Cowboy Love (29 page)

"I do understand, Tanner and I'm happy for you, but I don't want this to change what is between us and it already is."

"No, it's not," he said rising from the bed and moving to her side. "If things are changin', it's because you are lettin' 'em"

"How can you say that? You just told me not to leave marks on you."

"Only where they can be seen." He pulled her to his chest and she buried her face in his shoulder. "I love you," he whispered in her ear.

"I love you, too. Please don't let this come between us."

"I promise it won't. I love you too much to lose you now." He pushed her back and looked into her eyes. "Let me love you. I need you. You are the other half to my heart and I can't live without you."

She couldn't tell him no. The love shining in his gaze melted her heart and she let him lead her back to the bed.

* * * *

Amy stood outside the recording booth and watched. The thick glass separated her from Tanner as he sang his heart out into the microphone in front of him. The audition had gone perfectly and now he sat on a stool inside the booth recording. After the label offered him a contract, he had moved in with her in Dallas to be closer to the studio. She loved having him around all the time, but she still felt like he held a secret in his heart, one he did not want to share with her. Their loving had become almost desperate, at least on her part.

"Perfect Tanner. Let's take a break," the engineer said into the microphone and Tanner nodded before he removed the headset he wore and walked through the door.

He planted a lingering kiss on her lips as he reached her side. "I'm starvin'. How about you?"

"I could use something to eat."

"Let's hit the café up the street."

After they ordered their food and took a seat, Amy said, "So when do they expect you to start touring?"

"Soon. I think they've set up a couple of dates already," Tanner replied taking a bite of the sandwich in front of him.

"Not sure. They haven't given me the details yet."

She dropped her eyes as she picked at her food.

"What's wrong?"

She sighed heavily before she answered. "You're aware I won't be able to go with you if they are somewhere else than within a few hours drive. I have to work to pay the bills while you tour."

He took her hand in his. "I know. Everything will work out babe. They should be giving me an advance on royalties so I can pay for some of the tourin' stuff. That should help, too."

"It bothers me I can't go with you."

"I don't like you not with me either, but we'll get through this."

They finished their lunch and made their way back to the studio. Tanner opened the front door for her and as they approached the front desk, the girl behind the counter told Tanner she had a message for him.

A confused look passed over his face before he asked, "For me?"

"Yep. Here you go." She handed him the folded piece of paper.

He unfolded the paper as a frown appeared.

"What is it?" He handed the paper to Amy. Terror ripped through her as she read the words:

Watch your back.

You are a dead man.

"My God Tanner. This is a threat letter."

"I'm sure it's nothin'." He took the scrap from her hand before he turned and asked the girl if she knew who left it for him.

"Some guy is all I can tell you. He didn't really notice. He just dropped it off and said to give it to you."

"It isn't nothing. Whoever wrote this is threatening your life. We need to call the police, Tanner," Amy said. "Maybe they can dust the paper for fingerprints or something."

"Fine, we'll call, but don't make a big deal out of this."

She forced an angry sigh out of her mouth. "This is a big deal."

"We'll talk to the police after I'm done this afternoon, okay? Will that make you feel better?"

"Better than nothing, but you need to take this seriously."

He ushered her back toward the recording booth. "Let's see what the police say about it before we go jumping to conclusions."

He took his place back in the booth, leaving her standing behind the glass again.
I don't believe him! He's going to blow this off.
She shook her head as he started singing.

The police met them at her apartment later in the afternoon.

"Are you sure you don't know who might have sent this?"

"Not a clue, officer," Tanner answered.

Amy watched the exchange as the officer took notes. "Can't you dust it or something? We need to find out who is threatening him."

"Ma'am, do you have any idea how many country music artists get this kind of stuff?"

"No and I don't care. You have to investigate."

"We'll do our best, but we are perpetually short-handed. Not that we are trying to say this isn't important, but really, it's not a priority."

"Everythin' will be fine, Amy. Stop worryin' so much."

"I'm going to worry. I love you."

"I love you, too, darlin'.

* * * *

Over the next several months, Tanner toured extensively, leaving Amy at home on many occasions. The tour seemed plague with accidents from pieces of the stage falling, to the bus blowing tires on the road. One stop had Tanner over twelve hours away by car. As they kissed and whispered I love you before he left, she felt tears burn behind her eyes.
I have a really bad feeling about this, but he's not going to listen to me.

She went to work after he left and spent the entire day wondering, hoping and praying her feelings were wrong. He called her before he went on stage that night and she finally managed to drift off to sleep in their big bed once he said I love you and goodnight.

The next morning she woke to his lips drifting across her cheek.

"Mmm. You're home," she whispered before his mouth found hers.

His tongue slipped between her lips as his hand palmed her breast. She groaned and arched her back, pushing the hardening nipple further into his touch. She threaded her fingers through the curls at the back of his neck, fitting her mouth better against his. She pulled him down on top of her and moved to roll him onto his back. His painful hiss brought her eyes open with a start.

"What's wrong?"

"My hand hurts a bit."

She sat up in the bed, brushing her hair out of her face as she took his hand in hers and examined the palm. "My God, Tanner. Your hand has second degree burns across the palm. What the fuck happened and why didn't you call me?"

"It's nothin'."

"Damn it! Don't give me that shit. You're hurt."

"One of the speaker wires frayed and when I plugged it in, it caught fire."

"Did you go to the emergency room and have your hand checked?"

"Why the hell not?"

"I have a nurse for a girlfriend. Why should I go to the emergency room? Besides, what would they have done except put somethin' on the burn. I've been icing it all the way home. Now I need the love of my life to kiss me and make it better."

"You are impossible. Come on," she said, crawling from the bed, tugging him along with her toward the kitchen. She grabbed some ice from the freezer, putting some in a plastic bag and placing it on his palm. "Stay there. I've got some ointment to put on there." When she returned, she spread a thick layer of white cream on the burns and wrapped his hand with gauze. "Tell me exactly what happened."

"I already told you. One of the speaker wires caught fire," he shrugged.

"Are you sure it was an accident?"

"Don't read more into this than there is."

"It seems awful convenient. This is crazy, Tanner. All these accidents that keep happening aren't coincidental. You need to tell the police about this."

He stood up and began to pace. "I can't let this stop me from touring, baby. We need this."

"No, you need this, Tanner, not me. I'm happy with the way things were before. I hate you being gone all the time. I hate being here alone. I hate women throwing themselves at you, hoping you'll take them to bed before you come home to me." Tears slipped down her cheeks. "I'm sorry Tanner, but I can't do this anymore."

"What are you sayin'?"

She sobbed silently, squeezing her eyes shut, before she choked out, "You need to move out."

He stopped in front of her and took her shoulders in his hands. "You can't be serious. I love you."

She stepped back and he let his grip drop. Grabbing her purse and car keys, she slipped on her flip flops and walked toward the door. She could hardly see him through the tears as she said, "I'll be back later. Please have your stuff out before I get back."

She returned several hours later. The silence that met her ears as she opened the door almost brought her to her knees. He was gone, just like she had asked.

Chapter 21

"What do you mean, I'm pregnant?" Amy's startled voice echoed through the exam room where she sat on the table, naked from the waist down, only a thin sheet draped across her lap.

"Just what I said, Amy. You are going to have a baby in about seven months would be my guess," Dr. Conner answered.

"That isn't possible. I'm on birth control. Run the test again."

"Birth control isn't a hundred percent. Your cervix shows the signs, too, Amy. Not only the blood test."

She shook her head as she tipped it back on her shoulders.
Pregnant. Tanner's baby.

"I'll let you get dressed and then we'll talk more." The doctor stepped out of the room, but she couldn't move.

She hadn't seen or talk to him since she asked him to move out three months ago. She missed him everyday and cried herself to sleep on many occasion.
Now what the hell am I going to do?
Sliding off the table, she grabbed her clothes from the chair and mechanically got dressed.

About an hour later, she walked out of the doctor's office, prescription for pre-natal vitamins in her hand. She slid inside her car and pulled the door shut behind her, before she pushed the key into the ignition. She picked up her cell phone and flipped it open. Scrolling through the numbers in her contact list, she found Tanner's number, but couldn't bring herself to call him. Shutting it with a click, she laid it back on the seat as she started her car and drove home.

The sun streamed through the sliding glass door of her balcony, lighting the room with a golden light as she opened her apartment door. Tossing her purse and keys on the island, she sighed heavily.
I have to tell him. It isn't fair to him not to know.
Her gaze caught the blinking light on her answering machine. Drawn to the red glow, she pushed the button.

"I'm trying to reach, Amy Russell. If this is your phone number, I need you to call me as soon as possible. My name is Doctor Jonathan Brooks. I'm an emergency room physician at a hospital near Chicago. I have someone in my ER who is insisting I call you."

Oh God Tanner!

"His name is Tanner Lewis, and he's been hurt. Call me immediately at seven-seven-three-four-zero-two-nine-eight-four-one."

Shaking hands scribbled the number down before she grabbed her cell phone and dialed.

"Mercy Hospital Emergency Room. Can I help you?"

"Yes. My name is Amy Russell. A physician, Dr. Brooks call me about a patient there. A Tanner Lewis."

"Yes, ma'am. Hang on and I'll put the physician on the line."

Elevator music met her ears for what seemed like forever before a rich, deep baritone voice answered. "Doctor Brooks."

"Doctor Brooks, this is Amy Russell. You called me about Tanner Lewis."

"Thank goodness you called me back. Your friend is driving me crazy!"

A choking sobbing laugh escaped her ears. Just like Tanner. "What's wrong? What happened to Tanner?"

"A bus accident. His tour bus flipped on its side and he's hurt."

"There is a small amount of internal damage, a concussion as well as a broken leg."

"You can tell me the real deal, doc. I'm a registered nurse."

"Okay. He's in surgery right now. His spleen sustained damage and they are removing it. Here in the ER, he kept asking for you. They might have to pin his leg. The tibia is fractured. How soon can you get here?"

"I…" Her hand rested on her still flat stomach.

"You are coming, right, Ms. Russell?"

"Yes. I'll catch the first flight I can."

* * * *

"Thanks," Amy said as she paid the cab driver and stepped out of the car. The imposing sight of the large red letters depicting the emergency room sent fear straight through her.
God, please let him be all right.
She moved toward the doors and the admission clerk sitting directly in front of her.

"Can I help you," the woman asked.

"Yes ma'am. My name is Amy Russell. I'm trying to find out where Tanner Lewis is."

"Are you family?"

Family.

"Then due to privacy laws, I can't tell you anything."

"I'm aware of the privacy laws, ma'am. I'm a registered nurse. Doctor Brooks called me."

"Excuse me," she heard a deep male voice from behind her. "Miss Russell?"

"I'm Doctor Brooks."

"It's nice to meet you. Where is Tanner?"

"He's in recovery right now from what I understand. Follow me and I'll show you."

Amy followed the handsome blonde to another desk where he explained to the clerk the situation and the woman quickly buzzed them into a restricted area.

"I believe he's behind the last curtain."

Amy held out her hand and said, "Thank you so much for calling me."

His appreciative gaze moved over her face and she blushed. "You are very welcome. I wish we had met under different circumstances."

"Thanks again," she murmured, pulling her hand from his grasp.

She hesitated at the curtain for a moment, before pushing the linen panel aside to get her first real look at Tanner since that fated day in her apartment when she told him to leave. His eyes were closed and a huge bruise covered the left side of his forehead. She choked back a sob as she moved to his side. Her eyes found the monitor over his head. It reassured her to see his vital signs were stable as she listened to the steady beep of his heart. Slipping into the chair left at his bedside, she grasped his hand and softly called his name.