Janelle Denison - The Ultimate Seduction

"Yeah, I do," she said, equally stunned by the knowledge. "You were testing me, weren't you?"

As her fiance, he should have known about her family, and was grateful that she saw his question as a way of testing her mind and memory. That would definitely work in his favor to get information from her. "Yeah, I was. What else do you remember?"

She plucked up a wedge of cantaloupe, slipped it into her mouth and thought for a moment while she chewed. "I remember that my parents died when I was about five in a house fire and I grew up in foster homes."

Oh, wow, he thought, blown away by her confession and unable to imagine what a tumultuous and difficult childhood she must have had. He'd lost his parents, too, but at least he'd been lucky enough to have his brother, Cole, raising him and his sister, Joelle. They'd been a strong family unit-then and now. "How about relatives?"

She shook her head. "Both of my parents were only children, so I don't have any aunts and uncles, and my grandparents are dead, too."

He urged her to take a drink of her apple juice. "Do you remember how last night's accident happened?"

She paused, and he could see her straining to recall details. "I remember walking with you-but I was afraid of something?"

She looked at him with uncertainty in her pale blue gaze, waiting for him to confirm her question. "Yes, you were. What were you afraid of, sweetheart?"

She closed her eyes, and her face scrunched up in an obvious attempt to force thoughts into her head.

"I-I don't remember." Frustrated, she dropped her head back onto the pillow and released a low, discouraging growl. "How is it that I can recall so much about my past-you, even-but I can't remember other things? I feel like there's a huge, gaping hole in my life."

She sounded near to panic over her inability to control what her mind could and couldn't recollect. Weaving their fingers together, he sought to soothe her the best he could. "I'm here for you, Natalie, for anything you want or need. Anything at all." And he meant it, too.

She pushed her breakfast tray aside, her appetite obviously gone. "I want my memory back. All of it," she said stubbornly.

Of course she'd ask for a wish he couldn't grant. Knowing she was desperate, he focused on the positive. "Tell you what, let's concentrate on the things you do remember."

Her gaze touched his eyes, lingering long enough to make him feel as though she could see all the way into his soul. She took in the rest of his features slowly, as if scrutinizing each one, then finally came to rest on his mouth.

"I remember kissing you," she said abruptly, her voice low and husky with awareness. She dampened her bottom lip with her tongue, and her breathing deepened. "Come here," she whispered.

Mesmerized by her request, he moved the small table in front of her completely out of their way and leaned toward her, bracing a hand on the pillow beside her head. The position caused his chest to press against her full, generous breasts, and he had the fleeting thought that he wished they were both naked so he could feel her skin on skin.

He was uncertain what she intended, but whatever she had planned, he was a willing participant.

Her soft, slender hand traveled up his arm to his shoulder, then her fingers slipped through the hair at the nape of his neck and she drew his head down to hers. Lost in the need reflecting in her eyes, he complied, watching as her lashes fluttered closed and her lips parted for him even before their mouths touched.

While their first kiss had been an act of desperation, this one was born of the sensuality that burned bright between them. She nibbled on his bottom lip, and he let her have free rein to taste and explore to her heart's content, no matter the cost to him physically. He was already hard and thick, completely aroused-a normal, lusty reaction when it came to her.

When she deepened the kiss, he welcomed the moist heat and slow, penetrating slide of her tongue, and met it with his own. He stroked long and slow, hot and deep, and she kissed him back the same way, eagerly and instinctively. So much passion. So much heat. Intense and uninhibited.

A purr of pleasure rumbled in her throat, and he groaned in appreciation, too. She was an irresistible temptation, a searing drug to his deprived libido, and she made him restless and hungry for more of her.

By the time she let him go, she was panting for breath and his own pulse was racing wildly. Their faces were still only inches away, and he wanted to drown in those trusting, velvety blue eyes of hers. Wanted to strip away the sheet and the flimsy gown separating them and make love to her.

The latter wasn't an option. Not here. Not now. Not until she regained her memory and could better define her emotions. It was obvious to him that she didn't realize that she'd been avoiding him and her attraction to him for months now. But this Natalie was giving into desires that had always been inside of her, desires she'd hidden from him before today.

Interesting.

A lazy smile hitched up the corner of his mouth. "And that was for-?" he murmured questioningly.

She caressed her palm along his cheek, skimmed her thumb along his full bottom lip, though her gaze never left his. "I needed to make sure what I feel for you is real."

"And is it?" He had to know.

"As real as I know it to be. You feel good and right, and I really like kissing you."

He laughed, relieved, and ran the tip of his finger down the slope of her cute nose. "Just so you know, you have permission to kiss me anytime you'd like."

Smiling, she settled back against her pillows, suddenly looking tired. While she might appear okay physically, he knew it would take a couple of days for her to fully regain her strength again. And right now, she needed more sleep.

He straightened, making a quick decision that would benefit them both. "I'm going to leave, but I'll be back in a little while."

Dread flared to life in her eyes. "Where are you going?"

Her panic-stricken expression clutched at him, and he instantly tried to soothe her anxiety. "I need a shower, shave and a change of clothes. And you need to rest. Are you afraid to stay alone?" he asked gently.

"Just a little nervous," she admitted, her cheeks turning a pretty shade of pink. "I feel so out of place and disoriented, and you're like an anchor in this storm I seem to be caught up in."

"I'm sure that's very normal." Reaching for the call button, he set it within her reach. "Tell you what, here's the buzzer for the nurse, and if you need me for anything at all, here are my cell phone and pager numbers." He jotted both on a napkin and set it by her phone. "Don't hesitate to call me, even if it's just to hear my voice."

She inhaled deeply, as if inflating her courage. "You must think I'm a complete basket case."

No, he didn't think that at all. Her nerves and fears were legitimately based, but he wasn't about to enlighten her of that fact, or the reasons why. She didn't need any more stress to deal with at the moment.

"I'm not always this clingy, am I?" she asked, even as her lashes grew heavy and drooped.

She sounded so embarrassed at the thought that he couldn't help but grin. "You're only clingy when it counts, sweetheart," he teased.

"Good." Her eyes closed completely, and she mumbled drowsily, "Will you bring me back fresh clothes, too?"

She thought he could because she believed they lived together. "You bet." Luckily for him he'd claimed her car keys and ID from her purse before handing over her personal effects to the nurses, so he had everything he needed to get into her apartment and confiscate enough items to make it appear as though she'd moved into his house. But first, he had to call a cab to take him back to his car, which was still parked at Murphy's.