the lascivious cycle start all over again. He'd never survive another round.
He inhaled a calming breath and willed himself to relax and focus on what lay ahead for him and Natalie-mainly, to discover the key to her past and the threat looming over her. There was still so much he didn't know about her, so much he didn't understand. Despite all that, there was one thing he knew for absolute certain. He cared for Natalie, and that knowledge shook him up in a way nothing ever had.
The feelings crowding his chest had been completely foreign to him until Natalie. He was falling hard and fast for her, rushing headlong into emotions he'd never before allowed with a woman. He'd always been the one to pull back in a relationship, to withhold, because it was easier and smarter to keep his distance than to get sentimentally involved and get hurt.
Maintaining a light, flirtatious demeanor had come easily to him, and he was beginning to suspect he'd just never come across the right woman to inspire anything deeper, to make him want to take a leap beyond a superficial relationship and take a chance with his emotions.
Natalie, quite possibly, could be that woman. Because for the first time in his adult life he instinctively wanted to
He'd never taken care of another person before, had never taken on such a huge responsibility as she presented-not in such a personal, soul-stirring way. Being the strong one in their family, the protector, had always been Cole's job-a huge obligation thrust upon him at such a young age, and one Cole had taken very seriously. It had allowed Noah to adopt a carefree facade that hid a deeper pain and an inner fear of getting too attached to any one person.
His parents' nasty divorce had shaken the foundation of his stable young life, and he'd spent years wondering why a mother who'd claimed to love her children hadn't fought for custody of her two oldest boys, but instead had chosen to rip Joelle from their lives as a way of hurting their father. Her selfish actions had not only pained Noah, but caused him to question what he'd done wrong to make his mother shun him.
In an attempt to make up for that feeling of inadequacy, he'd driven himself to please his father, a man with a heart of gold who made sure all his children knew his affection was unconditional. Noah had thrived on the security and stability of his dad's love, and had been so devastated by his death he still felt the loss.
And now fresh misgivings were rearing their ugly head, because he knew when everything was said and done with Natalie and she regained the memory of her old life, he stood to lose yet another person who'd affected him in such a profound way. A woman who made him realize just how empty and hollow his life had been without her in it.
The revelation caused his heart to thump hard in his chest. Turning his head, he buried his nose in her hair, breathing deeply and losing himself in her scent. He resigned himself to the fact that he had no choice but to take things one day at a time with her and hope that she didn't resent him when her memory returned. He also prayed that when that day of reckoning came, she'd understand that he'd used her genuine desire and trust as a way to protect her.
Chapter Five
Noah groaned deep in his throat as soft, warm lips nestled against his neck, smooth hands caressed his chest, and long, slender limbs tangled around his legs. The dream filtering through his mind and arousing his body was so erotically intense, like his fondest, most carnal fantasy come to life. He fought the consciousness that beckoned, somehow knowing if he allowed himself to wake up, the provocative dream would dissipate, and he wanted to enjoy the inviting sensations rippling through him. Wanted to let the fantasy continue and see where it led.
His mind filled with images of Natalie, putting her in the starring role of temptress. A damp, ravishing mouth traveled lower, spreading sensuous kisses across his collarbone and down his chest to his nipples. A wet tongue stroked, laved, and he groaned as teeth scraped across the rigid tip.
Finely textured sweeps of her hair tickled his belly, heightening his need as her hot, moist breath sizzled across his skin, along with more luxurious, biting kisses. Slender fingers fluttered lower, pushing the waistband of his sweatpants down and out of the way so she could fondle the heavy sac between his thighs.
She squeezed it gently before curling her fingers around his thick, straining erection and then she measured his length with a slow, delicious stroke that made his hips buck upward and his hands clench the cool sheets at his sides.
Soft lips enveloped his shaft, surrounding him in a seductive warmth and a sleek wetness that felt so incredibly
A shudder ripped through his body, and he instinctively reached down to wrap his aching shaft in his own fist to take himself to completion. Instead, he encountered soft, silky strands of hair. Struggling between waking up and the drugging fantasy seducing him, he cupped the back of her head in his palm and rode with the pleasurable rhythm of her mouth and hands drawing him closer and closer to the edge.
The name ricocheted through his head, penetrating the fog of desire clouding his brain with the jolting realization that this was no figment of his imagination, but reality in its purest, most erotic form. His eyes opened with a start, and he found Natalie pleasuring him, confirming what his subconscious had been trying to tell him.
With an explicit curse, he tangled his fingers in her hair, pulled her mouth away, and hauled her back up the length of the bed so that they were face-to-face. He stared down at her, seeing her features through the pale light of dawn seeping into the room. Her eyes were wide and startled by his abrupt move, but she looked completely lucid. And so damn sexy and beautiful he wanted to take her right then and there. Hard and fast and mindlessly.
But his personal ethics wouldn't allow it to happen, despite that she was still completely naked from last night and didn't seem inclined to refuse him anything.
'What are you doing?' he asked, his voice raw and hoarse. Stupid question considering he was still throbbing from her talented ministrations, but it was the only thing he could bring himself to ask at the moment.
A sensual smile curved her lips, which were still wet from pleasuring him. 'I was just returning the favor from last night.' She reached down, took him in her palm and fondled him again.
He sucked in a swift breath as his penis surged with the threat of exploding. Grabbing her wrist, he pinned her arm at the side of her head, knowing he was one caress away from shooting off in her hand, which wasn't at all what he'd envisioned for his first time with her.
'Did I ask you to?' he asked gruffly.
The eager light in her eyes faded a few degrees as she searched his expression. 'No,' she said softly, a quiver of hurt in her voice. 'I wanted to. I still do, if you'll let me.'
The woman had a way of crumbling all his defenses and touching him in ways he'd never, ever experienced. She was so selfless, so giving, and he was an ass for being so abrupt and turning her down, yet he couldn't take advantage of her generous offer under the current circumstances.
'After everything you've been through the past couple of days, I think we need to take things slow and easy for a while. It's for your own good.' And his, as well.
Before she could issue an argument to refute his flimsy excuse, he scrambled out of bed, headed to the bathroom and locked the door behind him for good measure. He shoved off his sweatpants, his body still shaking from arousal and adrenaline, and his erection still standing at attention. He shook his head in disgust, knowing without a doubt he'd never make it through the rest of the day being so on edge, especially when he planned to be in such close proximity with Natalie.
Something had to give, and the logical solution was to relieve the sexual tension building within him. Taking a cold shower wouldn't even come close to doing the trick this time, so he turned the water to hot and stepped inside the glass-enclosed cubicle. He quickly washed his entire body and hair, then with the spray beating against his
