"Because I knew if Kate was this miserable, Dasher had to be."

"But Kate just told me she was in love with Dasher. How did you-?"

Sighing theatrically, Stefanie said, "She's your sister, Laur. For all of her worldly ego stuff, she's a lot like you. Five years ago Dasher told me about a woman who broke her heart. Then Kate marches in with some c.o.c.kamamie story about meeting Dasher five years before. Oh, and I have eyes."

The silence that followed made Stefanie fidget, but Laurel wanted a minute to appreciate what her thoughtful partner had just done. Finally, Laurel gave her a ghost of a grin. "Well, at least this way they'll finally know, without the prying eyes of the paparazzi."

"Honey, you do realize that if this thing goes south, we've probably lost our star for opening night. And I'll have lost a good friend in Dasher and my future sister-in-law, whom I was beginning to like."

Stef seemed lost in doubt when Laurel abruptly pinned her to the wall beside the elevator and covered her face with kisses. She returned the favor but finally held her back and asked, "So I'm forgiven?"

"Did you just propose?" Laurel waited, wanting to know for sure if she had heard the words correctly.

"Well I...I...think I did. Wow, that was easy." Stef seemed astounded at what she'd just said. "But it feels right, Laurel. Will you? Marry me?"

Laurel got very close to Stef's ear and whispered, "Yes."

Stef turned Laurel around so she could ring for the elevator. As they rode up to their suite, she said, "Sometimes it's the reply that makes a question perfect."

Kate slid the key through the lock, receiving a green light as the lock disengaged. With Dasher standing just behind her she had the sensation that time had slowed and noises had intensified. The lock had the report of a cannon.

"Come in." Her voice was definitely shaky, and she was having a difficult time not trembling. Taking a few steps, she turned to see Dasher still in the doorway looking very unsure of herself. "Dasher, I can't do this alone. Either come in or leave."

Kate blinked, and when she opened her eyes, the door was closed and Dasher was within kissing distance. Kate had resolved to have that talk before she could even contemplate touching. She well knew what happened when she had any type of physical contact with Dasher. Her mind was hopping around like a disturbed monkey at this point, but if she felt Dasher's skin, all bets were off. She had to be rational about this.

Dasher obviously failed to read her mind because she tentatively raised her hand and ran her thumb the length of Kate's eyebrow, then cupped her face in her strong hands. The hands that Kate had fantasized about since their campout.

She melted into the touch, memorizing the incredible feel of their warmth. She was so absorbed in that moment that when Dasher's lips grazed hers she gasped and her eyes flew open to drown in the gray-blue depths that invited her. "Oh!"

"I want more than a kiss." Dasher's voice was husky, her fingers telegraphing the slightest tremble.

Kate searched her face for deception, her eyes for a look she knew well. Too often her suitors had wanted the exterior, not caring at all about the person she was inside. She saw none of that. What she did see made her heart hammer in her chest, probably because all her blood was draining to another pulse point.

"What do you want, Dasher? Who are you looking for?" She held her breath, waiting for something she'd never experienced before.

"I want you, Kate. I'm looking for you. Only you."

Their lips met in astounding softness, and their tongues touched in a delicate dance that stole her breath. She slid her arms around Dasher's neck and pulled her into a deep embrace, broken only by her need to take a breath.

"Dasher, I've never done this with a woman before. I've thought of it, but never-"

"We don't have to do anything."

Kate was at once relieved and irritated. And aroused-undeniably, horribly, wonderfully aroused. "The h.e.l.l we don't. Dasher Pate, if you don't touch me right now I'll never speak to you again. I mean it."

She was about to launch into a diatribe when Dasher swept her into her arms, marched her into the bedroom, and tossed her on the bed. She removed her jacket, the one Kate remembered from the photo shoot. Kate watched as she shed her shoes, then turned and gently took Kate's off as well.

Dasher climbed in the bed and lay beside her. She ran her fingers along the sleeve of the shirt Kate was wearing.

"I wondered what had happened to this shirt. I hoped you had it."

Kate knew she was probably blushing, but she told the truth. "I've only been out of this shirt to shower since I've been up here. I needed it."

Dasher smiled tenderly. "Then it's yours. Anything I have is yours."

She pulled Kate on top of her. They regarded each other silently, then Dasher reversed their positions and her weight on Kate was exhilarating. It was as though all these years Kate had been afloat, aimlessly drifting through s.p.a.ce, and now she was tethered and grounded.

The kisses started slowly, languorously. First her lips, her eyes, her ears. Oh, her ears. By the time Dasher reached her neck, Kate was squirming.

"Dasher, please." At that moment Dasher ground her pelvis into Kate's, and that did it. Kate was accustomed to acting pa.s.sionate for a film, but suddenly her clothes were too tight and she had to feel Dasher next to her, skin to skin.

She pulled Dasher's shirt from her jeans, and the two of them scrambled out of their clothes within seconds. Dasher stopped the moment they were both naked and stared reverently at Kate. Her eyes shone as she said, "My G.o.d, Kate. You are so lovely."

Immediately shy, Kate said, "Oh, Dash, if you've seen any of my films you've probably seen most of it before." She'd done a few topless shots at Joe's urging and they were circulated endlessly on the Internet. She hated that.

"No. That was the actress. I want only you."

Those words melted Kate's bones and flooded her with emotion. Dasher eased Kate back on the bed and settled between her legs, tentatively at first. She must have felt Kate's wetness because her breath caught and her pupils darkened. They kissed again, this time not holding back. She moved to torture each nipple with her tongue and teeth and worshipped them by pulling them into her mouth.

Kate had never enjoyed men touching her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, perhaps because that seemed to be all they thought about, that and bragging to their buddies that they had "nailed" Kate Hoffman. But when Dasher's lips touched her nipples, she arched toward her for more.

Kate felt Dasher's pa.s.sion when she dripped on her c.l.i.toris, and that only took her higher. She reached between them and almost came when she felt how swollen and wet Dasher was. Had she done this? Was the pa.s.sion just for Kate?

"Kate, I can't hold off if you do that. It's been so long." Dasher was panting and held herself up and back.

"I don't want you to hold back. Ever." She was almost desperate to have this moment, as though it might be their only one. She stroked the swollen flesh, then plunged inside this beautiful woman she knew she loved. She wanted their first time together to begin with her pleasuring Dasher.

Dasher stilled, then curled forward and shook. "Katie!" Then she pumped repeatedly onto Kate's hand and Kate watched, drunk with power of a very different kind than she had ever known. The intoxication came from making Dasher feel these things, from knowing that her love had caused Dasher to crash into oblivion.

Dasher collapsed onto Kate and Kate held her, tears of joy in her eyes. Finally, Kate knew what falling in love was all about, was certain that she was in love with Dasher.

After a few moments, Dasher began to trace a trail down Kate's stomach with her tongue and Kate thought about telling her to stop. But Dasher parted her and stroked the length of her before taking her swollen c.l.i.toris in her mouth to tug and suck on it. Her fingers slipped inside and then she used the tip of her tongue to a.s.sault the head of Kate's c.l.i.t. Just before Kate came she managed to look down at Dasher, and what she saw in her eyes filled her with so much emotion she stopped worrying that Dasher might not return her love. Then Kate lost her mind.

They continued making love until the early morning hours when, exhausted, they fell asleep. After a short time Kate slipped out of bed and found her phone she'd vaguely registered vibrating on the table the night before. The text message was from Joe Alder.

I'll ruin you both if you screw that c.u.n.t. You know I can do it. Get your a.s.s back here.

Tears streamed down her face as she sat alone in a corner of the sofa, trying to think of a way to save Dasher from Alder's viciousness. Leaving seemed to be her only option, but that seemed impossible now.

Dasher reached for Kate and found the bed empty but the spot still warm. Panicked, she jackknifed up to search for Kate. She wasn't in the bedroom and there was no light on in the bathroom.

Flying to the doorway she saw Kate, naked and huddled in a corner of the couch, quietly sobbing. She couldn't have been there long. What had happened to upset her so much? Had she pushed Kate too far? Perhaps Kate regretted their night together. Dasher couldn't breathe; she would hurt herself before she would hurt Kate.

"Kate?" Dasher went to her and took her in her arms, holding tight, feeling her warm tears on her breast while her own heart broke. Kate clung to her.

She knew she had to withdraw and let Kate make her decisions, but she couldn't help kissing her face, tracing the tears, crooning gentle nonsense to her to try to comfort her. She'd never love another woman, but she had to let Kate go, and her own tears soon mingled with Kate's.

Burrowing into Dasher's embrace, Kate sought her touch, her gentle kisses, which made her whole. She had to go back to LA, to handle her life, and maybe then she could offer Dasher something more than the mess she had created. If only she'd had the courage to love this woman five years ago.

Feeling Dasher's tears she opened her eyes and saw terrible sadness on Dasher's face. "Dash, tell me."

"I didn't mean to push you. I didn't want to force you into making love with me. I'm sorry."

Staring, Kate said, "What are you talking about?" Warning bells sounded in her head, urging her to be quiet, not say how she felt. This was the perfect out. But she couldn't, wouldn't let Dasher think that she was responsible. She'd had enough of that in her life. "All my life people have used me to get something for themselves. You have never done that. Dasher, I love you. Last night was the best night of my life. Are you listening?"

Dasher was mentally preparing to pack and leave when the words began to make inroads in her misery. Her heart stuttered, stopped, then roared almost out of her chest. "I love you, too!" She sounded like a p.u.b.escent teenager but didn't care.

They fell together, full of laughter mixed with the tears. Dash had never felt such joy. Abruptly she held Kate away from her and asked, "You were crying and I thought I was the cause. If not, why?"

The fear that crossed Kate's beautiful eyes made Dasher want to tear something to pieces. Dasher ground out, "Joe Alder. What did he do? I'm going to kill him."

A smile tugged at Kate's lovely mouth, then vanished. She reached for her phone and brought up the text message. Dasher read it, her face frozen by the time she realized what this could mean.

"You aren't leaving. You aren't giving in to this man."

Kate put a hand on her chest and a finger on her lips. "He's not welcome in our bedroom. Not now, not ever. He can't spoil the night we had." She caressed Dasher's breast, allowing her thumb to tease the nipple to attention. "Are you cold, darling?"

"Not anymore."

Kate watched Dasher's eyes turn from gray to indigo and touched her lips, swollen from the night before. She let her hands continue to explore the beautiful body that was still new to her. She wanted to know every inch of it: all of the tickle spots, all of the erogenous zones, every imperfection, every story. Then she planned to write a few of her own.

She reached to the magical vee between Dasher's legs and thrilled at the pa.s.sion gathered there. Slipping inside Dash, she pulled up, reveling in the gasp she received. Dasher called her name and sagged against her, making her whole body tingle in antic.i.p.ation of Dasher's climax.

"No." Dasher stilled her hand. "You. You are mine." She seemed barely able to choke the words out but determined to say them.

Time stopped.

Kate thought she might faint when Dasher sat back and delicately flicked her swollen c.l.i.toris with her thumb, then placed pressure right where Kate needed it. Suddenly, Dasher was everywhere, in every cell, taking away any self-control she thought she had. She came, wondering if perhaps she screamed, because the waves of sensation didn't stop and nothing existed in her universe but Dasher and the love she had just given and claimed.

When she could open her eyes again, Dasher lay next to her, gazing with such love that she ached from its fullness. "Did you come, too?"

A slight nod and a smile told her yes, but. She cupped Dasher and found her drenched. "But not enough."

The sun was peeking out from the fog by the time they slept again. They explored the limits of their pa.s.sion and found none.

Chapter Sixteen.

"He can't do a thing to me. The only way he can hurt me is by hurting you, and I won't let that happen," Dasher said. They had managed to get out of the bed and actually showered-together, then separately.

"I've tried to break the contract, Dasher. He has to consent and he won't. What he will do is make sure I get s.h.i.t jobs until I'm old enough to play Mrs. Robinson seducing some teenager. He's not above doing that. He'll also plant rumors and innuendo about you in all the rags, online, you name it. He'll try to undermine your list of talent. I've seen him do that with lesser-known names, and he's succeeded. He hates you."

"Yeah, I know. The more successful my clients, the more he clings to you. When I went to visit you in the hospital, he told me he'd have me arrested if I ever approached you again."

"Hospital? What hospital?" Kate thought back to her knee injury. "Did you come see me when I was injured? I must have been out of it or I'd remember."

When Dasher nodded absently, her creased brow told Kate that she was barely listening. Kate had dreamt Dasher was there, holding her hand. Then she vanished and Kate was left with a feeling of desolation when she woke up with only Joe there to yap at her.

Her phone sounded. They exchanged a look and she jumped when it warbled again. Tentatively she reached for it and checked the screen. "It's a text from Laurel."

After opening the message she read it and started laughing and, judging from the warmth on her neck, blushing. She handed Dasher the phone.

Hey, you two. Want to meet for breakfast? Brunch? Lunch? DINNER? Should we send in oxygen? We could dine in our suite so not everyone will tease you. Yet.

Sincerely, your sister Laurel and her FIANCEE Stefanie Dasher was turning a nice shade of pink when she yelped, "Katie! Stefanie must have proposed to Laurel. Well, I'll be d.a.m.ned. I never thought anyone would get Stef to the altar."

Grabbing the phone, Kate read it twice more. "Laurel is something else. She's my hero. She and Eleanor Roosevelt got me to invite you to my room last night."

Only vaguely aware of Dasher's head c.o.c.ked to one side, she immediately texted back, then handed the phone to Dash to approve. It was natural to want her input. What a marvel. Oh, and she really loved it when Dasher called her Katie.

Ahem. Congratulations! Of course we'd love to meet you for...dinner. Say 6:30? Love, K and D Dasher looked it over and nodded. Raising an eyebrow, she said, "You know, that's five hours from now. We might starve to death."

Kate grinned. "That's what mini-bars are for. Let's see what they've got because I have plans for you."

"Let's make that eight o'clock," Dasher mumbled as she reached for the phone.

Kate threw the phone on the table. "Like it or not, we have to emerge sometime."

Just then someone knocked on the door. Kate checked through the peephole and saw Ember Jones, sensational in a form-fitting black-and-white uniform, standing behind a food cart. She idly wondered if Ember prepared the food as well, then washed the dishes afterward.

Making sure they both were wearing something, she swung the door open. Ember, refusing to make eye contact and blushing a nice shade of magenta, pushed the cart into the room.

She stood back and grinned, then announced to the ceiling, "Compliments of the Hotel Liaison, our emergency cart," and vanished.

The cart contained five different appetizers, along with tea, coffee, water, and sodas. The note said, "Hydrate. Eat. You'll need your strength. See you soon, Laurel."

"My sister is getting way too much fun out of this."

Sliding her arms around Kate's waist, Dasher whispered, "Not nearly as much as we are."

"Good point."

At 6:30 they knocked on the door to Stefanie and Laurel's suite, and Laurel threw the door open just as Stef popped the cork on a bottle of champagne. Once each of them held a flute of bubbly, Stefanie said, "To love. Forever, love."

They toasted and drank, and Kate noticed that they all seemed to glow with optimism. "Say, when did you get engaged?"