Luc’s lips thinned even more. “That storm was nasty. I assumed you’d have enough sense to come back. What the hell were you thinking?”
The fact he’d waited for her warmed something in her, but the way he looked as if he was ready to throttle her had her defensive side trumping all other feelings. This had nothing to do with lust or sexual chemistry.
“I purposely left the palace, the guards and everyone to get away from my troubles,” he went on, his voice laced with irritation. “You’re here to help me figure this whole mess out. But if you can’t be responsible, you can either go back to the palace or I’ll call in one of my guards to stay here and make sure you’re safe.”
Kate laughed. “You’re being ridiculous. I’m a big girl, you know. I was perfectly fine and I sure as hell don’t need a keeper. Next thing you know you’ll be calling my parents.”
With her father being head of security and her mother the clothing designer and seamstress for the family, Kate had been surrounded by royalty her entire life...just without a title of her own. Oh, wait, she was an assistant. Equally as glamorous as queen, princess or duchess.
Actually, she liked being behind the scenes. She had an important role that allowed her to travel, make great money and do some good without being in the limelight. And she would continue to try to persuade Luc to visit the orphanage so close to her heart. They’d taken care of her there, had loved her and sheltered her until she was adopted. Now she was in a position to return some of their generosity.
“Your father would agree with me.” Luc stepped forward, closing the gap between them as he gripped her arm. “Don’t go anywhere without your phone again. Anything could’ve happened to you.”
“You can admit you were worried without going all Neanderthal on me, Your Highness.” She jerked from his grasp, but he only stepped closer when she moved back. “What is your problem? I was out, I’m back. Don’t be so grouchy because you can’t admit you were scared.”
“Scared?” he repeated, leaning in so close she could feel his warm breath on her face, see the gold flecks in those dark eyes. “I wasn’t scared. I was angry that you were being negligent.”
Kate really wasn’t in the mood to be yelled at by her boss. She didn’t deserve to be on the receiving end of his wrath when the issue he had was clearly with himself.
Her soggy dress needed to go, and she would give anything to soak in a hot bubble bath in that sunken garden tub in her master bathroom. She only hoped it worked. She hadn’t tested it yet, and the sink in her kitchen was a bit leaky...
“I’m heading home.” Kate waved a hand in the air to dismiss him and this absurd conversation. “We can talk tomorrow when you’ve cooled off.”
The instant she turned away, she found herself being jerked back around. “I’m getting real sick of you manhandling—”
His lips were on hers, his hands gripping the sides of her face, holding her firmly in place as he coaxed her lips apart. There was nothing she could do but revel in the fact that Prince Lucas Silva was one potent man and quite possibly the best kisser she’d ever experienced.
And he was most definitely an experience. Those strong hands framed her face as his tongue danced with hers. Kate brought her hands up, wrapping them around his wrists. She had no clue if she should stop this before it got out of hand or hang on for the ride, since he’d fueled her every fantasy for so long.
Arching against him, she felt his firm body do so many glorious things to hers. The chill she’d had from the rain was no longer an issue.
But just as quickly as he’d claimed her mouth, he released her and stepped back, forcing her hands to drop. Muttering a Portuguese curse, Luc rubbed the back of his neck and kept his gaze on the ground. Kate honestly had no clue what to do. Say something? Walk away without a word?
What was the logical next step after being yelled at by her boss, then kissed as if he needed her like air in his lungs for his survival? And then pushed away with a filthy term her mother would blush at...
Clearing her throat, Kate wrapped her arms around her waist. “I’m not quite sure why you did that, but let’s chalk it up to the heat of the moment. We’ll both laugh about it tomorrow.”
And dream about it tonight.
“You just push me too far.” His intense gaze swept over her, but he kept his distance. “For a year I’ve argued with you, but you’ve always had my back. I know there’ve been times you’ve intervened and stood up for me without my even knowing. As far as employees go, you’re the best.”
Confused, Kate ran her hands up and down her arms as the ocean breeze chilled her damp skin. “Okay. Where are you going with this?”
“Nowhere,” he all but yelled, flinging his arms out. “What just happened can’t happen again because you’re an employee and I don’t sleep with staff. Ever.”
Kate couldn’t help the laugh that erupted from her. “You kissed me. Nobody mentioned sex.”
His gaze heated her in ways that a hot bubble bath never could have. “I don’t have to mention it. When I look at you I think it, and after tasting you, I feel it.”
If he thought those words would deter her, he didn’t know her at all. Kate reached forward, but Luc stepped back.
“Don’t,” he growled. “Just go on back to your cottage and we’ll forget this happened.”
Smoothing wet tendrils off her forehead, Kate shook her head. “Oh, no. You can’t drop that bomb, give me a proverbial pat on the head and send me off to bed. You went from arguing to kissing me to throwing sex into the conversation in the span of two minutes. You’ll understand if I can’t keep up with your hormonal swings tonight.”
The muscle tic in his jaw, the clenched fists at his sides, were all indicators he was irritated, frustrated and angry. He had no one to blame but himself, and she wasn’t going to be caught up in his inner turmoil.
“This is ridiculous,” she said with a sigh. “We’re both obviously not in a position to talk without saying something we don’t mean.”
“I always mean what I say,” he retorted. “Otherwise I wouldn’t say it.”
Rolling her eyes, Kate again waved a hand through the air. “Fine. You meant what you said about wanting to have sex with me.”
“Don’t twist my words,” he growled.
Kate met his leveled gaze, knowing full well she was poking the bear. “Did you or did you not say you thought of having sex with me? That you actually feel it.”
He moved around her, heading for the steps leading to the beach. “This conversation is over. Go home, Kate.”
She stared at his retreating back for all of five seconds before she took off after him. Just because he was royalty and she was his assistant didn’t mean he could dismiss her anytime he wanted. Rude was rude no matter one’s social status.
She didn’t say a word as she followed him. Luc’s long strides ate up the ground as he headed toward the dock. Surely the man wasn’t going out on his Jet Ski now. Granted, the water was calm since the storm had passed, but it was dark and he was angry.
Just as she was about to call his name, he went down. The heavy thud had her moving faster, her thighs burning from running across the sand. She prayed the sound of him falling was much worse than any injury.
“Luc,” she called as she approached. “Are you all right?”
He didn’t move, didn’t respond, but lay perfectly still on the wet dock. Dread consumed her. The second she stepped onto the dock, her feet slid a bit, too, and she tripped over a loose board that had warped slightly higher than the others.
The dock obviously hadn’t been repaired like the rest of the outdoor spaces on this property.
Kate crouched next to him, instantly noticing the swollen knot at his temple. He’d hit his head on a post, from what she could tell.
“Luc.” She brushed his hair off his forehead, afraid to move him, and hoping he’d only passed out. “Can you hear me?”
She stroked his cheek as she ran her gaze down his body to see i
f there were any other injuries. How could he be up one second and out cold the next? Fear threatened to overtake her the instant she realized she didn’t have her phone.
Maybe she was irresponsible, but she’d have to worry about that later. Right now she had no clue how serious Luc’s injury was, but the fact he still hadn’t moved had terror pumping through her.
Shifting so her knees weren’t digging into the wood, Kate sat on her hip and kept patting Luc’s face. “Come on, Luc. Wake up. Argue with me some more.”
Torn between rushing back to the house for her phone to call for help and waiting to see if he woke on his own, Kate started patting down his shorts, hoping he carried his cell in his pocket.
One pocket was empty, and before she could reach to the other side, Luc groaned and tried to shift his body.
“Wait,” she told him, pressing a hand to his shoulder as he started to rise. “Don’t move. Are you hurt anywhere?”
He blinked as he stared up at her. Thankfully, the bright light from the lamppost was helping her assess his injuries, since the sun had set.
Luc’s brows drew together in confusion. “Why were you feeling me up?”
Relief swept through her. “I wasn’t feeling you up,” she retorted, wrapping her arm around his shoulders and slowly helping him to sit up. “I was checking your pockets for a cell phone. You fell and hit your head on the post. I was worried because you were out for a few minutes.”
Luc reached up, wincing as his fingers encountered the bump on his head, which was already turning blue. “Damn, that hurts.”
“Let’s get you back up to the house.” Kate helped him to his feet, then slid her arm around his waist to steady him. “You okay? Feeling dizzy or anything?”
He stared down at her, blinked a few times and frowned. “This is crazy,” he muttered.
“What?”
With his thumb and index finger, he wiped his eyes and held the bridge of his nose. He probably had the mother of all headaches right now. All the more reason to get this big guy moving toward the house, because if he went back down, she couldn’t carry him.
“I know you,” he murmured. “I just... Damn it, your name isn’t coming to me.”
Kate froze. “You don’t know my name?” This was not good. That ball of fear in her stomach grew.
Shaking his head, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and started leading them off the dock. “I must’ve hit my head harder than I thought. Why isn’t it coming to me?”
Kate pressed a hand to his abdomen, halting his progress. She shifted just enough to look him in the eyes. Since she wasn’t a medic and never had any kind of training other than a basic CPR course, she had no idea what signs to look for with a head trauma.
“Look at me,” she ordered. “You know me, Luc. You know my name.”
Blowing out a breath, he hung his head. “I... It’s on the tip of my tongue. Damn, why can’t I remember?”
He glanced back up at her, worry filling his dark eyes. This was not good, not good at all. She was going to have to get him back to the house and call the palace doctor. Obviously, Luc’s memory wasn’t cooperating. But she didn’t want him panicking; she could do enough of that for both of them.
“My name is Kate.” She watched his eyes, hoping to see some recognition, but there was nothing. “I’m your—”
“Fiancée.” A wide smile spread across his face. “Now I remember you.”
Luc leaned in to capture her lips once more, with a passion she’d never known.
Three
Fiancée? What the hell?
Mustering all her willpower, Kate pushed Luc and his intoxicating mouth away as his words slammed into her.
“Let’s get you inside,” she told him, trying not to focus on how hard he must’ve hit his head, because he was clearly not in his right mind. “I’m not comfortable with that knot you have, and you may have a concussion. I need to call your doctor. Hopefully, with the storm gone, we’ll have cell service.”
Luc stared at her another minute, then nodded. Slipping his arm around her shoulders again, he let her lead him up to the house. Something was definitely wrong with him. The Luc from only twenty minutes ago would be arguing that he didn’t need a doctor, and he certainly wouldn’t be leaning on her for support.
She couldn’t even think about the fact that he believed they were engaged. Because if he thought they were sleeping together, this situation would get extremely awkward really fast.
Though she’d be lying if she didn’t admit to herself just how much she liked him thinking they were a couple. How long would his mind play this trick on him? How would he treat her now that he believed they were together?
Once she had him inside and settled on the sofa, she stood up and caught her breath. Luc was one massive, thick, muscular man. She’d known he was cut, but she’d had no clue how solid and heavy he would be.
His body had leaned against hers, twisting her dress on their walk. As Kate readjusted herself, trying to refill her lungs with air and not panic, she found him staring up at her, that darkened gaze holding her in place. Shivers rippled through her at the intensity of the moment—and the man.
“What?” she asked.
“Why are you all wet?”
Plucking at the damp material that clung to her thighs, Kate shook her head. “I got caught outside in the storm earlier.”
Those eyes continued to rake over her body. “You’re sexy like this,” he murmured as his heated stare traveled back up. “With your dress clinging to your curves and your hair messy and wavy.”
Kate swallowed, because any reply she had to those intimate words would lead to a lie, and she couldn’t let him keep thinking they were anything more than employee-employer, servant-royal.
“Where’s your cell?” If she didn’t stay on task, she’d get caught up in all those sultry looks he was giving her...and she desperately wanted to get caught up in the promise behind those sexy stares. But he wasn’t himself right now. “I need to call the doctor. I hope we have service.”
Luc glanced around, raking a hand through his hair. “I have no idea. I don’t even remember why I was outside.”
He slapped his hand on the cushion beside him and let out a string of curses. “Why can’t I remember anything?”
The worry lacing his voice concerned her even more than the fact he thought they were engaged. Luc Silva never let his guard down. Even when faced with losing the crown, the man was the epitome of control and power. Sexy and strong and she wanted him. Plain and simple...or maybe not so simple considering she could never have him.
“It’s okay,” she assured him as she leaned down to pat his shoulder. “I’ll find it. Once the doctor comes, we’ll know more. Maybe this will only last a few minutes. Try not to panic.”
That last bit of advice was for herself as much as him, because she was seriously in panic mode right now. She didn’t know much about memory loss, but the fact that something had set his mind so off balance concerned her. She couldn’t even imagine how he felt.
Kate walked around the spacious but sparsely decorated living room, into the dated kitchen and then back to the living room. Crossing to the patio doors they’d just entered, she finally spotted his cell lying on the old, worn accent table most likely left by the last tenants.
Thankfully, she knew the passcode to get into the phone. “I’m just going to step out here,” she told him, trying to assure him he wouldn’t be alone. “I’ll be right back.”
She didn’t want Luc to hear any worry in her tone when she described the incident to the doctor. And for now, she wasn’t going to mention the whole “fiancée” bit. She would ride this out as long as possible. Yes, that was selfish, but, well...everyone had their moments of weakness and Luc Silva was definitely her weakness.
Kate was relieved to get the doctor on the phone and even more relieved when he promised to be there within the next hour. For the next sixty minutes, Luc would most likely believe they were engaged and
she would play right along until she was told otherwise.
Luc’s private beach villa just off the coast of Portugal wasn’t far from his own country. He was pretty much hiding in plain sight. This way he could be home quickly in an emergency—or someone could come to him.
Kate was grateful the doctor could use the private boat to get to the island. There was no airstrip and the only way in or out was via boat. Only yesterday she and Luc had been dropped off by her father, so Luc could keep his hideout a secret.
When she walked back inside, Luc had his head tipped back against the sofa cushions. Eyes closed, he held a hand to his head, massaging his temples with his fingers.
“The doctor is on his way.”
Without opening his eyes, he simply gave a brief nod.
“I know you’re hurting, but I don’t want to give you anything before the doctor can examine you.”
What if his injuries were more serious than she thought? Amnesia, temporary or not, wasn’t the worst thing that could happen. People died from simple falls all the time. Even when they felt fine, they could have some underlying issue that went unnoticed.
The possibilities flooded her mind as she continued to stand across the room and stare at Luc. Should he be resting or should she keep him awake? She prayed she didn’t do the wrong thing. She would never forgive herself if something happened to him because they’d been fighting and he’d stormed off. If she didn’t always feel the need to challenge him, this wouldn’t have happened.
The kiss wouldn’t have happened, either, because that was obviously spawned from sexual frustration and anger. Luc’s full-on mouth attack had been forceful, not gentle or restrained. She’d loved every delicious second of it. But now she needed to focus, not think about how good it had felt to finally have him touch her the way she’d always wanted.
As she watched him, his lids kept fluttering, and finally remained closed for a minute.
“Luc,” she said softly. “Try not to fall asleep, okay?”
“I’m not,” he mumbled. “The lights are too bright, so I’m just keeping my eyes closed.”
A Royal Amnesia Scandal Page 3