Undying Love

by Carole Mortimer

  Her apartment was almost as impersonal as the hotel suite they had just left, but at least she could make Rick more comfortable there, would only be in the next bedroom at night if he should need anything. She felt better just knowing he was there, she hoped he felt the same way.

  ‘I’ll have to go back to the office for a few hours,’ she told him after she had organised his lunch of a little hot soup and dry bread, having comfortably settled him in the single bed in her spare room. ‘After all, I have to earn the money you pay me,’ she added teasingly.

  ‘If you weren’t leaving I’d give you a rise. Maybe I’ll give you a bonus anyway,’ Rick added thoughtfully. ‘No one has ever done anything like this for me before.’

  ‘Maybe you just didn’t give them the chance to.’ Her tone was brittle in her embarrassment. ‘You aren’t the easiest of men to be kind to, Rick.’

  ‘Now don’t spoil it!’ his mouth quirked.

  ‘I won’t,’ she grinned. ‘And the only bonus I need is for you to get well again and go back to your hotel.’

  ‘I suppose I deserved that,’ he sighed. ‘I’ll be fine now, if you want to go.’

  ‘In other words, get back to work,’ she derided.

  ‘I wish I felt well enough to offer you an alternative, but unfortunately, I don’t,’ he said with genuine regret.

  For the first time she realised what a problem he was going to be once he started to feel better. Oh well, she mentally shrugged, she would handle that when the time came. ‘You’re sure you have everything?’ she hesitated at the bedroom door. ‘Nothing else I can get you before I leave?’

  ‘Nothing, thanks. You’re a very thoughtful nurse,’ he smiled, suddenly looking boyish. ‘I didn’t wait for ever, did I, Shanna?’

  ‘Sorry?’ she frowned her puzzlement, wondering if he were delirious and perhaps she shouldn’t go and leave him on his own after all.

  ‘How many days ago was it you told me I would wait for ever to be invited to stay at your home?’ he mocked.

  Her mouth set at the taunt. ‘I could always change my mind and get you a taxi back to your hotel,’ she warned.

  ‘You could,’ he nodded. ‘But you won’t.’ He lay back with a sigh of contentment after this confident statement, his eyes closed. One lid was raised as he sensed her presence still in the room. ‘Changed your mind about leaving?’

  ‘No,’ she snapped. ‘I’m just wondering if you aren’t already back on the way to recovery.’

  ‘Do I look it?’ he derided.

  No, he didn’t, he still looked ill. ‘I’ll get your dinner as soon as I get home,’ she didn’t answer him. ‘Try and get some sleep while I’m gone.’

  ‘I’m trying.’

  ‘Ungrateful swine!’ she muttered on her way out.

  She sought out Cindy when she got back to the office, and found the other woman in the canteen having her afternoon break.

  ‘A shot of caffeine to keep me going until the end of the day.’ She sipped her black coffee.

  Shanna sat down opposite her, but got no drink for herself, having wasted enough of the day already. ‘I just wanted to let you know that Rick is with me, in case you go to his suite and get worried because he isn’t there.’

  ‘Rick—is—with—you?’ Cindy repeated disbelievingly. ‘You mean at your home?’

  Shanna swallowed hard, knowing how damning this must seem after yesterday. ‘I couldn’t just leave him in the hotel,’ she tried to explain. ‘It was so impersonal, and he looked so awful. I went to the hotel this morning and took him back to my apartment.’

  ‘So that’s where you were.’ Cindy’s frown cleared. ‘Gloria was very evasive as to where you’d gone when I asked her.’

  ‘That’s because she didn’t know.’ Shanna’s smile was tight. ‘It isn’t something I want broadcast,’ she gave Cindy an expressive look. ‘’Flu doesn’t usually last very long, another couple of days and Rick will be well enough to come back to the hotel. I’d rather no rumours started—erroneous rumours, of us cohabiting.’ She was aware of how pompous she sounded, but she couldn’t impress on Cindy enough how innocent Rick being at her apartment was.

  ‘You can rely on me,’ Cindy grinned. ‘I may put my foot in my mouth every time I open it, but I certainly know when to keep it closed. Although the others are going to be curious as to where the boss has gone, and some of them couldn’t keep a secret if their life depended on it,’ she grimaced.

  Shanna sighed, realising the embarrassing position her ‘good deed for the day’ had put her in. ‘What was I supposed to do,’ she said moodily, ‘leave him there alone to suffer?’

  Cindy held up her hands defensively. ‘Hey, I haven’t said a word!’

  ‘But everyone else is going to!’ groaned Shanna. ‘There’s no way I can keep something like this to myself, is there?’

  ‘Well…’

  ‘Always supposing Rick wants to keep it quiet,’ she frowned. ‘I wouldn’t put it past him to have all his calls transferred to my apartment,’ she grimaced. ‘I should have just left him there to suffer in his own sweat,’ she muttered.

  Cindy shook her head. ‘You don’t have it in you to be that unfeeling. When I first heard that Rick was getting the run-around from a frosty lady called Shanna Logan I thought you must be a snobby bitch who thought herself too good for him.’

  ‘And?’ Shanna taunted, interested in spite of herself.

  ‘No snobby bitch, just a lady who’s been hurt in the past and doesn’t intend to be again. Rick doesn’t have a very good record in long-lasting relationships,’ Cindy shrugged.

  Shanna’s laugh was completely lacking in humour. ‘Whatever gave you the impression I’ve been hurt?’

  ‘I’m an expert on relationships that go wrong,’ Cindy said ruefully. ‘I recognise the signs.’

  Shanna shook her head. ‘You’re wrong this time,’ her voice was sharp. ‘My marriage was just about as perfect as I could have wished for.’

  The other girl gave her a searching look, seeming to give a mental shrug. ‘I have to get back to work,’ she stood up. ‘Rick may be ill, but he’ll still expect all the work to be done when he gets back on his feet. Give him my love, won’t you?’ She raised a hand in parting, her head back as she walked past Jack making his way to their table.

  Now Shanna understood the other woman’s abrupt departure; nowadays Cindy avoided Jack wherever possible.

  Jack sat down opposite her, giving her his usual leering smile. ‘Cindy got herself a new boy-friend?’ he drawled.

  Shanna frowned, not liking this man at all, finding him too familiar for her tastes. ‘Sorry?’ she blinked.

  ‘I overheard her tell you to give her love to someone,’ he shrugged. ‘I assumed it was a new boy-friend.’

  ‘Not at all.’ She got to her feet, deciding she might as well tell the ‘town-crier’ as have smutty rumours running through the building. The last thing she wanted was snide sniggers behind her and Rick’s backs. ‘She was asking me to give Rick her love when I see him—he’s staying at my apartment at the moment,’ she announced tautly. ‘Any message you would like me to give him?’

  Jack looked taken aback by her blasé attitude, although he recovered well. ‘Not that I can think of, although you might tell him he’s a lucky devil,’ he added suggestively.

  She nodded coolly. ‘I’ll tell him.’

  ‘No! I mean—I was only joking, Shanna.’ He looked less than confident that either she or Rick would appreciate his humour.

  ‘I understand that, Mr Priest,’ she said with sweet insincerity. ‘Let’s hope Rick sees it the same way, hmm?’ she taunted.

  ‘There’s no need to tell him,’ Jack blustered. ‘I didn’t mean anything by it,’ he muttered.

  ‘I’m sure you didn’t,’ she continued in the same saccharine voice. ‘As I’m sure you’ll correct anyone else who gains the impression that Rick is staying with me for any other reason than his illness?’

  He gave her a speculative look, but
agreed readily enough. She had the feeling that there was one man who was still unconvinced as to the innocence of Rick’s stay with her, but that he would slam into anyone else who dared to suggest it was more than that. Jack Priest might be a womaniser and a flirt, but he knew that it wouldn’t be wise to antagonise a boss like Rick Dalmont, especially when he had no idea of just how deep her involvement with Rick was. For the moment she had an ally, albeit a reluctant one.

  Rick was asleep when she looked quietly into his room later that evening. He had been asleep since her arrival home an hour earlier, and she had been careful not to wake him, knowing that the sleep would help him as much, if not more, than any dinner she could give him.

  She ate her dinner alone, her usual salad and cold meat, tidying away neatly afterwards. The apartment was as cold and stark as usual, although tonight there was a difference. She was very conscious of Rick in the spare bedroom.

  She switched the television on softly, beginning to doze in the chair, once again feeling the tiredness that seemed to be increasing of late.

  ‘Shanna?’

  She was instantly awake, turning to find Rick standing in the bedroom doorway, swaying slightly on his feet, although he had had the forethought to pull on his robe first! ‘You shouldn’t be out of bed,’ she stood up, pushing down her own feelings of weakness.

  He leant against the doorframe, very pale, a gaunt look to his face. ‘I called out to you,’ he told her gruffly. ‘You didn’t hear me. You were so white just now, Shanna. I thought you—Do you always sleep so deeply?’ he frowned.

  ‘Yes.’ Her answer was abrupt as she reached his side. ‘Now go back to bed.’

  ‘I need to go to the bathroom.’

  She helped him through to the other room, sitting down in a chair to wait for him, feeling too tired to stand any longer. Thank goodness it was the weekend tomorrow and she could have a lie-in, although with Rick about the place it didn’t look like being a restful time.

  She prepared him a late dinner once he was back in his room, watching over him as he managed to eat a little of the omelette, making sure he drank the fresh orange-juice she had given him with it.

  ‘I’m going to bed now,’ she told him a little after nine.

  ‘Bed?’ he blinked, his jaw clean-shaven, having shaved and washed while he was in the bathroom, applying a tangy aftershave to his jaw too. ‘But it’s early.’

  ‘And I’m tired,’ she said flatly.

  ‘No party tonight?’

  ‘Not while I have a guest, no,’ she answered stiffly.

  He looked at her with dark mocking eyes. ‘Guests are usually—entertained.’

  He was recovering fast, she could tell that, his humour and outspoken comments coming more frequently this evening. ‘You want entertainment?’ her eyes gleamed vengefully.

  His brows rose. ‘Yes.’

  ‘Right.’ She left the room, coming back a few minutes later. ‘Your entertainment,’ she said triumphantly.

  Rick looked blankly at the portable television set she had placed on the dressing-table, then he turned angry black eyes on her. ‘What the hell do you mean by bringing that in here—’

  ‘You wanted entertainment,’ she shrugged. ‘There it is.’ She grinned at him. ‘Isn’t television what you had in mind, Rick?’

  He scowled. ‘If I thought I could catch you I’d get out of this bed and give you the beating you deserve. How dare you carry that heavy thing in here? You could have injured yourself!’

  It was slowly dawning on her that his anger was directed at the fact that she had carried the television in here, not because he had been given that as his entertainment. ‘It’s portable—’

  ‘What does that mean?’ he dismissed scathingly. ‘Just that it has a handle on the top of it to transport it by! It doesn’t make it weigh any less.’

  ‘Rick—’

  ‘Don’t ever do anything like that again!’ he was glaring at her now. ‘Not even to get in a low-blow at me.’

  She flushed at the rebuke. ‘Do you want the television on or not? I’m going to bed.’

  ‘Not,’ he snapped. ‘Television happens to be my least favourite form of entertainment.’

  ‘I can guess what tops the list!’

  ‘I doubt it,’ he drawled. ‘Women are a necessary part of my life, Shanna, as I’ve already admitted, but they aren’t a really enjoyable part. They demand too much and give too little in return.’

  ‘Then what do you enjoy?’ she asked, interested in spite of herself.

  He lay back against the pillows. ‘I have a ranch in Montana, in the mountains, right alongside my parents’ place. Some day I’m going to retire there like my dad did.’

  She could see how the thought pleased him. ‘Why not now?’ she frowned. ‘Surely you’re wealthy enough not to keep on with this merry-go-round?’

  ‘Yes,’ he said without conceit. ‘And I can’t deny I like being there, but at the moment there’s nothing to hold me. I have someone to run the ranch for me, and the house is too big for one man. Maybe when I have a wife and children…’ he shrugged.

  Her eyes widened. ‘You intend marrying?’ He had never given that impression.

  ‘One day,’ he nodded.

  ‘And having children?’

  ‘They usually come along with the wife,’ he smiled ruefully.

  ‘Yes,’ she said flatly. ‘Well, if you need anything, just call me,’ she added briskly.

  ‘Would you hear me?’ he derided her heavy sleeping.

  She grimaced. ‘Probably not.’

  ‘That’s what I thought. Okay, Shanna I’ll see you in the morning. I like coffee with my breakfast, by the way.’

  ‘Because it wakes you up,’ she drawled.

  ‘You remembered,’ he grinned.

  ‘I remember a lot of things about you, Rick Dalmont,’ she warned. ‘And most of them are bad.’

  His husky laugh followed her from the room, although her own smile faded as soon as she closed her bedroom door; the talk of wives and families was upsetting her.

  She awoke to the sound of china rattling against china, opening her eyes to find Rick standing next to her bed, fully dressed today in faded close-fitting denims and a black silk shirt, a tray of tea and biscuits in his hand.

  Shanna sat up with a start, pushing the dark hair from her face, feeling strangely vulnerable without her make-up, the sheet pulled up to her chin as she looked at him questioningly.

  ‘It’s after ten,’ he explained gently, putting the tray down. ‘I was awake at seven.’ He sat on the side of the bed, frowning his concern. ‘I’m beginning to wonder who should be looking after who.’

  She sipped her tea. ‘You’re obviously feeling better,’ she said briskly.

  ‘A little,’ he conceded. ‘Although my small burst of energy seems to have tired me. But at least I felt refreshed when I woke up, you look more tired today than you did last night.’

  ‘That often happens,’ she dismissed. ‘It’s just the tiredness catching up with me. I’ll be fine once I’ve showered and eaten breakfast.’

  ‘I’m not so sure—’

  ‘No one asked you to be,’ she told him waspishly. ‘Now get out of my bedroom—I don’t remember telling you you could just walk in here any time you felt like it?’

  He raised mocking brows. ‘Does that mean you don’t want the tea?’ he taunted.

  ‘Get out of here,’ she sighed wearily.

  To her surprise he went without further argument, the apartment in silence now, so she assumed he had gone back to his own room. The tea and biscuits were very welcome, although she had no intention of telling Rick that; she didn’t want him to make a habit of coming into her bedroom. What was she thinking of—of course he wouldn’t make a habit of it, he was leaving as soon as he was feeling better!

  He was back in bed by the time she was up and dressed, asleep by the look of him, and from the mess he had left in the kitchen he had prepared himself some eggs for breakfast.

&
nbsp; She took no risk of him causing that much havoc again in her kitchen by preparing a late dinner for him when he woke up, the two of them eating it in the kitchen.

  ‘I hope you don’t mind,’ Rick looked across the table at her as they lingered over the strong coffee he had made for them. ‘I used your telephone to call Cindy this morning.’

  ‘Feel free,’ she invited lightly.

  ‘She said you’d already explained.’

  ‘I did,’ she nodded. ‘I also told your P.R. man to watch what he thinks, let alone what he says!’

  Rick smiled. ‘I imagine Jack has been suitably put in his place.’

  ‘Very suitably,’ she confirmed tightly.

  ‘Just what did you tell Cindy?’ he mused.

  She shrugged. ‘The truth.’

  ‘You do a lot for my ego,’ he grimaced.

  ‘I didn’t realise you would want people to believe you were here for any other reason than the real one?’

  ‘I guess not,’ he shrugged. ‘It was a good meal, Shanna,’ he complimented.

  ‘Thank you.’ Shanna stood up to clear away. ‘Shouldn’t you go back to bed now?’

  ‘Another invitation, Shanna?’

  She turned to find him standing very close to her, closer than she had realised, and she recoiled back as she almost touched him. ‘Would you please go back to bed?’ she said tautly. ‘I just have to tidy up here and then I’m going to bed myself.’

  Rick looked down at her for long timeless minutes, half a dozen different emotions flickering in his eyes, all of them too fleeting to be analysed. Finally he nodded. ‘I’ll see you in the morning.’

  ‘Er—Rick,’ she stopped him at the door, ‘I think you should leave tomorrow,’ she told him as he slowly turned.

  He seemed about to argue, then he shrugged. ‘All right. Late tomorrow. I suppose it must have been forty-eight-hour ‘flu, huh?’

  ‘I suppose,’ she agreed softly, just wishing he would go, leave her alone.

  He nodded. ‘Tomorrow.’

  ‘Yes,’ and she turned away.

  She knew he had gone, could sense it, her fingers clutching on to the work unit in front of her. It was a strange feeling having Rick here, knowing there was someone else in her home. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling, just a forgotten one. Rick’s manner today was definitely that of a predatory male as he regained his strength. She had become used to her privacy, she wasn’t sure she liked having to check the bathroom was free before she went in there, having to be careful she was always fully dressed. Just having Rick here at all made her feel uncomfortable.