It was true. He hadn’t wanted to, but maybe that had changed. “It’s all right.” She said. “Hell no, it’s not, but now maybe that will change. I’m damn happy things are working out for you and Dash. He’s a good man. Proud and stubborn, but smart and understands the value of family." he sounded so happy for her. “Yes, he does.” Tess agreed. “I trussed him up like a Thanksgiving turkey for you and I’m glad I did.”More blatant satisfaction.The comparison was unfortunate. She couldn’t imagine Dash in such a scenario at all, nor was she sure that a bit of matchmaking could be likened to trussing someone up, but she didn’t argue with her father. His matchmaking efforts had brought her and Dash together. For that, she could swallow a lot of male self-aggrandizement.“I guess you did, dad. Thank you,” she said warmly.“I’m just glad you’re happy, girl.”

Carefully, Matt stood, not wanting to risk waking Savannah up. He motioned for Dash to follow him outside the hospital room. When they walked out, Matt saw Stefan shove off the wall, his eyebrow arched in question. “What are you two doing here?” Matt asked with a frown. “That other night was really tense,” Dash said. “We tried to call you but couldn’t get you. You haven't been picking up so we went by your apartment today. Your maid told us that you said Savannah had been taken to the hospital by ambulance so we came over to see if she’s okay.” Matt closed his eyes as his throat knotted all over again. “Whoa, man, you need to sit down,” Stefan said. “Have you eaten?” Dash asked.  Matt shook his head.  “Want to tell us about it?” Dash prompted.

His mother’s eyes burned with outrage. “You’re a typical man. Thinking with the lower portion of your anatomy. You’re completely blinded by lust, but in a few years you won’t look at her with the same lovesick puppy eyes. Then you’ll thank me for trying to protect you. You can do better than her, Matt. Why can’t I make you see that?” Matt shook his head, sadness and grief so thick in his chest he could barely breathe. “I’ll never thank you for this. You’re nothing to me anymore. I’ll never subject my wife or children to your poison.” Her face whitened with shock. “You don’t mean that!” “I mean it. You aren’t my mother. I have no mother. I have no family save Savannah. I’ll never forgive you for this. Stay away from me. Stay away from Savannah. If you ever come within a hundred yards of my

The doctor went silent as he seemed to mull over Matt's suggestion. “Perhaps that’s the best idea. It’s cold and a bit gloomy right now. Maybe the better weather will lift her spirits and she’ll regain her strength. It’s not good for her verging on depression.”It made Matt's heart ache to think of Savannah being sad and depressed. He’d do anything at all to make her smile again.“Give me your okay and I’ll make immediate arrangements for us to leave the city,” Matt said quietly. “I want only the best for her and I’ll do whatever it takes to make her well again.”The doctor stared hard at him and then lowered his clipboard to his waist. “I believe you, Mr. Bradford. Tell you what. You give me the name of the physician you hire as well as the name of the hospital that will be overseeing her care and I’ll have her medical records transferred. I’ll want to talk to her physician personally and make sure he’s aware of her situation.”

She snuggled closer to him, reveling in the physical contact, needing the affirmation of her place in his life. He’d been desperate for her, but did that mean anything more than he hadn’t tired of her physically yet? She could not believe he could touch her so gently and take such care to insure her pleasure and still hate her.The absence of hatred did not guarantee love, however. And she needed his love, now more than ever. She took the masculine hand resting on her hip and pulled it over her to press against her flat stomach. Her menses had not come. She wanted to take a pregnancy test, but she was sure deep inside that she carried Dash's baby.Would he be happy? She wondered. His mother would be ecstatic, but it wasn’t her mother-in-law that Tess wanted to please. It was the man who had made such beautiful love to her, the man now holding her as if she meant something to him, as if he had missed having her in his bed as much as she had missed hi