“Okay.”

He walked out and she shut and locked the door, then headed into her bedroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. She climbed into her bed and grabbed her script, intending to run through her scenes for tomorrow. But all she could think about was Logan. Each time she tried to get into character, his face swam before her eyes.

After an hour, she gave up on the script, laying it on the nightstand. She shut out the light, wishing Logan were lying next to her. The bed seemed cold and empty without his body against hers.

When her phone rang, she grabbed it and smiled.

“Didn’t you just leave?” she asked.

“Shouldn’t you be sleeping?”

“I was trying to study tomorrow’s script. Shouldn’t you be sleeping?”

“I don’t like sleeping without you.”

That made her smile. “Good. Because I’m not having any luck sleeping without you, either.”

“Just wanted you to know I was thinking about you. I’ll let you go.”

“Screw that. Get your ass back over here so you can climb into my bed. I’ll never get to sleep otherwise.”

He laughed. “I’ll be right there.”

She hung up, then threw on a pair of shorts and a tank top, slipped into her sandals and walked toward the gate. Another beautifully clear night.

She’d really miss these once she got back to the city.

One of the night security guys raised a brow at her.

“Don’t even ask, Phil,” she said.

Phil shook his head, but smiled. “Okay. I won’t.”

When Logan pulled in and came walking toward the gate, Phil opened it with a wide grin. “Evening, Mr. McCormack.”

“Hey, Phil.”

“Night, Miss Desiree.”

“Night, Phil.”

She slipped her arm around Logan’s waist and they walked to her trailer.

“You didn’t have to come out here and wait for me,” he said.

She tilted her head back to look at him. “I wanted to.”

Once inside, they undressed and climbed into her bed.

Logan grunted. “Your bed is small. We should have gone to my place.”

“Quit complaining and get over here.”

He tugged her against his chest and Des sighed. Perfect. Logan turned out the light and Des could already feel her lids drooping closed.

“Better?” he asked.

She yawned. “Perfect.”

Chapter 21

IT HAD BEEN an idyllic few weeks, but now it was coming to a close. Today, Des and Colt would shoot their final scene, and the movie would wrap.

That part she didn’t want to think about, not when she and Logan had spent every single night together. As soon as she finished on set each day, she’d head over to the ranch and would either spend time with Martha until the guys came in for dinner, or if they wrapped filming later, she and Logan would spend the evening alone. She’d slept in his bed every night, had gotten accustomed to wandering around that big ranch house she’d grown to love so much.

Martha had become as much a mother to her as she had always been to Logan. What was she going to do without Martha’s advice? What was she going to do without Martha’s awesome food?

It was a good thing they’d filmed out here in the summer, where she sweated off a massive amount of calories working under the hot sun every day, or she swore she’d probably have gained ten pounds eating all the glorious meals Martha fixed for her. When she went back to L.A. she’d likely starve to death.

Though Martha was teaching her how to cook, so she was learning a lot under Martha’s expert tutelage. At least when she went home, she’d know more than how to make a salad and steamed vegetables.

Today she and Colt were in full makeup and costume, ready for the final scene, though it wasn’t the movie’s final scene, because that had already been filmed prior to coming out here. The final scene of the movie was back on the planet, in a hospital room, a tender reunion scene between her and Colt. At least she wouldn’t have to die in this movie, a fact that made her very grateful.

This final scene being filmed was the one before the big explosion they’d filmed several weeks ago. She and Colt were running for their lives, and the scene they were filming today had them on top of a massive rock, debating whether to jump. The stunt folks would make the jump for them, but this was where she and Colt would declare their love for each other. It was going to be a huge emotional scene, a possible good-bye, and Desiree wasn’t ready for filming to finish, so her emotions were tenuous. She dug into her feelings when she and Colt stood at the edge and held on to each other, looking down into what—once CGI effects added some depth to the scene—would be a giant abyss.

“I love you—you know that, don’t you?” Colt said, holding on to her as they mimicked feeling the shock waves as the aliens worked to destroy what remained of the planet.

She shook her head, the tears falling, blinding her as she kept her focus on Colt. “I’m not a goddamned mind reader. I didn’t know how you felt. Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

Colt looked away, then back at her. “Because I’m a coward, Lacey. Because I was afraid you didn’t love me back. Because I thought you still mourned Brace.”

She pulled him to her, kissed him, then squeezed his hand, all the while mimicking trying to hold her balance as the planet fell apart around them. “Brace was a long time ago. And it was never him, Deacon. I’ve always loved you. Since we first met, since you made that cocky remark to me. You were mine. You’ll always be mine.”

Colt swept his fingers across her jaw, and she gave him her deepest look of love. “Let’s make this jump and get the hell out of here. Together.”

They hovered on the brink of the precipice, looked into each other’s eyes one last time. Des nodded at Colt, and then—

“And, cut.” Theo stood, and the crew clapped. “That was as damn perfect a scene as any the two of you have shot. We have a location wrap.”

Des smiled and swiped at the tears. Colt hugged her and kissed her cheek.

“Fucking finally,” Colt said.

Des laughed. “Seriously.”

It was done. They were finished here. As she watched the crew start pulling the sets apart and wrapping up wires and equipment, she looked toward the far corners of the ranch. She was going to be leaving all of this.

She was going to be leaving Logan.

“Tell him how you feel, Des,” Colt said as they walked back to their trailers.

“Tell who?”

Colt rolled his eyes. “I’m not the only one who needs to live an honest life, you know.”

“Oh. Well, you know. We’ve had fun, but there’s no future for the two of us. He’s here, and I’m there and, yes, I have feelings for him, but it would only end in disaster, with us hating each other. I don’t want that when we can end it friendly.”

“Already deciding how he feels without asking him?”

They stood at the entrance to Colt’s trailer. Des had no answer to that. She was brave—fearless, really—in so many areas of her life. But this? This scared the hell out of her.

“Just talk to him, Des. Don’t walk away without knowing what might be between the two of you.”

“I guess so.”

He kissed the tip of her nose. “Don’t guess so. Just do it. You kicked ass in that last scene, by the way. You nearly had me crying.”

She laughed. “Thanks. I’ll see you at the wrap party later.”

She showered, changed clothes, then headed over to the ranch. She walked into the house, the smell of something delicious coming from the kitchen.

“Hi, Martha.”

Martha gave her a bright smile. “Hi, sweetheart. I just pulled a couple peach pies from the oven.”

“I smelled them as soon as I opened the front door. The scent is to die for.”

“Thank you. They’re for my church group. And how are you doing? Did you finish the movie?”

She pulled up a seat at the island. “We did. Finally.”

“Congratulations.” Martha poured her a glass of iced tea. “And did it all go well?”

“I think so.”

“You must be so happy to be finished.”

Des took a drink of tea and nodded. “Yes. I guess so.”

Martha loaded a few things into the dishwasher, then wiped her hands on the towel and refilled her tea glass and came around to the other side of the island to take a seat. “You’re going to miss the ranch. And Logan.”

“Yes.”

“Have you told Logan that?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

Des laughed. “Now you sound like Colt. He told me the same thing today.”

“Maybe Colt’s suggestion makes sense. You two are never going to figure out what you both want if you don’t communicate with each other.”

“I don’t know, Martha. I can’t see how this could ever work.”

“Unless you talk to each other.”

She sighed. “I know. I’m afraid, though. He’s so reluctant about relationships, and ours has been perfect because there’ve been no promises. No ties.”

“Well, a relationship has to either progress or it dies. I think it’s high time to figure out where yours is going, isn’t it?”

Martha made a lot of sense. Which didn’t comfort Des all that much. “You’re right, of course.”

Logan came in the door a short time later, his face darkly tanned, rivulets of sweat running down his temples. He took off his cowboy hat. His hair was matted to his head and soaking wet. So was his T-shirt, which was so wet it outlined his chest and abs to perfection. He looked utterly miserable, and absolutely, breathtakingly sexy.

When he looked up at her, he straightened and smiled. “Hey. Didn’t expect to see you here today.”

“We finished up early, so I thought I’d surprise you.”

“I’m surprised.”

Martha filled up a giant glass of ice water and handed it to him. “It’s over a hundred degrees out there today. Drink this.”

Without a word, he accepted the glass from her and downed the contents. “Thank you.”

“You look exhausted,” Des said. “And fried.”

“It’s okay, just hot out today.” He came over and brushed his lips over hers. She tasted sweat, and something purely elementally male that never ceased to turn her on.

“Still, you’d probably like to take a shower and put your feet up in the cool air-conditioning for the rest of the day.”

He leaned against the counter. “What’s going on, Des?”

“A wrap party tonight. But you don’t have to come if you don’t want to.”

“You inviting me?”

“Yes.”

“Then I want to come. What time?”

“Eight thirty.”

“I’ll be there.”

She grinned. “Good. And thank you.”

“Now that that’s settled,” Martha said. “We’re having salmon steaks and asparagus for dinner, along with fruit salad. Are you staying, Des?”

“I’d love to, Martha. Can I help?”

“Everything’s already done, except for the salmon, which we’re fixing on the grill tonight.”

“Sounds great. And, Martha, you and Ben are also invited to the wrap party tonight. If you’d like to come.”

Martha’s smile was as wide as the state. “I’d love to come. How thrilling. How do I dress?”

“Just as casual as you’d like. There’ll be drinks. And we’re letting the press in. It’ll be a free-for-all. Should be a wild and crazy night.”

“Oh, boy.” Martha’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “I’m going to head home to pick out somethin’ to wear.”

“Leave the fancy furs in the closet, Martha,” Logan said. “It’s a little warm for those.”

“You hush. And see what Ben’s up to. I’m sure Desiree is hungry.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

After Martha left the room, Des slid off the barstool and went over to him, sliding her hand into his hair.

“I’m hot, I’m sweaty, and I stink,” he said.

“I don’t care. Kiss me.”

He tugged her close and put his mouth on hers, kissing her with that same familiar hunger that never failed to drive her desire to feverish levels. She whimpered and raised up on her toes, molding her body to his. He grabbed her butt, then pulled away, his breath coming out in harsh gasps.

“Martha will be back any minute. Their house isn’t that far away. We need to stop.”

“Or, you could take me upstairs with you.”

“You’re a bad influence.”

“Not the first time I’ve heard that.”

He took her hand and pulled her upstairs, then shut the door to his room and headed into the bathroom.

She took a seat on his bed. “Where are you going?”

He paused and turned around. “To take a shower.”

“You think I mind a little sweat?”

“Babe. I’ve been out in the pasture all day. Trust me, I’m not pleasant.”

She kicked off her sandals and slid out of her capris. “Come here and make love to me, Logan.”

She heard the low rumble of a growl somewhere deep in his chest, but he jerked his T-shirt over his head and unzipped his pants, toeing out of his boots at the same time. Soon, he was beautifully, gloriously na**d, and she looked her fill.