The corner of his mouth hitched with a wicked grin, and a sable brow lifted with amusement. 'You started this, sweetheart, not me.'
Unable to argue, she ducked her head and brought up an issue on her mind. 'Noah, I've been meaning to ask- since we're engaged, how come I don't have a ring?' It seemed like such a forward question, but one that had become necessary in order for her to fill in more blank memories. 'Or is it with my personal belongings from the hospital?'
He shook his head and took a long drink of his beer before answering. 'No, you don't have an engagement ring. We'd talked about going to pick one out together, but that was before the accident.'
She smiled, accepting his answer without questioning him further because it made so much sense, and they finished their dinner with a keen awareness swirling in the air between them. The more she was around Noah, the more she wanted him, with an intensity that kept growing stronger, more insistent. And if she couldn't remember being with him intimately, then she wanted new memories to replace the ones she'd lost. That much she knew for certain.
Standing, Noah tossed their empty paper plates into the trash and cleared the table, putting the leftover pizza into the refrigerator. He came back with a glass of water and two white pills.
'Here's some Motrin to help keep your headache away.' He gently brushed a finger across her cheek, then urged her to take the medication. Once she'd swallowed both tablets, he asked, 'Can I get you anything else?'
A loaded question, and one she handled with restraint. 'I'd love a long, hot bath.'
He swept into a gallant bow that made her smile. 'Your wish is my command.'
As she stared up into his gorgeous face, she wondered if she requested her true heart's desire at the moment if he'd obey and take her right there in the kitchen. On the table, on the floor, up against the wall, she didn't care, just so long as she felt his need for her in return. The naughty, scintillating thought tantalized her, teased her, caused a pulsing knot of anticipation to pull tight in her stomach, and lower.
He grabbed her hand, led her upstairs, and she followed him into a large, spacious room decorated in blue- and-beige tones and furnished in dark oak. A king-size bed dominated the area, covered by a soft, rumpled comforter in a masculine design. She tried to remember making love to Noah there. While she couldn't recall specific memories, her mind had no problem conjuring images of their naked limbs entwined and Noah's strong body moving over hers, filling her, thrusting hard and deep as she arched beneath him.
The mental imagine was so realistic her womb contracted, her panties grew damp, and much to her chagrin a whimpering sound caught in her throat.
Noah glanced at her, concerned. 'Hey, you okay?'
If he only knew the truth-that around him she couldn't get sex off her mind. Had this man always had such an instantaneous effect on her libido? If so, she was in big, big trouble because she didn't know how long she could resist the urge to give in to the provocative fantasy that had just filtered through her head.
'I'm fine.' Her voice was husky.
'Okay.' He stared at her a moment longer through narrowed eyes, as if to make sure she was truly stable. 'Go ahead and get yourself something to sleep in, and I'll run you a hot bath.' He slipped through an adjoining door, leaving her alone. Seconds later she heard the rush of running water.
She released a deep breath that did little to ease the throbbing ache in intimate places. No, she didn't think anything would be able to relieve that shameless, reckless longing except for Noah's touch.
Feeling a bit lost, and not certain where to start her search, she began opening dresser drawers. The first one was filled with his socks and briefs, the second with his white undershirts. Peeking from beneath the cotton shirts was a glint of steel, and upon closer inspection she was shocked to find a gun in a leather holster. She frowned, wondering why he had such a lethal weapon stashed in his drawer.
'Is something wrong, Natalie?'
She jumped at the sound of his voice, so close. She'd been so absorbed by the revolver that she hadn't heard him come up beside her. She looked up at him. 'You have a gun?'
'I'm a P.I., sweetheart,' he said simply, gently. 'Owning a gun is part of the job.'
A very logical explanation. She shook her head. 'Of course. I just don't remember you carrying one.' The story of her life, lately. She wondered if she'd ever get used to the various voids in her memory.
'I wear it pretty much on a daily basis, and I took it off when we got home. But right now it's not loaded, though the clip is right there beside it.' He shut the drawer and opened the one below it. 'Your stuff is right here.'
'Thank you.' She pulled out a fresh pair of undies, hopelessly frustrated that he knew right where her things were located while she was floundering just to find her panties.
Walking over to the closet, he grabbed a long cotton chemise. 'And here's your nightgown.'
'Are you sure I don't wear one of your shirts to bed?' It wasn't so much a question as it was a hidden request. She wanted to feel as close as possible to him, even while sleeping. A security blanket of sorts, no matter how silly it seemed.
He stopped in his tracks, her cotton gown fisted in his hand, his entire body tense. 'Would you like to?'
He'd answered her question with one of his own, which didn't tell her what she wanted to know. Hell, maybe she slept in the nude and he was just trying to preserve her modesty until she felt better.
It wasn't necessary. 'I'd love to sleep in one of your shirts, as long as you don't mind.'
'Not at all.' Back at the dresser, he withdrew an extra-large white T-shirt and gave it to her, his movements quick and efficient. He disappeared back into the bathroom, turned off the water and returned seconds later. 'The tub is full and waiting for you. Can you handle things from here, or do you need help?'
Oh, she was sorely tempted to tell him she needed his assistance, just because she wanted to feel his hands on her naked flesh as he undressed her. And she certainly wouldn't mind having him scrub her back or wash the rest of her body while he was at it. She shivered at the sensual thought.
But while he seemed concerned for her welfare, there was a sudden reserve about him that puzzled her, and she didn't push the issue. 'Don't worry about me, Noah. I'll be fine.'
'Leave the door open,' he said, grabbing a pair of gray cotton sweatpants for himself. 'I'll be downstairs in my office, so just call me if you need anything.'
And then he was gone, making her wonder why he didn't change in front of her if they lived together. Shrugging her shoulders and refusing to let such an inconsequential thought hurt her already tired brain, she stepped into the bathroom. She was greeted by a fragrant cloud of steam and a large tub brimming with water and bubbles. She spotted her floral body wash beside the tub, knowing that Noah had thoughtfully added it to the water.
After stripping off her clothes, she rummaged through the drawers, recognizing her stuff and finding a scrunchie for her hair. She rubbed a spot clean on the fogged mirror and proceeded to pull the shoulder-length strands into a ponytail so they wouldn't get wet.
She caught sight of her reflection in the mirror, drawing her gaze to the lush curves of her body. Absently, she cupped her large breasts in her palms and grazed her fingers over the tips. She shivered as her nipples puckered and tingled. Closing her eyes, she touched elsewhere, skimming her hands over intimate dips and hollows.
She imagined it was Noah caressing her, and her heart thumped hard in her chest as her body came vibrantly alive, as if something deep inside of her was gradually awakening, demanding attention and release. Her skin grew damp from the moisture in the bathroom and her own arousal, her nerves strung tight, and the provocative sensations grew stronger with every slick slide of her hands, along with a carnal craving that stole her breath.
She felt sexual and sensual, her response wrapped up in illicit fantasies of Noah. He was the only connection she had to the past and present and the burning, aching need consuming her. She needed him in ways even she didn't understand, but she trusted him, with her body and even her lost soul. And while there were still so many gaps in her mind, there was one thing she knew for certain.
The erotic hunger within her wouldn't be denied much longer.
Chapter Four
Noah yanked off his clothes, flung them onto the small leather couch in his downstairs office and pulled on his cotton sweatpants, forgoing a shirt as he always did at night. Sitting behind his desk, he picked up the piece of
