In ten seconds. He didn’t have more time than that…

  Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three…

  Chapter Fourteen

  The car seemed to be moving especially fast and Kim reluctantly sat up to see what was happening. Wilson was fixated on the road, his knuckles white on the wheel. A drop of sweat rolled down the side of his face. Of all the things she had to worry about, she hadn’t expected getting home in one piece would be one of them. “Wilson, are you okay?”

  He jumped as if she’d scared the hell out him and the car swerved. A semi-truck in the opposite lane whizzed past them and his draft shook the car.

  “Wilson!” Kim’s pulse skyrocketed as she gripped the bucket seat in front of her. “Do you need me to drive? Are you okay?” That was a little too close for comfort. A few more inches and they’d be dead right now, splattered across the highway in pieces. A quick picture of what her parent’s accident might’ve looked like flashed in her head and Kim blinked it away. “Wilson?” she pressed when he didn’t respond.

  “Sorry,” he said, his breathing forced. He seemed almost winded and he wiped the side of his face with his arm. “I was thinking about something and lost focus. I’m okay.” He glanced at her from the rearview mirror and Kim slowly eased back, unsure if she should force the driving issue.

  Leo wrapped his arm around her and she leaned against his solid chest. His warm breath wafted by her cheek and sent a wave of chills across her nape and down her arms. “You smell good,” he breathed in her ear, his low voice sexy and all male.

  Kim tilted her head and faced him, looked into his beautiful thick-lashed eyes. “I smell like hospital soap,” she said, a smile curving her lips. “Clearly you hit your head harder than we all thought.”

  His grin cut a direct line to her girl parts down south and Kim forced herself to breathe normally. His hand spread wide over her stomach and Kim nearly stopped breathing. Had he done it intentionally, thinking about the baby or was it just his roaming hands at work? It made her very aware of the way he held her so possessively. Somehow they’d fallen into some kind of relationship with no boundaries. What were they? What did they mean to each other? They had great sex, they got along like best friends. He trusted her with his most important secrets—well, at least now he did—but when push came to shove, they weren’t a couple and he didn’t want the baby growing inside her.

  So why was she deluding herself? Why did she let him pull her close and whisper in her ear? Why did she fall into comfortable playfulness when it ultimately meant nothing to him? What was she doing falling for a guy who didn’t return her budding feelings?

  Hadn’t her past taught her anything?

  It wasn’t like he was rich, she argued with herself, so in that respect he wasn’t anything like the men in her past. And he treated her well when they were together. Problem was he didn’t want to be together with anyone permanently. He’d made that clear two months ago. Part of his charm was making a woman feel special…treating her like she was the only one in his world. Yes, they’d talked all the months she’d been gone, but the man wasn’t a monk. Even though he’d told her he hadn’t had sex in a long time before they’d gotten together didn’t mean he hadn’t jumped back into the swing of things once she left town. And he had every right to.

  Which broke her heart.

  Dammit. Why did she do this to herself? The same damn question kept revolving in her head. She was a dope. An idiot to the fifth power.

  “You’re thinking way too hard down there,” Leo whispered into her ear and Kim felt the ripple all the way to her toes. Just more torture for the woman who couldn’t seem to stop torturing herself.

  Kim extricated herself from his hold and sat next to him, facing him so she wouldn’t be tempted to lean on his chest again. “I was just thinking about my passport. Hope it came in the mail while we were gone.” Chelsea had sent it as requested, but somehow it got lost. The shipping company had located it and assured Kim it was en route, but by that time she’d been knee deep helping Leo with the movie. The sooner I get home the sooner I can…” get on with my life without you.

  He waited, his brows lifted in expectation, almost as if he’d heard the words she hadn’t said.

  “Um…get back to work…and stuff.” An actor she wasn’t.

  He chewed his lower lip. “Back to work…and stuff.” He nodded, clearly not buying her excuse. He opened his mouth to say something, but Wilson cut him off.

  “Did the Indiana DMV say how long it would take to send your license?” her cousin asked from the front seat.

  “A week to ten days,” Kim replied, thankful for the first time that she had a distraction from Leo. Maybe sitting in the back seat with him wasn’t the smartest idea. Not when she wanted to do more than just be his friend. If she had to admit it, she wanted the whole fairy tale ending and she knew that wasn’t going to happen with Leo.

  It had been years since she wished for something she couldn’t have. Leo wasn’t good for her. He was too much. Too big. Larger than life. And she’d promised herself she wouldn’t go down that road again.

  But he’s nice.

  She hated that voice in her head. The voice that argued with her resolve the rest of the way to L.A. as she sat next to Leo wish
ing she could rest on his chest, or play another game of thumb war. But the closer she stayed to him now, the more it was going to hurt when she left. It had been hard enough two months ago, standing in the airport security line with Leo. Although he hadn’t said the words, his actions spoke for themselves. He hadn’t wanted her to go. She’d been seconds from postponing her flight, from telling him she’d stay a little while longer, but that would’ve only prolonged the good-bye. So she’d told him to “go home.” And he had. Leaving her heart to chip into pieces with every step he took.

  The dotted white lines of the freeway zipped by in a blur. Wilson actually made pretty good time back to Los Angeles. He pulled up to Leo’s Hollywood Hills home and cut the engine. Leo’s Mercedes sat in the short driveway. One of the crewmembers must have delivered it. Hopefully they’d left the keys somewhere safe.

  “Who brought my car back?” Leo asked, voicing her thoughts.

  “I did,” Wilson said. “I didn’t want to drive it all the way to Vegas so I took my rental. I have your keys right here.” He dug in his pocket and came out with Leo’s keys. The man had thought of everything.

  “Thanks, man. I appreciate it,” Leo said, climbing slowly out of the backseat.

  Kim’s sucker of a heart made her guilty and she hustled to his side to steady him. The cool canyon air felt good after the stuffy car. Together, they took the steep stairs to the front door, Leo’s arm over her shoulder as she held him around the waist. Wilson brought up the rear with their bag.

  Leo unlocked and opened the door, snatching an official note posted on the frame before scanning the house as he walked in.

  “What’s wrong?” Kim asked, following closely behind. “Afraid Stella’s going to attack because we left her?”

  “No,” Leo scoffed. Then he reconsidered. “Okay, maybe.” He looked around the empty den. “I feel guilty for leaving her so long. What was supposed to be one long day turned into three. Stella? You here?”