“Please let me take you to a doctor, Z,” he said. “When it turns out to be nothing, we can both stop worrying. You freaked the hell out of me today. I know how big a deal this film is for you, but you have to stay healthy enough to do the stunts safely. There’s no career to build if you’re disabled or dead.”
That caused more tears to fill her eyes. She blinked hard and turned her gaze back to the script. “I know. I’m seeing Despina’s doctor tomorrow.”
“That’s great.” He felt like he’d found a patch of solid ground. “That’s really great.”
He stroked his hand down her hair. His thumb across her cheekbone. Loved the fact that she hadn’t pulled away from him yet. “I forgot how soft your skin is.”
She let out a shaky sigh, turned her head, closed her eyes, and kissed his palm.
Dual lightning strikes of shock and desire jolted through him. Almost overwhelmed him. He could so easily cradle her head and kiss her. God, he wanted to feel her. Taste her. Love her.
“I’m sorry about what I said on the plane.” He’d been wanting to apologize for days, but that was hard to do when she wouldn’t listen. “You were right. I should have put you first. I was trying to make everyone happy. I screwed up.”
Her lashes fluttered open. But her gaze shuttered, and she leaned away. Chase felt an invisible wedge pry them apart again.
“You were in a tough spot. You made the best decision you could at the time.” She closed the script and scooted her chair back. “That’s all any of us can do, right?”
He got the feeling she was talking about something totally different. That or something had happened to cause a sudden change of heart.
She pushed to her feet, cradling the script in one arm. “No one’s perfect. I sure as hell have a truckload of faults. I shouldn’t have been so harsh.”
Chase stood. “Don’t go. This is the first real talk we’ve had in weeks. I miss
you.”
She gave him a tired smile. “I’m all out of mental energy.”
He walked with her through the lobby. She paused at the elevators, took a look at what floors they were on, and decided to take the stairs. But she didn’t just take the stairs, she took them two at a time without holding the handrail.
Chase was desperate to keep her talking. “What were you looking at the script for?”
“Just reviewing my stunts.”
They turned the landing on the second floor. “Are you concerned about something?”
She glanced over her shoulder and tried to smile, but she looked exhausted. “I always review my stunts the night before.”
She turned on the landing, heading toward the fifth floor and their rooms. Chase scrambled for a reason to continue talking. “Can I help—”
Zahara swayed, stopped, and grabbed the handrail. “Whoa.”
Chase stepped up to the landing beside her and slid his arm around her waist. “Dizzy?”
Instead of pushing him away, she sighed, gripped a handful of his T-shirt, and dropped her forehead against his chest.
A ridiculous thrill jumbled his insides. He tightened his arm around her, closed his eyes, and dropped a kiss to the top of her head. “I wish I could do something to make you feel better.”
She laughed, a soft, husky sound that sizzled over his nerves. “Me too.”
He soaked in the feel of her. Breathed in the sweet scent of her. She was like a fine bottle of whiskey to an alcoholic. She relaxed a little more, melting against him, belly to belly. Heat collected beneath his ribs, pressure between his legs. Hunger resurfaced and gnawed low in his gut.
He stroked a hand up her back, then down. His whole world righted when she was in his arms. “Maybe it’s just an electrolyte imbalance, you know?”
She tipped her head back and looked at him with those sultry dark eyes. Every cell in his body ached for her.
He stroked her cheek with his knuckles. “It’s been more humid than usual the last few days, and you work hard. I could run out and get you Gatorade. You can put it in Despina’s trailer so the crew doesn’t drink it.” His gaze lowered to her mouth. That delicious mouth that had branded his body. “Maybe you’re dehydrated or…”
His mind slid south, along with the heat.