She looked up and down the beach. Her nipples stood tantalizingly erect in the breeze, pressing their chilled shapes against the yellow swimsuit top.
I pulled my roaming gaze back up to her face.
She pursed her lips and her dark, wing-shaped eyebrows drew in toward each other. “Nothing around here looks the least bit familiar. It feels like everything that happened recently got vacuumed from my brain.”
Disarmed by the sensual lines of her physique, I felt foolish. My distracted speech was contributing to rather than solving the problem.
“I’m sorry—I know my question about the hotel didn’t make much sense. You’ll have to forgive me—I haven’t met too many women with amnesia.”
A smile curled up the corner of her plump lips. The glitter in her eyes that accompanied it struck me as flirtatious and my heart rate raced in response. “Now that’s a line I haven’t heard before.”
The delight drained from her face so suddenly; I wondered if she felt uncomfortable with the intimate turn to our conversation.
Her gaze focused on something far down the beach. “I’ve already been too much trouble for you. I’m sure if I sit here for a little while, I’ll remember how I got here.”
Rescuing a drowning woman with memory problems hadn’t been on my work agenda, but still…the thought of spending more time with Selena energized me more than morning coffee, and I wasn’t the type of man who abandoned helpless women.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I won’t leave you out on this beach with no place to go. Why don’t you come to my house? I can get you a cold drink, and then we’ll call a doctor.”
“I can’t go into your house—you’re a complete stranger.” Her eyes narrowed and she craned her neck to look up the beach and then the opposite way, probably hoping to spot other passersby who looked like a safer bet.
I reached for her arm. “Stop worrying so much and let me help you get up.”
I urged her to her feet and reached for her hand, which felt soft and pliable in mine. Her fingernails were painted a brilliant watermelon, which exaggerated her tan. A current of heat raced up my arm, nearly knocking the wind out of me. I clenched my jaw and willed myself to get a grip.
“I promise you have nothing to worry about. My maid, Felicita, is in the house with me most of the time so we’ll have a chaperone. Does that help?”
“I don’t need you to hold my hand.” She pulled her hand free and looked up at me through a curtain of long dark lashes.
“Just lean on me if you feel unsteady—my house is the olive green and stone one over there.” I pointed to my mansion across the sand. My home and several others were intermittently spaced around the pink-orange rocky granite boulders that lined the beach. Jagged rocky mountain peaks, decorated with cactus and desert shrubs, stood like a majestic backdrop beyond the homes.
Her exotic eyes widened as she stared at my house. “You live there?”
For some reason, her astonishment bothered me. Does she find it shocking I’m financially successful or is she just in awe of the house? “Whenever I’m not in Tucson. Now are you ready?”
“Almost. Your house looks amazing, and I’ve never seen such a wide stretch of beach before. You must be able to walk for miles around here.”
“Most mornings I run several miles on this beach. There aren’t many people here. I love the solitude.”
“Just wait a second. I want to brush off some of this sand.” She turned and looked over her shoulder. Sand coated the back of her body like breadcrumbs on a fish filet.
I found myself unable to blink as she raised the fabric covering the rounds of her buttocks. Her delicious, shapely flesh bounced as she brushed at clinging grains. Lucky suckers.
Once she finished the task, she leaned into me, allowing me to support most of her body weight. “Okay, I’m ready. So you own a house in Tucson, too?”
I liked the pressure of her soft curves at my side, the tickle of her hair brushing over my skin in the breeze. My insides smoldered in delight. I wondered how I’d focus on work with Selena around. “Yes. My main residence and corporate headquarters are in Tucson, but I escape down here whenever I can.”
Selena frowned. “Do you always pick up strange women on the beach?”
I smiled, hoping to put her more at ease. “Only when they’re drowning. To be honest, I usually work longer days here than I do at my office. Modern technology makes it pretty easy to work twenty-four/seven anywhere. I have a hard time prying myself away from the phone and computer even on the best beach days.”
Her rosy lips looked so tantalizing, puffed up in a pout. “I obviously messed up your schedule then. I’m really sorry.”
“Don’t be. I didn’t tell you about my schedule to make you feel guilty—I was just trying to prove to you that I’m not some reckless Don Juan.” Although if she happens to be craving some hot sex, I’m definitely up for it.
As lewd thoughts raced through my brain, I wondered if I should warn the woman to run for her life. For all you know, she might be married. I reined in my impulses. Despite the heady attraction I felt for her; I was genuinely worried about Selena’s plight. The woman intrigued me. She was such a contradiction—beautiful, vulnerable, with an apparent inclination to do off-the-wall things. She thinks she might have straddled a motorcycle and taken off down here?
“Please watch your step—the stairs are steep." After closing the wrought iron gate behind us, I supported her back in case she slipped.
She arched away from my touch. "I'm fine, really. You don’t need to worry so much."
I walked beside her across my wide stretch of stone-paved patio, accented by palms, pink and orange bougainvillea, and a sparkling granite-bottom pool and hot tub. “So how far back do you remember?”
Her lower lip trembled, and a tear slid from the corners of her exotic golden brown eyes. She clutched the wet hair that cascaded over the feminine line of her shoulders with trembling hands. “I’m not sure.”
A pang of guilt lurched inside my chest. Instead of easing her distress, I was exacerbating it. I longed to comfort her with a touch, but I knew I didn’t dare. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“Don’t worry—it’s not your fault.” She scratched her head and stopped in front of the sliding door. “The weird thing is that I remember everything up to a point, but I think I’ve lost at least a day and maybe even a couple of weeks.”
I willed myself not to brush her tears away, wondering why I felt so protective toward this woman I’d just met. I slid open the door that led into my living room.
Her wet feet slid across the tile like they were gliding over ice. She stopped walking and crossed her arms over her chest as she noticed the pool of water gathering at her feet. “Your house is so beautiful, and I’m making such a mess.”
I imagined untying the bikini and drying every inch of her voluptuous body off with a towel. “Don’t worry, I can remedy that problem rather quickly.” Talk about a Freudian slip. My face reddened.
Thankfully, Felicita strode into the room before I could tie myself up in worse knots. She gazed at me with one brow raised.
“You didn’t tell me you were expecting a visitor.”
I pulled my shoulder blades back and held my head higher, adopting a rigid stance I hoped would convince her and I that this Selena situation was all about playing the hero and doing the right thing. I couldn’t have this motherly woman, who had cared for me for years, thinking Selena was some floozy I’d picked up on the beach. I wanted to see her as someone special—the way I was already seeing her.
“I’m sorry, Felicita. Selena’s visit is a bit unexpected. She just suffered an unfortunate accident and nearly drowned. Could you please bring towels and bathrobes from my closet?”
“Yes, of course, sir, I’ll be right back.” She gave me a curt nod, did an about face and briskly strode from the room.
“Do you want to tell me what you remember?”
“Sure. I know I grew up in
Hermosillo with three older brothers and graduated from the University of Texas. Now I teach third grade at Costa Verde Elementary in San Diego. It’s just how I ended up down here that I don’t remember.”
“Hmm.” I swept my gaze away from Selena’s nipples that stood out like pert peaks against her bikini top in the air-conditioned room.
Selena looked down and blushed, crossing her arms over her chest and angling her body away from me. “This whole situation is so awkward. I don’t have any identification or any money. How am I going to get home?” Her voice shook with distress.
“Don’t worry, money’s not a problem. I’ll make sure you see a doctor and will book you on a flight home when the time’s right.” I stepped toward her and touched the side of her head. “Do you hurt at all? I didn’t notice any signs of a wound when I was resuscitating you.”
“Resuscitating? You did mouth to mouth on me?” She brushed a hand over the pleasing contours of her lips.
I forced myself to glance away from their mesmerizing allure. “I did. And you almost vomited the whole ocean on me, too,” I said, trying to lighten the mood.
Felicita stepped back in the room. “Here you go, sir.” She handed me towels and robes.
“Thank you. Could you escort Selena to the guest bathroom and make sure she has what she needs to shower? And show her where to find some clothes.”
“Yes, sir.”
After wrapping her voluptuous body in the white terry cloth robe, Selena followed Felicita down the hall, looking over her shoulder to gaze at me one more time with her enormous amber eyes, which had made a permanent impression on my brain. “Thank you for being so kind to me.”
CHAPTER TWO
I carried two tall glasses of mango juice from the kitchen and set them down on a glass coffee table in the living room. I flipped through the latest Fortune magazine, while I waited for Selena to join me.
“Sorry I took so long,” she said as she stepped into the room. “You have a nice selection of women’s clothes in the closet. I really like this dress.” She wore a pale blue sundress that clung to her breasts and hips and highlighted her golden-brown skin. Her tanned feet were still bare; her toenails had been painted the same watermelon color as her fingernails. She dropped onto the couch beside me, her trunk hunched forward, giving me a delicious view of the tops of her plump, perky breasts.
The sight of her was enough to make any man with an ounce of testosterone in his blood cream his jeans. I cleared my throat. “There are shoes on a shelf in the back of the closet—although I don’t know if they would fit you. My mom wears size eight.”
“Oh, the clothes are your mom’s?” The muscles in her face relaxed and her lips turned up in a smile.
“Yes, they are.” She looked relieved. Warm satisfaction washed over me. Maybe she likes me after all.
As my cock leaped to attention, I shifted on the couch. Struggling to steady my hand, I passed her a glass of mango juice. “This should give you a little pick me up.”
“Thank you.” She took a long swallow. “Mango juice is my favorite—it tastes so sweet.”
I imagined absorbing her mango-drenched lips in a kiss. “I’m glad you like it.” Determined to get my mind back on task, I pulled my cell phone from my pocket. “Would you like to call your family?”
Selena dropped her gaze and pressed her lips together before biting her lower lip. “There aren’t many of them left to call. My youngest brother, Tomas, started hanging around with the wrong crowd when he was twelve and ended up joining a gang of drug dealers. A rival gang killed him and my parents.” She wiped a stray tear from the corner of one eye. “That was fifteen years ago.”
She looked vulnerable, and I ached to pull her into my arms. Instead, I placed a steadying hand on her arm and grasped for words she’d find comforting. I knew anything I said would sound trivial; so I chose to be brief and express my heartfelt sorrow through my tone-of-voice. “I’m so sorry, Selena.”
“Thank you.” She paused and looked up at me for a moment before gazing at the spot where my hand rested on her arm. “I was sixteen-years-old that night when they broke into our house, firing shots, but my older brother, Jose, helped me escape through a bedroom window. He’s always looked out for me no matter what.”
“What happened after that? Oh, no, I’m asking too many questions. You don’t have to talk anymore if you don’t want to.”
Selena smoothed her hair away from her face. “Most of the time, I change the subject when anyone asks me about my family because talking about it is just too painful. But for some reason, telling you about it felt different somehow—because you’re so empathetic and you really listen to me instead of just spewing out empty words. But I’m sure you’ve heard enough.”
Her openness stunned me. Most women I’d dated had told more lies than truths. Did they even tell me their real names? Or did they pull them straight from Fifty Shades or their favorite TV shows? I mean seriously…How many Anastasias could there be in one Tucson suburb? “No, please, I’m interested in what you’re telling me.”
“After that, Jose and I snuck across the border at Cuidad de Juarez and obtained temporary visas through the immigration office. We shared an apartment in El Paso until I started college. Even then, I visited him often. Not too many of my friends were game for motorcycle rides, horseback trips, and bungee jumping, but Jose’s always up to any kind of adventure. He’s the best brother.”
It gratified me to know she had a family member she could depend on, but still… I wanted to be someone she could count on, as well. What’s the matter with me? “Are you two still close?”
“Oh, yes. I spent a week visiting him in El Paso during our school’s fall break.”
“Do you remember his number? Perhaps you can call him.”
“Yes, that’s a good idea. But for some reason, I’m almost sure he changed his cell number recently—I’m not sure why.” She raised a hand to her forehead. “It’s so weird how I remember almost everything, but there are these holes in my memory. It doesn’t make sense.”
Keeping my distance no longer felt like an option. I scooted closer to her on the couch. As I massaged her bare arm with my fingers, desire pulsed through my veins. The woman personified sexy—I felt an urge to lean in closer to claim her lips. No! If she knew what I was thinking, she’d probably run. And I have to be sure she’s free to be with me. “Would you like me to take you to the hospital?”
She gazed up at me with big sad eyes. “What would they do for me? I don’t have a head wound.”
“The doctor might be able to make sure you don’t have concussion or didn’t have a stroke.”
“I’m sure I didn’t have a stroke. No one in my family has ever had cardiovascular problems, and I’m only thirty. And all my limbs move just fine.” She extended one sculpted to perfection leg after the other as if to demonstrate.
I tried not to think about those long, shapely legs wrapped around my waist and her heels digging into my back while I sunk my cock deeper and deeper inside her warm wetness. I tightened my jaw and imagined speaking at an important business meeting. “I’ll arrange for my doctor to make a house call. And if he thinks rest is all you need, you can stay here for a few days.”
Selena shook her head and scooted further away from me on the couch. “But I don’t want to be so much trouble for you.”
“You’re no trouble at all. This is a big house, and I always spend my time alone down here—it will be nice to have company for a change.” My cell phone rang. “I’m sorry, will you excuse me for a moment?”
I stood up and pushed the answer button. “Nicholas, here.” I paced the room while Michael outlined the results of the tests.
“Everything went exactly as planned,” he said. “I scheduled a demo at the Nevada site next Tuesday. Jocelyn said your schedule was clear that morning, so I scheduled a flight first thing from Tucson.”
“Fine,” I said. “Call our list of suppliers and find out who has the best price
s for materials. And make sure they can guarantee delivery dates.”
“I’ll get right on it. So you’ll be back in the office tomorrow morning, right?”
I lowered my voice and looked over at Selena, hoping she wouldn’t hear what I said next. “There’s been a development down here. I need you to have Jocelyn reschedule all my Thursday and Friday meetings to phone conferences.” I made a mental note to call my mother later, too, to tell her I wouldn’t make it to her house for our usual Friday dinner.
“Is something wrong?”
I couldn’t possibly tell him that a gorgeous woman with amnesia had delayed my departure. I had an image to maintain. “It’s a personal emergency. I’ll explain later.”
After I had concluded the call, Selena stood up and straightened her dress, pulling it further down her thighs. “I really should go. I can tell you’re a really busy man, and I’m messing up your work schedule. I just don’t feel right about this.”
I walked over and placed a firm hand on her shoulder, urging her back down onto the leather cushions. “Please stop worrying. If you want to recover your memory, you’re going to have to relax. You have no place to go, and you’re doing me a favor by being here.”
The truth hurt, but in this case, admitting it would work to my advantage. “As my company’s CEO, I’m a desperately dull workaholic. Michael has suggested for months that I take an actual vacation, socialize in a setting that doesn’t involve business—in other words, act like a normal person for a change. I took the first step buying this place, but I still haven’t been able to stay off the computer or phone except when I exercise in the mornings.”
“I can’t imagine you working all the time. You must have women waiting in line for a date.”
As ninety percent of the blood in my body redirected due south, I forced a laugh, hoping my facial expression would mask the lusty thoughts that tossed in my head. I didn’t feel like myself around her at all.
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