“Did that happen to you when you returned to Prescott?” Megan said.
“Oh, sure,” he said, standing in front of the stove. “I thought I’d go nuts. They gave up on me after a spell, though. Decided I was hopeless, a confirmed bachelor.”
“Why?”
“Why did the matchmakers give up their matchmaking?” he said, glancing over at her.
“No, why are you determined not to marry?”
Ben redirected his attention to the frying pan on the stove. “It’s a long story. The order of business now is to eat this marvelous cuisine.”
Megan held up her left hand and stared at the white circle on her ring finger.
“I think I was married,” she said, frowning.
Ben carried two plates of eggs and toast to the table and put one in front of each of their places.
“Was?” he said, sitting opposite her.
“I’ve recently removed what was obviously a wedding band. What else could it have been?” She lowered her hand and met Ben’s gaze. “I don’t love him anymore.”
Ben’s heart began to beat in a wild tempo. “How do you know that? How can you be certain you no longer love him, Megan?”
“I just know,” she said, splaying one hand on her breasts. “Love is too important, too all-consuming and powerful. Amnesia or not, if I was in love, my heart would tell me, whispering the message to my mind, my very soul. I honestly believe that.” She shook her head. “No, I’m not a woman in love, Ben. I’m not.”
Chapter Three
They finished the meal in near silence, each lost in their own thoughts. After cleaning the kitchen, they settled onto opposite ends of the sofa in front of the fireplace.
“It’s so lovely and peaceful here,” Megan said, gazing into the leaping flames. “I sense... Oh, I don’t know...but I have a feeling that my life is not peaceful.”
No joke, Ben thought.
“Well, I guess that’s understandable,” Megan went on, “if I recently ended my marriage. A great deal of upset must have preceded my decision.” She paused. ”I’m assuming that I was the one to seek a divorce. But maybe my husband wanted out of our relationship.”
“I’d assume that you set things in motion,” Ben said. Because she’d had enough of the creep’s abuse. But he wasn’t ready to disclose to her what he knew. Not yet. She was too vulnerable at the moment. He’d wait until she was stronger. “I mean, you did say you know you’re not in love with him anymore.”
“That’s true. Well, enough of this gloomy subject. Tell me about what it was like growing up in the small town of Prescott, Arizona. Were you an angelic child?”
Ben laughed. “Not even close. I was...extremely busy...to put it politely. Along with my buddies, Brandon, Taylor, Jennifer, and others, things were never dull. I remember the time we...”
For the next hour Ben told tales of his mischievous youth, causing Megan to laugh in delight time and again. He shifted slightly on the sofa so he could see the sparkle in her blue eyes, drink in the sight of the firelight cascading over her, savor the sound of her lilting laughter that seemed to fill the house to overflowing.
Megan yawned suddenly. “Excuse me. Goodness, I’m sleepy, despite my nice nap.”
“Then it’s off to bed with you.”
“I’d like to take a shower and wash my hair.” She touched the bandage on her forehead. “Would it be all right to get this wet?”
Ben stood, then sat again next to her. “Let me have a look at what you’ve got there.” He pulled the bandage off gently. “It’s just a scrape. Pat it dry after you wash your hair. It doesn’t need another dressing.”
“All right,” she said softly.
Ben shifted his gaze from her forehead to her eyes. The only sounds in the room were the crackling fire and the echo in his ears of his rapidly beating heart.
He allowed his gaze to travel over Megan’s face, etching each delicate feature indelibly in his mind, lingering an extra heart-stopping moment on her lips. then looking directly into her eyes again.
“A person should always pay their debts,” Megan said, a hint of breathlessness in her voice.
“Hmm?”
“You said in the woods that I owed you a kiss.”
“So I did,” he said, a husky edge to his voice.
Megan brushed her lips over his.
Like the flutter of a butterfly’s wing, he thought hazily as heat rocketed through his body.
“There,” Megan said. “Now we’re even.”
“Not quite,” he said.
He lowered his head and claimed Megan’s mouth with a quick, nibbling kiss before parting her lips and delving his tongue into the sweet darkness to stroke her tongue in a tantalizing rhythm.
Megan encircled his neck with her hands, inching her fingertips into his thick hair and urging his mouth harder onto hers.
Fire, she thought. She was consumed with the heat of desire that was as hot as the fire in the hearth. Oh, how she wanted this man, wanted to make love with him through the hours of the night.
He was a near stranger, yet she was a stranger to herself, as well. Her life, all she knew, all she felt, was narrowed down to when she’d opened her eyes in the woods and seen Ben.
Ben raised his head a fraction of an inch and took a ragged breath.
“No past,” he said, close to Megan’s lips. “No future. Just now.”
“Yes,” she whispered. “Just now. And I want you so much, Ben.”
“Ah, Megan, I want you, too. I’m burning with need for you, but...” Ben shook his head. “No, this is wrong. You do have a life beyond this moment. I can‘t—won’t—take advantage of you. I’m so afraid you’ll regret it if we—”
“No, no, I won’t. I promise you that, Ben. There are little clues telling me that when I regain my memory I’ll have a great deal of turmoil to deal with.
“Oh, don’t you see?” she said, searching his face for understanding. “This is our time, yours and mine. It’s like a precious gift that has been given to us. You said it yourself. No past. No future. Just now. To do with as we choose. Together.”
“Together,” he said, then his mouth melted over hers.
Ben refused to listen to the niggling voice of reason in his mind, pushing it away to a dusty corner.
This was now. This was Megan. He wanted her, she wanted him. There was nothing beyond the two of them.
Ben ended the kiss and stood, extending one hand to Megan. She placed her hand in his and allowed him to pull her up to her feet. He led her to the other side of the coffee table, closer to the hearth, where a plush area rug lay on the floor.
In the glow of the firelight, they removed their clothes, tossing them beyond the rug. The golden glow from the flames increased the sensuous aura, creating a beautiful otherworld essence around them.
Without touching, their gazes traveled over each other, marveling at all they saw, memorizing every detail.
“Exquisite,” Ben said, his voice raspy.
“Magnificent,” Megan said softly.
They stepped forward eagerly to be held tightly, to feel the other without the cumbersome barrier of clothing.
Ben kissed Megan deeply, then they sank onto the welcoming rug without breaking the kiss, lying together m the warmth of the fire.
Ben splayed one hand on Megan’s flat stomach, then moved his mouth from hers to lave the nipple of one breast to a taut button. A soft purr of feminine pleasure escaped from her throat.
“Megan,” he murmured. “You must be sore from your fall. I don’t want to hurt you. I would never, ever hurt you.”
“Shh,” she whispered. “Don’t worry about the bruises. I’m fine. Just love me, Ben. Make love with me.”
He kissed and caressed every inch of her, increasing her passion to a fever pitch. Her hands roamed over his glistening, tawny skin, savoring the feel of his taut muscles, the vivid masculinity of his body. His arousal was heavy against her, and she gloried in what he would bring to her.
<
br /> “Oh, Ben, please,” Megan said finally, a near sob in her voice.
He moved over her, catching his weight on his forearms as he gazed directly into her eyes, seeing the smoky hue of her want and need of him.
“You are so lovely,” he said. “I’ll never forget this night, Megan, how you look at this very moment, what I’m seeing. Never.”
“Our night,” she said. “Come to me, Ben, please.”
He entered her, filling her with all that he was, then stilled.
“Oh, my,” she whispered.
“Yes.”
He began to move, slowly at first, then increasing the tempo to a pounding rhythm that she matched in perfect synchronization.
It was ecstasy.
It was coiling heat building with a sweet pain as they reached for release, thundering to what awaited them at the summit of the wondrous climb.
Then they were there, seconds apart, flung far and away from reality to a place they could only travel to together.
“Ben!”
“Ah, Megan.”
They hovered, then floated down, down, sated and awed by what they had shared.
Ben rolled to Megan’s side, then wrapped one arm around her waist to keep her close. Neither spoke. Hearts returned to normal beats and their labored breaths quieted.
“Thank you,” Megan whispered finally. “That was so...so beautiful.”
“Yes, it was,” Ben said, his lips resting lightly on her forehead. “I’ve never experienced anything, so...” He stopped, unable to find the words he wanted.
“I just somehow know it was more glorious than anything I’ve ever...” Megan’s voice trailed off as she, too, was unable to adequately describe their union.
They lay in contented silence, each tucking the memories away in private chambers of their hearts and nunds.
Megan stirred and laughed softly. “I was supposedly headed for the shower.”
“You took a detour,” Ben said, smiling. “We’ll shower together, be good citizens conserving water.”
“Indeed.”
“The fire is burning low and it’s getting chilly in here,” he said. “Next stop is a hot shower.” He rolled to his feet.
Megan sat up, her gaze falling on one of her upper arms where she could clearly see the bruises from the imprint of large fingers.
“Goodness,” she said. “I don’t remember you gripping me so tightly in the woods. Was I in danger of falling farther when you found me, before I regained consciousness?”
A chill swept through Ben and a cold fist tightened in his gut.
“I...um...did what I had to do to get you out of there,” he said.
Megan shrugged, then got to her feet.
“How’s your head?” Ben said.
“As good as new. Are you still going to wake me through the night to count fingers?”
“I may keep you awake,” he said, circling her shoulders with one arm, “but it won’t be to count fingers.”
“Mmm,” she said, sliding one hand through the moist, dark curls on his broad chest.
Ben laughed and snagged her hand with his. “Enough of that, or we’ll never get that shower.”
Megan matched his smile, then they crossed the room to the stairs, walking up them together.
Megan stirred and opened her eyes. Bright sunlight filled the bedroom and the clock on the nightstand announced that it was nearly ten o’clock. She turned her head and saw the empty expanse of bed next to her and a note on the pillow where Ben had laid his head.
She snatched up the paper and read the message out loud. “‘Megan. Back by one. Eat. Ben.’” She laughed, mentally saluting Ben’s directive to eat.
Her smile faded as she lay perfectly still, searching her mind, waiting to discover if any of her memory had returned beyond knowing her first name.
Nothing.
There was simply nothing there, just a void, a frightening emptiness that gave no clue as to who she was or why she had been in the woods.
“Don’t panic. Stay calm,” she ordered herself. “Give it time. Think pleasant, happy thoughts.”
A soft smile formed on her lips as she allowed the remembrance of the lovemaking shared with Ben to float into her mind, enveloping her in a rosy glow. Heat shimmered through her as the memory became more vivid, more wondrous.
Ben.
They’d showered together, then tumbled onto the bed, reaching for each other eagerly to soar once again to incredible heights of passion. They’d finally slept, their heads resting on the same pillow.
Ben had wakened her at some point, and she’d dutifully counted the three fingers he’d held in front of her eyes. Then he’d captured her lips with his and they’d made exquisite love yet again.
“Oh, my,” Megan said dreamily as she stretched like a lazy kitten.
Her glance fell on the white circle on the ring finger of her left hand and she sighed, her smile vanishing.
Who was the man who had placed the ring on her finger sometime in the past? What had happened to end the vows they’d taken to love and cherish each other until death parted them? Why didn’t she love him anymore?
“I don’t know anything,” she said, pressing her fingertips to her temples. “Except that I’m Megan and...and Ben...is Ben. That’s it. That’s all.”
She sat up and threw back the blankets.
And for now, she thought, walking toward the bathroom, that was enough. During this time stolen out of reality, that was most definitely enough.
Shortly after noon, Ben sat in the chair opposite the desk where Sheriff Cable Montana was talking on the telephone.
Ben narrowed his eyes and attempted to view the new sheriff as the swooning women of Prescott were.
Montana was good-looking, he supposed. He was a rugged, outdoorsy type. Decent build beneath his regulation tan uniform shirt. He was a big man, who no doubt caused the bad guys to think twice before taking him on.
Well, Cable Montana had better rest up, because one of these days the matchmakers were going to leap into action and drive the sheriff right out of his mind.
Cable replaced the receiver to the telephone. “Dr. Ben Rizzoli, right? I’ve seen you around town.”
“Yep, that’s me. Welcome to Prescott.”
“It’s good to be here. What can I do for you today, Ben?”
Nothing, Ben thought suddenly. He was going to get up and walk out of there, not say one word about Megan being at his house, safe and protected, waiting for him to return to her. Waiting for him to hold her, kiss her, make love to her. Oh, man, last night had been fantastic beyond belief. The lovemaking they’d shared had—
“Ben?” Cable said, frowning.
“What? Oh.” Ben snapped himself back to attention and cleared his throat. “Sorry. I’m here to see if you have a missing person’s report on a young woman named Megan.”
“Megan who?” Cable said, picking up a stack of papers from his desk.
“I don’t know. She doesn’t know. I found her in the woods yesterday, suffering from a concussion due to a fall. Dr. Mike Hunt and I agreed she’d rest better at my house, rather than in the hospital. The thing is, she has retrograde amnesia caused by the bump on her head.”
“No kidding?” Cable said, smiling. “Just like in the movies.”
“Yep. So far, she’s remembered her name is Megan, but nothing more. She might get her memory back all at once, or in bits and pieces. There’s always a chance she might lose a chunk of time altogether, too. It happens.”
“Interesting.” Cable shuffled through the papers. “No, nothing here on a missing Megan.” He looked at Ben again. “We can do things in reverse and maybe speed it up a bit. We’ll get a description of her from you and I’ll send it out over the wires.”
Ben nodded. “Okay, but this isn’t as cut-and-dried as it sounds. There’s every indication that Megan has been physically abused, although she doesn’t remember it, and I haven’t told her yet. I don’t want her location divulged to the f
irst guy who walks in here, or calls you on the telephone.”
“Hmm,” Cable said, frowning. “It could very well be that this Megan doesn’t want to be found.”
“Exactly. If the scum comes to Prescott after you put out the notice, he shouldn’t get any farther than this office until you and I have had a chance to talk to him.”
“Agreed,” Cable said. “I’ve got no use for men who beat up on women.”
Ben got to his feet and extended his hand across the desk. Cable rose and shook Ben’s offered hand.
“Keep me up to date on what Megan remembers,” the sheriff said after releasing Ben’s hand. “Any details are ammunition when and if we question this guy. I’ll let you know if I get any inquiries, too. My secretary will give you a form to fill out with Megan’s description.” He paused. “Good to meet you, Ben.”
“Same here. You did yourself a real favor by deciding on this move. It just doesn’t get any better than Prescott, Arizona. Well, except for...” Ben’s voice trailed off.
“For?” Cable said, raising his eyebrows.
Ben laughed. “You’re going to wish you had arrived with a wife and six kids in tow.”
“Not a chance,” Cable said, chuckling. “I’m going to get myself a dog. Period. End of story.”
Ben turned and started toward the door. “Lots of luck. You’re going to need it. I’ll talk to you later.”
For the second time since leaving the sheriff’s office and heading for home, Ben swore under his breath and eased up on the gas pedal as he realized he was driving above the speed limit.
Telling Cable Montana that Megan had been physically abused by some unknown man had caused the familiar cold fist to tighten in his gut. The need to see Megan, to be assured that she was all right, was overwhelming, the intensity of it increasing with every passing mile.
What was happening to him? Ben thought, shaking his head. It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours since he’d peered over that boulder in the woods and seen Megan lying unconscious thirty feet below.
Yet it seemed as though Megan had been an important part of his life for an eternity, that she was where she belonged... with him.
The Most Eligible M.D. (The Bachelor Bet #3) Page 4
