‘Don’t think like that,’ he commanded. ‘Use your instincts, Jenna. You told me you felt rushed into marriage as though there was some underlying motivation you didn’t understand and you were right. You instinctively knew you shouldn’t be marrying David and you felt an instant connection to me. Your instincts told you there was danger at Herlstone Park.’ He’d stressed every point, now he pushed. ‘If you call on your instincts, they have to be telling you you’re an innocent victim in whatever this is about.’
Leaning forward, she put her elbows on her knees and supported her head with her hands. ‘But you said it was all over the news. Even if I didn’t do anything, people will think I’m involved in some type of racket. They’ll already be gossiping about how someone tried to kill me and think I was involved in something shady. It’ll damage my reputation and hurt my business.’
‘The truth will be discovered.’ Max dropped to his haunches so he was at her eye level. ‘You’re an honest person, Jen. Everyone in the business knows it.’ But, although he tried to reassure her, he wasn’t naive. If mud was thrown, some of it would always stick—even to a Teflon surface. Her competitors might try to capitalise on it.
‘I don’t believe I’d do anything wrong,’ she ventured hesitantly.
‘I wouldn’t be in love with an unscrupulous woman.’
She shifted and her hands rested over their baby again. ‘You say there’s security here?’
‘I have people working undercover.’
‘Before, someone ran to my room straight after you,’ she acknowledged.
He was surprised she’d been aware of it. ‘I organised for him to be stationed at the end of the hall each night you go to bed. Security personnel have been employed here in various positions ever since your accident. I’ve also had security cameras installed and footage is being monitored continually.’
‘Did the cameras pick up anything today?’
‘As a matter-of-fact they did.’ He told her what he’d seen and she was as frustrated as he was to learn the suspect had made his escape unhindered.
‘I only had one security camera. The duke insisted I have it installed to monitor Midnight Blue.’
Bloody hell! Max’s heart skipped a few beats while his brain raced with possibilities. What if …?
A triumphant smile lit her face. ‘Hey! I remembered that detail.’
‘That’s great.’ But his mind was occupied with more pressing thoughts than the return of that particular memory. ‘Jen, do you remember where your car was parked the night of your accident? Can you picture which direction you were running from?’
She closed her eyes and he guessed she was re-running the images in her mind. Her eyelids flicked open. ‘The stables,’ she told him without hesitation.
‘Which stables? Those where the dressage horses are kept, or the stud stables?’
‘The stud stables. I drove out the entrance from the stud.’
Shit. If she’d gone over to the stud, it made sense she’d driven on towards Mayberry Estate instead of turning back to the house. ‘Are you sure?’
‘As sure as I can be about anything at the moment. Why?’
Should he tell her? If he did, it might prompt a memory or it might put ideas into her head that her mind built into the truth. He decided not to elaborate on his line of thought. ‘I’m trying to piece together the events of the night and you said you’d been pursued by men on foot.’
‘I think I must’ve been to the stables and I was heading towards the car. Yes, I was definitely coming from that direction.’
He sat down next to her on the bed and cautioned, ‘Don’t think on it too hard. All your other memories have come when you haven’t been concentrating on them.’
‘You’re probably right. I was asleep when I replayed the accident in a nightmare.’
‘The near miss in the stables today may have dislodged the memory.’
Her lower lip trembled. ‘Now I’ve remembered it, I can’t get it out of my head.’
‘I’m sure Dr Gerber will help you work through it.’ He put his arm around her and gave her a hug. ‘I can get her now or you can talk to her first thing in the morning.’
‘Later this morning will do. I’ll speak with Dr Gerber and the police.’
Max stood. What he wanted to do was access the security video footage from the surveillance of Midnight Blue for the night of the attack. A glance at the bedside clock told him it was almost five o’clock. ‘Do you want to go back to sleep for a while?’
‘No. There’s too much going through my mind. I’ll get up. Everyone will be up and about soon. I’ll get dressed, have a hot chocolate and a swim then head to the stables so I can—’ She stopped abruptly. ‘I am remembering. I’m remembering my daily routine.’
‘Piece by piece.’ He decided to risk her good mood. ‘I decided after yesterday I want to assign a personal security guard to you for whenever I’m not with you. Dr Gerber didn’t think it was a good idea to let you know, so the guard was going to be covert. Now you know why you need a guard, I’m going to introduce you to her today.’
She opened her mouth as though she was going to object, but before a sound emerged, her hands rested protectively on her tummy and she appeared to reconsider. ‘If I had any idea who around me is a friend and who may be foe, I’d disagree, but this isn’t only about keeping me safe. We need to think about our baby too.’
He held out a hand and she accepted it and stood up. ‘Jen, it’s probably asking too much, but try to leave the worrying to me and the police and the security team.’
‘That’s an awful lot of people worrying on my behalf.’
‘It is. So, all you should do is think about your health and plan for our baby’s arrival, and try not to stress out.’
She shot him a dirty look. ‘No problem, Max. Someone’s trying to kill me and I don’t remember anything to help the police. Of course I won’t stress.’
‘You haven’t lost your sass.’
‘Maybe next lifetime.’
‘Come on. Now you’ve woken me up, the least you can do is make me one of your famous extra creamy hot chocolates.’
‘Followed by a workout in the pool?’
‘That I might have to skip. The sight of you in a swimsuit would be way too much of a turn on.’ And, he wanted to get cracking on getting a look at the security footage.
‘Hot chocolate, then.’ She grinned at him and a bolt of red-hot lust shot to his groin.
Hell! It’d been hard enough when he’d been a randy teenager to restrain himself around Jenna. Now he was an adult male and his body knew hers as a lover, it was sheer torture to be this close to a bed and not have her lying naked on it.
He was left not knowing which should come first, the hot chocolate or the cold shower.
Chapter 14
After dinner that evening, Jenna sat beside Max on a couch in the library. Apart from one wall with a window affording a spectacular view of the man-made lake, the walls were lined with bookshelves from the floor to the very high ceiling.
This morning, she’d given her statement about the accident to the police. Then, she’d spent quite a bit of time with Dr Gerber, talking through her memories and all the fears of knowing someone had wanted to kill her.
Dr Gerber had made Jenna realise that the way she’d lashed out at Max for not telling her about the crash was a self-protective reflex after her betrayal by James. The psychologist pointed out that nobody wanted her to carry additional stress of knowing about the attempt on her life. She’d urged Jenna not to keep searching for the past at the risk of jeopardising her future.
The advice made a lot of sense.
After the counselling session, Jenna thought deeply about her attraction to Max. She appreciated how he was letting her take things at her pace, and she turned over all the reservations that held her back. For the first time, she felt capable of seeing her way forward. Max had obviously been a huge and positive part of her past. Jenna wanted him solidly in
her future.
Now, Jenna looked through some old photo albums with Max in an attempt to prompt her memory. He was doing his best to identify the people in the photos—although some of them were from before his days at Herlstone Park.
Initially, she’d been keen to see the photos, however images of her parents and other people she didn’t remember only served to underline her deficiencies and make her sad. Besides, her awareness of the real-life presence of Max was far keener than her focus on the photos.
She was all too aware of the warm press of his muscular thigh against hers and of the way his masculine cologne teased at her senses, making her want to inhale more deeply. His voice was so pleasantly deep, she found it reassuring. Although she enjoyed his touch and his kisses, she wanted more from this attractive man who was the father of their child.
She needed more than his reassurance and protection and wanted to go beyond the few amazing kisses they’d shared.
She wanted Max again as her lover.
A series of tingles ran through her at the thought of him tracing over her skin with his long-fingered hands, and re-familiarising himself with her body. She wished she could remember the touch of his hands as he’d caressed her skin.
Instinct told her Max would be a wonderful lover—that he’d use his hands and mouth to rouse her to fever-pitched longing, and he’d drive into her until her world tilted off its axis and spun helplessly out of orbit as she was totally consumed by him.
Afterwards, she’d lie in the circle of his arms physically replete, her head cushioned against his chest, her smooth legs feeling the contrasting weight of his hair-roughened ones.
Jenna gulped at the intimate thoughts which caused a pull of yearning at the juncture of her thighs.
‘Jenna?’
Oh gosh. What had he said while she’d been fantasising about him?
Reaching out to where the album lay half on his lap and half on hers, she closed the cover. ‘Nothing is sparking any memories and I’ve had enough.’
‘Okay,’ he said easily enough. ‘What would you like to do now?’
Go to bed with you.
It was all she could think about. The words pounded in her head in an endless refrain keeping time with the pulse at the base of her neck.
‘Er …’ What had he asked?
‘Would you like to take me on in a game of billiards?’
Not really.
‘We were always a pretty even match,’ he said by way of temptation.
‘Well, if I say no, you’ll think I’ve lost my competitive streak, won’t you?’
He stood and reached for her hand. The simple gesture brought her pleasure and comfort. She loved this outward signal of his caring. Maybe it was a possessive gesture—a message they belonged together, linked outwardly by their hands but at a much deeper level within.
She couldn’t help the little smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth because it was probably weird to analyse such a straightforward action as handholding. Yet, in a world where she was trying to make sense of everything and everyone around her, little things that other people probably took for granted really made an impression on her. Holding Max’s hand imbued her with strength and confidence and she revelled in his touch. The physical contact also made her ache for his touch in far more intimate places.
‘You have a gorgeous smile,’ he told her as they walked out of the library.
‘This is my I’m completely lost smile.’ She laughed. ‘You realise I have no idea where the billiard table is?’
‘I figured as much.’
‘Max?’ She stopped.
‘Yes?’
Her heart pounded. Each breath was shallow and she felt the heat rise from her chest all the way up to her cheeks as she contemplated making her admission. ‘I don’t want to play billiards.’
The intensity of his regard flared. ‘What do you want to do?’ The first few words of his question had emerged rather hoarsely.
Jenna felt her own throat thicken, and needed to swallow before she could give voice to her innermost desire. ‘I want to go to bed.’ She took a step closer to him. ‘I want for us to be lovers again.’
‘Oh, Jen.’ He closed his eyes and let his forehead fall forward until it was resting softly against hers. Squeezing the fingers of the hand he held, and reaching out to settle his other hand above her hip, he drew her body close to his. Once they would’ve stood toe to toe. Now she was pregnant, it wasn’t quite possible!
Jenna revelled in the sensation of his lean, masculine frame against her feminine form. Her breasts provided a cushion against the hardness of his chest and every inhalation caused a delicious friction and sensitisation of her nipples. Her baby bump was cradled within the framework of his hips and her confidence grew. The swell of his erection spoke of his passion for her and his hands traced down her spine and pressed into the small of her back, echoing the urgency of his desire.
‘What about the baby?’ he rasped as he drew his head away from hers. ‘Is it safe to make love?’
Looking up from under her lashes she admitted, ‘I asked the doctor yesterday afternoon after you’d left. He said it wouldn’t be a problem.’
‘You’ve been thinking about making love since yesterday afternoon and we’re only getting to it now?’
‘Oh no.’ She let her fingers trail along his shoulders. ‘I’ve been thinking about it since way before yesterday.’
He laughed. ‘What took you so long?’
‘I think I’m naturally shy about intimacy.’
‘You are—at least you were when we first made love.’ His lips brushed over hers and arrows of fiery need ignited inside her. ‘If you’re ready to take this next step, sweetheart, I can’t think of anything I’d rather do.’
She didn’t want to talk about it. She needed to act upon her desires before she lost her nerve. Pulling away from him, she grabbed at his hand. ‘I may not be able to find my way to the billiard table, but I’m quite sure I remember how to get back to my bedroom.’
Little thrills of nervous anticipation ran from her chest all the way to the palms of her hands, making her all tingly. For the first time since she’d woken from the coma, her entire body felt deliciously light with sheer happiness and expectation.
I’m ready for this. It’s not too soon.
How they made it up the grand staircase, along the corridor and into her room, Jenna wasn’t sure. How she managed to make it past the security guard at the end of the hall without turning beetroot red was another mystery.
Small tremors of anticipation shot up from deep within her womb. It took real effort to slip her shoes off when she walked into the room, but it immediately struck her how the carpet underfoot had now assumed a sensual quality as her toes sunk into the heavy pile.
As Max clicked the door shut behind them and turned the key in the lock, excitement raced along every one of Jenna’s nerves, but she was also hesitant. She turned away from him and her gaze fell on the bed. They’d sat there together this morning, but tonight the vibe buzzing between them was completely different.
She and Max were locked into the intimacy of her bedroom where the soft light from the bedside lamp pooled onto the cream-coloured duvet on her queen-sized bed and highlighted the spot where they would join their bodies again.
There was no terror in the atmosphere now, only the thrum of passionate possibilities.
She couldn’t look at him as she tried to voice her thoughts. ‘I know we’ve been lovers before, but … It’s going to be as if it’s the first time for me, Max.’
Max came to stand behind her, looped his arms around her and nuzzled against her ear. ‘We’re lucky,’ he whispered. ‘How many couples get to rediscover each other all over again like it’s the first time?’
‘That’s such a nice way to look at it.’ Her baby’s father was a very special guy.
Oh. The sensual grazing of the five o’clock stubble of his jaw line against the nape of her neck was an incredible turn on.
‘I can’t wait to kiss every delectable inch of you, Jen. I’ve been aching for you every day we’ve been apart.’
His lips left a scorching trail of kisses along her partially bare shoulder, at the nape of her neck, and then all the way up to the delicate shell of her ear. The tip of his tongue darted out to trace a little pattern just below her ear and it made Jenna tremble with longing.
‘Ah. That’s so good.’
‘I have an advantage,’ he husked. ‘I remember all the spots that turn you on.’
Leaning back so she fitted more snugly against his body, she again felt the evidence of his arrantly masculine arousal and was thrilled to know she could affect him with as much ease as he affected her.
‘By the time tonight is over, I hope to have rediscovered all the spots that turn you on too.’
Maybe I’m not so shy after all.
The hardness of his erection jerked, nudging against the small of her back.
Emboldened, Jenna stood on her tiptoes, pressed back and wiggled her backside a little against his swollen flesh in teasing provocation.
‘Oh, sweetheart, we’re in for a very long night because everywhere you touch turns me on.’
‘Mm. Sounds wonderful.’ Covering his hands with hers she held them over their baby then stretched her neck to allow him greater access to the spot near her ear. Feeling completely comfortable with him she closed her eyes as she absorbed the exquisite sensations he evoked through his kisses.
‘That’s delicious,’ she told him on a sigh. How could she have forgotten Max and all this searing pleasure they’d shared?
‘Mm. You’re delicious.’
‘Whoa!’ Jenna shifted a little as their baby kicked.
‘That was so strong!’
The kick was a reminder that her body had changed since the last time he’d made love to her. ‘Max?’
‘Yeah?’
‘Does it bother you that my body’s changed with the pregnancy?’
‘Are you kidding?’ Max’s arms tightened around her for a second before he caressed the swell of her abdomen with his large hands. ‘I love that you’re carrying our child, Jen.’ He kissed the side of her neck again before his hands went back to her shoulders and he turned her around to face him. Cupping her cheeks in his hands he told her, ‘I’m longing to discover every single one of those beautiful changes.’
Seduced by the Stranger (Billionaires & Babies, #2) Page 17
