“Hey, it’s okay.” He placed his hand on her thigh, feeling her warmth beneath his palm. “You can trust me.”
She picked at her fingernail. “I know.”
“What is it then?” Contemplating that he was on the verge of something that was potentially even more shocking than all the secrets she’d revealed so far, he decided to back off. He’d wait for her to be ready. “It’s okay, you don’t need to say.”
She deflated even more, and tears brimmed her eyes. “It’s not that I don’t want to. It’s that I can’t.”
Can’t? That confused him even more. But whatever it meant, he had to let it go… for now. Instead, he pulled her to his chest. She felt even more frail in his arms than she had earlier. When she reached up to touch her cheek, he assumed she was wiping away tears.
Her distress broke his heart. He wanted to take her pain away, but had no idea how. Tonight was a monumental step toward understanding what she’d been through, but it was obvious there was more.
He ached to kiss her. Hell, he ached to touch her. All of her. But he’d wait until Amber was ready. She deserved that much. Her life had been taken out of her hands so many times, he wanted their relationship to be on her terms.
It was an eternity before she pulled back to look up at him. Her chest rose and fell, and when her lips slipped apart, he was sure she wanted him to kiss her. Capitalizing on that belief, he leaned over and brushed his lips to hers. When she parted her lips farther his tongue explored, tasting chocolate and port, and he savored the excited beat of his heart, something he hadn’t felt in a very long time… never with this kind of intensity.
She reached up and twirled her fingers through his hair, and that one simple move signified her want for him too. Their kiss was an explosion of passion that confirmed their mutual attraction was every bit real. When she caressed his neck, he wasn’t sure his intention to take this slow could be preserved.
He was both grateful and utterly crushed when she pulled back from him. “Oliver…”
The way she said his name, choked with emotion and with a pleading lilt, indicated she felt the same turmoil. He touched her cheek, and the unspoken words between them said more than enough.
Oliver cleared his throat. “Would you like another glass of port?”
“I think it’s time I went to bed.”
He nodded, expecting as much.
Amber pushed off the couch and they stood at the same time. The momentary pause between them was charged with a palpable sizzle. In the end, it was Amber who made the first move. She stepped forward, placed one hand on his chest, and reached up on her toes to kiss his cheek. “Thank you for a wonderful day.”
“Good night, Amber. Sweet dreams.”
A glaze of sadness crossed her eyes and he wondered what had triggered it. She turned and headed for the bathroom. When she closed the door, the confusion he’d felt earlier came sliding back. Amber’s reluctance to share another piece in her puzzle was unsettling.
He gathered the glasses and chocolate from the table, and as he washed up and put things away, he tried to picture lying on a narrow ledge in an icy crevice. It was impossible to imagine, let alone with all the injuries she’d suffered, and especially after the deaths she’d witnessed. Then there were the bodies in the ice. Everything about them was extraordinary, from how they got there to how they were discovered. He had to admit, the idea of being involved in their saga was as thrilling as it was daunting.
He’d done a few extreme sports—bungee jumping, skateboarding, free climbing, sky diving, mountain biking—but Amber’s plans made them all seem like child’s play.
She emerged from the bathroom and paused before the stairs. Her dark hair framed her angelic face, curling beneath her chin, and her stunning blue eyes, rimmed with lush lashes, were breathtaking. The sadness in her eyes made her hauntingly beautiful. He had a strong feeling she was torn between going to him and heading to bed. His heart skipped a few beats as he awaited her decision.
She tucked her hair behind her ear, placed her foot on the lower rung, and paused to glance his way again. “Good night.”
Her overwhelming sadness seemed crippling. But, conceding his wishes weren’t to be granted, he simply nodded. “Good night.”
Five steps later she vanished from view, and when the floorboards beneath the loft creaked, it confirmed she’d reached her bedroom. A little piece of him wished she’d turned around. Actually, it was all of him that wished for that.
Take your time, he told himself.
He shoved two more logs into the fire and crawled onto the sofa. It was comfortable enough. He’d certainly slept on worse, having spent many a night at a friend’s place, relegated to the floor or, if he was lucky, a bean bag.
Oliver rolled to his side, pulled the blanket up, and stared at the fire. The urge to go to her was extreme, and he had to force his brain to think of something else. Like two frozen bodies—and Amber’s determination to bring them justice. It was a crazy idea, and yet at the same time it presented an opportunity like none other.
A log rolled in the fire, emitting a spray of embers and reigniting the flames. His thoughts went to how much that log replicated his life: one minute he was comfortable and stable, then Amber came along and ignited a fire in his soul like he’d never felt before.
Maybe this expedition was exactly what he needed. What Amber needed too. Should she succeed in her mission, it’d be a perfect way to put her past behind her. They could move forward together.
As long as they didn’t die in the process.
Chapter Twenty
Amber lay on her side, the feather comforter tucked right up under her chin. But while every inch of her body ebbed with fatigue, her mind was like an electric current, zapping through every word of their discussion.
She hated that she hadn’t told him the full story, and the fact that he knew she’d resisted broke her heart. Her reason for holding back was a selfish one. Every one of her friends changed once they’d learned of her inheritance from Milton. Money changed people. Four billion dollars affected people in ways that was impossible to predict.
But she didn’t want Oliver to change. Not one bit. She loved him exactly the way he was.
Loved him. Her heart fluttered at that admission. She’d pondered this feeling for weeks, but after tonight, after he’d learnt about her past, and in particular when he didn’t press her for more information, she knew without a doubt that he’d entered her heart.
Oliver was just one floor below, and the urge to go to him was beyond powerful.
As much as she didn’t want to reveal her final secret, she had no choice. It’d only take him a little bit of research to find out the truth, and she’d be devastated if he found out that way.
Something popped in the fire and it was like a trigger in her brain. She listened for signs of him sleeping, but other than the crackling fire and the wind singing outside the window over her bed, there was nothing. “Oliver, are you awake?”
“Yes.”
She threw back the covers, and the creaking floorboards announced her progress across the bedroom and down the stairs. Oliver was sitting up. He was shirtless, and the glow from the fire highlighted every magnificent contour of his flesh. Her body was no longer weary; just the sight of him triggered doses of desire that coursed through her like adrenaline.
He moved over on the couch and she sat beside him. Their thighs touched and she placed her palm on his leg. She squeezed her eyes shut and inhaled, and when she opened them again, she looked up into Oliver’s inquisitive gaze. “Before I moved to Brambleton, I changed my name to Amber Hope. My real name is Holly Parmenter.”
He cocked his head and frowned. “Huh. That explains why you didn’t show up on Google.”
She gasped. “You… you googled me?” Her words stuttered out, unbelieving.
“Well, yes. I’m sorry, but I wanted to know more about you.”
“You could’ve just asked.”
“Every tim
e I tried you shut me out. You were like a vault; you gave me nothing. I want to know you. I want to know everything about you.”
His eyes were pleading, his voice was too, and until now she hadn’t realized how much damage her secrecy had caused.
Her shoulders slumped. “You’re right. I’m sorry. Well, now you know why Amber Hope didn’t show up. She didn’t exist until about eighteen months ago.”
He nodded, then stopped to frown at her. “You’re not an escaped criminal, are you?”
She burst out laughing. “No, it’s nothing like that.”
“Phew, that’s good. Are you going to tell me why? Or do I have to keep guessing?”
She sighed and met his gaze. “When Milton died, he left money for me in his will. A lot of money.” She paused, ready to catch his reaction to her next statement. “Four billion dollars.”
His jaw dropped. His eyes bulged. “Holy shit.” A whistle escaped his lips. Then he frowned. “Is that why you changed your name?”
She clasped her hands together. “That’s one of the reasons. Once people learned of the money, they changed. My friends started asking for money. They were subtle at first, then not so delicate. Complete strangers would arrive at my doorstep or come into my work asking for money. Money I didn’t have yet. I still don’t have.”
“Hang on a minute.” He pushed back on the couch. “And you thought I’d ask for money? Is that why you didn’t tell me? Is that what you think of me?”
“No. No, I don’t think that, but I didn’t want you to change! Everybody changed, Oliver.” The horror in his eyes cut her to the core. “Money changes people, especially this kind of money.”
He shook his head and she knew she’d hurt him.
“Oliver, please understand what I’ve been through. When I came out of the coma, I had no family left. I only had my three best friends, women I’d known since we were kids, and all three of them changed. It was like the money possessed them somehow. I couldn’t trust anyone.”
“I’d never do that to you, Amber—Holly—whatever your name is.” He threw up his hands in frustration and the fire in his eyes was unmistakable.
She fell to her knees at his feet and wriggled up to face him. “Please, Oliver. Don’t be mad at me. When I changed my name, I was instructed never to tell anyone. No one was to know, and the secret has been eating away at me since the moment we met.”
He lowered his eyes to her. “Your secrets have been eating me too.”
“I know, and I’m sorry. Sorrier than you’ll ever know. Please forgive me.”
He pulled her up to her knees, and when he wrapped his arms around her, she did the same. They squeezed each other like their lives depended on it. After a long moment, she pulled back to look into his eyes. “There’s something else I need to tell you.”
“There’s more?”
“Just one more.” Her heart galloped in her chest and she fell into the mercy of his questioning eyes. The electric sparks that danced between them convinced her to say the words that’d been on her tongue for weeks. “I think I love you.”
His eyes sparkled and his body seemed to melt. “I love you too.”
Amber tilted her face up to him, closed her eyes, and silently begged him to kiss her. Barely a breath later, their lips met. She glided her hands around his back, exploring his warm flesh beneath her fingertips. Their tongues danced in a delicate tango, moving together as if they’d been kissing forever. His hand curled beneath her nightshirt and he pulled her closer, uniting them in a wild passion to explore each other.
When he tugged the fabric of her shirt upwards, their kiss released. “May I?” His voice was a throaty whisper, loaded with lust.
Amber paused. She hadn’t been with a man since Milton’s death. And other than her doctors, nobody had seen the hideous scars that marred her body. But for the first time in years, that no longer mattered.
The only thing that mattered was Oliver.
She raised her arms and he wasted no time drawing the fabric up and over her head. His chest rose and fell as he looked at her, really truly looked at her, her nipples peaked and hardened beneath his gaze. If he saw the hideous scar that zigzagged over her breast, he didn’t indicate.
Oliver placed his hands on her waist and raised her to standing. She stood topless before him and he didn’t miss a beat. He curled his hand beneath her breast and cupped it to roll his tongue around her nipple. When he sucked her hardened bud into his mouth, she gasped at the wonderful sensations flooding through her.
Closing her eyes, she tilted her head back and savored Oliver’s hot tongue on her flesh. Electric pulses flashed through her, and she glided her fingers up his back and through his wavy hair. When he released her nipple and looked up at her, she studied his face, taking in every exquisite detail. She knew she was looking at the most stunning man in the world.
“May I make love to you, Amber?” The way he said her name was the perfect mix of love and lust, potent enough to make her glow from the inside out.
She nodded, and a couple of heartbeats later, he guided her onto the sheepskin rug nestled between the couch and the fire. Oliver hovered over her. His bulging biceps held him in place, and she flitted her gaze from his lust-fueled eyes to his cinnamon-colored lips and back again.
He lowered his mouth to hers and their kissing intensified, eager to taste, eager to explore. Their hands did the same, and as she discovered the muscles in his chest and back, he caressed and fondled her breasts.
Oliver pulled back and rested on one elbow, and she watched his eyes scan her body. According to the doctors, it’d taken one hundred and fifty-seven stitches to put her back together. If that wasn’t enough damage to her flesh, keloid scarring raised the jagged purple lines, making them look like ropes had been threaded beneath her skin.
The blazing fire, whilst wonderfully warm and romantic, emitted too much light for her liking, and she was torn between hiding her body from him and getting this first reveal over with. As if he’d heard her tumultuous thoughts, he leaned forward and trailed kisses from the jagged scar over her breast to the tip of her nipple and down her torso. Each touch of his lips to her old wounds ignited something warm and wonderful inside her.
Taking the lead, she wriggled out of her pajama bottoms and watched in anticipation as Oliver whipped his track pants off too. His penis stood to attention, hard and proud.
Oliver lowered to his knees between her legs and leaned forward to position himself above her again. A dark vein pulsed at his temple, and when his lips parted his tongue lashed out to wet them. Her heart fluttered as he placed a hand on her scarred cheek and leaned in to kiss her again. She pushed her tongue into his mouth, eager to taste him. As their breaths mingled, a delicious pulse quivered from deep inside her.
She raised her knees, letting him know she was ready, and Oliver angled his erection to nudge her opening. He held himself there, teasing, and the sizzle of anticipation was as exquisite as it was agony. Slowly, he pushed forward, entering her, until he touched a wonderful spot inside her that begged to be pleased.
He felt so right, so complete, like he was a piece of her that she’d been missing for a very long time. His eyes flickered open, unseeing, and the raw passion in his glistening pools made her feel treasured.
They worked together as one, drawing out each other’s pleasure like only lovers could do. He knew how to please her, and by the intense focus on his face, she believed she pleased him too. Every move was perfect, as if they’d been making love forever.
A light sheen glossed his flesh. His deep primal groans grew deeper, yet he clenched his jaw, squeezed his eyes shut, and continued to draw out her pleasure. Every nerve ending in her flesh tingled, begging for the delicious sensations to last a lifetime. She cried out when her body tipped over the glorious precipice, and she savored the exquisite tremors shuddering through her.
The groan that tumbled from Oliver’s throat was music to her ears, and he plunged into her over and over. When
he finally flopped onto her chest, his breathing was as ragged as her own pulse. She trailed her fingers up and down his back, and as they lay there, still united as one, her body pulsed with contentment.
When their breathing returned to normal, he pushed up onto his hands, and his arms trembled as he held himself above her to look into her eyes. “You’re amazing.”
She smiled and reached up to cup his cheek. “So are you.”
It was an eternity before they were ready to move off the rug, but Amber didn’t want to leave him even for a moment, let alone an entire night. “Would you like to come upstairs?”
His boyish grin made the invitation a thousand times better. “Absolutely.”
After they each visited the bathroom, she held his hand and led him upstairs, and, following his lead, she didn’t redress in her pajamas. Snuggling beneath the covers, they lay naked with her back to his chest and his arm curled over her torso so their hands entwined. It was perfect. He was perfect. Everything about her life right now was absolutely perfect. So perfect, in fact, that she wondered if risking everything to complete her mission was foolish. But then she thought of Dorothy and how imperfect her life was.
If she didn’t do this, she was destined to live the rest of her life on that icy ledge with two frozen bodies.
Chapter Twenty-one
It’d been five months since Regi found out who his father was, yet he was no closer to proving it. Whilst it was good to finally know the bastard’s name, he’ll never forgive his mother for keeping his identity a secret. As far as he was concerned, his mother had prioritized Milton’s wish of keeping their ongoing affair a secret over Regi’s continual requests to learn about the “sperm donor.” She’d chosen sides, and Regi had lost. And that hurt deep.
As ludicrous as her story was, everything made sense after he heard it. It explained how she could afford their home and her expensive drug habit. It explained why she often vanished at a moment’s notice, stating she was going on one work trip or another. It also explained why she’d hit rock bottom four years ago.
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