Shit. If he'd been left alone with her much longer, he would have arrived at the same conclusion his doctor had. And he wouldn't have needed a damn machine or any neural activity to tell him so. The activity in his groin would have done the job just as well.
He would very much like to go explore Valli Solo in a totally sexual way. He'd also like to share her laughter, touch her skin, stroke those long legs of hers and wake up beside her just to watch her sleep. She'd gotten to him smoothly and quickly.
But then again, there were no memories to interfere with the attraction. No other women to compare her with. Nothing to prevent him from focusing on her, the most sexually attractive woman he'd ever met. Or at least met in the last several weeks.
He couldn't remember any others that might have come before her. There was nothing in that place reserved for women and sex. Or at least there hadn't been until now. Until a lovely woman had strummed a guitar, sung an old folk song and strolled into that empty place in his brain.
John wondered how long it would take to get her naked. And if he'd remember what to do with her when she was.
Chapter Three
Valli missed him.
She didn't see him again that day and somehow the hours passed more slowly.
Her strength was coming back to her and no longer did she need Carol's arm for a walk outside in the sunshine. She felt better than she had in quite some time and the urge to get into her music was growing each time she passed her guitar.
That evening she indulged herself with a few of her favorite songs, hearing a re-energized voice that pitched itself exactly where she needed it to be with much less effort. Valli realized she had indeed been totally exhausted.
Now singing was once again a joy and a pleasure. She didn't have to work so hard to feel the melodies and follow them where they led. This was how it had been in the early days, before her songs had hit the big-time and before she'd gone on tour.
And always lurking at the back of her mind was John--and a mysterious vision who told her oblique and strange things about the man she'd meet.
It had to be him. He was unique in so many ways. But how the hell could a long-departed Janis Joplin have known? And why was he so important? It was a puzzle she was determined to solve.
Her determination grew as she headed for the swimming pool the next morning and saw he was there already, dark head slicing through the water, strong body leaving a trail of bubbling ripples in its wake.
She put down her book and hat on a chaise and just watched him, admiring the play of glittering droplets on the firm back and the steady pace of his strokes. Damn, the guy knew how to swim. This wasn't the style of someone who swam for fun on weekends. This was a solidly efficient workout, a powerful underwater drive of strength and--yes--beauty. He was like a seal, sleek and effective, moving up and down the pool with economy and grace.
Valli swallowed down a lump of very female lust and straightened her bikini straps beneath her robe. For some reason they had suddenly gotten very snug around her breasts.
She turned away and busied herself putting everything she needed within reach, only to hear her name from the pool.
"Good morning, Valli."
John was resting his arms on the smooth tiled edge, chin on his wrists, grinning at her as water dripped from his hair. Holy shit, he was as gorgeous wet as he was dry.
"Hey. How's the pool? I haven't tried it yet." She tried for some kind of non-aroused normalcy, forcing that flame of heat back down into her bikini bottoms where it probably shouldn't have been in the first place.
"Nice. Not too warm, not too cool. Almost perfect."
"Almost?" Valli untied her robe and dumped it on the chaise.
"Yeah. You come on in and then it'll be absolutely perfect."
Valli chuckled and sat on the steps leading into the water, dangling her feet and swishing them around. He was right. The water was just ideal. "Why, John..." She batted her eyelashes and put a southern drawl into her tone. "Are you flirting with lil' ol' me?"
He laughed as he lazily paddled to her. "Surely am, Ma'am. You're the purtiest thang I ever did see. Especially in that skimpy lil' ol' bikini..."
Valli felt her cheeks warm into a blush as she smiled down at him. This was like some kind of romantic fantasy come to life. Sliding into the water was a natural move and Valli managed to bite back the tiny gasp of pleasure as her body brushed his chest. The pool was cold enough to make her nipples bud against the fabric of her bikini, and coupled with John's overwhelmingly male presence so near her--Christ, nature was going to take its course whether Valli liked it or not.
Unfortunately, she liked it way too much for her own peace of mind.
"Want to do a few laps?" John nodded at the length of the pool.
"Uh, sure. But I'm not a great swimmer. Not like you. I just enjoy the water..." Valli knew she didn't have the strength or the skill to match his pace. "If you want to go ahead and finish your workout, don't let me stop you."
"I wasn't working out. Just waiting and hoping maybe you'd come down this way." He dipped down so that only his head was above the blue surface. "I wanted to see you again. Very badly."
Valli gulped, thought for a moment, then threw caution to the winds. "I wanted to see you too."
"Good." He grinned. "In the interests of total disclosure, I'm seriously thinking about whether I could seduce you."
"Hmm." Valli's bikini got really tight all of a sudden. "I think it's a possibility."
"Happy to hear it." John kicked off from the side of the pool and called back over his shoulder. "You'll have to give me pointers, though. I doubt I'll remember how to do it."
She watched the firm globes of his buttocks as he settled lazily into a crawl. His suit clung to them lovingly, outlining the muscles as they clenched and relaxed with each powerful kick.
"Just keep on doing that and you're halfway there." She spoke quietly to herself as she admired the view.
"What?"
"Never mind." She called back to him as she too kicked away into the center of the pool.
For a while they swam together, Valli simply enjoying the chance to stretch her body in the caress of the supportive water and John swimming around her, occasionally splashing her, then taking off for a few laps of his own.
It was rather like playing with an enormously appealing, blue-eyed dolphin shapeshifter. One minute he was teasing her--the next he'd totally disappeared, only to re-emerge at the far end of the pool with a shower of rainbows around him as he shook the hair out of his eyes.
Valli realized that the word "playing" was absolutely correct. John played. His eyes flashed with laughter, there was nothing behind them to indicate that he was forcing himself to put other things aside. He had no other things to put aside. His mind was free to indulge itself in the pleasures of this moment.
It was unique, very attractive--and it encouraged Valli to do the same thing. She laughed too, splashed him back, let the sun warm her skin as she slowly stroked her way from one end of the pool to the other and finally sat on the steps in the shallow end, taking pleasure in the feel of the warm water lapping around her waist.
"I gotta rest." She panted, her body comfortably tired from their water play.
"You okay?" John doggy paddled over, hoisted himself to his feet and sat next to her, pushing back his hair with one hand.
"Yep. Just really out of shape. Being on the road doesn't give a girl much time to hit the gym."
"Can't tell from where I'm sitting." John's gaze wandered over her body. "Looks like you're in pretty good shape to me." His eyes returned to her face and he waggled his eyebrows with a smile.
"Aha." Valli tried for an intensely thoughtful expression. "The seduction part has begun, I believe." She pursed her lips. "Let me see. Step one. Compliment the target."
"Target?" John looked quizzical. "I'm not a torpedo. I'm not about to acquire you."
Valli darted a quick look at him. "You been reading Tom Clancy?"
"Never mind." Valli filed that away. He was familiar with some military terminology. It might be nothing--but then again, any nothing might be something down the line.
"So step two should probably be something like this..." John slid closer, his thigh brushing hers beneath the water and his arm leaning on the step behind her.
The warmth of his body encompassed Valli, hotter than the sunshine beating down on them. She couldn't stop the quick intake of breath.
"Too much?" John stared at her.
"Not enough," she answered, the words coming from deep within.
His smile was a thing of brilliance, blue sparks flashing from his eyes. Then he stilled. "You know what you're getting into, Valli. I'm a man with no past."
She lifted her hand and brushed her knuckles gently down his cheek, feeling the slight roughness of his shaved beard and the textures of his face. "You have a past, John. You just don't remember it yet. For right now, at this moment, it's not a problem."
He leaned closer. "Will you be my first memory?"
Her gaze dropped to his lips, scarcely a breath away from hers. "I'd like that."
"So would I."
He kissed her then, a brief brushing of lips, the slightest collision of skin to skin. But it was enough to raise goose bumps on Valli's body and she fought the urge to grab his head and devour him. She wanted to, God knew how much she wanted to.
But she also knew that it wouldn't end there. That there were too few clothes and too much heat between them and they were in a public place. Anyone could come by at any moment--being caught naked and doing the deed with another patient? Well it wasn't something Valli would care for.
And neither would John, if she read him correctly.
She did. He pulled back, his face intense, his pulse throbbing in his neck. "Not here, not yet." He kissed her again, quickly. "I want you."
Valli licked her lips, savoring the taste of him. "Same goes, John Dish. But you're right. Not here."
"Your place or mine?" John glanced around.
Valli laughed, feeling her gut ease a little. "Shouldn't we wait for this evening or something? Haven't we skipped a few steps in the seduction process?"
John hissed a breath through his teeth. "Tell that to the bit of me that's more than ready." He nodded his head at the water swishing around them and his distended swimsuit. "I can't take you to dinner or ply you with wine. I can't ask for your number and pick you up for a date."
Valli put her fingers over his lips. "None of that stuff matters, you know that. This place is sort of magic for us. You have no past and at the moment I have nothing in my future. We've stepped out of time, John. Two people attracted to each other. And we're going to take it to the next level, we both know it." She grinned. "Who was it who said that anticipation is the best aphrodisiac there is?"
"I don't know, but if you've got a gun, I'll shoot him."
Valli glanced down at her swimsuited body. "Sorry. I left my Magnum in my other bikini."
"Too big and too loud. I'd prefer a Sig." John stopped dead. "Good God. Where did that come from?"
Valli's heart thundered. "I don't know. But wow, John. You know firearms. You know about guns. A Sig is a Sig Sauer, right?"
"I--I--" He looked helpless and frustrated. "I don't fucking know--" He winced. "Sorry."
"Look, it's something. Maybe if you mention it to your doc?"
"What if I'm a killer, Valli? Some kind of a hit man?" John's throat moved as he swallowed harshly. "What if I'm not a nice guy at all, but a wanted criminal?"
Valli sighed and did the only thing possible under the circumstances. She kissed him again, this time sliding her arms around his neck and pressing her softness against his chest.
Somebody groaned as the kiss turned hot, lips parted and tongues danced. Valli ached all over with the need to touch him, to taste him, to take him. Maybe she'd groaned, or maybe it was John. It didn't matter. They were both equally involved, clasping, learning, tasting--losing themselves in their kisses.
Two more seconds and Valli would've been on his lap and pushing down on him, bathing suits be damned. But the sound of voices jarred them free of the sensual spell and pulled them back into the world of sunshine, the swimming pool and other people, a few of whom were obviously heading their way.
"Shit." Valli hissed the word through her teeth, closing her eyes and fighting not to squirm herself out of her bikini bottom.
"You said it." John ducked into the water from the steps. "I need to cool off. I daren't even get out of the pool right now."
Biting back a laugh, Valli nodded. "I know the feeling, if not the exact symptom." She straightened her spine. "Later, John. Tonight." She bent to his head and whispered in his ear. "You are a wanted man. I want you. Remember that, okay?"
The emotion in his eyes was obvious, a blend of passion, desire and need. He was probably seeing something along those lines in her own gaze. There was an amazingly strong sensual connection between them, Valli knew. But it went deeper than physical need--at least for her.
There was something in this man that called to a matching something within Valli's heart. Maybe even her soul. She wasn't sure, since it wasn't anything she could remember experiencing with any of the other men she'd dated. Not that there'd been many--she simply didn't have the time. And most often she didn't have the inclination, either.
But here, now, in the sunshine of this quiet spot in northern California, Valli had found a totally different set of rules and a new set of circumstances. And she'd found John. She quickly wrapped her robe around herself, hearing the rhythmic sounds of water splashing as he swam energetically down the pool. And hopefully reduced the size of his arousal at the same time.
She giggled as she gathered up her belongings. Girls may be stuck with thongs and miniscule bikini tops. But they were probably better than a hard on in a wet swimsuit. With that thought uppermost in her mind, Valli left the pool area and headed back to her room. She didn't dare look behind her. The hunger might be too much to resist.
For both of them.
----
The woman across the table clicked on the recorder as John leaned back comfortably in the familiar chair. He knew this room, was used to the bland paintings next to the bookshelves and much preferred the expansive view of the gardens through the one wall of windows. It was relaxing, not just in appearance, but in the fact that John knew it. A touchstone, something he could actually recall in detail when he wasn't in it.
There were few such things, all centered here in this facility. Small things, but ones that comforted him in the darkness of those nights--the ones where he awoke, disoriented, sweating and as empty as a human being can possibly be.
He was getting better at dealing with those dark periods, no longer turning into his pillow and sobbing silently at his loss. It was a loss, his counselor had explained to him. Dr. Lin had smiled at him gently over the tops of her owl-eye glasses, pushed a strand of grey hair back into place and told John that he was dealing with a loss every bit as great as losing a loved one.
Losing memories could leave an even greater hole and grieving was a natural part of coping. So John had grieved, in private, alone. Wondering if he was destined to spend the rest of his life that way--alone.
Of course there'd been some flirtatious overtures from the nurses. John looked into his mirror and judged what they were seeing quite objectively. He could do this because he didn't know the man looking back at him. He knew this man was tall, dark and had blue eyes. He seemed to be fit and everything was in the right place. He could see where the word "attractive" could be applied to this stranger.
But since he was the stranger, he wasn't about to go out and accept any of the subtle offers coming his way.
Until Valli.
Suddenly, he was the one with an itch only she could scratch. And if all went well, there'd be some scratching going on this very night.
"You're smiling, John. Good day?" Dr. Lin's gentle voice r
ecalled John to the present and dragged his mind away from what might happen later on.
"Yes." He gazed back steadily. "Yes, it's been a good day. So far."
"Tell me about it?"
John swallowed. "I've met someone. A very special lady."
"Ah."
"We talked quite a bit. We swam in the pool together this morning." I got a stiffy to end all stiffies. We kissed. I'm going to get the two of us in bed tonight if I get the chance, and it will be insanely wild.
"And?" Dr. Lin lifted one eyebrow.
"And I like her. A lot." He shifted his shoulders. "Her name's Valli. You must know her? The singer?"
Dr. Lin nodded. "Yes, I've heard her music. She's good. Nice to listen to, not like some of that screaming din that passes for music these days."
John grinned. "No arguments there."
A folder lay on Dr. Lin's desk and she turned over a page or two. "I see here that a sign of some cerebral activity was noted in connection to--perhaps this woman?"
"Dr. Felix recorded that, did he?" John shrugged. "I don't know. I find her a pleasure to be with and to talk to. She's relaxing and fun." He sat up suddenly. "There was something..."
"Tell me." Dr. Lin's pen was poised over her notebook.
John related snippets of his conversation with Valli and his offhand comment about the Sig.
For a moment, the only sound in the room was Dr. Lin's pen scratching on the paper. "Interesting."
Barely restraining himself from rolling his eyes, John stared at her. "Interesting? Couldn't you be a little more general?"
She smiled. "Sorry. Technical phrase there." She put her pen down. "I can't say that it's a huge breakthrough, but clearly being with this woman is relaxing you enough that some chinks may be appearing in your mental barricade."
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