Remembering You: Pushing the Boundaries, Prequel

by Audra North

  She launched herself at him, wrapping one arm around his neck and twisting so she wouldn’t come into contact with the rest of his body, dropping kisses on his face, in his hair…

  She was here. He hadn’t been dreaming when he’d thought he’d heard her.

  The happiness was so intense it made him dizzy.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked, as she brushed a soft kiss on his temple, squeezing him infinitesimally tighter as she did. His heart squeezed in response.

  She pulled back, though, and held out her free hand. “I brought you some water, in case you woke up.”

  He looked down at the bottle and grinned. Once again, she’d read his mind, and he was willing to admit this time it meant something. Having her here was what meant the most of all. He took a sip from the straw attached to the bottle and let out a sound of relief. His throat felt so much better. She stroked his neck and shoulder, staring at him as he drank, and he couldn’t help but laugh.

  “I meant, why are you in the hospital at all, baby?” he asked softly, bracing himself in case she said something like, I’m writing a news story on you.

  She sucked in a ragged breath and her eyes met his. “Ben…” She stopped, shook her head and tried again. “Davis came to the newsroom to find me after you had been taken to the hospital. He said Brewer had come with you to make sure you would be okay, but he thought I would want to know. And I did. Not just to know, but to see with my own eyes that you were going to be okay. I-I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared in my life, even after all the dangerous things I’ve done to get a story. The ride here felt like it took forever, even though Davis was driving as fast as he could with the siren, but I couldn’t stop thinking about how I was so worried and how much I already regretted insisting we couldn’t be together. I have so much to tell you, but the most important thing I need to say right this minute is I was wrong. I was wrong and I am a fool and—”

  “Nina,” he interrupted softly. She was working herself into a frenzy, her words coming faster and faster as she spoke.

  She stopped, eyes shining with unshed tears, and he reached out, pulling her close, heedless of the aches in his body as her soft curves landed atop his chest. Those were no match for the happiness in his heart. He stroked one hand through her hair and whispered, “I’m glad you’re here.”

  She lifted her head and pinned him with her gaze. “Are you? Because in case I wasn’t clear, I’m here to stay.”

  He suppressed the urge to laugh with the joy of it, but only because he didn’t want to risk tearing his stitches. Instead, he gave her a wide smile and nodded. “I am really glad. But I want to know what made you change your mind.”

  She laid her head back down on his chest and spoke in a soft voice. “Before, I thought it would be too much for me—the worry, I mean—if we got involved. I could only think back to those years when my father was gone and I carried around a fear for him that sometimes made living very hard. But when Davis showed up today and told me what had happened, I realized I’d rather be with you and live with fear than live alone with regret. I know it’s fast, and the irony is what I’m about to say might end up scaring you off, but I think…sooner rather than later, I could love you.”

  He angled his head to meet her eyes and smiled. “I’ve thought about you constantly for three years, even if I didn’t know who you were. My heart recognized you even before I knew you had been the one that night. It’s not too fast.” He traced his finger over her lips. “I could love you too. I’m already on my way.”

  She leaned up and their lips met, sealing their hope in a long kiss. After a while, she pulled back and gave him a jaunty grin. “I suppose it’s fitting we’re back together in a hospital room. I couldn’t get you out of my mind, either. Like you said to me before—” she paused to kiss him again, “—you’re impossible to forget.”

  Epilogue

  Eighteen months later

  “That’s a wrap!”

  Nina relaxed her shoulders and turned to the man sitting next to her on the talk show set. He smiled at her from the upholstered armchair placed at an angle to the camera, and she grinned back. “No one ever told me having my own husband as a guest on the show would be more difficult than interviewing the Nigerian President.”

  A few minutes before, they’d finished broadcasting “Hometown Heroes”, which featured several guests from around the country who had showed exemplary service to the towns where they lived and worked. It had been Nina’s idea, and the producers hadn’t raised a single objection. She’d spent the past six months establishing New Day as a morning talk show that struck the perfect balance between hard-hitting journalism and recognition of the great things that happened every day, in cities across America. The latest ratings report had put New Day at the top of the charts.

  Ben had been given a medal of honor and a medal of valor a few months ago. She’d stood by his side at the ceremony, joking with him that it was practice for their wedding. They’d now been married only two months, but she felt like she’d been with him forever. In the best way.

  He chuckled. “Did I make you nervous?”

  She shook her head and leaned toward him. “Not nervous. Distracted.”

  His head dipped and he looked at her behind lowered lashes. “Were you thinking about last night?”

  She felt a blush heat up her cheeks. Well, now she certainly was. Last night, after a romantic dinner out, he had taken her back to their house, which they’d bought shortly after her dad had recovered enough to live independently. Ben had made love to her slowly, sweetly, until she had shattered around him, and then he’d turned her around and taken her hard, thrusting deep and fast until he’d found his own release.

  “No-oo.” Her voice shook a bit, and he gave her a wicked smile. She winked at him. “I was actually thinking about tonight.”

  A low growl escaped his lips and he closed the distance between them, taking her lips in a rough caress until someone cleared their throat and shouted, “Get a room!”

  Nina turned her head to see Brewer and Donahue approaching. Davis hung back, talking to one of the cameramen. Ever since he’d started dating Beatrice—which had apparently happened while Nina and Ben were away on their honeymoon—Davis was like a changed man. He rarely scowled anymore, and sometimes he even managed a laugh.

  Ben rose to greet his friends.

  “Newlyweds.” Donahue rolled his eyes in jest, then lightly punched Ben in the shoulder. “Hey, Crewes. Since we’ve got the day off, we’re gonna head over to the courts and shoot some hoops. You want to come?”

  Ben looked over at her, and she nodded. “Go ahead. I have a few things to wrap up here. I’ll see you tonight.”

  He waggled his brows, but then his expression grew serious as he bent down and cupped her face in his hands. “I love you.”

  She smiled in return. “I love you too. And I’ll never, ever forget it.”

  About the Author

  Audra North fell in love with romance at age thirteen and spent the next twenty years reading as many romance novels as she could. Even now, after having read over one thousand of them, Audra still can’t resist the lure of a happily ever after, and her collection continues to grow. She lives near Boston with her husband, three young children, and a lot of books. To receive information on Audra’s upcoming releases, visit www.AudraNorth.com, or find her on Twitter @AudraNorth and Facebook at AudraNorthAuthor.

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  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

  11821 Mason Montgomery Road Suite 4B

  Cincinnati OH 45249

  Remembering You

  Copyright © 2016 by Audra North

  ISBN: 978-1-61923-346-1

  Edited by Christa Soule

  Cover by Syneca

  All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  First Samhain Publishing, Ltd. electronic publication: April 2016

  www.samhainpublishing.com