Promises from a Playboy--A secret billionaire with amnesia romance

by Andrea Laurence

  Kat and Jade looked at each other with a knowing glance.

  “You’re new at this,” Kat said, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. “We used to be in the same boat, Jade and I, so take our advice. Rule number one, Steeles don’t look at price tags. Rule number two, quality and style are paramount because everyone is expecting it from you. The sooner you accept it, the easier it will be. So don’t give it a second thought. You have to look good.”

  “What about this one?” Jade asked, holding up a strapless pale pink gown and turning the subject away from the ridiculous amount of money they were looking to spend.

  That dress would never work. Even if she could find a strapless mastectomy bra in time, she couldn’t hide the scar from her chemo port, which had yet to fade. “I think I’d prefer something with straps or sleeves. Maybe a high neckline. Something a little more modest. I like the color, though.”

  “Next thing you’ll want a matching beaded bolero,” Kat said. “Too modest and you’ll end up in the same dress as Patricia. We can’t have that. Especially under the circumstances.”

  “What circumstances?” Willow asked.

  “Finn’s favorite color is red,” Morgan said, pointedly ignoring her question. “She should wear red if she’s out to seal the deal.”

  Willow’s eyes widened. Those circumstances. “Oh, I’m not out to—”

  “He doesn’t even know what his favorite color is,” Kat interrupted. “But his Ferrari is red, so you probably can’t go wrong with that. It’s a statement-making color, for sure.”

  He drove a red Ferrari? Even after their long discussion the day before, Patricia had gotten her way and they’d stayed at the family home overnight. Today, after the shopping trip, they would go to Finn’s townhome for the first time. And apparently, they would see his Ferrari and the other personal aspects of Finn’s past that neither of them expected.

  “I don’t understand how amnesia works, I guess. He remembers basic things, but nothing personal? He can count to a hundred and tie his shoes, but doesn’t remember any of us?” Morgan asked no one in particular. She narrowed her gaze at Willow for a moment and took a deep breath as she clutched a black beaded dress in her hands. “Okay, I’m going to ask the hard question, Willow. You and my brother are...together, right?”

  “Morgan!” Jade chastised.

  “It’s a valid question,” Morgan argued. “You’ve seen how they are with each other. Have you ever seen him like that with a woman before? No. So there’s something to it. There has to be. Or there will be soon if we get the right dress.”

  All three sisters were suddenly silent and turned to look at Willow expectantly.

  “It’s complicated,” she said. That was an understatement. Getting involved with someone in Finn’s condition was asking for trouble.

  “But you guys have...?” Kat wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

  “Yes, we have. But I doubt much more will come of it than that.” It was a hard truth to speak aloud, but she needed to hear it as much as they did. Thankfully, they hadn’t asked if she had feelings for him. That would be a more painful conversation with an equally doomed ending.

  “So with amnesia, then,” Morgan continued, “did he know what he was doing when you guys were together? I mean it should’ve been like his first time, right? Like being back in high school again or something. Or is it like riding a bike?”

  “Morgan!” Jade repeated.

  Morgan only shrugged and ignored her sister. “I’m just trying to figure out what he remembers and what he doesn’t. Of all the things I’d think Finn would remember, it would be sex. Let’s be honest here. He might forget his own name, but the location of the clitoris is another matter.”

  They turned back to Willow for the answer. “He...knew what he was doing,” she explained delicately. She wasn’t about to tell them that she wasn’t experienced enough to know if his skills were unusual. All she knew was that it was the most incredible night she’d ever spent with a man. “He was a thoughtful and generous lover—” She stopped, certain she was blushing brighter than that red gown from earlier.

  “Generous and thoughtful?” Kat scoffed. “That doesn’t sound like the Finn I know. Certainly not the one that did this.” She rubbed her belly thoughtfully.

  “Honestly, I’ve yet to see the Finn we know,” Jade added. “He looks like Finn and sounds like Finn. But it’s more like an alien is wearing his skin.”

  Willow frowned. She’d heard several things from his family since they arrived that had given her pause about her relationship with Finn. He’d obviously been some kind of playboy. But other adjectives had been included in not so many words—selfish, irresponsible and a bit of a jerk. Things were okay between them for the moment, but what if Finn’s memory came back? What if he returned to being the arrogant womanizer he once was? It would be over between them for sure. There was no way a man with Ferrari tastes in cars and women would be interested in the stripped, broken-down hatchback that was Willow. Not even a fancy paint job courtesy of his sisters could help her if the old Finn came back.

  “Maybe his memory won’t come back,” Jade offered as though she could read Willow’s mind. “Then he could just stay the polite, kind Finn we know now, and we’d get to keep you.”

  Willow perked up. “Keep me?”

  “Yeah. We aren’t sure when Tom will settle down, but we were pretty certain Finn was a confirmed bachelor. But the new Finn really seems to like you, Willow. Like Morgan said, he’s never acted the way he does with you around any other women before. If the new Finn stayed around, you could get married and you’d be one of us.”

  Apparently she wasn’t the only one inclined to flights of fantasy. “That’s—um...that’s not going to happen. Even if the new Finn stays around forever, I have a life on the other side of the country. I’d be crazy to give that all up for a man I’ve known less than a week.”

  “You can write your books anywhere,” Jade pointed out.

  “And Finn isn’t just any man. He’s one of the Steele heirs. Most women would do a hell of a lot more than move cross-country for them,” Morgan said.

  Willow sighed. She would intentionally lose this argument because she couldn’t tell them the truth. The truth was that Finn didn’t know all of her secrets. He didn’t know that she had been sick. Or that she could never have his children. As close as they’d gotten, they’d only known each other a handful of days. “I wouldn’t get too attached” was all she said. “To the new Finn or to me. We will probably both be gone by the end of the week.”

  Jade frowned and turned back to the display of dresses. “Well, in that case, we at least need to make sure you look so amazing, he never forgets you. What about this one? Even I look like I’ve got curves in this cut.”

  She held up a peacock blue, empire-waist gown. It had wide satin straps, cap sleeves, a square neckline and a flowing chiffon skirt. It might be just the style she needed to disguise her lanky, waifish figure and less-than-stylish mastectomy bra.

  “That color would be gorgeous on you.”

  “I love it,” Willow said. “But I don’t have anything to go with that color. I’d need shoes at least. Maybe some earrings so I don’t look so plain.”

  “That is not a problem,” Jade said. “We’re nowhere near finished with you. We’ll hit the makeup area, the jewelry counter, the shoe department... You’ll walk out of here looking like a million bucks.”

  Willow wouldn’t be surprised if it cost that much, too. She tried not to even glance at the price on the dress Jade chose. It would just make her anxious. She had to tell herself it was an investment piece. Maybe one day she’d win a book award like the Agatha and need a gown to wear to the ceremony.

  “Absolutely,” Kat agreed. “Try it on and if you love it, we’ll get the rest after lunch. I’m starving.”

  “You’re seven months pregnant. You�
�re always starving,” Morgan pointed out and glanced down at the time on her phone. “It’s just now eleven. We’ll get you some pretzel bites a few shops down to tide you over.”

  “That’s not true,” Kat grumbled and followed the others into the dressing room. “But I want a frozen Coke, too.”

  * * *

  Everyone was looking at him. It made Finn uncomfortable. He might’ve been the life of the party at one time, but at the moment he wanted nothing more than to be sitting on Willow’s deck, scratching Shadow behind the ears and listening to the birds in the forest that surrounded them.

  What gave him the most discomfort was the way the women were looking at him. There had been coy smiles, winks, blown kisses and overly grabby hugs from women who varied from barely legal to his mother’s age.

  He was desperate for Willow to come downstairs and join the party. He wanted her on his arm tonight. Not just to deflect attention from the female party guests, although that would be nice, but because he missed her. He’d gotten used to having her around all the time. It physically pained him when she was gone, like a piece of him was missing. He was certain this was a new experience for him, although he wasn’t entirely sure he liked it. He was an independent guy, from all reports. But if that meant Willow wasn’t in his life, then forget it. Nothing said he had to stay the same person forever.

  He looked anxiously at his watch and then scanned the ballroom for the tenth time. It was filled with people dressed in their finest sipping champagne and nibbling on canapés. There was an orchestra playing on the stage and a dance floor with a few couples taking a spin. It was very nice, but difficult for him to believe tonight was all in his honor.

  That’s when Finn saw her.

  At least he thought it was her. The woman who found him on the beach had changed from an island hermit to his fantasy come to life. She wore a dark teal dress that flowed around her legs when she walked, as if she were some kind of goddess. Gold-and-aquamarine peacock feathers dangled from her ears, and a headband of tiny golden flowers was nestled into her short blond hair. When her eyes met his from the other side of the ballroom, she smiled brightly and the look was complete. The hair, the makeup... It was perfection.

  But it wasn’t the fancy clothes and jewelry that made the difference. Willow was already a diamond. His sisters had just given her the confidence that allowed her to shine.

  When she looked at him like that, the crowd around them faded away. He turned abruptly from the stranger making small talk and made a beeline straight to Willow. He stopped long enough to pluck two flutes of champagne from a nearby server and held one out to her when he approached.

  She accepted the drink and took a large sip. “So,” she said with a nervous quaver in her voice, “do I look okay? If I don’t, I’ll go. I know that this isn’t really where I belong and I don’t want to embarrass you in front of your family and friends.”

  “Are you serious?” he asked. “You’re the most beautiful woman at this party.”

  Willow glanced around the room at the other guests and then frowned at his champagne glass. “How many of those have you had tonight?”

  “I am not drunk. You look amazing and I won’t hear another word on the subject.”

  Finn spied his mother coming his direction with some stranger in tow—another person she wanted him to meet that he wouldn’t remember. Reaching out for Willow’s hand, he asked “Do you dance?” as he pulled her toward the dance floor.

  If her answer was no, it was too late. It was his only viable escape and there were worse ways to go about it than pressing a beautiful woman’s body against his own.

  He wrapped his arm around Willow’s waist and guided her with him in slow motion in time to the music. Leading her even in the simplest steps was a struggle as she fought his every move. She was stiff as a board and probably none too pleased with his abducting her onto the dance floor.

  “I’m sorry,” he leaned down and whispered into her ear. “I can’t take any more of these conversations. It’s been one stranger after the other asking the same stupid questions about my amnesia and if I really don’t remember the accident. Or feeling me up.”

  Willow tilted her head up to look at him with an arched eyebrow of confusion. “Feeling you up?”

  Finn sighed and nodded. “I get the feeling half the women at this party have spent the night with me, or would like to. It’s incredibly disturbing.”

  Willow looked around the crowd of people and back at Finn. “If that’s true, you have good taste. I’ve never seen so many beautiful women in one room before. They’re probably all asking themselves why you’re dancing with me.”

  “What does that mean? Why wouldn’t I dance with you?”

  “Because—” she frowned and averted her gaze “—it only takes a quick glance to see you could do better.”

  Finn groaned. “I thought we agreed this discussion was over and you’re gorgeous.”

  He couldn’t tell if Willow rolled her eyes, but he imagined that she did. To prove his point, Finn leaned his hips against her own, pressing the heat of his arousal into the soft curve of her belly.

  She looked back at him with wide eyes that eventually faded into a smirk. “Fair enough. Your sisters did an amazing job on my hair and makeup. And they helped me pick a stunning dress for tonight. I will give them full credit for the transformation. Maybe you’re right and I look just as glamorous as every other woman here tonight. But even then, I’m uncomfortable. These people...they’re all looking at me. They know I don’t belong here.”

  “They’re all looking at you because you’re beautiful and they’re jealous.” He ignored Willow’s scoff. “Apparently it’s not every day that a woman catches and keeps the attention of Finn Steele. Or so I hear. But don’t feel bad. I’m uncomfortable, too. Maybe more uncomfortable than I’ve ever been. I know my memories don’t go back very far, but I’d take another round of broken ribs spent in your recliner over being at this party another couple of hours. It’s unbearably awkward knowing they all expect something from me that I don’t know if I can deliver. But you know what?”

  “What?”

  “This party is for me. And if I have to stay, I’m going to enjoy myself.”

  Finn dipped his head down and captured Willow’s peach-painted lips with his own. She melted into his arms at last. Here, now, with her mouth open to him and her anxieties gone for a fleeting moment, he savored it. The party, the people, the awkwardness...they were all worth it because they brought Willow into his arms like this. While they’d come together physically, they’d never really had the opportunity for romance. He hadn’t known until recently that he had the money to take her out to a secluded dinner for two or a nice supper club with dancing. They’d never dressed up and gone out on the town. But they had tonight and he wanted to make the most of it.

  The song ended and with it, the spell he’d managed to cast around them. The world returned, and Finn noticed his older brother, Tom, joining the orchestra on stage.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, if I could have your attention for just a moment, please.”

  A quiet fell across the room with everyone turning to the stage. Finn and Willow turned, as well, although he did it with more dread than interest. He wasn’t aware there were going to be any speeches tonight. Hopefully they didn’t expect him to make one. Just the thought of being up there with the spotlight on him made his palms start to sweat.

  “For those of you that don’t know me, I’m Tom, the oldest of the Steele children. We’re here tonight to celebrate the miraculous survival of my younger brother Finn.”

  He paused long enough for the crowd to cheer. “But I wasn’t surprised when I got the call that he was okay and coming home. You can always count on Finn to get out of a tough spot unscathed. I remember his freshman year in college, when he got caught literally with his pants down with the daughter of the dean of the unive
rsity. You or I would’ve been expelled, but somehow, Finn became a campus hero and got into the most badass fraternity on campus without having to pledge.”

  Tom paused for more laughter. “And then there was the incident with the ambassador’s wife. Dad paid dearly to keep that out of the news. And the time he seduced three Victoria’s Secret angels over the course of New York Fashion Week alone.” He shook his head. “You can’t make this stuff up. Right now Finn doesn’t remember any of it, but I’m sure a lot of us will never forget. I’m also certain every father in China breathed a sigh of relief when he left Beijing and their daughters behind. He was and is a legend. To my brother Finn!”

  The crowd raised their glasses and cheered with laughter and appreciation at Tom’s stories. A few people slapped him on the shoulder in congratulations for his notorious exploits. But Finn felt nothing but embarrassment. Embarrassment and a sudden, overwhelming sense of panic.

  Finn gripped the stem of his champagne glass so tightly, he was surprised it didn’t shatter in his hand. But it didn’t matter. In that moment, the flood of memories was all he could focus on. With imperfect timing, the dam of Finn’s amnesia gave way and he remembered it all in a rush. Now he knew his brother wasn’t exaggerating. In fact, he’d left out quite a few of the salacious details to avoid scandalizing Grandma Ingrid and Mother.

  Up until this moment, he had thought that perhaps his reputation had been embellished. Perhaps it was just the family joke to pick on him for refusing to settle down. But it wasn’t a joke at all. It was fact.

  So many women. It made his stomach ache thinking of how casually he had used them all. Even Kat. He disgusted himself with the memories he could no longer ignore.

  “Are you okay?” Willow leaned in and spoke into his ear over the sounds of the people talking on stage.

  “I need to get out of here,” Finn said. Reaching for her hand, he dumped his champagne glass onto a nearby table and fled for the door.