The pizza proved delicious and both dove into it. The remnants of the typhoon had socked the area so they knew it'd be a while before either went out again. But the suite was nice and C.J. planned to get some work done.

Matt had been on the phone with Roy checking on the office and after hanging up, went to pour himself another Scotch.

"You need anything?"

She nodded.

"Refresh my wine."

He took the glass from her.

"Anything…that's some pretty nice white wine," he said, "Jacob's winery isn't it?"

She smiled.

"Yeah small world isn't it?"

Matt had almost bought a share of the winery once but then Jacob's brother in law had wanted it so he acquiesced. The place had started out small but had become successful enough to expand to become one of the most successful brands out of Temecula Valley.

He joined her on the couch and noticed her looking pensively at the newspaper.

"What's got you so wrapped up?"

She glanced up when he handed her the wine.

"There's an article on the case," she said, "including how Tex's hiring new counsel."

"Who'd he get?"

"Another protégée of F. Lee's," she said, "working out of the city."

He sipped his scotch before reaching for another slice of pizza.

"Not his best one…but it'd make sense for him to lawyer up as quickly as possible."

She sighed.

"I know but I know how F. Lee trains them," she said, "It's not going to be easy for Lindsey…especially now that the press is involved."

"They didn't name her did they?"

"They didn't have to Houston," she said, "They can find her and just the exposure to reporters…it could become a greater nightmare pretty quickly."

He heard the edge in her voice and knew that the case cut her to the quick. Some of why he knew about but the rest left him guessing. He'd known C.J. all his life but obviously there were gaps in her history he hadn't known about even when they'd grown up so close together.

"Was that why you didn't tell on him?"

She looked at him reaching for her wine glass.

"Maybe partly…I was only 16 Houston…I don't know how I would have handled it if anyone found out," she said, "The way people talked in the valley."

He digested that.

"I just wanted to forget about it…not that it lasted very long," she said, "He left for six months after that and when he came back, it was like it never happened."

Matt paused.

"But it did…and maybe he left because he was worried someone would find out about it."

C.J. fell silent and picked up a slice of pizza to start eating it.

"Maybe…or maybe there was someone else," she said, "and it did come out and they were trying to keep it quiet. I don't know…all I knew was that when he left, I could start living again."

He heard a hint of what she must have felt back then in her voice now.

"I wish I had told him that I would go tell someone about what he did," she said, "but I was so confused, and I was scared and part of me had these feelings for him anyway…I didn't know what I wanted until it happened and then I knew it wasn't what I wanted at all."

Matt sighed.

"He shouldn't have done anything at all to take advantage of you," he said, "He was supposed to protect you when the tornado broke out not…"

"But he did do that…I might not have made it to the storm cellar in time," she said, "It came up so fast and furious…one minute everything had been sunny and calm and then the next…everything was in chaos."

Matt knew how tornados could sneak up on a person and that's why they proved to be so deadly. He'd grown up with them and he knew to seek shelter since he'd been a little boy.

"I thought I wasn't going to make it when it whipped up just behind me," she continued, "I just didn't realize I was safer out there in the storm."

She fell silent for a long moment.

"I just never saw it coming Houston…"

He sighed.

"You were only 16…he had no business…"

"I know that now…but that took a long time," she said, "I blamed myself for what happened…though I couldn't figure out what it was that I did."

"It's what he did C.J.," Matt said, "He's the one to blame and if I'd known…"

She bit her lip.

"You weren't much older yourself and if something had happened to you…"

Matt knew that the man who mentored him hadn't been who he thought and if he had discovered what he'd done to C.J…his fists clenched and his muscles tensed just at the thought.

"You don't know how he'd react if you found out his secret."

She had a point but he wouldn't have cared. He also knew that if his father had known, he'd gone after the man himself. Bill had always viewed C.J. as the daughter he never had and was thus very protective of her.

"I know now and at least for Lindsey there are people who know what he's capable of doing who can help her."

C.J. nodded reaching for her wine glass again.

"Like I said, I want to do that…someone needs to be there to help prove she's not a liar," she said, "and help her understand she didn't cause it."

He reached over to take her wine glass away from her and slid his arm around her. She welcomed it, leaning towards him.

"I got through it Houston," she said, "and I'm okay…I'm better than that."

He looked at her closely.

"Is talking about it going to bring it all back?"

She frowned a moment.

"Maybe some of it…it's not the best episode of my life but it's not all of my life."

Her voice sounded firm and strong to him. He tightened his hold on her and she relaxed against him. His fingers started stroking her face as he studied the features he knew so well.

"You okay…with us?"

She smiled, her eyes lightening up.

"Damn straight I am Houston," she said, "I just don't want to rush into it…I want to enjoy spending time with you like right now."

He smiled back at her.

"Works for me," he said, "You ready for some dessert?"

She seemed to consider it but then she shook her head.

"Maybe in a little bit," she said, "I have everything I need right here."

So did he.

She walked into the darkened room that had earlier been lit up candles on a birthday cake. It'd been chocolate, her favorite with creamy frosting and there'd been 17 of those pink candles carefully arranged.

Now, she stood by the window still wearing her pretty dress standing near the window looking outside. The party had been fun enough but she'd been on edge. Most of her friends had been there, so had Matt who had made her laugh more than once despite herself.

And then there'd been Tex. He'd fade back into the woodwork during most the party and when her friends had left, she felt the tension grow. Matt had kissed her on the cheek being the last to depart and she'd placed her hand on the window pane watching him head back to his neighboring ranch.

She sensed him behind her even before she heard the footsteps.

"They all gone?"

She pressed her lips firmly together.

"Well are they?"

She nodded silently as he approached her. She braced herself for when he'd touch her.

"Then it's just the two of us now isn't it?"

She didn't look at him but she caught the hint of his cologne. His hands gripped her shoulders and she flinched.

"What's wrong…something bothering you?"

"Please….don't…."

But she knew he wouldn't listen.

She woke up with a start, her heart beating rapidly in her chest. She was in her bed and stared into the darkness. Outside her window, the wind howled and she heard the rain hit the glass. She got out of her bed to go make herself some tea.

Matt and she had finished up with some dessert before heading off to bed. He'd kissed her goodnight and for a moment she'd been tempted…but she felt like she needed to head to bed alone.

But when she walked out into the central area she saw him sitting on the couch hitting some more of the tasty gelato.

"Any left?"

He smiled at her and nodded and she decided she might try some more of that. So she got a bowl and served herself. Then she joined him on the couch curling her legs beneath her.

"Couldn't sleep?"

She just looked at him and shrugged.

"The storm…it's pretty fierce outside."

He stretched after putting his own bowl down.

"It's going to be here for a while," he said, "but the roads should be safe tomorrow to go see Lindsey."

She nodded.

"Were you thinking about him?"

She paused and then nodded again.

"I was remembering a bit but I suppose that's to be expected," she said, "with everything that's been happening."

The phone rang startling them both and she looked at Matt who went to answer it. She watched him pick it up and listen.

"Who…?"

He looked over at her and then he hung up.

"No one said anything," he said, "Wrong room maybe."

But remembering the warnings, she wondered.