Here Comes The Bride

Rebecca Winters

CHAPTER ONE

“MIRROR, mirror, on the wall. Who’s been the biggest fool of all?

“You have, Reese Bringhurst. But not after today!”

Wavy black hair framed the oval of her face with her well-shaped nose and wide, passionate mouth, the kind the camera loved.

Unfortunately, too many weeks of crying into her pillow every night had taken its toll. A little more base to cover the blotches of red, a touch more liner to accentuate the haunted China-blue eyes staring back at her, and her stage makeup was perfect.

It ought to be.

For two years she’d been applying it herself before leaving for the TV studio to play the minor role of Carly Shaw on a daytime soap. But today it was vital she do a flawless job. It was her wedding day on the set…and her swan song.

When the writers of Laguna Nights found out she was leaving the show, they’d decided to marry her off to her romantic lead, Alex Kieris, who played the part of Fabio Andretti.

Of course it meant the timid Carly would have to step out of character for the first time in her screen life and do something bold, like ask Fabio to marry her. But the writers didn’t worry about things like that.

It would provide the perfect surprise ending for the innocent Carly, who, for a whole year, had fought against her attraction to the older, worldly Fabio because she believed he and the beautiful, cunning Melissa were in a relationship.

According to Phyllis, the director of the show, Carly would be killed off in a tragic disappearance in the jungle surrounding Cancun on their behind-the-scenes honeymoon. Her body would never be found. That way they could bring back another Carly at a later date if they wanted to.

For now it would be the fictional end of the fictional Carly. As for Fabio, the black-haired, black-eyed Adonis who’d received more fan mail in the last year than anyone else on the show, the writers would find him a new love interest to frustrate the out-of-control-manipulative Melissa.

Reese got up abruptly from the stool of her dressing table. “It’s time for your real life to start. Say goodbye to Carly. In a little while, she’ll no longer exist.”

And she would never see her costar again…

Don’t think about him, Reese.

She couldn’t afford to remember the dozens of times he’d kissed the daylights out of her while the cameras had been rolling.

It was imperative she forget those torrid love scenes on the beach with the director orchestrating every gasp, move and sigh.

But most of all, she had to stop dwelling on the many times off camera when she and Alex had talked quietly about life while they’d been waiting for their scenes to be taped.

During those stolen moments, they would discuss their favorite books, music, art. He would give her glimpses into his childhood spent in Athens where he had been raised by his grandparents. Reese had wanted those conversations to go on forever.

For those who didn’t know, Alex was of Greek origin. He had come to America after his grandparents died. At twenty-five he’d gained U.S. citizenship. Apparently he’d done all kinds of work, even some local television in New York before coming out to the West Coast.

Though he acted the part of a flashy, cocky, self-important Italian on the screen, he wasn’t like that in real life. Quite the opposite in fact. He was very patient with her while she asked endless questions about Greece and its history.

Many were the times she’d been so fascinated by what he said, she’d forgotten where they were until the director had suddenly called out, “Places, everyone!” To her chagrin, those precious moments would be gone.

Alex would once again take on the persona of the seasoned charmer Fabio, who attempted to pursue Carly at every turn. For the last year on the show, it had been his mission in life to try to seduce the vulnerable, somewhat shy twenty-three-year-old with his experience and gorgeous male body.

Then six months ago Reese’s aunt Lilian had passed away unexpectedly from an aneurysm. From that time on Alex had been aware of her grief and had encouraged her to talk to relieve the pain. He’d turned out to be a wonderful listener.

So wonderful in fact that their talks had caused something to change for Reese. She couldn’t separate fantasy from reality. When the cameras were rolling and they got into those embraces where she would give in to Fabio before pushing him away, she might be kissing Fabio as the script dictated, but she found herself trying to reach the elusive Alex.

He was the person to whom she responded. She wanted their on-screen relationship to continue after they called it a day at the studio.

When she had realized what was happening, she had known it was time to leave the show. Without hesitation she had phoned her agent, who, after the proverbial weeping and wailing over a bad, bad career move, had taken care of the legalities.

To her surprise it had sent a minor shock wave through the cast and crew. She was no superstar. Far from it. Yet she and Alex had been voted the favorite couple at the soap opera awards. That had brought up the show’s ratings.

In front of everyone, Phyllis had flat out told her she couldn’t leave. Did she want more money? What? Phyllis hadn’t accepted it, and had urged her to think about it some more over the Christmas break.

It was very flattering to be asked to reconsider her decision, but Reese was in love with Alex. Painfully in love. Seeing him again after being separated for the holidays, she could no longer stay with the show and be kissed by him week after week when she knew he had no interest in her off screen. Rumor had it he was in a committed relationship with an older woman. That didn’t surprise Reese.

Certainly it would take a more mature, sophisticated woman than Reese to attract Alex and hold him. She would only be hurting herself to keep showing up for work wishing for something to happen between them when it couldn’t possibly come true.

Though Alex was always congenial, both off and on camera, there was a remoteness about him at times. She knew he’d just come back from spending Christmas in Greece. No doubt the woman he loved lived there. If he’d been forced to endure a long-distance relationship, it would explain why his private life seemed to remain so mysterious.

She stifled the sob in her throat and checked her watch. Nine a.m. Time to go.

Dressed in her usual T-shirt and jeans, she left the Burbank condo her aunt had willed to her, and hurried down to the underground garage. It was only a couple of miles from there to Television Central in Los Angeles.

Her last trip to the studio. Everything she did today would be for the last time.

Before long she drove into the huge parking lot packed end to end with cars. After getting out of her aunt’s old car, she sprinted on long, shapely legs past three sets of guards on her way into the building.

They called friendly greetings to her. As she turned and waved to each of them her ebony hair glistened in the rare January sun. The smog was almost nonexistent this morning, a good omen for what would be the most painful day of her life.

Though she’d known the loss of her parents in her early teens, and more recently had lost her aunt, she’d been forced to come to grips with their deaths. But Alex was alive, and the knowledge that he was involved with someone else was killing her.

More than ever she realized she had to remove herself completely from the acting scene if she hoped to get Alex out of her system.

“Good morning, Reese!”

Jerked back to a cognizance of her surroundings, she smiled at her favorite security man standing next to the metal detector.

“Hi, Bob.”

“Before you go inside, do you think you’d have time to autograph this for my daughter?”

She slowed down. “Of course. Is it for Julie or Chris?”

“Chris. She never misses your show.” He handed her the latest copy of Soap Craze.

To make it easier for her, he’d opened it to the page featuring some of the cast of Laguna Nights. He used his finger to point to the picture of her in Fabio’s hard-muscled arms.

There was Alex again. Big as life. As long as she came to this studio every day, she couldn’t escape him.

“Sign there, will you? It’ll make her day.” Bob handed her a pen.

Hard to believe Reese’s signature could make anyone’s day, but it was a phenomenon she would never complain about. Being an actress had brought in a terrific income, and she could never complain about the great working hours.

But she’d promised herself she would finish college. After today’s show, she was going back to school full-time at the University of California in San Diego to get her undergraduate degree in American History. It would take five more semesters. Then it was on to graduate school.

Anything to stop thinking about Alex, who was eight years older than her twenty-three. He was a self-made, hard-working man turned actor who because of his origins brought a fascinating dimension to his role as her would-be lover.

An awful emptiness stole through her at the thought of never seeing him again. This had to end. Thank heaven it was her last day. Their last taping.

Aware Bob was waiting, Reese signed the picture with a flourish, then handed everything back to him. Pasting another smile on her face, she hurried inside past the main foyer filled with pictures of famous television celebrities from the past. Her aunt’s face made up part of the collection.

Lilian Jaynes, the elder sister of Reese’s mother, had been one of the soap greats on Laguna Nights, playing the role of Kathryn Shaw right up to the week she died.

At fourteen, Reese had gone to live with Lilian after her parents had been killed in a car accident. Then halfway through college, just before she had turned twenty-one, she had got the surprise of her life. Her aunt had talked the producer into letting Reese audition for the part of Kathryn’s long-lost daughter Carly on the show.

Reese knew the storyline well. So often she and her aunt had laughed over the ridiculous scenarios the writers thought up.

Carly Shaw had been stolen by her father when she was a baby. Kathryn hadn’t been able to find them. When he’d died, the twenty-year-old Carly had searched for her mother and eventually found her so they could be united.

The role of Carly had had immense appeal for Reese because she’d loved her aunt and it would be easy to play the part of her daughter on the set. But acting hadn’t been Reese’s interest. She’d only auditioned for the part to please her wonderful aunt. She had never dreamed anything would come of it.

Amazingly, Phyllis had listened to them read together and loved their interaction. She’d pronounced it a match made in heaven.

So Reese had taken time off from school to play the part. She had a hunch her aunt had used her considerable influence to get Reese hired so the two of them could spend more time together. Reese had been deeply touched by her aunt’s desire to stay close to her and give her the love that her parents no longer could.

Lilian had been widowed early in life and never had children. As a result, she’d doted on her only niece. Theirs had been a loving relationship. Very special.

But now that her aunt had passed away, it was time for Reese to grow up and move on. Though she’d lost the people she’d loved, she’d never known anything but love from the three of them. Reese realized how lucky she was.

She was resolute in her determination to put this part of her life behind her; what she needed to do was get today’s taping over with and concentrate on the many blessings in her life.

Forget Alex Kieris, she told herself as she entered the large hallway. It divided set thirty-one from set thirty-two, where another soap was being filmed.

Like running an obstacle course, she dodged a dozen waiting actors, and avoided the huge props and deconstructed sets being rolled from storage to stage and back again. The show’s publicist wanted to talk to her, but she had to decline until after the taping.

With little time to lose she continued working her way to the other end of the hall. Wardrobe was up the stairs.

It was a good thing Reese always did her own hair and makeup before she came to work. She needed to change into her bridesmaid outfit pronto.

Patsy, the magician who dressed her and made everything work, was waiting for her. “Glad you decided to drop in. I was starting to get nervous. Heavy traffic?”

“The worst!” That was as good an excuse as any.

Reese averted her eyes before slipping out of her top and jeans. Patsy was right there to lower the sea-foam chiffon dress over her head. Like froth, it swept around her legs to the floor.

A matching broad-rimmed hat and three-inch pumps completed the outfit, bringing her height to five feet eight inches.

Costuming had made that decision. She was maid of honor, and she and Fabio, the best man who stood six feet three, would look better walking down the aisle together if she were taller.

“Your basket of flowers. The marriage license is rolled up and stuck in there with the roses.”

“Real white roses?” Reese lowered her head to smell the marvelous fragrance.

“Yeah. They just arrived.”

Reese turned to leave.

Patsy called her back. “Here’s the ring to give the groom.”

“Oh-can’t forget that.” She slid it on her pinky. “You’re a miracle worker, Patsy,” she said, taking it from the other woman. “I’m going to miss you.”

“We hate to see you go, but a person’s got to do what they’ve got to do.” She put her hands on her hips. “You look scrumptious, but you’re acting all quiet and jumpy. Something’s wrong.”

A small cry of surprise escaped Reese’s lips because Patsy could sense anything at all.

“Hey? Are you okay? Do you have a headache? I can get you some water and painkillers.”

She shook her head. “That’s so nice of you, but I’m fine, Patsy. Just keyed up. You know. The last day on the set.”

“I thought so. If you need anything, just let me know.”

I need for this day to be over.

CHAPTER TWO

REESE thanked Patsy one more time, then headed for the door. She walked down the stairs as fast as her heels would allow. The first thing she did was check the call sheets outside the stage. Virtually everyone in the cast was on camera today for the big wedding scene.

The main couple on the show, Miranda and Carlo, was getting married for the second time. Carlo had asked Fabio, his nephew from Italy, to be his best man.

Kathryn Shaw-Carly’s mother-and Miranda had been best friends. After Kathryn’s sudden tragic passing, Miranda had treated Carly like another daughter. But by doing so, she’d alienated her own only daughter Melissa, who hated her mother and had been fathered by Miranda’s first husband. He was in prison for embezzlement.

Melissa was in love with Fabio and so jealous of Carly, she’d tried to kill her several times. She’d adamantly refused to be the maid of honor at her mother’s wedding. Thus Carly had been chosen.

Off the set, Elaine Hirsh, who played the part of Miranda, was a wonderful friend and support to Reese. When her aunt had died, Elaine and her husband, along with Alex, had been right there to comfort her and make sure she wasn’t alone.

The whole cast had honored Lilian’s memory both on and off the set, but it was Elaine who’d taken Reese under her wing for real. Since the funeral they’d grown very close and had shared many private confidences despite their age difference.

Elaine knew the real reason Reese was leaving the show. Because she could remember how painful it was to be in love and not be able to do anything about it, she was the one person who hadn’t tried to dissuade Reese from her plans. In front of the others she’d applauded her decision to go back to the university and get her degree.

“Hey, Reese!”

She looked over her shoulder and saw twenty-eight-year-old Leah headed toward her in one of those slinky dresses that made the most of her voluptuous figure.

“That’s quite an outfit Wardrobe has put you in.”

“I wouldn’t be caught dead in it otherwise.” They smiled at each other. “It’s the pits you’re leaving the show. You have no idea how much I’m going to miss trying to kill you off.”

Reese chuckled in spite of her pain. “You’ll be getting your last chance today.”

“True, but as usual I won’t succeed, and you will get to fly off into the sunset with the breathtaking Fabio.”

“Don’t envy me. On our honeymoon, I get lost in the jungle, never to be seen again. You’ll have Mr Irresistible all to yourself.”

Her married friend grinned. “Don’t I wish. So what’s the real deal on Alex?” she asked, lowering her voice. “Is he taken? Like in for keeps?”

“Who wants to know?” Reese questioned noncommittally.

“Sally. She’s had a crush on him forever.”

Sally and a dozen other actresses.

A shiver ran down Reese’s back. She rearranged the flowers in the basket she was carrying, making sure the certificate lay on top for easy access.

“I don’t honestly know, Leah. Rumor has it there’s another woman, but he doesn’t share anything about his personal life with me.”

“Well, if you don’t know, nobody else does, that’s for sure. Since your aunt’s funeral, he has seemed a lot more attentive around you. I thought maybe he confided in you.”

“Afraid not. My aunt gave him some acting tips when he first came on the show. He liked her a lot, and knows I’ve missed her, so he’s been a good listening ear. That’s all.”

“That’s not all. Take a look at him in that tux.”

“I’m looking.” Reese had already sensed him coming before she’d actually caught sight of his tall, fit, male physique.

“So is every woman on both sets. Sally needs to cool it. You can tell he hates fawning women.”

That was exactly why Reese was leaving the show, before she made a fool of herself over him as Sally was doing. With his dark attractive features and olive skin, her heart couldn’t take much more.

“He’s headed our way. Lucky you,” Leah quipped. “If I were you, I’d make the most of that final clinch he gives you in the vestibule. After today’s taping, there’s not going to be any more of that to look forward to.”

Thank you for reminding me.

“All the emotion he puts out is strictly for the camera.”

“Come on,” Leah baited her. “Admit there were times when the temperature heated up between you two.”

“I admit he made our love scenes look passionate, but that’s because he’s a good actor.”

“Whatever you say.” Leah emphatically didn’t believe her. At Alex’s approach, the skin prickled on the back of Reese’s neck.

“Good morning, ladies. Brushing up on your lines?” he asked in his deep, cultured voice. He spoke with a slight Greek accent but saved his deep Italian accent for the camera.

Somehow Reese found the courage to lift her guarded blue gaze to his. “It can’t hurt. I’d like my final performance to go without a flaw.”

His black eyes gleamed. “You always do perfect work. It has made my part easy.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s true. You’re Lilian Jaynes’s flesh and blood. She was a master actress. So are you. When your fans find out you’ve left the cast of Laguna Nights, there’ll be mass mourning.”

But you won’t mourn over my absence. Reese would only have been a blip on the screen of his life.

“They’ll get over it as soon as the writers find you a new love interest.”

“Word has it they’re going to let me grieve for a few weeks, then I’ll take up my original vocation as an Italian monk. Without Carly Shaw, I no longer want to live in the world.”

“You made that up.”

On occasion Alex could be a tease. Maybe this was one of those times. If Patsy had been able to tell Reese was uptight, surely it hadn’t escaped Alex she was more nervous than usual this morning. No doubt he was trying to get her to lighten up.

But to her surprise he lifted his hands in defense. “I swear I’m telling the truth. Ask Stan. Melissa’s going to pretend to be a priest and smuggle herself inside the monastery to make my life hell.”

If that was true, then lucky, lucky Melissa. An ache passed through Reese’s body more intense than before.

His eyes narrowed on her face. “You were supposed to laugh. Are you having seconds thoughts about leaving the show?”

Her head reared. “None!”

“You don’t have to pretend around me. You wouldn’t be human if you didn’t have some misgivings about walking away from all your friends here.”

“Of course I’ll miss everyone, but acting’s not for me. When Aunt Lilian died so suddenly, I’m afraid any thespian tendencies inside me died with her. If my aunt had done something else for a living, the idea of being an actress would never have occurred to me.

“Let’s face it. My chance to play Carly Shaw on a soap opera was an absolute fluke. To be honest, I’m eager to get back to the university. In retrospect, two years away from the books makes me want to jump right into my studies again.”

“Still planning a graduate degree in Archaeology afterwards?” he inquired.

“I don’t know. My parents were hoping I’d follow them into their field, but I’m also thinking Anthropology. Maybe I liked this stab at acting as much as I did because I’ve always found people and their behavior fascinating.” Especially yours, Alex Kieris.

“Carly, Fabio, Melissa-church scene coming up next!” the stage manager announced.

Alex’s gaze swept over her. “Let’s go do it, shall we?”

They walked the short distance to the vestibule of the church where Carly and Fabio would link arms for the walk down the aisle ahead of the bride. Melissa took her position behind the back door where she could eavesdrop on their conversation.

When they were in place, Alex whispered, “Smile, Reese. It’s our wedding day. All the grief and misunderstandings between us are about to come to an end. In a few minutes we’re going to give the viewing audience a twist they’re not expecting.”

“It’s a twist with a sting,” she murmured, hoping he couldn’t hear her heart clogging up her throat.

He cocked his dark head. “That’s true. You’ve been on the show a year longer than I have. After losing Lilian, the fans are going to have a doubly hard time letting you go.”

He unexpectedly reached out to adjust her hat. At her questioning glance he said, “Just making sure the rim doesn’t get in the way of my kissing you at the altar. I don’t understand why they gave you a hat to wear.”

With a grin he said, “In Greece a bride wears a garland of flowers so the poor grooms don’t get injured before the honeymoon even starts.”

Reese had been right. The woman waiting for him in Greece was on his mind.

“This is L.A., and I’m the bridesmaid, remember? Normally I’m not the one who gets kissed at the altar.”

“You are this time! I may just remove your hat at the appropriate moment, so don’t be surprised.”

“You mean inappropriate, don’t you?” she teased, trying to put on a happy, carefree face so she wouldn’t give herself away completely. “After all the stunts you’ve pulled on me that weren’t written in the script, I don’t think there’s anything you could do that would shock me.”

His eyes glinted black fire. “I have to admit you’ve been a real sport to put up with me for the last twelve months. It’s proof of your great acting talent that every time I blundered, you covered for me without missing a heartbeat.”

That was where Alex was wrong. Around him her heart had stopped beating more times than he would ever know. It was the reason she was leaving the show now instead of putting off her studies for another year.

School seemed to be her only salvation. Being forced to immerse herself in her studies wouldn’t cure her broken heart, but if she wanted to obtain decent grades she wouldn’t have the time or luxury to wallow in pain. At least that was what she was telling herself right now.

He reached for her left hand.

“What are you doing?”

“Wardrobe handed me this gold band to put on your finger. Let’s make sure it slides on easily, otherwise I’ll have to put it on your baby finger.”

Baby finger… She loved his little language mistakes.

“You did say you wanted our last scene to go without a hitch.”

Biting her lip, Reese clutched the basket in her right hand while he checked the fit. She willed her body not to shake.

“Perfect sizing.” He slipped it back off. “But your hand feels like ice,” came the unexpected comment before he chafed it with his to warm her up.

“I have poor circulation.” She snatched her hand away.

“That’s news to me. I never noticed the problem while you were putting sunscreen on my back during our beach scenes.”

Before she could find a logical response, the pre-wedding march music started to play in the background.

“Places, everyone! Action!”

With those words, the two of them became Carly and Fabio.

Reese immediately slipped into the role and peered at Fabio from beneath the rim of her hat. “Is it true you’re going back to Italy after the wedding?”

His black eyes narrowed. “Why do you ask?”

Reese’s whole body throbbed with pain. “Just answer me, dammit!” she cried in a hushed tone, her eyes filling with tears.

He put out a finger to catch a drop, then rubbed the moisture around with this thumb. “Tears. From you?” he mocked. “I didn’t think it was possible.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”

“Did you ever give me the chance, bellissima?”

“I’m giving it to you now.”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t listen to her!” Melissa broke in on them with a maniacal look in her eyes. “I heard her tell Miranda she was in love with you, but she was lying! All this time she’s been sleeping with Carlo.”

Carly gasped. “That’s not true and you know it,” she whispered, enraged.

“Give me a break-” Melissa fired back. “Think about it, Fabio. That’s why you’ve never been able to get Carly in your bed.”

“You’re wrong, Melissa. The only reason I haven’t slept with Fabio is because I knew you were in love with him. I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“Ooh. You really know how to play hardball, don’t you?” Melissa’s furious gaze switched to Fabio. “The only reason she’s hitting on you now is so she can get her hands on your portion of the Andretti fortune.”

“There is no fortune, Melissa,” Fabio declared with quiet menace. “I gave it to the church when I entered the priesthood.”

“I wouldn’t want it anyway!” Carly cried. “Money means nothing without love. How can you stand there and accuse me of such lies? Carlo’s old enough to be my father. He’s always been in love with your mother. They’ve been like parents to me. Don’t listen to her, Fabio.”

“Don’t listen to her, Fabio,” Melissa mimicked brutally. “Get ready to die, Carly!”

Melissa pulled a gun from the thigh holster beneath her dress. But before she could shoot it, Fabio wrenched it from her hand.

“I might have known you’d try to ruin your mother’s wedding day,” he said with cold fury. “My uncle told me how their first wedding ended in disaster because of you, but you’re not going to get away with it a second time. Get out of here, Melissa!”

Two ushers seating people rushed into the vestibule. “What’s going on? The guests are waiting.”

“Escort this woman from the church and call the police to pick her up for threatening Carly with a deadly weapon.”

While one of the ushers dragged Melissa, who went kicking and screaming, the other one relieved Fabio of the gun.

After he disappeared, Fabio turned to crush Carly in his arms. “Are you all right?”

“Yes.” She struggled for breath. “Fabio-you didn’t believe her, did you?”

“What do you think? According to Carlo, she’s been unstable for years. Maybe she’ll finally get the psychiatric help she needs.”

“She was actually going to kill me.”

“Don’t think about that now.”

“How can I not?” she cried. “Oh, no-the wedding march has started up!”

CHAPTER THREE

“LET it!” Fabio fired back. “You were about to say something important before she tried to kill you.”

“There’s no time to go into that now.”

“Carly-Melissa just said that you told Miranda you loved me. Is it true? Tell me.” He shook her gently.

She swallowed hard. “Yes!” she cried at long last. “Even though you’re too old for me and I’m too young for you, it’s true. The difference in our ages no longer matters to me. I don’t care that Melissa loved you first. I can’t live without you, Fabio. W-what would you say if we got married today? We could make it a double wedding with Carlo and Miranda. She knows how I feel about you.”

A stillness ensued. “You’re asking me to marry you?”

“Yes.” Her voice trembled.

“You’re not joking.”

“No.”

“I didn’t know women in America did things like this.”

“They do when it’s a leap year. Today is February twenty-ninth, the day when a woman can ask a man to marry her.”

“That’s right…it really is the twenty-ninth. You do love me!” he cried.

“Yes, darling. In fact I took out a wedding license and signed it. All you have to do is sign it in front of the pastor after the ceremony, and our marriage will be legal.”

“Let me see it.”

She plucked it from the basket. He unrolled it and examined it, then lifted his head as if dazed.

“This is the real thing… All those times you told me you hated me and begged me to leave you alone, you were lying?”

“Yes!”

He folded the certificate and put it in his pocket. “I want to hear you say those words to me. Look at me, Carly, and tell me you love me.”

Don’t call him Alex, Reese. Whatever you do, don’t call him by his real name!

She finally lifted her eyes to his. “I’m in love with you, Fabio. I always have been, from the moment Miranda first introduced us. But I knew Melissa was in love with you, too.

“Out of respect for both of them, I didn’t dare let you know how I really felt. Also, I didn’t think you could be interested in someone like me who’s lived such a sheltered life. But the thought of living without you is unthinkable at this point.” Reese’s heart was on fire for him. “Will you marry me today? Right now?”

He flashed her the heart stopping smile for which he was famous. “That all depends. How long do you intend our marriage to last?”

Reese had been waiting for him to slip in a line that wasn’t in the script. With that last question, he hadn’t disappointed her. It was his way of having some fun with her for the last time.

“Forever,” she whispered fervently.

“Do you have any idea how long I’ve waited to hear those words?” His voice rang with raw emotion. “Here’s my answer.”

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her as he’d always kissed her for the camera, as if he really meant it. But it was a stage kiss, pure and simple. Unfortunately his acting ability was so incredible, Reese almost forgot the scene was being taped.

“I love you, Fabio, but we’re holding up your uncle’s wedding.”

“I don’t care. When he finds out we’re getting married, too, he’ll understand.”

“Fabio? Please-we mustn’t make Miranda any more nervous than she already is. By now she probably knows Melissa tried to kill me. We can’t do this to her!”

“Do what?” He captured her mouth again.

“We have to think of everyone in the church waiting for the wedding to begin,” she cried when he eventually let her catch her breath. “It wouldn’t be fair to hold it up any longer.”

“You’re right.” He slowly relinquished his hold. His eyes played over her in adoration. “After the ceremony, we’ve got the rest of our lives to be together. Come on, bellissima. I can’t wait to say our vows in front of everyone.”

With her whole body throbbing from the hungry kiss he’d given her, Reese slipped her arm through his. Alex clamped it tightly against him. They began their walk past the vestibule doors and down the aisle. The guests seated in the pews stood up.

Reese knew her cheeks were on fire from the heat of her emotions. Since that last kiss they were spinning out of control.

She studied the smiling faces of all the cast members who were dressed up for the occasion looking splendid. Every face was dear to her.

As memories of two wonderful years flashed through her mind, she smiled back through the tears. Her aunt would have loved this scene. She would have been sitting on the front row beaming at the two of them.

Alex gave her hand a little squeeze before she took her place at the left of the altar. No doubt the hidden gesture was meant to congratulate her for improvising a line at the last second.

He took his place next to Carlo, and the wedding march began.

They turned to watch Titian-haired Miranda, who approached the altar with paced steps. She was dressed in a white silk suit. Every woman should look so beautiful at forty-five. She carried a sheaf of fresh white flowers and had eyes only for Carlo.

Many times during an emotional scene, the cast members forgot they were acting. This was one of those moments. Reese could believe Miranda and Carlo were getting married for real.

When Miranda reached Carlo’s side, the pastor entered the front of the chapel through a side door. Reese didn’t recognize him. Evidently Phil was sick today and someone from the acting pool had been called in.

The pastor looked out over the crowd. “Please be seated,” he said with solemnity.

When the congregation did his bidding, his gaze fell on the people standing directly before him.

“Dearly Beloved, we’ve assembled in this place to witness the marriage of two of God’s children. There is no holier union on earth as Carlo and Miranda have already discovered. It’s the reason they’re renewing the vows they spoke to each other five years ago.

“The bond between them has grown stronger through adversity. Today they wish to celebrate their great happiness with their friends.

“Miranda? If you’ll let Carly hold your flowers?”

Carly reached for the bouquet.

“That’s fine. Now, Miranda? I want you and Carlo to take each other by both hands and look at each other while you repeat your vows.”

For the next few minutes Reese listened to the words. The ceremony was as stirring as some of the real weddings she’d attended at church.

“Pastor Wood?” Fabio broke the silence.

A cry of surprise echoed through the congregation.

“Forgive me for interrupting, but when you hear what I have to say, I know Carlo and Miranda will understand.”

He cleared his throat, as if he was having trouble keeping a rein on his emotions. “A few minutes ago, Carly did me the great honor of asking me to marry her, and I said yes. She has made me the happiest man in the world.”

Cries of delight came from the congregation. Everyone looked at Carly, but the only eyes she saw were those of Fabio, staring at her with burning intensity.

Alex was a magnificent actor all right.

His gaze finally swerved to the pastor. “Carly and I have been listening to the ceremony as if it were our own. With your blessing, Pastor, we would like to say our final vows with Carlo and Miranda. I have the marriage license in my pocket for you to witness and sign afterwards.”

Reese’s pulse started to run away with her. Even though this was all scripted, more than anything in the world, part of her wished it were really happening.

The pastor smiled. “I can’t think of anything that would please me more, Fabio. There had to be a reason you left the monastery to enter the world again. Your union with Carly will be holy, too. The children born to you will bless that union even more.

“Carly, my child? I’ve felt your love for Fabio. I’ve seen it in a dozen subtle ways over the past year. I know what has been in your heart. Therefore I couldn’t be happier to marry you to the man you’ve loved in secret. Now that love can be let out into the open where everyone can rejoice with you.

“If you’ll give the flowers and the basket to Christine, I’ll ask you to join Fabio over here.”

Christine, played by one of Reese’s favorite actresses on the set, was seated on the first row. She relieved her of her props.

With each step Reese took toward Alex, her heart thudded harder.

“Carly? Take Fabio by both hands.”

At the moment of contact, she felt light-headed. To lift her eyes and look at him without giving herself away was the hardest acting she’d ever had to do. The pastor took them through the vows.

“Repeat after me. I, Carly Shaw, take thee, Fabio Andretti, to be my lawfully wedded husband, to love and adore from this day forth.”

Long ago the line between Fabio and Alex had blurred for her. Looking into his jet-black eyes, she said, “I, C-Carly Shaw, take thee, Fabio Andretti, to be my lawfully wedded husband, to love and adore from this day forth.”

“Fabio? Repeat after me, I, Fabio Andretti, take thee, Carly Shaw, to be my lawfully wedded wife, to love and adore from this day forth.”

He gripped her hands tighter. “I, Fabio Andretti, take thee, Carly Shaw, the most beautiful love of my life, to be my lawfully wedded wife. I promise to watch over you, to care for you in sickness and in health, to love and adore you from this day forth, and forever.”

Alex’s elongated speech was his second deviation from the script. It sounded heartfelt. Every fan out there would melt on the spot.

The pastor smiled at all four of them. “Now, by the power invested in me by the church, I pronounce both Miranda and Carlo, and Carly and Fabio, man and wife.

“What God has joined together, let no man put asunder. You may exchange rings, then kiss your brides.”

Alex swept Reese in his arms first, as the script directed. The force of his embrace dislodged her hat, which fell to the floor. He’d warned her.

After he’d kissed her long and hard, he slid the band on her finger. She in turn removed his ring from her pinky and, with a trembling hand, pushed it onto his ring finger.

“You’re mine now,” Fabio said, before kissing her hands.

After Carlo and Miranda had exchanged rings, the pastor raised his hands in benediction.

“Members of the congregation? May I present the two Mr and Mrs Andrettis. You may give them your best wishes in the vestibule of the church.”

Wedding music accompanied their joyous walk down the aisle behind Carlo and Miranda. Alex kissed her neck several times, playing the part of the besotted bridegroom to the hilt.

The cameras stayed on them as everyone followed them into the vestibule. Immediately both couples were converged upon with kisses and congratulations.

While Carlo hugged Miranda, the pastor, who stood at the offerings table, took Fabio and Carly aside for them to put their signatures on the license and certificates. When their business was concluded, Fabio waved the papers in the air.

“It’s official, cara. You’re my wife now.”

“Fabio-I love you so much!”

Again the newlyweds embraced.

“Ah-h-h,” everyone murmured.

The cameras stopped rolling.

“Great take, guys!” Phyllis declared. “I’m in tears, and that’s never happened before. After you get changed, come on back to the set. It’s party time for Reese. One day I might forgive her for leaving us, but I’m not making any promises.”

CHAPTER FOUR

REESE pulled her hand from Alex’s grasp and left the set before anyone could detain her. She passed Leah on her way up to Wardrobe. The actress who’d gone off stage earlier had already changed into slacks and a knit top.

“You look comfortable, Leah. I have to admit I can’t wait to get out of these heels.”

“I know what you mean. Those spikes they made me wear almost killed me before I could pull the gun on you.”

“You know something? You had a wild look in your eyes that could have scared me under other circumstances. You deserve to get the best villainess award again this year.”

“We’ll see.”

“I’m not kidding. You’re so good at being bad, it’s frightening.”

“Thanks. Let’s talk after you get changed.”

“I’ll be down in a few minutes.”

It didn’t take long for Reese to divest herself of the dress and shoes. Soon she was back in her jeans and T-shirt.

She returned everything to Patsy, including the ring Fabio had put on her finger. One of the assistants in Wardrobe would sweep the set for any props left around.

“You’re coming down to the party, I hope?”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Patsy declared. “Thanks for the beautiful flowers, Reese. They arrived a few minutes ago. What a surprise!”

“Good. I’m glad they got here before I left. No one deserves them more than you. In fact I’m going to see if a best service award can’t be given out on the night of the soap awards. You’d win it hands down, Patsy.”

She smiled. “That’s sweet for you to say. You’ve made my day.”

“You’ve made mine every morning for the last two years. I’ll never forget.” After hugging her, Reese walked over to the dressing table to remove her makeup.

Patsy followed. “Do you know something? You’re just like your aunt Lilian. She always remembered everybody, too. I bet you miss her.”

Reese blinked back the tears threatening. “You’ll never know.” Especially right now. When she’d never been in such pain in her life, how could she possibly go home to an empty condo and pretend everything was going to be all right?

After every bit of makeup had been removed, she applied lotion to her skin and put on her own pink frost lipstick. With a flick of the brush through her thick black hair, there was nothing else to do but go downstairs and face her peers with a happy face.

Little did they know she would be putting on the greatest performance of her existence in front of them.

Patsy had already left by the time Reese jumped up from the chair and hurried downstairs. When she entered the set, she noticed everyone congregated around a couple of banquet tables enjoying a catered lunch smorgasbord style. On another table were half a dozen bottles of champagne and glasses.

Elaine started clapping when she saw Reese. Pretty soon she was surrounded by cast and crew alike with more hugs and best wishes for the future.

While she was filling her plate with Swedish meatballs and pasta, she saw Alex walk in. Through veiled lashes she noticed he’d changed into a white polo shirt and navy cargo pants.

He was such a striking man, Reese purposely struck up a conversation to avoid looking at him. But she was feverishly aware of him working his way through the crowd, smiling and talking with everyone.

Leah walked over to her with the mike. “It’s time for speeches! Let’s hear it from you, Reese.”

For once Reese was center stage without a script. “This is scarier than acting.” Her comment provoked laughter. “Whoa… I knew this was going to be hard.” Her throat had swelled.

She could feel Alex’s dark gaze. “I’ve had the time of my life with all of you. You’ve been like a family to me. When Aunt Lilian passed away, you were there to support me. I couldn’t have gotten through some of those difficult hours without you.”

Emotion got in the way. She waited for a minute to gather her composure. “My parents were big on academics. They both got their doctorates in a field they loved. Though they would have supported me as an actress, I know they had other dreams for me.

“Even Aunt Lilian knew I wouldn’t stay with acting, but I’m so glad I was given the opportunity to work with her. Thank you for that, Phyllis.”

“You’re welcome, darling. You’re a natural. If you ever decide to come back, we’ll always be here.”

“Thank you. Thanks, everybody. Be assured that when I’m home studying, my TV set will be permanently turned on to Laguna Nights. Among other things, I have to watch Melissa’s reaction when she finds out I disappeared in the jungle.”

Another lie. Reese had no intention of ever watching the soap again. It would be too painful, but the cast members didn’t need to know it. They laughed and cheered.

“In fact I can’t wait to learn what horrible scheme she has in mind for the next man unlucky enough to be her obsession. Do we know who that is yet, Stan?”

The head writer nodded.

“Obviously you’re not going to give out any secrets today.” She would have to wait two months to find out if Alex had been teasing her about the new storyline or not.

“Sorry.”

“That’s all right. Now that I’m out of the loop, I’ll just have to be patient like our fans.” She flicked her gaze to the attractive man she wouldn’t be seeing again.

“Alex? I couldn’t leave without letting you know it has been a great thrill for me to be cast opposite you. I’m the envy of every woman with a television set.”

All the women cheered loudly.

“Ladies? I’ll let you in on a little secret. Leah? Are you listening?”

“Yes,” her friend said with a broad smile.

“I cannot tell a lie. He could heat it up all right. I’ve been in meltdown the entire year.”

“I knew it!”

The place went wild. There was more cheering and clapping and good-natured funning as everyone teased her and Alex.

“From now on the guys I date are going to have to pass the Alex Kieris test or they’re out of the running.”

There was an enigmatic smile on Alex’s face as he approached her and grabbed the mike. “Unlike my costar here, I’ll never kiss and tell. But I will say that playing opposite Reese has been an unforgettable experience. One I wouldn’t have missed.

“Between her and Lilian, I was able to get my feet wet in this business without completely floundering.” He turned to Reese. “I’m going to miss you, Carly Andretti.”

A strange glint in his eye made her suddenly nervous.

“I hope I can be forgiven for doing something that hasn’t been scripted. You guys are getting a preview of our off-the-set honeymoon. After all, she is my wife now!”

In front of everyone, he pulled her into his arms and gave her the kind of passionate kiss for which Fabio Andretti was famous. It went on and on until there was thunderous applause and wolf calls.

Since he was hamming it up, she decided to let herself go this once and really kiss him back. No one would know this farewell kiss was for Alex, not Fabio.

“Go, Carly!” some of the cast chanted.

When it appeared Alex was enjoying her abandoned response and had no intention of ending it, Reese had to be the one to break it off.

“Whew!” She turned a flushed, smiling countenance to the audience and fanned herself. “In your face, Melissa!”

The cast roared with laughter.

At this point Leah took over the mike. “Don’t anyone leave until we raise our glasses to Reese in a toast.”

To Reese’s dismay, she’d left hers behind on the table. Maybe it was just as well. She would have choked on her champagne.

“To Reese. Health, happiness and a long life wherever your road takes you.”

While the others clicked glasses and finished off their drinks, Alex made another surprise move by sipping his champagne, then putting the glass to Reese’s lips. She had no choice but to drink a little of it from the same place on the glass where his lips had been.

Her legs wobbled like jelly.

“Hey, Reese?” Brad called to her. “I need to talk to you for a minute.”

For once she was thankful the show’s publicist never gave up. “Coming!”

Without daring another glance at Alex, she handed back the empty glass to him and followed Brad into the hall. But once she’d moved past the doors, instead of stopping to chat, she kept on walking down the hall toward the front entrance of the building.

While she made her escape, Brad had to run to keep up with her. “Where’s the fire?”

“To be honest, I don’t have time for an interview right now. I’m sorry.” She wiped her eyes so he wouldn’t see the tears.

“I know it’s tough to leave. Just give me a few words while I walk you to your car.”

She whipped out of the front door and kept up her fast pace clear across the parking lot.

“Where will you be going to school? I need a little information for the show’s Web site. The word’s going to leak out that you’re no longer a cast member. Soap Craze will start hounding me. You know how that goes. I’m going to be besieged with questions.”

“I’d rather not say. The sooner I’m anonymous, the better.”

“Winter semester won’t start for another week. What’ll you do in the meantime?”

“Volunteer work.”

“What kind?”

“Hospitals. Kids.”

“Who’s the latest man in your life?”

She climbed in her car. “I don’t have one, Brad. If you value your job, don’t quote me wrong.”

“Would I do that?”

“Yes. That’s what you’re paid to do. Go pick on Alex. Maybe you can find out the name of the secret woman in his life.”

His brows lifted. “Oh, yeah? You know something I don’t?”

“No. That’s your department. I’m out of here.” Flashing him a bright smile, she shut the door, turned on the ignition and started to back up.

Brad shouted something to her but she kept on going. Right into another car.

“Oh, no!” she cried as she heard the clank of metal against metal. For once in her life she’d forgotten to look first.

With her adrenalin surging, she jumped out of the car to see how much damage she’d done and ran straight into Alex. He steadied her with his hands. What was he doing out here?

“I hit you?” She half gasped the question.

His lips twitched. “Let’s just say you caught the rear bumper of my truck.”

“I’m so sorry-” She tore her eyes from his and moved away from him to see how bad it was.

She couldn’t find anything but a scrape mark on his fender, but the back left door of her car had a good-sized dent.

“It’s my fault,” she moaned. “For once I didn’t look where I was going.”

“It’s both our faults,” he muttered. “I wanted to block you off before you got away.”

With those words Alex had her full attention. Her heart started to race. She turned toward him. “Why would you want to do that?”

He eyed her intently for a moment. “After you call your insurance company, I’ll tell you. But first we need to get our vehicles out of the way. Why don’t you park yours? Then I’ll join you.”

Without waiting for her response, he got in his truck and moved it to the nearest parking space while Reese moved her car back where she’d parked it before. In another minute he’d climbed into her passenger seat.

She’d already pulled out the insurance card she carried in her wallet and had started to make the call. Soon she was able to give out the details. “Yes. It was my fault. I forgot to look.”

The man on the phone asked for her opinion of the damage to Alex’s truck. Reese bit her lip before looking at him. “How much do you think it will cost to fix your bumper?”

“The scrape mark can be rubbed out. Don’t worry about it.”

“But-”

“Here. Let me talk to them.” He took her phone from her. “This is Alex Kieris. I’m the one who caused the accident, not Ms Bringhurst. Send the bill to my insurance company.”

Reese listened as Alex gave the man the particulars. After hanging up, he handed her back the phone. “Why don’t I follow you to your car dealership? Then we’ll talk.”

She shook her head. “I don’t want to put you out any more than I already have. These things take forever.”

“Work’s over for me today. I have no plans. Are you in a big hurry to be someplace special?”

“I was.”

“Then let me help you.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Because you’re not nearly as brave as the front you put on for everyone today. You may not want to be an actress, but it still couldn’t be easy to walk away from all the people your aunt loved, only to go back to her empty condo.”

“You’re right.” Reese’s voice throbbed. “I was going to take a long drive.”

“Then let’s do it together.”

“Why?” she asked him again because, so help her, she couldn’t think, let alone speak when he was sitting in the intimate confines of the car with her.

“Would you believe me if I told you, ‘I’ve grown accustomed to your face?’” He sang the last. Alex had a nice singing voice.

“No.” She laughed to hide her chaotic emotions. “With a talent like that, you could perform on Broadway.”

“Wrong side of the country. I’d rather spend the rest of the day with you.”

“And?” she prompted him.

His mouth curved upward. “You know me well, don’t you? Actually, I’d like your opinion about something. What do you say? It would be doing me a great favor.”

She found herself staring at him. “Considering that I ran into you, you’ve put me in a position where I can hardly afford to turn you down.”

His eyes flickered in satisfaction. “Good. I’ll meet you at the dealership.”

This time Reese looked before backing out. Only now did she notice that Brad had disappeared a long time ago. By the time she reached the gate of the studio parking lot, Alex was right behind her.

She knew why he was doing this. He was the sort of man who didn’t forget a kindness. Her aunt had taken a special liking to Alex. In the early days, she’d invited him to the condo where she could teach him some of the acting tricks of the trade. The fact that he was a quick study artist was a testament to his natural acting prowess.

Reese had looked on with great interest and pleasure, occasionally being pressed to act a part to help Lilian put over a point. Now that she had passed away, he felt it incumbent to be Reese’s friend on this day of transition from actress to ordinary mortal waiting for school to start.

It was his way of paying Lilian back for those hours of friendship and instruction that had bonded the two of them. But some time during that period, Reese had also grown attached to the charismatic man who’d treated her as he might treat a sister.

He showed her the greatest respect. It was a tribute to his professionalism that he was careful how he handled their love scenes. Off the set, he never touched her or made comments that could be misconstrued.

Except for scenes shot on location at the beach in Laguna, he’d never gone anywhere with her after the taping of a scene was over.

No question about it. Alex had always been the complete gentleman. Only today at the party had he acted out of character and kissed her in front of everyone. Nobody thought anything of it.

But Reese still hadn’t recovered. Was it any wonder she’d backed straight into him?

CHAPTER FIVE

THE five-mile drive took a good twenty minutes in the lunch-hour traffic. When Reese pulled into the bay of the dealership, Alex stopped his truck short of the overhead door to wait for her.

The guy in charge came over to get her paperwork done. During the litany of questions, he kept glancing at her.

“You’re Carly!”

She nodded. “I’m surprised you recognized me without my makeup.”

“I’d notice you anywhere, any time. We have a TV in the office. Most weekdays we watch the soaps. Laguna Nights is the favorite around here.”

“The producer will be happy to hear it.”

“You’re even better looking in person.”

“Thank you.”

“Would you be willing to come inside and sign a couple of autographs for the guys? I’d consider it a personal favor.” The male interest in his eyes almost blinded her.

“Sorry,” sounded a deep, familiar voice with the fake Italian accent that sounded authentic. “She has other plans for the rest of the day.”

Alex had joined them. Without hesitation he opened the door and helped her out. “We’re in a hurry. You know how it is.” He kissed her unsuspecting lips in proprietorial fashion.

“You’re Fabio!” The other man sounded dazed. He wasn’t the only one in that condition.

“That’s right. She’ll call you later to find out when she can expect her car to be repaired. Let’s go.”

Alex put his arm around her shoulders and ushered her to his truck. “I couldn’t resist,” he confessed as he helped her into the passenger side. “If that guy’s eyes had gotten any bigger, they would have fallen out.”

The picture he’d painted made Reese chuckle. “Except that he was even more excited to discover your identity. You’re as famous as any movie star with top billing.”

“Don’t kid yourself. He was getting ready to make his big move on you. I bet it happens to you all the time,” he said as he got in his side and backed the truck around.

“Not as often as you think. From what I hear, you’re the one who has the most trouble in that department.”

“Where we’re going, neither of us will have to worry about our privacy being invaded.”

“I didn’t know we could go to the moon.”

A smile hovered at the corner of his sensuous mouth. “The destination I have in mind isn’t quite that far away.”

“If you mean the rental car place, the closest one is about three blocks from here.”

“I’ll take you there later. For now let’s just relax and enjoy this unexpected sunny day.”

His suggestion sounded heavenly.

She fastened her seat belt. If she was dreaming, then so be it. “What did you do during the holidays?”

Alex made a U-turn out of the lot and headed for the street bordering the dealership. “I had a lot of unfinished projects around here.” He flicked her a glance. “What did you do?”

“I spent it with a friend in La Jolla.”

“Cammy?” he asked once they’d merged with the traffic.

He had an amazing memory. Cammy was Reese’s childhood friend. They’d grown up together on the same street in La Jolla. Now she was married and had a baby.

“Yes. We drove around looking for a rental home for me near the university.”

“Did you find one?”

She nodded. “I’ve decided to let someone lease my aunt’s condo. It will pay my rent and feed me so I won’t have to work while I’m going to school full-time.”

“What are you planning to do for the next week until classes start?”

Brad had asked her the same question. “Volunteer at the hospital.”

“That’s a noble way to pass your time.”

“Aunt Lilian was the one who got me interested. She did it for years.”

“Your aunt was a remarkable woman. So are you.”

“Thank you.” His compliments were making her nervous. “Look, Alex-I know you’re trying to pay my aunt back by looking out for me today, but it really isn’t necessary. I’ll be twenty-four on my next birthday and am a big girl now.”

“I’ve noticed,” he inserted in a tone that sent a wild shiver of excitement through her body. “I waited a whole year for the kind of kiss you gave me at the party.”

Her breath caught. “That was for fun.”

“It felt like a lot more than that to me, and I ought to know better than any man…unless you’ve been seeing someone behind my back.”

“What do you mean behind your back?”

“Exactly what I said. Who’s the man in your life who has opened you up and made you give more freely of yourself? I thought I knew everything about you.”

She blinked. “There isn’t another man.”

“The guy at the dealership would never believe it.”

“I don’t care what he believes.” She eyed Alex covertly. “I could ask you the same question. Who’s your secret woman?”

“If you really want to know, I’ll tell you about her later. How’s that?”

“Is it serious between you two?” She could have shot herself for asking the question, but it was out now and she couldn’t take it back.

“Very.”

She clutched her hands together and stared blindly through the side window, away from him. “I see. Is she an actress, too?”

“No.”

They’d come to the Pacific Coast Highway. He turned right and joined the stream of traffic headed north. Suddenly the mood between them had darkened. With every mile, her agony increased.

Agreeing to spend the rest of the day with him was the worst mistake of her life.

“Alex, I-”

“Don’t worry,” he cut her off. “We don’t have a long drive. I promise to feed you.”

“I ate at the party.”

“One mouthful. I watched.”

She took a ragged breath, not knowing what to say. His behavior was so different than usual. Always before he’d treated her like a cherished sister. But ever since she’d backed into his truck, it felt as if everything had changed. In some indefinable way, he’d changed.

The next sign came into view. Malibu lay just around the curve in the highway.

Like many Hollywood stars, Clark Robison, the actor who played Carlo on the show, lived there with his wife and family. One evening soon after Reese had gotten the part of Carly, he’d invited the cast to a party at his fabulous house in Topanga Canyon.

Reese could still remember standing on his deck, trying to imagine what it would be like to live in such a paradise with the man you loved. At that point in time, Alex hadn’t arrived on the scene yet.

What an irony that, almost two years later, she discovered herself sitting next to the man of her dreams at the very moment the truck passed the turn-off for Clark’s home.

She studied the landscape. Amazingly, the chaparral-type vegetation that had gone up in flames from the terrible fires of the recent past had grown back a lot since she’d come to Malibu for the party.

“Here we are,” Alex broke in on her thoughts. He’d turned left at the light and had driven them into the parking area of a one-story building on the ocean side of the highway. There were a dozen workmen moving about. The place was obviously undergoing major renovations.

He read the question in her eyes.

“Once this was an art gallery. As you can see, a lot of it was scorched, and some of the rooms partially destroyed by fire. I bought it for a good price over the holidays.”

This was one of his unfinished projects?

A good price in Malibu was probably three to four million dollars. But her aunt had told her that because three different television networks had wanted to sign up Alex, he’d been offered the kind of a salary to afford the very best, and he’d taken it.

Alex got out of the truck and walked around her side to help her down. Every time he touched her, even if it was just to assist her to the ground as he was doing now, she felt it to the very bones of her body.

“Come inside. One of the rooms has been drywalled so I can use it to work.”

“Are you a famous artist I should know about? Or maybe an art dealer who’s planning a new opening?”

He stared at her through veiled eyes. “Neither one.” He extended his hand. “Hold on to me while we make our way through-it’s a maze of building materials at the moment.”

Reese was glad for his support. With almost every step she needed to be careful as he guided her past the weathered-looking stones a workman was fitting into place in front of the building. Two men worked in harmony tiling the roof.

With Alex’s help, she reached some wooden steps leading into the shell of a rectangular room with a stone fireplace at one end. The bank of windows facing the ocean was covered by plastic so you couldn’t see the view. Another group of workmen were putting in dark wooden beams across the ceiling. They nodded to Alex.

“Watch your step,” he cautioned Reese as they stepped down another makeshift wooden staircase at the opposite end of the room. It led into a smaller room with a patio table and a couple of lawn chairs. Plastic sheeting prevented her from looking out at the ocean.

Alex seated her. “Take a look through this. I’ll be right back.”

Intrigued, she opened the looseleaf binder he pushed in front of her. It was full of photographs mounted beneath transparent overlays. The yellowish color on the edges of the pictures told her they’d been taken a long time ago.

Though she’d never been to Greece, the charming, centuries-old country house hidden by greenery couldn’t be located anywhere else. Many exterior and interior angles revealed the detail of beamed ceilings and stone walls with niches containing icons.

She loved the ancient stone fireplace and indoor tile trim running the length of the heavy beams that curved with age.

In the front of the off-white villa was a delightful patio and fountain inlaid with stone. The whole place was smothered with overgrown vines and trees.

By the time she’d looked at the last set of photos, which included a much younger Alex and his grandparents, she marveled to realize he was recreating that same villa here in Malibu, the kind that looked several hundred years old.

He came up behind her and put a can of cola on the table next to her. “What do you think?”

Her heart gave a strong kick. “When this is finished, you will have captured the enchantment of your grandparents’ home. I absolutely adore it. How long do you think it will be before you and the woman you love can live here?”

She’d decided to come right out with it so he wouldn’t think she was getting any romantic ideas about him.

He sat down opposite her and began drinking from his can. She watched his throat work, enjoying the sight of him relaxed and seemingly content. She studied his long, powerful legs stretched out in front of him. His fingers were long and lean, too. Everything about him was beautiful. Too beautiful.

After he put his empty can on the table, she felt his penetrating gaze. “We won’t be living here.”

His comment set her straight with a vengeance. “I don’t understand.”

“This is going to be a Greek restaurant.”

“Restaurant?”

“That’s right. I’ll do the cooking. She’ll help me run the place.”

“You cook?”

“I do.” He pulled the looseleaf binder toward him and pointed to one of the pictures. “You see that patio with all the tables?”

“Yes?”

“My grandparents enlarged their house and ran a taverna there for many years.”

“You never told me that before.”

“I thought I did. I learned to cook in my grandmother’s kitchen.”

“Well, I remember you saying something about that, but I had no idea you meant she turned it into a business.”

He nodded. “She taught me how to make everything according to her exact specifications. It was a sad day when she passed away. My grandfather stopped wanting to live. He died within the year.”

She lowered her head for a moment. “How hard that must have been for you.”

“You would know,” he murmured. “The place was so full of memories, and so empty, I couldn’t stay there alone. So I put it in the hands of a Realtor to rent, and I left for New York on a worker’s visa.”

“I can relate to wanting to leave.” No wonder Alex was being so solicitous of her today. His ties to his grandparents were as great as hers to Lilian. She loved him that much more for being sensitive to her needs.

No man she’d ever met could measure up to Alex. Reese was shattered by his admission that he was deeply in love with someone else.

“There are plenty of Greek restaurants in New York in need of a good cook,” he continued to explain, unaware of her agony. “I had all the work I wanted while I continued to study English and begin the arduous process of becoming a citizen.”

How come he’d waited all these months before confiding this kind of personal information to her? When she thought of the many talks they’d had…

“What brought you to Los Angeles?” Even though she knew there was this important woman in his life, Reese couldn’t prevent herself from asking more questions. As long as he was giving her the opportunity, she had this incurable need to learn everything and anything about him.

CHAPTER SIX

BENEATH his dark brows, Alex’s black gaze trapped Reese’s. “You fell into acting because of a fluke. So did I.”

“How did it happen?”

“I worked under a famous Greek chef at the Athena Plaza in downtown Manhattan. Someone suggested he do a pilot for a television show. He needed an assistant and asked me to help. It meant more money for me, which I badly needed to support myself.”

“That’s how you got on TV? A cooking show? Fabio Andretti?” She couldn’t believe it.

His smile reached his eyes. “Not Fabio. The upshot is, the pilot did well, but the weekly series didn’t. My boss didn’t have the personality of a Chef Emeril, who’s been a great success on American television.”

“I love his show!”

“You and everyone else who changed channels to watch him instead of my boss. But it was my lucky day because a Hollywood soap producer happened to catch a few of the episodes, and he contacted someone at the network doing our show. I was asked to fly out to LA to read for a part.”

“I’d call that destiny,” she whispered in a shaky voice.

“I didn’t know it at the time, but I do now. You’re absolutely right. It was destiny.”

She had an idea he wasn’t talking about his career alone. “Then this woman you love isn’t from Greece?”

“Who told you she was?”

“No one. But you know how people gossip. I heard you were committed to someone, so I just assumed as much.”

He leveled his all-encompassing gaze on her. “If that were the case, I would never have left Greece in the first place. As it was, I needed a total change of scene. New York seemed the right destination for me.

“When the offer came, I jumped at the chance to see another part of the country and make a decent salary. But the producer of the network in New York warned me not to do anything until I’d found myself the right agent.”

“Nobody in the performing arts should make a move without one.”

Alex nodded. “He gave me a name. That favor turned out to be critical for me. This agent wouldn’t let me sign any contracts until I’d auditioned for as many soaps as I could. He wanted me to hold out for the top salary.

“Naturally the money was important, but I also realized that if I was asked to play a part I couldn’t abide, then it wouldn’t have mattered how much I was offered.”

“I know what you mean,” Reese inserted. “If I’d been asked to play the role of Melissa, I wouldn’t have done it. I’m not an actress at heart. I couldn’t act the part of a person of whom I didn’t approve, even if it was all for pretense.”

“That makes sense. The first few scripts I read didn’t interest me either. In both cases I was supposed to play a mobster from the underworld. I didn’t want to start out like that and then be typecast forever doing the same roles.”

“You were smart.”

“Not really. The truth is, they held no appeal. I wanted something different. Out of the blue my agent asked me if I could do an Italian accent. Since one of my good friends was Italian, that was easy. I just mimicked him for my agent, and he took matters from there.”

Reese smiled. “As my aunt told me, you’re the quickest study she ever met.” She’d said a lot of other wonderful things about him, too, but Reese didn’t dare tell Alex or he would realize how deep her feelings for him went.

“It’s because of that accent I got the part of Fabio Andretti, the priest who left the monastery because his soul was conflicted.”

“Just as yours was,” she said quietly.

He studied her for a minute before nodding his dark head. “It tore me apart to leave Greece. It tore me apart to stay.”

“I’m sorry you had to be in that kind of pain, Alex. No wonder you played the part of Fabio so convincingly. Many times during our scenes I felt it and knew it had to come from someplace deep within you.”

She kneaded her hands beneath the table. “Has your sorrow diminished at all?”

“Of course. No one stays in that dark place forever. One day I took a drive and ended up here. The minute I saw this damaged gallery, I could envision my grandparents’ villa. It would be like planting an old vine in new ground.

“Once that idea took hold, I never let go of it. By December, I had enough money saved to make an offer on the property. A Christmas present to myself.”

Her eyelids prickled with unshed tears. “It’s a fantastic plan. But-”

“But what?” he broke in.

“There’s always a fire danger here. Malibu’s not protected from the worst of the Santa Ana winds like Orange County or San Diego.”

“I’m aware of that fact. The Realtor warned me I might find myself having to remodel again in a few years, or even be forced to build an entire new restaurant.”

He leaned toward her. “It doesn’t worry me. As long as I have my memories, I can rebuild anywhere.”

She averted her eyes. “I’m sorry I brought it up. Believe me, I didn’t mean to sound negative. More than anything I want your project to be a great success.”

“I know you do, and I appreciate your concern.”

“What are you going to call your restaurant?”

“Kousina Sofia.”

“Your grandmother’s name.” Her eyes lifted to his face once more.

“That’s right. Sophie’s Kitchen.”

“She’ll be overjoyed.”

One black brow lifted expressively. “You believe in the afterlife?”

“Don’t you?”

“Yes. As a matter of fact I do.”

Reese was enjoying their exchange too much. “So…how will you fulfill your dreams to run a busy restaurant and balance your acting career at the same time?”

He closed the cover of the looseleaf binder before flashing her a piercing glance. “No one told you yet?”

She frowned. “Told me what?”

“I didn’t renew my contract. I’ve left the show, just like you.”

Alex had left the show?

“Today was my last day, too.” He answered the question she hadn’t voiced yet because she was so stunned.

“Your news has to be this year’s best kept secret-” she blurted.

“That surprises me. Usually everything leaks out.”

“Not this time!”

She took a deep breath while she tried to sort through this new development. Except that what he did or didn’t do was no longer supposed to be of any consequence to her. He was in love with someone else!

“What are the writers going to do about Fabio?”

“As I told you earlier today, he’ll go back to the monastery. Melissa will manage to infiltrate, believing she is torturing Fabio. But when he finally removes his hood, she’ll discover she’s been harassing the wrong monk.

“He’ll tell her Fabio has gone, and no one knows where he went.” Alex spread his hands. “That’s as much as Stan would tell me.”

Reese started to laugh. “Oh, boy. I can’t wait to watch when she hears the news.”

Alex chuckled. “I can’t either. Leah’s the best at being the worst.”

Though they shared an amusing moment, Reese was dying inside. He wouldn’t be on the show anymore. From here on out the woman who loved him and had the right to love him would claim his undivided attention.

It was still too much for her to process all at once. She had dozens more questions to ask, not knowing where to start first.

“H-how soon do you expect to open for business?” she stammered.

“Two months. Hopefully six weeks, but that would probably be pushing it.”

“I see. Are you going to live in Malibu, or commute from Culver City?” Her aunt had contacted a friend who’d helped him find a good apartment there.

“That depends on a variety of factors. I’ll worry about it later. Right now my main concern is to get this place ready. I’m of two minds how to treat the windows. I’ve known you quite a while and have discovered we have similar tastes in a lot of things. I’d like your opinion.”

“But I’m not Greek!”

“You’re a woman with a woman’s instincts for what works.”

“What does your girlfriend think?”

“I’m asking you,” he asserted. “When you walk in here two months from now, do you want to be able to see the ocean through a wall of glass?”

“That sounds very contemporary.”

“It would be a concession for those tourists who’ve come from all over the world to visit Malibu and eat by the water.”

“That’s true. But I thought the whole idea was to reproduce your grandparents’ Greek villa.”

“It is.”

She frowned. “Don’t you see that the great charm of their home lies in the small-paned windows peeking out from plants and flowers growing all around?”

“Then much of the ocean view would be shut out.”

“They’ll get the view coming and going from your place. But when I think of Greece, I imagine an inn that’s a little darker on the inside. You know. Cozy and intimate. Take a look at this one picture.”

She reached for the looseleaf binder and opened it to the page she wanted him to see. “It’s so delightful to discover this adorable patio room partially hidden by all the greenery.

“That’s the secret of a place like this. You feel like you’ve come across this rare treasure suddenly. The element of surprise causes you to forget what’s outside. You want to go in and shut out the world for a little while. The small-paned windows give it the feel of an enchanted cottage.”

“Enchanted is an interesting choice of word.”

“People love to be transported by the atmosphere when they dine out. If I were you, I’d reproduce every square inch of their wonderful house. Let your guests get a real taste of what it’s like to eat in Sophie’s kitchen.”

“So you believe my idea will work?”

“You don’t need me to tell you that. After they leave your restaurant, they’ll savor the memory of it while they watch the ocean on their way to wherever they’re going.

“As for the locals, they live next to the water. They see it every day and crave a different ambience while they eat. I think I’d be a lot more concerned about finding me the best landscape artist there is to make your slice of Greek living look exactly like it does here.”

“That’s the next item on my agenda.”

“You shouldn’t have any trouble finding a good one. California’s nurseries are the best! They have everything you’ll need to make this authentic. Dad and Mom had one of the most beautiful yards in our neighborhood where I grew up.”

“Did you help?”

“Yes. My parents might have been workaholics, but when they took time off, they were outside weeding and making the garden more beautiful. I spent hours with them going to nurseries looking for the right plants and ground cover.

“If you let a professional study these photographs, I know you could make this one of the most sought after dining spots in Cali-”

Reese stopped talking because it had just dawned on her she’d been babbling on enthusiastically for the last couple of minutes. Alex couldn’t have gotten a word in if he’d wanted to. A smile lurked around his lips. She felt like an idiot.

“Sorry, Alex. I got carried away. When you asked for my opinion, you didn’t know you were going to be treated to a full-blown lecture.”

His hand reached across the table to cover hers. He squeezed gently before letting it go again, but the warmth of his touch remained.

“After playing opposite the timid Carly, who was always fearful of letting herself go, it’s refreshing to be with Reese Bringhurst, whose zest for life is contagious. Your instinctive response was exactly what I needed to hear. I happen to agree with you about everything you said.”

“I’m glad. What you’re going to achieve here will automatically guarantee you success.”

His white smile turned her heart over. “A majority of two. That’s all I’ve been waiting for to go full speed ahead with the rest of my plans. Come on.” He got up from the table and came around to help her. “Let’s make use of the rest of this day and find me a landscape artist.”

He took the looseleaf binder from the table and tucked it under his free arm. “After we’re through with our business, I’ll take you to dinner as my way of saying thank you for your input.

“I know a place near the Santa Monica Pier that fixes the best mahimahi you ever tasted. I remember how much you and Lilian liked it when the cast ate at that seafood restaurant in Laguna.”

Alex kept astonishing her with what he knew and remembered about her and her aunt. For him to go to this much trouble to help her get through this difficult day, he truly must have felt indebted to Lilian.

But since Alex was in love with someone else, Reese decided that their going out to dinner together was the wrong thing to do for everyone concerned.

“If you really want to pay me back, I can think of a better way to do it.”

She felt his body tauten. “Name it.”

“Why don’t you bring your girlfriend to my condo this evening and cook us a real Greek meal? Not only do I want to test out your chef skills, I’d like to meet the woman who captured the heart of the man behind Fabio Andretti’s persona.”

There-now he would know Reese wasn’t living in some fantasy world where he was attainable.

His eyes seemed to glitter for a moment. “You’d really like to meet her?”

“Of course. More important, I would imagine she would like to meet me. At least I would if I were in her shoes.”

“She’s never said.”

“Maybe not, but it couldn’t have been easy to watch you kissing me all these months.”

“She doesn’t watch soaps.”

“I wouldn’t either if the man I loved were acting in one. I could forgive it because it was the career he’d chosen. But I couldn’t forgive him for going out to dinner alone with his romantic costar. Not even if he felt obliged to be nice to her because of Lilian Jaynes’s kindness to him.”

His chest heaved. “You’re an exceptional woman, Reese. Are you acquainted with authentic Greek cuisine?”

“No. Only fast food gyros. What about your girlfriend?”

“Her experience has been the same as yours.”

Reese was stunned. “You haven’t cooked for her yet?”

“I’ve been waiting for her to ask me.”

“But you’re a chef!”

“There’s an expression in English. A prophet is without nobility in his own country.”

“You mean ‘honor.’”

“Thank you. That’s the word. I still make a lot of mistakes.”

“Your English is remarkable. Did you study it in school?”

“Twelve years. My grandparents insisted.”

She bit her lip before looking at him. “Has it hurt your feelings that your girlfriend hasn’t shown an interest in your cooking?”

He hunched his broad shoulders. “We’ve had more important things on our minds than food.”

“But it’s what you do! It’s part of who you are!” she cried as he helped her across the courtyard into the truck.

“I’m touched that you care.” He placed the looseleaf binder between them.

“Of course I care! We’ve put in full days together at the studio on a weekly basis for the past year. I’ve spent more time with you than any boyfriends who’ve come and gone from my life.”

“Have there been many?”

“A few, but naturally you’re important to me in a completely different way. I can’t wait to taste your grandmother’s cooking.”

Her comments seemed to make him happy. “In that case, I can promise the three of us a real treat.”

The three of us.

You’ve done it now, Reese.

But meeting the woman he loved was the only way to cure her illness. In war time you cauterized a wound to prevent death and infection on the battlefield.

That was what she had to do. Walk through the fire tonight so she’d be able to survive the rest of her life.

CHAPTER SEVEN

TWO hours later they left the office of an established landscape artist in Malibu who promised to have some renditions of Alex’s ideas completed in a few days.

Unfortunately Reese would never see the drawings. In order to put Alex in the past where he belonged, she couldn’t afford to do anything that reminded her of him. Under no circumstances would she drive by his restaurant months from now to see the finished product. It would hurt too much.

“Hungry?” he asked as they passed a drive-in.

“I’m starving. I’m sure you are, too. But this is like Thanksgiving for me. I want to be ready to enjoy my first real Greek meal to the fullest, so I’m not going to do anything to take the edge off my appetite.”

His dark eyes gleamed. “Then we’ll hurry and buy our groceries. On the way to your condo we’ll pick up a rental car for you.”

“That’s right! I forgot all about it. Thank you for reminding me.”

“You’re welcome.”

In relatively little time they pulled into the parking lot of a Greek market in Burbank. By now it was five o’clock. Once again he came around and helped her down. It seemed automatic for him to cup her elbow as he guided her into the neighborhood grocery store.

An auburn-haired woman at the cheese counter called out greetings to them. Alex answered in Greek and a short conversation in his native language ensued. The clerk nodded several times.

“She’s going to wrap up some lamb chops and feta cheese I need while we pick out items for our salad and dessert.”

Reese watched in fascination as he chose his produce with infinite care, explaining as he went that only the best kos and romaine lettuce would do. Kalamata black olives were a must, and fresh dill.

In the fruit section he picked out the finest figs. From there they walked over to the dairy products. He reached for cream. In another area of the store he put several scoops of fresh walnuts and peanuts in a sack.

They left the checkout counter with their arms full of groceries. He put the sacks in the built-in toolbox behind the cab of his truck and they took off for the closest car rental place.

“I’ll follow you back to your condo.”

She paused before getting out of the truck. “What about your girlfriend? Aren’t you going to pick her up first?”

“It’s more important to get our meal started. At some point she’ll join us.”

“All right,” she said in a quiet voice. “I’ll hurry.”

It was a good thing Reese had been so upset last night. In the hope of working off enough excess energy to fall asleep, she’d given the condo a thorough cleaning. Little had she realized she would be entertaining Alex and his intended tonight.

Never had she missed her aunt’s presence more. Lilian would have helped Reese get through the coming evening’s agonizing experience with grace.

If she had one thing to be grateful for, her aunt’s kitchen was well equipped. They’d both enjoyed cooking, so Alex shouldn’t have too much trouble finding the things he needed to prepare their dinner.

Since it was near closing time, the rental place didn’t have a lot of cars for her to choose from. She ended up with a compact, but she couldn’t complain at the reasonable price.

By the time she’d parked in the garage and let herself in the condo, Alex was buzzing her from the foyer to let him come up.

“Hi,” he said when Reese greeted him at the front door. His low, attractive voice permeated her entire being.

“Come on in.” She took one of the sacks from him. He followed her through the traditionally decorated condo to the kitchen where they set everything down on the countertop.

“Since you’ve been here many times before, you know your way around. Please feel free to freshen up while I empty the sacks.”

“Thank you.”

How different their situation at this point in time. Her aunt was gone, and his girlfriend would be joining them at any minute. The sooner she got here, the better.

Being alone with Alex was not a good idea at all…

As she was removing the last of the items from the sack he entered the kitchen and came to stand next to her. His nearness had the effect of changing the rhythm of her breathing.

“What can I do to help?” she blurted.

He plucked the olive oil from the rest of the items. “For Frikassee of Lamb, I’ll need a deep skillet and a whisk.”

In a jerky movement, she opened one of the bottom cupboards and rummaged around for the kind of pan he wanted. The whisk was in the second drawer.

“Here you go. What else can I do?”

“Slice those onions for me.”

While she found the chopping board and a knife, he poured some oil in the pan and set it on the burner. Then he reached for a mixing bowl and started cracking eggs.

He worked fast. It was fascinating to watch him use the whisk so expertly while he added lemon juice. She felt his total concentration on what he was doing.

After washing her hands, she got started on her task. Pretty soon tears were streaming down her face. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and chuckled.

“I should have told you to put a little piece of bread in your mouth. It helps prevent the fumes from tickling your nose.”

“I didn’t know that! Was it one of your grandmother’s tricks?”

“No. My grandfather’s. Otherwise he couldn’t stay in the kitchen to help.”

She wiped her eyes with her arms. “How fun those times must have been.”

He opened the package of chops and started salting them. “You know how it is when you’re young. You don’t appreciate how happy you are until those times are gone.”

“You’re right. I didn’t particularly love to weed, but, when I look back on it now, those times with Daddy were priceless.” She took the board of onions over to him.

He darted her an intense look. “Are you sure you’re not a professional cook? You did those just right.” He poured them into the hot oil to soften them up.

That was how his compliment made her feel. Soft and eager for the attention he showered on her. So far it had been a magical day. But reality would hit as soon as his girlfriend arrived.

She needed to get here before Reese forgot Alex had been entertaining her for the sole purpose of making her cut-off day from the studio bearable.

With deft movements, he placed the chops in the skillet and browned them on both sides. Then he washed the kos lettuce. With the leaves still wet, he placed them on top of the meat and added fresh dill before covering the pan.

While it simmered, he prepared a green salad, and a side dish of rice with a tomato sauce made of a dozen ingredients.

When the lamb was ready, he poured in the egg mixture. “Now for the most important ingredient.”

He knew she was mesmerized by everything he said and did.

“What is it?”

“A few teaspoons of Mavrodaphne wine. It smells and tastes like the sugar-sweet plums and black raisins growing around my grandparents’ villa. We’re about ready to sit down to a meal I promise you will enjoy.”

“Then I’d better hurry and set the table.”

She put out three place mats and her aunt’s best china and silver. Alex had searched until he’d found an imported dry white wine from Crete. No doubt it went superbly with the meal he’d planned, so she placed three wineglasses next to their water glasses.

They worked in harmony getting everything ready to put on the table. Faint from hunger, she could have eaten the whole ball of crusty bread he called Psomi.

Reese had placed him at the head of the table. She flicked him a glance after he’d seated her. “I feel honored the master chef is dining with me, too.”

“I’m the one who’s honored.” He poured wine into both their glasses.

“Alex-we really shouldn’t start until your girlfriend gets here.”

“Yes, we should,” he came back forcefully. “This meal is ready to be eaten. To wait would ruin it. Try the lamb before you taste anything else, even your wine. That way you’ll detect its unique flavor. I want your opinion.”

She looked at him with pleading. “Is this another test to decide if you’ll be offering this dish to customers?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t really mean that.”

The glimmer in his eyes unsettled her. “You’re my first customer. It may be one of my favorite dishes, but if you find it an acquired taste, I need to know immediately.”

She lowered her head. “I don’t think I want the responsibility.”

“Now you’re sounding like Carly. I thought she’d gone away.”

“I’m afraid there’s more Carly in me than you realize.”

“You mean the one who asked Fabio to marry you?”

“No. That part was totally out of character thanks to Stan and his writing staff.”

“But you have to admit it got her what she wanted in the end.”

“True.”

“Come on. Live dangerously and take a bite,” he said in a husky tone.

One taste before swallowing and Reese said, “You don’t need me or anyone to tell you how delicious this is. The flavor and texture are out of this world.”

He gave her a smile she’d never seen before, as if her opinion truly mattered to him. For a moment she caught a glimpse of the little boy he once was who would have been so anxious to please his grandparents.

“Now drink a little wine, then try the rice.”

Prepared to do anything for him, she obeyed his command.

“The sauce-it’s pure ambrosia, as my aunt would say. That was her favorite word for food too good to be true. Wouldn’t you know it has a Greek origin?”

“That’s right. Food for the gods.”

“Yours tastes like that, Alex. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to enjoy it the way I want.”

He threw back his head and laughed while she proceeded to eat everything in sight.

“You eat too fast,” he observed when she finally put down her fork with a sigh of contentment.

“I couldn’t help it. It was your fault. Oh, Alex-I don’t care if you believe me or not. That was the best meal I’ve ever eaten in my life. You know what I think?”

One black brow quirked.

“When people call in for reservations, you should tell them not to eat or drink anything at least six hours before arriving. That way they’ll feel just like I do.”

“And how is that?”

“Like there’s not one thing wrong with my world right this minute. Did I ever tell you about this book I read called The Cook?”

“I’m sure I would have remembered if you had,” he teased.

She flushed. “That goes without saying, doesn’t it?” After a pause, “It was a mystery. This wealthy, dysfunctional family advertised for a cook. There was a feisty grandfather, an ambitious father, a twenty-four-year-old slaggard son, and a twenty-year-old selfish daughter all living under the same roof.”

“Nice.”

She chuckled. “The cook was after the family money. He got to know each member very well, and catered to their needs by fixing them the kind of food they adored.

“One by one he had them eating out of his hand, so to speak. They’d do anything for him. It got to the point where they couldn’t live without him. He solved their problems, suggested what they should or should not do, the friends they should keep, the friends they should get rid of.

“In time he ran the whole house and eventually controlled the purse strings. Everyone trusted him. In the end the old man left everything to him in his will.

“When the other family members found out, they tried to contest it, but it was too late. The cook booted everyone out of the house and lived happily ever after.”

Alex finished his wine without taking his eyes off her. “That’s quite a story. Are you assuming I have ulterior motives for feeding your fancy?”

CHAPTER EIGHT

WHAT an odd question.

“Of course not, Alex. I was using it as an illustration to compliment you. Obviously the author understood the effect of the perfect meal on the senses and made a fascinating tale out of it.”

He wiped the corner of his mouth with his napkin. “With adulation like that, am I to presume you’re ready for dessert? It was my grandfather’s favorite.”

“Not yet!” Reese cried. “I couldn’t. There’s no room. Maybe when your girlfriend gets here.”

“I expected her before now. It appears she’s not coming after all.”

“Because of me?”

He nodded slowly.

“But that’s absurd, Alex!”

“Not really. The truth is, she’s a lot like Carly, too timid and hesitant to fight for what she wants. I’m afraid our relationship is over.”

Aghast, Reese pushed herself away from the table and stood up. “If she’s jealous of me, she shouldn’t be. I’d be happy to call her and tell her that nothing has ever gone on between us.”

“She doesn’t see it that way,” Alex explained. “You’d never convince her otherwise. Frankly, neither does anyone else who knows you or me.”

Her heart thudded sickeningly. “It doesn’t matter what other people think. It’s human nature to gossip. But I wouldn’t hurt your girlfriend for anything in the world. We should never have spent this day together, Alex. It’s only made matters worse for you.” Her voice shook.

“You’re wrong. The break had to come. Today was the right time to call it quits.”

She clung to the chair back. “But earlier you told me it was very serious between you two.”

“It was. However there’s a big difference between serious, and doing something about it.”

“Like what?”

“Like getting married.”

“You don’t want to marry her?”

“No.”

“I thought she was going to help you run the restaurant.”

“I thought so, too, but obviously things have changed.”

Reese started clearing the table. At the doorway to the kitchen she paused. “How long have you known her?”

“As long as I’ve known you.”

“If you didn’t want to marry her, why have you stayed in the relationship?”

“We’d both made a commitment and didn’t want to go back on it.”

“A-are you devastated that it’s over?” she stammered.

“Not at all. If you want to know the truth, I’m relieved. Which brings me to the question I’ve been wanting to ask you since you ran into my truck.”

At the mention of the accident, her pulse rate picked up speed. “Just a minute while I put these plates in the dishwasher.”

“I’ll finish clearing.”

The moment he got to his feet, she darted into the kitchen and started loading. With several trips he’d brought everything in from the dining room. He put the remaining food in the fridge. Soon she’d started the machine.

In the act of wiping off the counter, she turned her head toward him. “What did you want to ask me?”

He studied her features for a moment. “Since you have a week before your school starts, how would you like to spend it with me?”

She blinked. “You mean like help you pick out things for your restaurant?”

“We could do that. I could help you find someone to rent this condo. If you need a mover to transport some things to La Jolla, I’m your man. I’ve got a truck and am ready to go.”

“Aren’t you being a little impetuous? Your girlfriend must be shattered to think things are over between you.”

“If she is, someone else is already waiting in the wings.”

Reese stared at him. “Are you implying she was unfaithful to you?”

“No.”

“Then maybe if you gave it a little more time-”

He shook his head. “It’s finished, Reese. I’m ready to move on. You and I have both severed ties with the studio. Something tells me you are as much at a loose end as I am right now.”

His comment was so patently true, there was no point in denying it.

She drew in a deep breath. “I’m going to be honest with you about something, Alex.”

He’d propped himself against the counter. “What’s that?”

“I don’t think we should see each other again after tonight.”

“Give me a reason.”

She folded the dishcloth. “Because it’s not a good idea.”

“That’s not specific enough.”

“For one thing, you’re just coming out of a relationship.”

“Meaning what?”

“Meaning you’re feeling vulnerable and…lonely.”

“So I’ve turned to you because you’re the most handy female around, is that what you think?” He smoothed a strand of her hair off her forehead. It caused her to tremble.

“It’s true.”

“What’s so bad about two lonely, vulnerable people seeking each other out? We’ve been friends for a long time.”

In a panic, she backed away from him. “That’s the whole point. We’re friends. Nothing more.”

“Would you like it to be more?”

“Stop using Fabio’s lines!”

“Is that what I’m doing?”

Heat suffused her face. “Except for the part about him feeling alone because he left the monastery, it’s his script verbatim.”

“Like I said. I related to Fabio in a lot of ways. The part was perfect for me. Sometimes it’s hard to separate fantasy from reality.”

She folded her arms. “Well, in our case you’re going to have to. If Alex Kieris and Reese Bringhurst were meant to have had an off-screen love affair, it would have happened long before now.

“The fact that you waited until breaking up with your girlfriend before turning to me proves that what you felt for her was what you should feel if you’re really in love.

“I don’t want to be a woman you’ve decided to spend time with because you can’t have the one you really wanted. A year’s a long time to devote to one person, Alex. You can’t tell me you didn’t have hopes of marrying her when you first met her.”

He cocked his head. “You’re right. She changed my world.”

“You see?” Reese cried. “That’s what I’m talking about. Even if it didn’t work out in the end, you felt that way about her when you first met.”

“That’s true.”

“Thank you for being honest about that at least.”

“I wouldn’t be anything else with you.”

“Then you understand where I’m coming from.”

“I think I do. You’re a lot like your aunt Lilian.”

Reese jerked her head toward him. “Did she tell you about her husband?”

He nodded. “She also confided that after she’d been widowed, there were several men who’d been friends with her a long time before they proposed to her. Two of them were costars on the show like you and me. But she didn’t say yes to any of them because the fire wasn’t there from the start.”

“One of these days I’m going to meet a man who’s so on fire for me, nothing else matters and he can’t live without me.”

“You mean like my grandfather.”

“Yes. He loved your grandmother so much, he lost the will to live after she died. My parents felt the same way about each other. So did Lilian and her husband. That’s the kind of love I intend to have. When the right man comes along, I’ll know it.”

“So you have no interest in even keeping up a friendship with me?”

“For what purpose? We’re no longer costars. I don’t believe men and women can be friends. Either we’re lovers, or we’re nothing. If I want friendship I can call Leah or Cammy.”

He rubbed his thumb across his lips thoughtfully. “I’m glad you made that clear. Once again it appears you and I are in agreement and hold to the same philosophy about men and women. I would never spend time with a woman I didn’t desire.

“Furthermore, I couldn’t costar with a woman I didn’t find appealing. If Leah or Sally had been playing the part of Carly, I would have turned down the role of Fabio.”

“As long as we’re being honest, that works both ways, Alex. If you’d been unattractive to me, I would have told Phyllis I wanted out of my contract a year ago.”

His gaze played over her face. “That’s because neither of us is an actor at heart. We can’t pretend something we don’t feel.”

“No.” I can’t go on pretending I don’t care around you.

“Tell you what, I’m going to fix our dessert.”

“Can I watch?” she asked brightly. Until he left the condo, she had to act as if she weren’t dying from pain. “I promise not to give away any of your secret recipes.”

“I wasn’t worried. You can help me if you want.”

“I’d love to.”

“Bring me two dessert plates, and get the cream out of the fridge.”

He was like a magician. One minute there was a bunch of isolated ingredients on the counter. In the next, he’d made a beautiful arrangement of figs, bananas, walnuts and peanuts.

After sprinkling them with cinnamon powder, he put a little brandy in the cream and poured it over the top.

“This dessert is a nice change from Filo pastries. Not as heavy.” He pulled a fork from the drawer. “Here. See what you think.”

Before she could stop him, he’d put a mouthful of the concoction to her lips. She had no choice but to open up and eat.

Incredible.

That was what it was. Incredible.

“You like it?”

She made a moaning sound.

“I take it that’s a yes.”

Reese nodded.

“Just a minute. Don’t move. You’ve got cream on your mouth.” He removed it with his index finger and tasted it. “It could use a little more brandy. What do you think?”

“I-I think it’s perfec- Oh-there’s my phone. Excuse me for a minute.”

She turned to reach for the phone on the wall, but she was trembling so hard, she had to brace herself against the counter.

“Hello?”

“Hi. I thought I’d call and see if everything is okay? If it’s not, maybe go to a movie or something.”

“Leah-”

Alex moved around to her side so he could watch her while he ate the dessert he’d made.

“You sound funny. Are you all right?”

“Yes. Of course I am.”

“Have you got company?”

“Yes.”

“A man?”

“Yes.”

“Let me guess. It wouldn’t be Alex Kieris, would it?”

Heat filled her cheeks. “Why do you say that?”

“Because when you left the set, he raced after you like a bat out of you know where. I’m just putting two and two together. It’s okay. Obviously you can’t talk right now. How about lunch tomorrow?”

“I’d like that. Arturo’s at twelve-thirty?”

“Perfect. See you then you, lucky, lucky girl.”

“Bye.”

Alex took the receiver from her and put it on the hook. “Did Leah want to do something with you tonight?”

“Yes.”

“Then why did you let my presence stop you?”

She averted her eyes. “Because I’m not in the mood for a movie.”

“What are you in the mood for?”

He’d finished his dessert. She put hers in the fridge, and washed his plate. Anything to give her hands something to do.

“After the most fabulous meal of my life, I’m too full to do much of anything except lounge in the other room and watch a little TV before I go to bed.”

“That sounds good to me too. Shall we see what’s showing on the cooking channel?”

She was amused by the suggestion, a smile broke the corners of her mouth. She headed for the living room and picked up the remote from the coffee table. “Do you watch it often?”

“Sometimes when I can’t sleep.”

Reese purposely sat down in a chair next to the couch so they’d be separated. “If you want to stretch out, make yourself comfortable.”

He eyed her intently. “You don’t mind?”

“Of course not. After working so hard in my kitchen, you deserve a rest before you have to go home.”

“Then I’ll take you up on your offer.”

CHAPTER NINE

TONIGHT the Japanese chefs were having some kind of contest. Though it was entertaining, Reese couldn’t possibly concentrate. Her eyes kept straying to the sight of Alex’s hard-muscled physique lying on his side. He’d propped his dark head on one of the cushions, the picture of virile male contentment.

They made desultory conversation and chuckled over some of the chefs’ antics. At one point she made another comment, but Alex didn’t answer.

He’d fallen asleep. The problem was, Reese had never been more wide awake.

Too restless, she went to the kitchen for the fabulous dessert he’d made. While she ate it, she switched channels to a movie classic made in the forties. One her aunt had particularly loved. But it didn’t hold her interest. When it was over and the ten o’clock news started, she realized this situation couldn’t go on any longer.

After turning off the TV, she got up from the chair and walked over to the couch.

“Alex?”

There was no answer.

“Alex?” She bent down and nudged him gently.

His eyes suddenly opened. “Reese?”

“Yes. You’ve been asleep for the last hour. It’s getting late.”

“You want me to leave?”

What a question. “I need to go to bed. If you’re too tired to get up, you’re welcome to stay on the couch tonight. I’ll bring you a blanket and a pillow.”

“I’d rather go to bed with you.” He reached up and pulled her down so she half lay on top of him. His mouth closed over hers. “Umm. You taste of brandy and figs. Could anything be sweeter or more luscious?”

His hungry mouth sought hers until her own passion started to spiral out of control. Unlike their last kiss at the party, they didn’t have an audience. He might just decide this could go on indefinitely. That was because he was missing his girlfriend. No way was Reese going to be a substitute!

“We’re not being taped, Alex,” she cried, wrenching her lips from his. “Wake up.”

“I know the difference between fantasy and reality,” he murmured. “For your information I’m very much awake and am looking forward to spending my wedding night with my new bride.”

He kissed her mouth again as if his desire for her was insatiable.

“Enough’s enough, Alex,” she said crossly. “I enjoyed this day with you very much. The food was divine. But now it’s over and you need to go home.”

She eased herself away and stood up on rubber legs.

He stared at her through slightly glassy eyes. “From here on out, my home is with you, wherever you are.”

“Be serious, please.”

“I’ve never been more serious in my life. You’re my wife now.”

“Obviously you’re in one of those dream-like trances and can’t wake up. Lie back down while I get you some covers.”

“Only if you lie down with me.”

He started to reach for her again, but she backed further away from him. “You’re beginning to make me nervous.”

“I’m nervous, too. I’ve never been a husband before. It appears I have a very reluctant bride on my hands.”

“Stop it, Alex!”

“Stop what? If you don’t believe you’re Mrs Alex Kieris, then take a good look at our marriage license and certificate.” He pulled two folded papers out of the pocket of his cargo pants and handed them to her.

In a daze, she opened them to see what he was talking about. The license looked like the prop she’d used during the taping. But when she saw the names, they read Reese Bringhurst and Alex Kieris.

The marriage certificate had their real names typed in, dated with today’s date. A Pastor Martin Rippon had signed both papers. She also noted the names of two of the cast members who’d used their real names to be witnesses.

She lifted her head and stared at him. “What is all this about?”

He rose to his full, intimidating height. “We were married today by a real pastor, not an actor. The vows we took in front of our friends are sacred and binding.”

Reese’s body started to tremble. “I don’t believe you,” she whispered.

“That’s fine. Pastor Rippon’s number is in the phone directory. You’re welcome to call him right now.”

She swallowed hard. “What kind of strange joke is this?”

“It’s no joke. During the taping, you put your own signature on these papers. That makes them legal.”

“Alex? I don’t understand anything. What’s going on?”

“I’m the man you were talking about earlier, a man who’s on fire for you. What else? If you don’t want to be married to me, you’ll have to hire an attorney. Should you decide you want to be my wife, you know where I live. Maybe this will help you make up your mind, agape mou.”

He caught her face between his hands and gave her a deep, searing kiss before leaving the condo.

Long after she heard the door click, she stood there shaken and confused.

Finally, when she could gather her wits, she dashed in her bedroom and reached for the phone.

Be home, Elaine. Please be home.

“Hirsh residence.”

“Oh, thank goodness it’s you, Elaine!”

“Reese?” She sounded surprised.

“D-did I waken you?”

“Heavens, no. I rarely get to bed before midnight.” There was a slight hesitation. “What are you doing calling me tonight of all nights?”

Reese sank down on the side of her bed, torturing the phone cord. “What do you mean, tonight of all nights?”

“Leah phoned to tell me Alex was there. I thought of course everything had gone according to plan.”

She jumped to her feet, unable to sit still. “What plan?”

“I take it Alex isn’t there now,” Elaine said in a quiet voice.

“No. He just left after telling me the craziest thing I’ve ever heard in my life.”

“What was that, darling?”

“He said we got married on the set today. For real.”

“It was for real.”

“I mean legally.”

“That’s right. The man is madly in love with you.”

No. He couldn’t be… The blood started to pound in her ears.

“Darling? Are you still there?”

“Yes,” her voice squeaked.

“The moment he found out you were leaving the show, he set everything up with Stan to rewrite the script so you could be married in front of all of us.”

Her heart was pounding out of rhythm. “You’re telling me the truth?”

“I would never lie to you, Reese. The whole leap year thing was Alex’s idea. After waiting so long to claim you, he loved the idea that you would end up proposing to him.”

Reese could still hear him saying, “I didn’t know women in America did things like this.”

It sounded exactly like something the real Alex would say.

“Phil was upset that he had to stay home so a bona fide pastor could come to officiate, but he understood the situation. He wasn’t about to let anything stand in the way of true love.”

“Phil did that for Alex?”

“Everyone helped. Brad’s job was to distract you until Alex caught up to you in the parking lot.”

“He accomplished his mission. I ran straight into Alex’s truck.”

“Brad came running back inside to tell us.”

Reese’s face went hot. “I was crying so hard I didn’t look where I was going.”

“It was the perfect ending to a perfect wedding ceremony, darling. The cast and crew, Phyllis, the producers, everyone was in on it, and they’re so happy for you.”

Unbelievable.

“Surely you caught on while you were eating. Alex planned that champagne brunch with all your favorite foods.”

That was why there were meatballs and pasta?

“The roses were his idea. Honestly, Reese. It’s the most romantic thing I ever heard of in my life! The way he looked at you today, those vows he said to you at the altar-they melted my heart. Why aren’t you with him when I know how much you love him?”

Reese was so incredulous, she couldn’t speak.

“For months that man has been in agony waiting for you to leave the show so you two could be married.”

She shook her head. “If that’s true, then I’m the last person on the face of the earth to know it. Why didn’t he ever say anything to me?”

“He said it every time he took Carly in his arms. Couldn’t you feel it? When he kissed you at the altar, every woman on the set stopped breathing. Your lovely hat fell off and you didn’t even notice because you were too enthralled with that gorgeous new husband of yours.”

“He warned me the hat might get in his way when it came time to kiss me.” The brides in Greece wear garlands. That should have been a clue. “But honestly, Elaine, I thought it was all play-acting from beginning to end.”

“No man is that great an actor, Reese. Or woman. The way you responded to him, everyone on the show knew how you two felt about each other. Your great love affair has been the only topic of conversation on the set for the last year!”

“All this time everyone’s known how I’ve felt about him?”

“If you could see your eyes when you look at him…It’s something you can’t hide. What’s so wonderful is that he can’t see anyone else but you when he comes on the set. Like Phyllis said today, the love between you and Alex has been a beautiful thing to watch.”

“I still can’t believe it. He told me he’d been in love with another woman all of last year.”

“He was. That woman was you! You were his secret girlfriend-until you became his wife today!”

Good heavens.

“If this has come as a complete surprise to you, blame it on Lilian. From what I understand, he made a promise to her a long time ago. I don’t know the details. That’s something private between the two of them. I’m sure he’ll tell you when he’s ready. You didn’t fight with him tonight, did you?”

“No.” Her voice wobbled. “I asked him what kind of strange joke he was playing. That’s when he left.”

“So he’s still in agony…” Elaine’s voice trailed.

At this point, Reese needed answers only one man could give her.

“Elaine? I’ve got to hang up.”

“Call me when you get back from your honeymoon.”

Honeymoon…

Should you decide you want to be my wife, you know where I live.

CHAPTER TEN

ALEX stepped out of the shower and hitched a towel around his hips to shave. It had been forty-five minutes since he’d left Reese’s condo.

Obviously it was going to take more than one kiss from Prince Charming to bring Sleeping Beauty awake. He would give her another twenty minutes, then he wou-

The ringing of his cell phone was the most satisfying sound he’d heard in a long time.

He picked it up and checked the caller ID. R Bringhurst. After clicking on he said, “Reese?”

“Hi.” She sounded breathless.

“Hello yourself.”

“We…need to talk.”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

“Are you at your apartment?”

“Yes. Where are you?”

“In the foyer of your building.”

Alex sucked in his breath. “I’ll let you in.”

After ringing off, he pulled his robe from the hook of the bathroom door and shrugged into it. Then he walked down the hall to the living room. This day had been a long time in coming, but, as his grandfather had taught him, anything worth having meant you had to work hard for it. “Patience, my boy.”

For a full year, patience had been his mantra. Now if the gods were kind, it would pay off.

The knock on the door coincided with the thundering of his heart. He opened it immediately and there she stood, his raven-haired, blue-eyed beauty. Her fragrance filled the aperture.

She’d changed into a periwinkle-blue top with a kelly-green skirt. The dynamite combination brought out her coloring and the voluptuous mold of her body.

Her gaze studied him as if she were seeing him for the first time. In a way he supposed she was. Always before she’d thought of him as her costar.

Tonight she was finally seeing him as Alex Kieris, the flesh and blood man who had shown up on the set every weekday morning as she had. One moreover who wanted her with every fiber of his being.

“Come in.”

He stepped back, giving her the space she needed. Up to this point he’d done all the running. The rest was up to her now. In the next little while he would discover whether she couldn’t live without him either. If he’d misread the signs…

After shutting the door, he followed her alluring figure into his living room. His furnished apartment was half the size of Lilian’s. The man who’d lived here before had decorated it in a neo-contemporary style, but Alex found it sterile and lacking a woman’s touch. He couldn’t wait to vacate.

She swung around. It caused her hair to swish against her cheeks. “I called Elaine.”

Her admission came as no surprise. Since Lilian’s death, Reese had drawn closer to the other actress.

“You needed verification that we were legally married today?”

He watched the flush that broke out on her face. “She told me it was a real pastor who performed the ceremony.”

Alex cocked his head. “We’re married in the eyes of the law, but only if you want to be. If not, then I’ll give you an uncontested divorce. My intention wasn’t to cause you grief.

“The last thing I would want to do is force you to fight me in court because you didn’t know you were taking vows in front of a certified clergyman.”

She rubbed her arms, a gesture she only did when she was nervous or unsure of something. “Elaine found the whole thing very romantic.”

“But you didn’t.”

“I’m still in shock, Alex. What possessed you?”

“I’m surprised you would even ask that question. Surely it’s obvious I’m in love with you.”

In the still of the room, he could hear her shallow breathing. “Since when?”

“Since the day we met on the set and read our lines to get a feel for each other. It was love at first sight for Carly on Fabio’s part. I don’t know about you, but I’m afraid the same thing happened to me.”

The woman trembling in front of him remained silent. It could be an answer of sorts. He had yet to find out.

“If there’s any truth to what Soap Craze says about us being the magic couple, I owe it all to the fact that Reese Bringhurst sprang into my world full blown and I haven’t been the same since. Before I left Greece, if someone had told me an American television actress would be the woman who set me on fire, I would have scoffed at the mere idea.”

She shook her head. “You have a very strange way of showing your interest.”

“There was a reason for that.”

Reese stared at him with a baffled look in her eyes. “I’d like to hear it.”

“Would you like to sit down first?”

“No.”

He folded his arms. “After two weeks of working together, I approached your aunt about asking you out.”

“Why would you do that?” she demanded. “I’m my own person.”

“Probably because in Greece it’s the way to do things in polite society. If you were a Greek girl, my grandparents would have talked to your aunt first, or your parents, of course. It may be old-fashioned, but I was raised in a traditional home and it’s the nice way to do things.”

“I agree,” she admitted in a quiet voice.

“It didn’t surprise me when she told me she would rather I left you alone.”

Reese’s head flew back. “She didn’t!”

“Oh, yes, she did. But I wasn’t alarmed. It happens that way in Greece, too. You have to woo the parents, or, in your case, your aunt. So I began asking her to give me acting tips.”

The beautiful blue eyes fastened on him grew huge. “That’s the real reason why you came over to the condo all those times?”

The corner of his mouth lifted. “It was my main agenda. Not that I didn’t need all the acting help I could get. But you were the reason, and your aunt knew it.”

A gasp came out of Reese.

“Lilian was a wonderful woman, but very shrewd. She knew exactly what she was doing. It was a game we played. The longer we played it, the more I realized I was gaining ground with her and getting closer to my goal of taking you out.”

There was a long pause before she said, “My aunt liked you very much.”

“The feeling was mutual, believe me. Before she died, she told me she approved of me, but she made me promise her something.”

Reese clasped her hands. “I’m almost afraid to hear it.”

“In essence she told me she’d seen everything from her vantage point as an actress, and, on the whole, she worried that if both people in a marriage were actors, it was hard to make it work.

“I told her I had other aspirations in life and would only continue to play the part of Fabio until I’d made enough money to get me started in business. That reassured her. However, she was still concerned about you.”

“But she knew I wouldn’t stay with acting!”

He eyed Reese soberly. “She was dying, Reese. She feared her death might be too hard on you after losing your parents. She worried you would stay with acting because it was something you knew, something comfortable. Though I didn’t like to admit it, her fears made a great deal of sense to me.”

Again there was quiet before Reese asked in a tremulous voice, “What did she make you promise?”

“That I would do nothing about my feelings for you unless you left acting of your own free will. She wanted you to carve out your own destiny, whatever it was, without any influence from me.”

A hand went to her throat. “I can’t believe what I’m hearing.” Her eyes impaled him like lasers. “So if I hadn’t left the show-”

He shrugged his shoulders with unknowing elegance. “Then I wouldn’t have left either. It was my only way to have my cake without eating it, too. Tell me something, Reese. What made you decide not to renew your contract?”

She half turned away from him. “After Aunt Lilian died, my heart wasn’t in the show. She made it fun and exciting. It was something we could do together that brought us so close, but without her I realized it wasn’t for me. So I held on until I could leave without causing more upheaval than necessary.”

His jaw hardened. “Obviously you didn’t live for those moments when we could be on the set together. You weren’t like me, eager for the work day to start so I could hold you in my arms. Because of you I had a reason to get up in the mornings. The worst part of the day was having to get in my car and drive away from you. The weekends were a living hell for me.”

Reese swung back toward him. “They were for me, too!” she cried, hot faced. “You want to talk about pain? I knew I was in love with you after the first day of being with you on the set. Nothing like that had ever happened to me before.

“I told Aunt Lilian how I felt. She warned me it happened to every actress who was given a role opposite an attractive costar. A kind of in love with love thing. It would pass.

“But it didn’t pass, Alex. My love for you deepened. Talk about living for every day. Once you started coming to the condo, I prayed you would stay and talk to me, be with me. Alone. It never happened.”

“Now you know why,” he said in his deep voice.

“Because you never sought me out, I knew I had to leave the show. I couldn’t take loving you like I did, knowing I meant nothing to you. In fact I’d just decided to break my contract when Aunt Lilian suddenly took ill and died. After her funeral I realized I needed to stay on until renewal time came up. It wouldn’t have been fair to walk out.”

“I agree.”

“But these last few months…” She shook her head. “They’ve been a literal hell for me, too.”

Lines marred his handsome features. “When I heard you were leaving the show, I asked Stan to write some new lines for you so we could be married surrounded by all our friends. I wasn’t about to let you get away from me. Not after waiting an entire year for you.”

Her eyes filled with tears, making them shine like deep blue pools. “Elaine said she thought it was the most romantic thing she’d ever heard of in her whole life.”

His heart skittered all over the place. “What I’m concerned about is what you think. No one else matters. Do you want to stay married to me?”

She started moving toward him with a mysterious smile on her lips. He’d never seen that exact look on her face before.

“For how long?” she demanded.

“Into the afterlife and beyond.”

“Alex-”

He felt her arms go around his neck, felt her luscious mouth search avidly for his. Their legs tangled. Exquisite pleasure-pain shot through his body that this woman was really his at last.

“I love you, Reese. I’ll live wherever you want to live, support you in any way you wish. Give you all the children you want. You’re my life.”

“You’re mine.” She moaned the words before they began kissing each other into oblivion.

For twelve months they’d given each other kisses and embraces day in and day out on the set. But it was nothing like this total communion of mind, soul and body.

Without conscious thought he carried her into the bedroom and followed her down on the mattress. The warmth, the beauty of her took his breath.

Before any more time passed, he reached in his robe pocket and slid a ring on her finger.

Her eyes shone like pulsating stars as she lifted her hand to look at it.

“It was my grandmother’s. My grandfather gave it to me with the charge that I find a woman to bring home.” He kissed her long and hard.

When he lifted his mouth he whispered, “How would you like to get on a plane to Greece tomorrow? I want to take you home for a week.”

“There’s nothing I’d love more,” she whispered back against his lips. “You don’t know how many times I’ve dreamed of traveling there with you. The pictures you painted. Your memories. I’ve forgotten nothing you’ve ever told me.”

His response was to crush her in his arms. “I’d give anything if they could have met you.”

She covered his face with kisses. “I know how you feel. My parents would have adored you. But right now I’m just thankful Aunt Lilian was an actress. Otherwise I would never have met you.”

He groaned as he followed the sensuous curve of her lips with his finger. “Don’t think about it. I can’t comprehend life without you now.”

“Nor I, darling,” she cried, smothering him with kisses. “I’m so thankful we’re already married. It was perfect. Trust my amazing husband to plan out such a fantastic wedding. There was a very special feeling on the set today. It felt like we really were getting married. The pastor was so solemn. Now I know why.”

“I had to twist his arm.”

She smiled at him. It was a woman’s smile, full of mystery and the knowledge of the ages. “Obviously not too hard. Aunt Lilian would have loved every second of it. In fact I have to believe she was looking on.”

“I’m sure of it,” he agreed as he buried his face in her glistening black hair.

Reese had always been a giver, but her response to him now made him thank God he’d been born a man.

His grandfather had been right. “All things come to him who waits.”

His wife was all things to him. The long wait was over.