by Adam (lit)
A faint reflection of Kara’s body drew his attention. He couldn’t make out any distinctive features, but he had his memories of them and his imagination did the rest. He turned.
She was at the triple dresser brushing her hair, flipping it with a brush, and then using her hands to push it into an orderly cap.
He swallowed hard when she turned. The blue of the pajamas and robe emphasized the deep color of her eyes. They were so dark as to appear black, but he knew better. He knew just how blue they were, how that blue could change, have a silver outer edge to the pupil, become furious with denial, become midnight blue when he made love to her.
“Breakfast is ready. Let’s go.” He held out his hand, and after a moment, she took it and walked with him to the breakfast nook.
Hana stood by the counter, arms folded, that look of intense dislike or distrust or whatever expression it was called, on her plain face. Garth lounged on one of the stools by the counter until they appeared in the doorway. He stood, said good morning, and waited until Adam had seated her before he moved to sit across from her.
“Any plans for today boss?”
“No. Iverson has one more place and several calls to check. Should be finished today, so let’s just stick around the house. Tomorrow, if Iverson doesn’t have anything, we’ll go to Santa Fe and ask if they’ve found any trace. They were going through all of the people they know between Fort Worth and Seattle.”
“What are you looking for?”
“Sorry, Kara. We forget you don’t remember everything.” Adam leaned forward. “My twin brother, Aaron, left Albuquerque a few weeks ago and hasn’t been heard from since that time. We own a business together and usually keep in touch by e-mail or cell phone, but I haven’t heard from him. I have a private detective looking for him.” He watched her for some sign of recognition, but there was none. “Aaron sometimes goes off on his own, but he usually calls to let me know where he is. I’m a little worried.”
The missing person television program came to mind. His brother. “How do I fit into this family?”
Adam didn’t want to shock her too much, but on the other hand, if he could shock her, perhaps her memory would return. “You’re Aaron’s wife’s half sister.”
“My half sister? Doesn’t she know where he is?” The situation intrigued her.
“She should be with him, but we don’t really know.” That part was true. Kara should have been with Aaron, wherever he was. But here she is, looking beautiful, loving Adam as though she had a right. Fierce anger choked him, and he walked away to keep from blurting out the truth. It wouldn’t solve their problem, not as long as she recalled nothing of her life.
“I’m sorry, Adam.”
He turned. “Why are you sorry?”
“If I could remember, perhaps I’d be able to help.”
He opened his mouth, shut it, and paced.
“Perhaps.” He forced a smile. “So concentrate on regaining your memory and solve this mystery for us.”
* * * *
Adam and Garth spent the day chopping wood and hauling it to the back to stack it on the porch. Enticing smells came from the kitchen, and she was tempted many times to go in and ask if she could help. But Hana made no bones about the fact that she didn’t want Kara near her.
The meals were eaten in silence and by afternoon, she was ready to scream. In self defense, she went back to her suite and picked up a book. Not that it helped. She was ready for bed when Adam came into the bedroom where she lay on top of the covers.
“You look tired.” She hadn’t meant to sympathize, but he did look exhausted.
“I am. I’m not as young as I used to be and chopping wood is for that younger man I once was.” He sat on the side of the bed and kicked off his boots. Sighing, he lay down.
She smiled. “Yes, you’re doddering with age.”
He reached for her hand. “How did you do today? Is pain associated with the bruises letting up?”
“Hardly any pain, and the only time I think of the bruises is when I move the wrong way.”
“You’re one of the lucky ones who heal quickly.”
“I’m very glad of that fact.”
“No headaches?”
“No. No aches at all.”
“That’s amazing, Kara. As beat up as you were, as hard as that car hit you, I can’t imagine you getting out with what are actually moderate injuries.”
“They don’t feel moderate.”
He turned and slid his arm across her waist. “I don’t imagine they do, but I still think we were lucky that you didn’t suffer extensive injuries.”
She snuggled, glad that he was going to lie close to her. Somehow, she felt a lot safer there, although she couldn’t imagine what she needed to be safe from.
He rolled and brought her close to his body. They lay that way until he kissed her, slid an arm beneath her, and used the other one to push her head back. They were face to face when his mouth took hers, gently at first, then it grew demanding. A sharp needle of desire pierced his loins and left him wanting, wanting Kara just as deeply as he had yesterday. And probably, the way he’d want her tomorrow. And the next day. Right now, she was his, and he’d face the future later – when she was no longer in his arms.
A gentle insistence from Adam had her separating her legs. He brought one leg up and kept hers apart. The very air was packed with two sets of desires. He found her firm breast and closed his mouth over the nipple, his hand stroking her other one. She sighed, rubbed her leg along the side of Adam’s, and pushed her tingling body closer.
He kissed her, running his tongue along the seam of her closed lips.
“Open,” he whispered.
When she did, his tongue slipped inside her mouth to tango with hers. He drew in a sharp breath and smelled her. It was a fragrance he didn’t recognize because it was strictly Kara’s. She used the most expensive perfumes, but this wasn’t a manufactured essence. This was strictly Kara, as fresh as a spring morning in the mountains. As sexy as the after-loving scent of their bodies. He hardened more as he thought of the body he was about to possess.
She wiggled against him and pushed her breasts into his chest muscles. He almost bit her as a surge of adrenalin came close to destroying him. He would explode if he didn’t get inside her soon. Their clothing vanished amid tangled arms and legs.
“Honey.” The harsh whisper was barely audible. He wasn’t sure he could speak coherently, not with her tongue wrapped around his, not with her leg thrown across him and her pelvic region pressed securely to his arousal.
He moved his hand down her body, over the curve of her hip, and between them to reach his erection. His leg forced hers apart, eased her over on her back and followed her to lie belly to belly with her, his strong arousal ready for action. He wanted to ram himself quickly and deep inside her, wanted to convince her she was his, completely his, and no one would ever own her the way he did.
He wanted to lie there, to wait, to savor the feelings running stridently through him, wreaking havoc with his common sense. What the hell did common sense have to do with sex? There was no relation between the two.
When she moved beneath him, he didn’t even try to resist. Her hips rotated and twisted until he wanted to scream, wanted to yell out his tormented greed for her body. With a shout, he hammered into her, shoved deep enough to hear her grunt, pulled away from her and plunged time after time. He gave no thought to her injuries, only to the demon inside him demanding she belong to him. His heart thundered in time to the rhythm of his pounding.
She knew when neither of them could wait any longer. Her hips twisted and pivoted and met him thrust for thrust until they simply exploded. His mouth crushed hers on his last hard stroke before he groaned, threw back his head, and emptied himself into her. He trembled as the last of his love filled her. He couldn’t move and lay with his lips against her throat where the pulse thudded. His heartbeat gradually slowed, and he withdrew to lie beside her.
“You ok
ay?”
“Mmmm. I think so.”
“Let me know when you’re sure.”
“Adam.”
“Yes, Kara.”
She raised up to look down at him, and then moved over to prop her arms on his chest and rest her chin on them. “I love you.”
She’d heard of the term, she was certain, that the world stood still. It was so quiet, she could hear her heart and Adam’s beating.
He stared at her, and his lips moved, but no sound came out.
“Didn’t I ever tell you I loved you before, before the accident?”
“No. No, you didn’t.” His fingers curled around her arms. “Kara.”
“It’s all right if you don’t love me. Could you just pretend for a moment that you do?” She waited, but he didn’t respond. “It’s all right. You aren’t required to return my feelings.” She traced his lips with one finger. “I just wanted you to know.” She pulled his hands away and moved to the opposite side of the bed. A moment later, she slid from the bed and walked to the bathroom.
Stunned, he lay where she’d left him until he heard the shower running. She was wrong; she didn’t know what she was saying. When she found out who she was and who he was, she wouldn’t love him. She’d hate him. She wasn’t allowed to love him; she was married to his brother.
And he hated her, didn’t he? Hate might be a strong word for his feelings, but he certainly disliked Kara and all she stood for. She was the reason he didn’t know where Aaron was. Kara belonged to Aaron. He was merely using her.
She was the cause of his and Aaron’s separation so much of the time now as compared to what it was before their marriage. She was good for a wonderful sexual release, but to love her? And her love him?
That was too far-fetched to put any credence in.
Chapter Sixteen
She dawdled in the shower, reluctant to face Adam after her confession and the astonished look on his face. It was quite an admittance, and she was amazed at herself for telling him she loved him. And ask him to pretend he loved her? What did she hope to gain by that? She well knew that Adam didn’t love her. For one thing, they hadn’t been around each other much. And another thing, her accident, his tender treatment of her was because he felt it was his fault she’d been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
If she only knew what their relationship had been like before the accident, when she knew who both of them were, without this feeling of walking in a nether world. Evidently before the accident, she’d had sense enough not to tell Adam she loved him. He wouldn’t have been so shocked if that were true.
Still wrapped in a towel, she sat on the stool in front of the dressing room mirror. The scar at her temple was fading and would soon disappear into her hair line. The bruise on her cheek was pale enough she could cover it with makeup. Standing, she let the towel drop and examined her body. A few colorful places, but they would soon be gone. She was, according to Adam, a fast healer. He had been surprised the injuries didn’t bother her, that he could stroke and pet and make love to her without a problem.
Adam. She did love him, and there was no use denying it to him or to herself. She would deal with the fact he didn’t return that love. When her memory returned …. She sighed. It was ridiculous that she didn’t suffer any physical pain, but her brain refused to keep up with her body and heal itself.
“Admiring that lovely body?”
She looked in the mirror to see Adam in the doorway. He had pulled on pants to a black warm up suit. It didn’t matter what he wore, he was a good looking man, a healthy specimen, sexy as all get out. It was a shame she couldn’t have him permanently, but she’d take what he would give her while it was available.
Turning, she dropped the towel on the stool and walked to him, stood on tiptoe and kissed him. Then she moved around him and walked into the bedroom. Before she could reach the robe dropped when he undressed her, Adam caught her and turned her around in his arms.
“Kara.” He laid his forehead on hers while his hands rubbed up and down on her bare back. “Honey.” He pushed her head back and covered her mouth with his. When he came up for air, he smiled down at her. “I’m not angry that you said you loved me. We all say things in the heat of the moment that don’t count later.”
“I meant it.”
“If you say so.” He brushed his mouth over her cheek and lingered on her lips.
“I can’t seem to get enough of you, but right now, put on your robe and let’s get a glass of milk or something. I’ve worked up an appetite.”
“All right.” She slipped the pajamas on and belted the robe over them.
“What’ll it be? Milk and cookies? Hot chocolate? Coffee?” He took her hand, placed it in the crook of his arm, and led her toward the kitchen. As they neared the room, they noticed a light on. They stopped in the doorway to see Hana standing by the stove.
“Hana? Is anything wrong?”
The woman turned, dark eyes studying the two people in front of her. “Nothing wrong. I’m making hot chocolate. Would you like some?”
Adam laughed. “We were trying to decide what to have, and you’ve solved our dilemma. We’ll take hot chocolate. Is that all right with you, Kara?”
She watched Hana’s expression and decided it wasn’t as antagonistic as usual. Perhaps it was too late at night for Hana to resent her or else it was because Adam was there, and he was the one asking for a drink.
“Yes. Hot chocolate is fine.”
“I baked chocolate chip cookies tonight after dinner. Would you like some?”
“Definitely. Hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies. If we’re being decadent, we might as well go all the way.”
Adam wasn’t one to make small talk, but he seemed almost indulgent as he teased Hana. It was a different side of him that she hadn’t seen. He pulled out a chair and waited for her to sit before he sat beside her.
Hana brought the hot drinks and cookies and placed them on the table. Her eyes went from Adam to the woman at his side and back again.
“Did you hear anything from the detective, Adam?”
“Nothing new.” At her question, Adam’s expression changed. It went from pleasant to frustrated. “Iverson’s becoming as aggravated as I am. Every lead we get turns out to be nothing.” He passed the cookies. “Kara needs to eat more of these than I do to gain back some weight.”
Her appetite wasn’t as sharp as it had been. The mention of the private detective he said was looking for Aaron reminded her of why he was upset. Hana’s dark eyes watched him with sympathy. She wished there was something she could do to wipe that look from Adam’s face and from Hana’s eyes. It was a helpless feeling made even more so because she didn’t even know who she was much less who Aaron was.
“Finished?”
“Yes. Thank you, Hana, that was just what I needed to make me sleep.”
“Are you ready to go back to bed?”
“Yes, I think so, Adam. Suddenly, I’m really tired.”
He leaned down to whisper. “Too tired?”
Straight-faced, she said, “Yes.”
“Too bad.” He marched her down the hallway and into the bedroom of her suite. They were laughing when he tumbled them onto the bed.
“Oh, ohhhhhhhh!” Pain ripped through her ribs and took her breath.
“Oh, God, honey, I’m sorry.” Adam leaned over her. “What did I do? Where are you hurting?”
“My ribs.” She gasped, and bit hard into her lower lip. “I fell wrong.” Her eyes squeezed shut and her hands twisted in the sheets.
“I’ll get your pain medication. Don’t move.”
The intense pain kept her still until he returned with two yellow pills. He slipped his arm beneath her head. “Swallow two.” He put one pill to her mouth and then held the glass of water so she could swallow. A moment later, he repeated the process.
“Just take it easy.” He let her down on the pillow and sat beside her.
Her breathing became quieter, and her hands relax
ed their grip on the sheets.
He studied her pale face. “You don’t complain, Kara, and I forget you still have a lot of soreness. Why in hell don’t you remind me?”
Her eyes were closed, but she smiled. “Adam, I forget, too. I don’t hurt until I do something stupid like fall the wrong way.”
He leaned and kissed her cheek. “It was my fault.” When she would have argued, he said, “Yes, it was my fault. I got carried away thinking about what I was going to do to you, and my enthusiasm hurt you. I promise to be more careful, at least for a few more days.”
“Okay. I can live with that.”
“Not sure I can live without holding you.” Where had that admission come from? From somewhere came a warning: Be careful. He was very much afraid it was too late. “Here, let me get your robe off so you can relax. Those pills should ease the pain and, hopefully, make you sleepy.” He held her up until he could get the sleeves from her arms, and she lifted her hips to slide the robe from beneath her.
“That’s what I’m afraid of. I hate those things that drug you and tomorrow, I’ll feel like I’ve been on a drunk without benefit of having any alcohol.”
“Perks of the profession, Darling.” He grinned and kissed her. “I’m going to listen to the eleven o’clock news, but I’ll check on you before I go to bed.”
Already sleepy, she murmured her agreement. She didn’t hear him leave the room or the key turn in the lock.
* * * *
Adam stood outside the door and frowned at the opposite wall. He was in one hell of a predicament. Here, he’d abducted Kara in order to find Aaron. He had hoped to threaten her into having sex with him in order to get her confession as to where Aaron was and why he didn’t contact his brother. Instead, Kara had gotten to him in a way he never would have believed. He craved her with a ferociousness he had never felt for another woman.
He was in love with his bother’s wife! And what the hell could he do about it? What would happen once Aaron came home and he had to give her up? Would he confess everything to his brother? Hell. Yes, that’s what it would be: Hell.
He would; of course he would. He didn’t have a choice.