Enticed by His Forgotten Lover

by Maya Banks

  island. Take him through all the steps they’d taken before.

  She wanted him to remember. Because if he didn’t, things would never be the same for them. He’d resisted the idea of being with her. Her only hope was for him to remember and then…

  Then just as she’d told him the night before, she’d forever have to live with the fact that at least some part of him recoiled at the idea of them being lovers.

  “Penny for your thoughts?”

  She grimaced as she navigated her way down the interstate. “They aren’t worth that much.”

  “Then don’t think them.”

  To her surprise, he leaned over, curled his hand around her nape and massaged lightly, threading his fingers through her thick hair. It was tempting to close her eyes and lean her head all the way back but then they’d have a wreck and never get off this damn interstate.

  “I’m nervous, Rafael,” she admitted.

  She bit her lip, wondering if she shouldn’t just shut up, but she’d always had this habit of being completely honest. It wasn’t in her makeup to shy away from the bald truth, no matter how uncomfortable. She always figured if people talked more about their issues then there wouldn’t be so many issues.

  Rafael—the old Rafael—hadn’t minded her speaking her mind. They’d enjoyed long conversations and she’d always told him what was occupying her thoughts.

  But now, she had a newfound reservation against being so forthright. She hated feeling so unsure of herself.

  “Why are you nervous?” he asked softly.

  “You. Me. Us. What if this doesn’t work? I feel like this is my only chance and that if you don’t remember, I’ve lost you.”

  “Regardless of whether I regain my memory, we still have a child to think about. I’m not going to disappear just because I can’t remember the details of his conception.”

  “You sound like you’ve accepted that I’m carrying your child.”

  He shrugged. “I’ve embraced the very real possibility. Until I’m proven wrong, I choose to think of it as my child.”

  Her heart did a little squeeze in her chest. “Thank you for that. For now it’s enough. Until we figure out everything else, it’s enough that you accept our baby.”

  “And you.”

  She turned to glance quickly at him before returning her gaze to the highway.

  He lowered his hand from her neck to cover her hand that rested on his leg. “There is definitely something between us. If I accept that we made a child together, surely I have to accept that we were lovers, that you meant something to me?”

  “I hope I did,” she said softly.

  “Tell me, Bryony, do you still love me?”

  There was a note of raw curiosity in his voice. Almost as if he wasn’t sure how he wanted her to answer.

  “That’s unfair,” she said in a low voice. “You can’t expect me to lay everything out when there’s a real possibility we’ll never be what we once were to each other. You can’t expect me to admit to loving a man who thinks of me as a complete stranger.”

  “Not a stranger,” he corrected. “I’ve already admitted that it’s obvious we were something to each other.”

  “Something. Not everything,” she said painfully. “Don’t ask me, Rafael. Not until you remember me. Ask me then.”

  He reached up to touch her cheek. “All right. I’ll ask you then.”

  Ten

  After what seemed an interminable time, Bryony drove her little car onto the ferry and was immediately sandwiched by vehicles twice the size of hers.

  Rafael had serious reservations about her driving around with a newborn in something only a little larger than a Matchbox car.

  To his surprise, she opened her door and started to climb out.

  “Where are you going?”

  She ducked down to look at him through the window and flashed a wide smile. “Come on. It’s a beautiful sunset. We can watch it from the railing.”

  Her exuberance shouldn’t have surprised him by now. He’d gotten a taste of it in bits and pieces, but now that they’d left the city, she seemed to be even more excited, as if she couldn’t wait to go back…?.

  There was no doubt that he wanted to regain his memory. Having a gaping hole in his mind wasn’t at all acceptable to someone like him, who was used to control in every aspect of his life. Now he was dependent on someone else to guide him and it made him extremely uncomfortable.

  But in addition to knowing what happened during those lost weeks, he found himself hoping. Hoping that Bryony was right even if it meant a drastic change for him. He wasn’t at all sure he was ready for fatherhood and a relationship. Love. If Bryony was to be believed… Love. It baffled him and intrigued him all at the same time.

  He didn’t want to hurt her. At this point he’d do anything to keep from hurting her and so he hoped that some miracle had occurred on this island and that he’d be able to find that same miracle again.

  He climbed out of the car and stretched his aching legs. He inhaled deeply, enjoying the tang of the salty air. A breeze ruffled his hair, but he noted it was a warm breeze despite the coolness of the evening. The air was heavier here but…cleaner, if that made sense.

  Bryony, in her impatience—which he was fast learning was an overriding component of her personality—grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the rail where others had gathered. Some had chosen to remain inside their vehicles, but others, like he and Bryony were leaning over the side and staring at the burst of gold on the horizon. Pink-and-purple hues mixed with the strands of gold, and spread out their fingers until the entire sky looked as if it were alive and breathing fire.

  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

  He glanced down at Bryony and nodded. “Yes, it is.”

  “You don’t see too many sunsets,” she said smugly.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  She shrugged. “You mentioned before when we used to sit out on my deck that it wasn’t something you ever had time to do. You usually worked late and were always in too big a hurry. So I was determined to show you as many as I could while you were here. Looks like I get to do it all over again. Oh, look! Dolphins!”

  He looked to where she was pointing to see several sleek, gray bodies arc out of the water and then disappear below the surface.

  “They follow the ferry quite a bit,” she said. “I look for them every time I make the trip to Galveston.”

  He found himself caught up in the moment and before he knew it, he was pointing as they resurfaced. “There they are again!”

  She smiled and hooked her arm through his, hugging him close. It seemed the most natural thing in the world to extricate his arm and then wrap it around her. They stood watching as the dolphins raced through the water, with her tucked up close to his side.

  He shook his head at the absurdity of it all. Here he was without his phone or an internet connection. He’d left his BlackBerry in the car. He was on a ferry, of all things, watching dolphins play as he held the mother of his child.

  Much was said about near-death experiences and how they changed a person. But it would appear that he’d begun his great transformation act before his accident.

  It was little wonder Ryan, Dev and Cam were so worried about him. They were probably back in the city researching mental hospitals in preparation for his breakdown.

  He rubbed his hand up and down Bryony’s arm and then pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Then he sighed. He had to admit, he was actually looking forward to being on the island and spending time with Bryony and not just because he was anxious to recover his memory.

  She wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed. Her hug warmed him all the way through but not in a particularly sexual way. It was comforting. It was like holding a ray of sunshine.

  As strange as it might sound, he felt comfortable around her. A complete stranger. Someone, who before a few days ago, he hadn’t remembered, and for all practical purposes had never laid eyes on
.

  Yeah, his statement the night before had been a little—okay, a lot corny—but it was absolutely true. They fit. She fit him. And he had absolutely no explanation for it, other than somehow, he’d lost his heart and soul on that island and then the entire event had been wiped from his mind.

  Okay. He accepted it. Hell, he embraced it. He wasn’t fighting it. He was ready for whatever lay ahead. So why couldn’t he remember?

  He held her tightly to him, his face buried in her fragrant, dark curls. Tentatively he slid his hand down to cup her belly, the first time he’d made an overt gesture to acknowledge the life inside her womb.

  She stiffened momentarily and then slowly turned her face up so she could look at him.

  He rubbed in a gentle back-and-forth motion, exploring the firmness of the swell. Something he could only define as magic tightened his chest and flooded his heart.

  This was his child.

  Somehow he knew it.

  He was going to be a father.

  The realization befuddled him and at the same time, he felt such a sense of awe. He hadn’t planned on fatherhood. In fact, he’d always been extremely careful in his sexual relationships. Extremely careful. He’d bordered on phobic about an accidental pregnancy.

  Had he purposely discarded protection with Bryony? Had he considered the fact that they could make a child? Had she entertained such a possibility?

  He frowned as he remembered her outrage and anger that it hadn’t been enough that he’d screwed her over, but that he’d made her pregnant, too. No, that didn’t strike him as the reaction of a woman who’d embraced such a thing.

  Evidently it hadn’t been something either of them had planned, but it was also obvious he hadn’t gone to great lengths to prevent it.

  He kissed her upturned lips and she smiled as she snuggled closer to him. Then she sighed in regret and carefully pulled away.

  “We’re nearly there. We should go back to the car.”

  Bryony turned on her headlights as they rounded the sharp turn and began the drive north toward her cottage. She frowned when she saw several vehicles parked on the highway near her driveway.

  Her heart began to pound as fear gripped her. Had something happened to Mamaw? She’d spoken to her grandmother just hours earlier when she and Rafael had landed in Houston. She’d sounded fine then and eager to see Bryony again.

  She recognized one of the vehicles as belonging to Mayor Daniels. What would he be doing here?

  She pulled into the gravel driveway and turned off the ignition. Her grandmother stepped out onto the front porch followed by Mayor Daniels, who wore a frown, and Sheriff Taylor, who didn’t look any happier.

  She opened her door and scrambled out. “Mamaw, is every thing all right? Are you okay?”

  “Oh, honey, I’m fine. Sorry if we worried you. The mayor and the sheriff had some questions.” Her grandmother eyed Rafael as he got out of the passenger seat. “We all do.”

  Bryony frowned and looked over at Mayor Daniels. “It couldn’t wait? We’ve been traveling all day and got stuck in a traffic jam on the interstate.”

  The mayor picked up his finger and began to shake it, as he did every time he was upset over something. The sheriff put a hand on his shoulder.

  “Easy, Rupert, give her a chance to explain.”

  “Explain what?” Bryony demanded.

  “Why a ferry full of construction equipment landed on our island yesterday and why they’re set to start building some fancy new hotel on the land you sold to Tricorp Investment,” the mayor said as he shook an accusing finger at Bryony.

  She shook her head adamantly. “There must be some mistake, Mayor. I’ve been in New York City all week to straighten out this mess. Rafael would have told me if construction was already scheduled to begin. And I didn’t sell to Tricorp. I sold to Rafael.”

  The sheriff grimaced. “There’s no mistake, Bry. I questioned the men myself. Asked to see their permits. Every thing is all legal. I even asked to see the plans. That whole stretch of the beach is going to be turned into a resort, complete with its own helicopter pad.”

  Her mouth dropped open and she turned to Rafael, dread and disappointment nearly choking her. “Rafael?”

  Eleven

  Rafael bit out a curse as he faced four accusing stares. Bryony’s was confused, though, and a little dazed. Pain and bewilderment made their way across her face and the look in her eyes made him wince.

  “Now see here,” the mayor began as he stepped forward.

  Rafael brought him up short with a jerk of his hand. He stared hard at the other man and the mayor took a hasty step back, nearly pulling the sheriff in front of him for protection.

  “This is a matter between Bryony and myself,” he said in an even voice. “As she said, we’re tired. We’ve traveled all day, she’s pregnant and she’s dead on her feet. I won’t stand here arguing with you in her driveway.”

  “But—” The mayor turned to the sheriff. “Silas? Are you going to let him get away with this?”

  The sheriff sighed and adjusted his hat. “What he’s doing isn’t illegal, Rupert. It might be unethical, but it isn’t illegal. He owns the land. He can do what he likes with it.”

  “Rafael? Did you approve this? Is it true they’re starting construction?” Bryony asked in a strained voice.

  Her grandmother stepped to her side and wrapped her arm around Bryony’s waist. Her grandmother was a frail-looking woman and it irritated Rafael to no end that it was Bryony who looked the more fragile of the two at the moment.

  “We’ll discuss this in private,” he said tightly.

  “Do you want him here, Bry?” the sheriff asked.

  Bryony raised a hand to her temple and rubbed as if she had no idea what to say to that question. Hurt crowded her eyes, and then deep fatigue, as if all her energy had been sapped in a single instant.

  Knowing if he didn’t take control of the situation, he’d likely be carted off to some second-rate jail cell, Rafael moved to Bryony’s side and gently pried her away from her grandmother. He wrapped his arm around her waist and cupped his hand over her elbow.

  “We’ll talk inside,” he murmured.

  She stared up at him as if she searched for some shred of truth or maybe deceit. He couldn’t be entirely sure what she was thinking.

  Then she stiffened and looked toward the two men. “He’s staying here, Silas. I appreciate your concern.”

  “And the construction?” Rupert asked in agitation. “What am I supposed to tell everyone? It wasn’t me who sold the land to the outsider but it happened on my watch. I’ll never win reelection if it becomes known that the island went to hell during my term.”

  “Rupert, shut up,” Bryony’s grandmother said sharply. “My granddaughter is upset enough without you yammering on about your political career.”

  “Come on, Rupert. Nothing good can come of us standing in her driveway at this hour. There’ll be plenty of time to sort this out tomorrow,” Silas said as he herded the older man toward his vehicle.

  As he left, he tipped his hat to Bryony. “Let me know if you need anything, young lady.”

  Bryony gave him a tight smile and nodded her thanks. When the two men were gone, Bryony’s grandmother hugged her.

  “I’m glad you’re home. I worry when you travel. Especially to a city like New York.”

  If Rafael had expected the older woman to turn on him in anger he was wrong. Instead she gently enfolded him in a hug and patted his cheek.

  “Welcome back, young man. I’m glad you found your way back here.”

  With that, she walked down a narrow stone path in the grass that led to the adjoining yard.

  “Will she be okay?” Rafael asked with a frown. “Should we take her home?”

  Bryony sighed. “She lives next door. Just a few steps from my front door.”

  “Oh. Right. Sorry.”

  “Yeah, I know, you don’t remember.”

  This time her tone lacked the patie
nce and understanding she’d exhibited until now. There was an undercurrent of hurt that cut into him and pricked his conscience.

  Hell. He’d once have argued that he didn’t have a conscience when it came to business. Business was business. Nothing personal. Only now…it was definitely personal.

  “Come on,” she said. “We need to get all this luggage inside.”

  He put his hand on her arm. “You go in. I’ll bring in the luggage. Don’t argue. Go get something to drink or eat if you’re hungry. I’ll be in in just a moment.”

  She shrugged and walked to the steps leading onto the porch. A moment later, she disappeared into the house, leaving Rafael standing in the driveway staring at his surroundings with keen eyes.

  So this is where he’d spent so many days and nights. This is where his life had supposedly undergone such a drastic change. He didn’t feel anything other than that he was distinctly out of his comfort zone and in way over his head.

  He carried the luggage in two trips to the front porch and then propped her door open and began lugging the bags into the living room.

  As he stepped in, he stared around, absorbing the look and feel of the place Bryony called home. It reflected her personality to a T. Sunny, cheerful, a little cluttered, as if she were always in too much of a hurry to keep it spotless. It looked lived-in, nothing like his sterile apartment, which a cleaning lady made spotless every day regardless of whether he was in residence or not.

  She stood with her back to him, staring out the French doors that led onto the deck. Her arms were wrapped protectively around her chest and when she turned, he could see the barricade she’d erected as surely as if it were a tangible shield.

  “Did you know about the construction? Did you order it to begin?” she asked.

  He sighed. “Do you want me to lie, Bryony? I won’t. I’ve been nothing but truthful to you. Yes, I ordered construction to begin. I would have started much sooner but my accident delayed me significantly. My investors are anxious. They want to see progress in return for the money they’ve shelled out.”

  “You promised,” she choked out.

  He ran a hand through his hair and wished he could make this go away. At least until they had matters between them sorted out.

  “You know I can’t remember,” he said. “As far as I knew, the land was bought, the deal closed, the property to do with as I liked. There was nothing in the contract that stipulated how I could use the land. I wouldn’t have signed such a contract. The land is useless to me unless I develop it.”

  Damn it. Why couldn’t he remember? Surely he wouldn’t have made her such a promise. It defied all logic. Why on earth would he have bought the land and promised not to develop it?

  He closed the distance between them and slid his hand over her shoulder. She flinched and lifted her shoulder away, but he kept his hand against her skin.

  “Bryony, again, I’m not doing this to hurt you. I don’t remember. You say I made you a promise, but I have no proof of that. What I do have is proof of sale. I have your signature on the closing documents as well as a copy of the bank draft issued to you from my bank.”

  She turned to face him again, her eyes red-rimmed. She looked to be fighting tears with every bit of her power.

  “I made it clear from the start that I wouldn’t sell to you unless you promised it wouldn’t be developed on a large scale. Obviously I can’t control what a new owner does with the land, but I’d hoped for something in keeping with the integrity of our community here. You looked me in the eye and you promised me that you had no such plans. That was a lie, Rafael. It’s an obvious lie because clearly you had investors lined up, plans drawn, a schedule planned. You yourself just said that your accident delayed the groundbreaking significantly.”

  Rafael swore because one of them had to be lying and he didn’t want it to be him. He didn’t want it to be her.