The memory of it lingered like warm honey in her chest. She’d never forget how the first rays of light spilled across the mountains or the solid strength of the man who gave her that gift.
She sat in her usual chair outside the star’s trailer, watching the activity of the set, but today her eyelids had a mind of their own. They felt heavy enough to drop shut. The early morning coffee she’d shared with Church had long since worn off, and so had the tea he’d brought her when they first arrived on set.
She stared into space but didn’t even see Church approaching until he stopped right in front of her.
“You’re fading.” He leaned down, bracing his hands on the arms of the chair and hemming her in.
She issued a low laugh. “Am not.”
Just as she said it, another jaw-popping yawn betrayed her.
He slipped his rough hand into hers and gave it a small tug. “Come on.”
“Where are we going?”
He didn’t answer, just guided her toward Miss Collins’s trailer.
She dug her heels in. “We can’t just go in there!”
“She’ll be in front of the cameras all day.”
“But what if she breaks another heel and has to lie down?”
He shot her a crooked grin and tugged on her hand again. When they slipped into the trailer, she drew a breath of the calming scent that filled the space.
“It smells like a luxury hotel in here. Not that I’ve ever been to one.”
He searched her eyes for a heartbeat and then brushed his lips over hers. The soft caress sent shivers of pleasure through her whole body, but she was too tired to act on them.
He gave her a little nudge toward a cozy armchair with a footstool big enough to curl up on for an afternoon nap.
As soon as she sank into the depths, she felt exhaustion claim her. Church looked down at her, concern pinching his brows.
“I don’t know why I’m so tired.”
He ran the pad of his thumb across her lower lip. “I do. You’ve been in fight-or-flight mode for years. My guess is you have a lot of sleep to catch up on.”
Fight-or-flight. That was exactly what her life had been.
Not living or even surviving. Just…enduring. Her body had learned how to stay on alert, ready to leap up and make a break for a new town, even in sleep.
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d fallen asleep without listening to the world around her first, trying to detect footsteps or movement.
But with Church…she hadn’t even tried to stay awake.
Her gaze drifted up his steely hard-muscled body to his rugged face. Nothing got past him and nothing ever would.
She dropped her head back on the padded chair. “I’ll only rest my eyes for a second.”
“I’ll be back for you.” He kissed her again, then he was gone. That was the last thing she remembered until she opened her eyes and found the light had shifted.
She blinked, disoriented by her surroundings. She pushed upright, smoothing her hair as she tried to get her bearings.
Then her gaze fell on Church standing near the trailer door.
“How long was I out?” Her voice was raspy from sleep.
“Most of the day.”
