A Royal Amnesia Scandal

by Jules Bennett

  “I didn’t want to bother you if you weren’t feeling good, or if you were resting. I spoke with Kate last night, but I needed to check on you today.”

  “There’s no need to worry, Mom. Kate is taking good care of me and the doctor was thorough. I just need to relax, and this is the best place for me to do that.”

  His mother made a noise, something akin to disapproval. “Well, you call the doctor first thing if you start having other symptoms. I’m still not happy you’re not home. I worry, but you’re stubborn like your father, so I’m used to it.”

  Luc smiled, just as Kate stepped through the door. A sheen of sweat covered her. Or maybe that was water from the ocean. Regardless, she looked sexy, all wet and winded. Would his need for her ever lessen? Each time he saw her he instantly went into primal mode and wanted to carry her back to bed.

  “Nothing to worry about,” he said, keeping his eyes locked on Kate’s. “I’m in good hands. I’ll phone you later.”

  He ended the call and rose to his feet. Kate’s eyes widened as he moved closer to where she’d stopped in the doorway.

  “Were you on my phone?” she asked, tipping her head back to hold his gaze.

  “My mom called to check on me. She tried your cell in case I was resting.”

  Kate’s eyes darted around. “Um...is that all she said?”

  Reaching out to stroke a fingertip along her collarbone, Luc watched the moisture disappear beneath his touch. “Yes. Why?”

  “Just curious.” She trembled beneath his touch as her eyes locked back onto his. “I need to go shower. Then we need to discuss your schedule and upcoming events.”

  Heat surged through him as he slid his mouth over hers. “Go use my shower. We can work later.”

  She leaned into him just slightly, then quickly pulled back. Something passed through her eyes before she glanced away. As she started to move around him, he grabbed her elbow.

  “You okay?”

  She offered a tight, fake smile. “Fine. Just tired from my swim and run.”

  The shadows beneath her eyes silently told him she hadn’t slept as well as she’d claimed. He nodded, releasing her arm, and listened as she padded through the hall and into the master suite.

  Waiting until he was sure she was in the shower, Luc jerked his shirt over his head and tossed it, not caring where it landed. By the time he reached his bedroom, his clothes were gone, left in a trail leading to the bedroom door.

  The steady hum of the water had Luc imagining all kinds of possibilities. And all of them involved a wet, naked Kate.

  When he reached the spacious, open shower, surrounded by lush plants for added privacy, he took in the entire scene. Kate with water sluicing down her curves, her wet hair clinging to her back as she tipped her face up to the rainfall showerhead. She was a vision...and she was his.

  Luc crossed the room and stepped onto the wet, gritty tile. In an instant he had his arms wrapped around her, molding her back against him.

  Kate’s audible gasp filled the room, and her body tensed beneath his. “Luc—”

  He spun her around, cutting off anything she was about to say. He needed her, needed to get back to something normal in his life. Kate was his rock, his foundation, and he wanted to connect with her again in the most primal, natural way possible.

  “Luc,” she muttered against his mouth. “We shouldn’t.”

  Her words died as he kissed his way down her neck. “We should.”

  That silky skin of hers was driving him insane. Kate arched into him, gripping his shoulders as if holding on.

  “You’re injured,” she panted.

  He jerked his head up to meet her gaze. “The day I can’t make love to my fiancée is the day I die.”

  Luc hauled her up against him, an arm banded around her lower back to pull her in nice and snug, as his mouth claimed hers once again. There was a hesitancy to her response. Luc slowed his actions, not wanting her to feel she needed to protect him.

  But this all-consuming need to claim her, to have her right now, had his control slipping.

  “I want you, Kate,” he whispered against her mouth. “Now.”

  Nipping at her lips, he slid his palms over her round hips, to the dip in her waist and up to her chest, which was made for a man’s hands...his hands. She was perfect for him in every way. How had he gotten so lucky to have her in his life?

  As he massaged her, she dropped her head back, exposing that creamy skin on her neck. Luc smoothed his tongue over her, pulling a soft moan from her lips.

  After backing her up, he lifted her. “Wrap your legs around me.”

  Her eyes went wide. “I... Luc...”

  “Now, Kate.”

  Just as her legs encircled his waist, he grabbed her hands and held them above her head. Sliding into her, he stilled when she gasped.

  “You okay?”

  Eyes closed, biting down on her lip, she nodded. Luc gripped her wrists in one hand and used his other to skim his thumb across the lip she’d been worrying with her teeth.

  “Look at me,” he demanded. “I want to see those eyes.”

  Droplets sprinkled her lashes as she blinked up at him. He moved against her, watching her reaction, wanting to see every bit of her arousal, her excitement. He might not remember their past encounters, but he damn well was going to make new memories with her, starting right now.

  Kate’s hips rocked with his; her body arched as he increased his speed.

  “Luc,” she panted. “Please...”

  Gripping her waist, he trailed his mouth up her neck to her ear. “Anything,” he whispered. “I’ll give you anything. Just let go.”

  Her body tensed, shuddering all around him. As she cried out in release, Luc followed her.

  Wrapping her in his arms, he couldn’t help but wonder if each time they were together felt like the first time, or if this particular moment was just so powerfully intense and all-consuming. This woman had the ability to bring him to his knees in all the right ways.

  So why was his beautiful fiancée—who’d just come apart in his arms—sobbing against his shoulder?

  * * *

  Oh, no. No, no, no.

  Kate couldn’t stop the tears from coming, just as she couldn’t stop Luc from making love to her.

  No. Not making love. They’d had sex. He didn’t love her, and once his memory returned, he wouldn’t even like her anymore. She’d been worried about tonight, about going to sleep. She’d truly never thought he would join her in the shower. The sex just now with Luc was unlike any encounter she’d ever had. Nothing could have prepared her for the intensity of his passion.

  How had this entire situation gotten even more out of control? The reality of being with Luc had far exceeded the fantasy. And now that she had a taste of what it could be like, she wanted more.

  “Kate?”

  She gripped his biceps, keeping her face turned into his chest. She couldn’t face him, couldn’t look him in the eyes. Not after what she’d done. He would never understand.

  Was this how he’d treat her if he loved her? Would he surprise her in the shower and demand so much of her body? Part of her wanted to bask in the glorious aftermath of everything intimacy should be. But she knew it couldn’t last.

  Luc shut off the water behind her, and in one swift move, he shifted, lifting her in his arms.

  “Talk to me, baby.” He stepped out of the shower and eased her down onto the cushioned bench. Grabbing a towel from the heated bar, he wrapped it around her before securing one around his waist.

  Kate stared down at her unpainted nails. Focusing on her lack of manicure would not help her out of this situation. Luc gripped her hands as he crouched before her.

  “Look at me.”

  Those words, said only moments ago under extremely different circumstances, pulled her gaze away from their joined hands and up into his dark eyes. Worry stared back at her. Didn’t he know she was lying? Didn’t he know he should be worried about himself?


  She could come clean. She could tell him right now that she wasn’t his fiancée, that she’d been dying for him to make a move on her for years. But all that sounded even more pathetic than the truth, which was that she’d gotten caught up in this spiral of lies. In an attempt to protect him, she’d deceived him. There was no turning back, and if she was honest with herself, she couldn’t deny how right they’d felt together.

  “Did I hurt you?” he asked.

  Swiping the moisture from her cheeks, Kate shook her head. “No. You could never hurt me.”

  “What is it? Did you not want to make love with me?”

  A vise around her heart squeezed.

  She shook her head. Eventually she was going to strangle herself with this string of lies.

  “I’m just overwhelmed,” she admitted. “We hadn’t been together before.”

  Luc studied her a moment before his brows rose. “You mean to tell me we hadn’t made love before?”

  Shame filled her. She couldn’t speak, so simply nodded.

  Luc muttered a slang Portuguese term that no member of the royal family should be heard saying.

  “How is that possible?” he asked. “You said we’ve been working together for nearly a year.”

  “Your family has a rule about staff and royal members not being intimate. We’ve been professional for so long, we both just waited. Then we ended up here on this getaway and...”

  She couldn’t finish. She couldn’t lie anymore. The emotions were too overwhelming and her body was still reeling from their passion.

  Luc came to his feet, cursing enough to have her cringing. He was beating himself up over something that was 100 percent her fault.

  Unable to stand the tension, the heavy weight of the guilt, she jumped to her feet. “Luc, I need to tell you—”

  “No.” He turned, facing her with his hands on his narrow hips. “I took advantage of you. Kate, I am so, so sorry. I had no clue. I got caught up in the moment and wanted to forget this memory loss and just be with you.”

  “No. This is not your fault in any way.” Holding on to the knot on her towel, Kate shivered. “Let’s get dressed. We need to talk.”

  Eight

  Luc grabbed his clothes from the bedroom and went to the spare room to get dressed. Of all the plans he’d had for Kate, taking her when she wasn’t mentally prepared for it sure as hell wasn’t one of them.

  Their history explained why she’d tensed when he’d come up behind her in the shower, explained the onslaught of tears afterward. Not to mention the way she’d stiffened against him in bed last night.

  Luc cursed himself once again for losing control. He’d thought he was doing the right thing, thought he was getting them both back to where they’d been just before his ridiculous accident.

  Heading back down the hallway, he spotted his clothes. Looking at them now he felt only disgust, as opposed to the excitement and anticipation he’d felt when he’d left them behind without a care.

  He grabbed each article of clothing and flung them and his towel into the laundry area. He’d worry about that mess later. Right now he had another, more important mess to clean up, and he only hoped Kate would forgive him.

  Guilt literally ate at him, killing the hope he’d had of making this day less about his amnesia and more about them.

  By the time she came out, she’d piled her hair atop her head and sported another one of those little sundresses that showcased her tanned shoulders and sexy legs. The legs he’d demanded she wrap around him.

  Kate took a seat on the sofa and patted the cushion beside her. “Just relax. Okay?”

  Relax? How could he when this entire mess had started with him forgetting every single damn thing about the woman he supposedly loved?

  Wait, he did love her. When he looked at her and saw how amazing and patient she was with him, and damn it, how she’d let him take her in the shower, and didn’t stop him, how could he not love her? When he looked at her, his heart beat a bit faster. When he touched her, his world seemed to be a better place.

  He just wished he could remember actually falling in love with her, because all he could recall was this all-consuming, aching need that was only stronger now that he’d had her.

  “Luc.” Kate held out her hand. “Come on.”

  He crossed to her, took her hand and sank onto the couch beside her.

  “Tell me you’re okay,” he started, holding her gaze. “Tell me I didn’t hurt you physically or emotionally.”

  A soft smile spread across her face. “I already told you, I’m fine. You were perfect, Luc.”

  She held on to him, her eyes darting down to where their hands joined.

  “Before you fell, we were fighting,” she told him. “I take full responsibility for everything that’s happened to you, so don’t beat yourself up over the shower.”

  Luc squeezed her hand. “The shower was all on me. If we were fighting before my fall, then that took two, so don’t place all of that blame on yourself.”

  Kate smiled. Her eyes lifted to his. “We could play this game all day,” she told him, her smile dimming a bit. “But I need to talk to you.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  Her tone, the worry in her eyes, told him something major was keeping her on edge.

  “There are so many things that you need to know, but I’ve been holding back because I don’t want to affect your healing process.”

  Luc edged closer, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her to his side. Easing back against the cushions, he kept her tucked against him. “If something is worrying you, tell me. I want to be here for you. I want to be strong for you.”

  Kate’s delicate hand rested on his thigh. She took a deep breath in, then let it out with a shudder.

  “I was adopted.”

  Her voice was so soft, he wondered if she actually meant to say it out loud.

  “Did I already know this about you?” he asked.

  “No. The only people who know are my parents.”

  His mind started turning. Her parents worked for his parents. Memories of them in his house flashed for an instant.

  “Scott and Maria, right?”

  “Yes.” Kate tilted her head up to meet his gaze. “You’re remembering.”

  “Not fast enough,” he muttered. “Go on.”

  Settling her head back against his chest, Luc wondered if it was easier for her to talk if she wasn’t looking right at him.

  “I was born in the States,” she went on. “Georgia, to be exact. My parents adopted me when I was six. I only have vague memories of being there, but it’s always held a special place in my heart.”

  Luc listened, wondering where she was going with this and how it all tied back into what was happening between them now.

  “My parents ended up moving to Ilha Beleza to work full-time at the palace. They used to just work at the vacation home back in Georgia. Your family has one off the coast.”

  Closing his eyes, he saw a white house with thick pillars extended to the second story. A wraparound porch on the ground floor had hanging swings that swayed in the breeze. Booker and a young Kate running in the yard...

  Yes, he remembered that house fondly.

  “Since I’ve been your assistant, I’ve wanted you to visit that orphanage, the one I came from, but we’ve butted heads over it.”

  Luc jerked, forcing Kate to shift and look up at him.

  “Why were we fighting over an orphanage?” he asked.

  She shrugged. “I have no idea why you won’t go. To be honest, I just think you don’t want to, or you didn’t want to take the time. You’ve offered to write a check, but I never can get you to go there. I just felt a visit from a real member of royalty would be something cool for those kids. They don’t have much and some of them have been there awhile, because most people only want to adopt babies.”

  Luc glanced around the sparsely furnished room, hoping for another flash of something to enter his mind. Hoping for so
me minuscule image that would help him piece it all together.

  “Is this why we were arguing before I fell?” he asked, focusing back on her.

  “Not really. I tried bringing it up again, but you blew it off.” She let go of his hand and got to her feet, pacing to the open patio doors. “We were arguing because we’re both stubborn, and sometimes we do and say things before we can fully think them through.”

  He could see that. Without a doubt he knew he was quite a hardhead, and Kate had a stubborn streak he couldn’t help but find intriguing and attractive.

  “When your memory comes back, I want you to know that everything I’ve ever done or said has been to protect you.” Her shoulders straightened as she kept her back to him and stared out the doors. “I care about you, Luc. I need you to know that above all else.”

  The heartfelt words, the plea in her tone, had Luc rising to his feet and crossing to her. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he kissed the top of her head.

  “I know how you feel about me, Kate. You proved it to me when you let me make love to you, when you put my needs ahead of any doubts you had.”

  She eased back against him. “I hope you always feel that way.”

  The intensity of the moment had him worried they were getting swept into something so consuming, they’d never get back to the couple they used to be. Even though he didn’t remember that couple, he had to assume they weren’t always this intense.

  “What do you say we take the boat and go into town?” he asked. “Surely there’s a market or shops or restaurants to occupy our time. We need to have some fun.”

  She turned in his arms, a genuine smile spreading across her face. “I was going to suggest that myself. I haven’t shopped in forever. I’m always working.”

  She cringed, as if she just realized what had come out of her mouth.

  “It’s okay,” he told her, kissing the tip of her nose. “I’ll make sure your boss gives you the rest of the day off. You deserve it.”

  * * *

  That talk didn’t go nearly the way she’d rehearsed it in her head. Coming off the euphoria of having mind-blowing sex with Luc in the shower had seriously clouded her judgment, and obviously sucked out all her common sense.