The Ultimate Seduction

Chapter Seven

Noah's day in Reno had been a long one, but very productive, and for that he couldn't complain, despite the disturbing details of Natalie's past he'd uncovered. After his flight had touched down in Oakland, he'd decided to swing by the office and update Cole on the information he'd discovered, and get his brother's input on Natalie's predicament.

Sitting in one of the chairs directly in front of Cole's desk, Noah told him what he'd learned from Natalie's ex-landlady, an older woman named Vivian who'd seemed genuinely fond of Natalie and concerned about her welfare. Once he'd shown proof of his identity as a private investigator and explained that Natalie's life was possibly in jeopardy, the woman had offered him a wealth of valuable information that had been incredibly helpful.

Now Noah passed on the details of their meeting to Cole. "While Natalie was attending college at the University of Nevada, Reno, she started dating a coed by the name of Chad Freeman," he said, recanting what the older woman had shared with him, while at the same time trying not to let the rage he'd experienced during the conversation with Vivian resurface again. "According to what the woman witnessed, the relationship started out well enough, but gradually she saw a change in Chad, who became more domineering and possessive of Natalie."

Cole rubbed a hand along his jaw as he considered…that information for a moment. "Did the landlady see any signs of abuse?"

Noah shook his head, though his stomach constricted at just how badly she'd been mistreated. "No, not physically. Vivian felt as though the relationship was more mentally abusive. There were times when she heard Chad's raised voice coming from Natalie's apartment, criticizing her, putting her down."

Despite Noah's best efforts, a spark of anger ignited deep inside of him. "Apparently, things turned ugly when Natalie took on a job as a showgirl at a casino to make some extra money. Chad couldn't handle it. They had an explosive argument in the hallway of the complex. He called her a whore for using her body to make money, and she finally broke off the relationship."

"Good for her," Cole said, his tone laced with disgust.

Noah's lips flattened into a grim line. "Unfortunately, Chad didn't appreciate being dumped and he stalked and threatened her for a few months, and finally attacked her one night after work."

"Holy shit." Cole sat up straighter in his seat. "Why didn't she contact the police to slap Chad with a restraining order?"

"I'm betting she was afraid of infuriating Chad even more, and she feared what he'd do in retribution for her involving the police." Noah also suspected it was a classic case of self-preservation that had prompted her to leave Reno. "I suppose it was easier for her to pack up and start over somewhere new than to stay and risk Chad attacking her again-which brings her here to Oakland."

Opening the case file he'd made for Natalie, Noah shuffled through a few pages of notes and came to a photo of a blond-haired man with his arm slung over Natalie's shoulder, his hold on her too tight and his smile too arrogant. A protective instinct flared hot and bright in Noah's veins. He hated that the creep had ever tainted Natalie with his touch.

Shaking off the animosity seeping into his blood, he passed the picture across the desk for Cole to take a look at. "Vivian gave me this picture that was sent to her a few years ago as their Christmas card. Unfortunately I didn't get a good-enough look at the guy in the baseball cap who was following us last weekend to identify that man as the one in the picture. But at least this gives us an idea of who we might be looking for."

Cole glanced from the photo to Noah. "You think it's Chad Freeman who's after her again?"

"It's the only thing that makes sense after everything I learned today." He rubbed a hand along the taut muscles in his neck and shoulder. "I also went to Freeman's previous place of employment and found out from the manager that he quit and moved about three weeks ago."

Cole's dark brows rose in interest as he handed back the photo. "Do I dare ask to where?"

Noah tucked the picture into the file for safekeeping. "Not surprisingly he talked about moving to San Francisco, though the manager wasn't sure if that's where he ended up. But I'm fairly positive that's exactly where Freeman is."

Cole released a long, heavy breath. "So am I."

The certainty in his brother's tone caused Noah to frown. "Do you know something I don't?"

"Yeah, I do," he replied in his normal, straightforward manner. "Melodie called me after she and Natalie got home from shopping today. It seems there was a guy at the restaurant where they had lunch who was watching Natalie from another table, and he eventually cornered her alone where the rest rooms were."

The fiery heat of rage roiled through Noah's blood, and it took a good deal of effort for him to keep it under control. "Did he hurt her?"

"No. She was just shaken up by the run-in. As soon as Mel arrived on the scene, the guy backed off, but Mel was pretty sure it wasn't a chance meeting. She said he was just too cocky and sure of himself with Natalie."

Noah clenched and unclenched his fists, feeling helpless that he hadn't been there to keep Natalie safe and protected. "Then Mel got a good-enough look at the guy to tell me if he was Chad?"

"Probably so," Cole said confidently. "According to her description, he had blond hair and hazel eyes, so I'm sure she'll be able to ID him with that photo."

"Then I need to talk to her," The sooner the better. He scooped up his folder and stood, anxious to be on his way and to see for himself that Natalie was okay and unharmed.

"Mel will tell you everything she knows." Cole stood, too, and walked Noah to the reception area of the offices. "What are you going to do from here?"

He glanced back at his brother, so very grateful that he had Cole's support. "I'm going to keep Natalie in my sight at all times and keep a lookout for Chad Freeman, because the bastard's likely closer than we all think."

And for all he knew, the deranged stalker knew exactly where Natalie was right now, and that she was staying with him. The thought twisted his stomach up in knots of fury and frustration.

"Are you going to show Natalie the picture of her and Chad?" Cole asked.

He'd considered that idea on the flight back to Oakland, but realized it didn't serve any real purpose to present her with something that might work her into a panic. Obviously, seeing Chad in person hadn't jogged her memory, so it was unlikely the photo would, either.

"No. She needs to remember her past on her own, and I'm not prepared or equipped to answer the questions that would undoubtedly crop up if I show her a photo of the man who confronted her today."

Cole nodded in silent agreement. "Watch yourself, Noah, and Natalie, too."

"I plan to."

"Did you get everything done today that you needed to?"

"Pretty much." Noah glanced over at Natalie, who was sitting in the passenger seat of his car as he drove them both back to his place. "Though I heard you had a rough afternoon."

Her head rolled against the back of her seat to look at him, a wry smile pulling up the corners of her mouth. "You've been talking to Melodie, I see."

"Guilty as charged."

When he'd arrived at Cole's to pick up Natalie, she'd been resting in the upstairs guest bedroom, which had given him a few moments alone with Melodie to find out what, exactly, had happened during their lunch. She'd identified the man in the photo as the guy who'd confronted Natalie, which had put up Noah's guard even more where his pretend fiancee was concerned.

He now said to Natalie, "She was worried about you after that incident with the guy who was eyeing you."

Her shoulders lifted in a shrug as if the incident were inconsequential, but she didn't completely pull off the show of bravado. "It was all very strange, really-"

Her voice trailed off on a note of confusion, but that didn't stop him from prompting her for more details. "Strange in what way?"

"The way he watched me while I was eating lunch, for one thing," she said, and visibly shuddered at the unpleasant memory. "His stare was just so- unnerving. And when I ran into him in the hallway leading to the rest rooms, the way he touched me gave me the creeps."

Every muscle in Noah's body grew tense, and his grip tightened around the steering wheel. "He touched you?"

"I dropped my purse and he picked it up and put the strap back on my shoulder," she explained. "His fingers kind of lingered against my neck."

He exhaled a slow stream of breath to keep calm. No doubt about it, Noah was going to kill the bastard when he finally found him.

"But what bothered me the most is that he acted as though he knew me, or like I should know him."

As casually as he could manage, he asked, "Did he look at all familiar to you?"

"I honestly don't know. I felt like I instinctively knew him somehow, but I definitely didn't feel comfortable around him. It was a weird contradiction I haven't been able to resolve in my mind." She sighed, the sound rife with uncertainties. "Then again, I think I've developed a case of paranoia along with this temporary amnesia."

He had proof that her apprehension was based in reality, so there was no way he was going to downplay the situation. Reaching across the console, he placed his hand over hers, giving it a comforting squeeze. "Do me a favor. If you ever see this guy again, let me know immediately."

She smiled at him. "You'll be the first to know."

Satisfied with that reassurance, Noah exited the freeway on the off-ramp and, after making certain they hadn't been followed, he headed toward home. They arrived minutes later, and he flicked on the house lights as they walked into the entryway.

"Boy, am I ever tense." Natalie raised her hands above her head and stretched her body like a lithe cat. "I think I'm going to go upstairs and take a bath before going to bed."

He clearly heard the invitation in her tone. "Go ahead. I need to check messages and give Bobby a call to discuss a case with him." Her lip puffed out in an adorable pout, and he knew the reason was because he wasn't following her upstairs. "I won't be long."

Closing the distance between them, she entwined her arms around his neck and aligned her curves to him in all the right, responsive places. "Promise?" she asked huskily, her gaze locked with his in a way he couldn't escape.

Not that he wanted to. She was a temptress, one he could no longer refuse. He knew what would happen once he climbed the stairs to his bedroom tonight, and he couldn't fight his feelings for her, or their mutual desire. The need to be an intrinsic part of her, emotionally and physically, was too strong to deny.

Especially after everything he'd learned today about her and her past.

"Yeah, I promise," he said, and lowered his head, capturing her mouth in a long, hot, deep kiss to back up his vow.

Once it was over, she gave him a triumphant smile and sashayed her way up the stairs. Halfway there, she glanced back down at him and caught him mesmerized by the slow, sexy sway of her hips.

She blew him a sweet kiss that found its way directly into his heart. "I'll be waiting for you."

It took monumental effort for him not to bound up the stairs and take her right then and there. Reminding himself that anticipation made for the best kind of sex, he headed to his office and settled behind his desk with Natalie's case file. He gave his notes a cursory glance once again because he wanted to memorize every single fact he'd unearthed of Natalie's past. The details would be useful in his investigation, and with Natalie, as well, when she finally regained her memory.

What threw him the most were the three very different, distinct personalities he'd discovered of Natalie over the past few days. He'd originally met a reserved woman at Murphy's, one who worked and studied hard, and didn't allow anyone to get too close. Now he understood why.

Today, he learned about the vulnerable woman caught up in a mentally abusive relationship that had undoubtedly cut down her self-esteem and made her more wary with men. A woman who'd chosen a solitary lifestyle over the warmth and passion that another intimate relationship could have provided. All because she feared her past would eventually catch up to her.

And now, at this very moment, waiting for him upstairs was a woman with incredible internal strength who was coping with the loss of her memory and making the best of an uncertain situation. Bypassing all the guarded caution she'd shown him before the accident, she now wore her emotions on her sleeve, openly trusting and believing in him. She didn't hold back her desire for him, either. She'd turned into a seductress, a blossoming woman giving into her sensuality and focusing it all on him.

Which was the real Natalie? The answer came easier than he expected. She was a fascinating combination of all three, yet there was still one facet of her personality left to reveal-the woman she would become when her memory returned and her life was no longer in danger. What kind of woman would she be when she finally realized that being with him was a lie, despite his honorable intentions to keep her safe from harm?

Closing her case file, he scrubbed a hand along his jaw, knowing that eventually the truth would surface. And when it finally did, he hoped she'd forgive him for not only fabricating their relationship, but for trampling across boundaries of appropriate behavior and falling headlong into deep personal waters.

Knowing there was nothing he could do about his growing feelings for Natalie but to accept them for the moment, he focused on business. It took him nearly an hour to return a few calls clients had left on his answering machine, and to talk to Bobby. He brought his "friend" up to date on Chad Freeman, and made a personal request to see if Bobby could find out any additional info on the man stalking Natalie. Specifically, a criminal record.

When he finally made his way upstairs and into his bedroom, he was stunned by the sexy vision that greeted him. He'd known from their conversation down in the foyer that she wanted to make love, and tonight he wasn't going to play hard to get or try to protect her virtue.

The damage had been done-she was his, and there was something to be said for the kind of intimate bond that developed between a man and woman during sex. He was ruthless enough to use carnal pleasures to touch her emotions, to steal her heart and make sure she realized how much he cared for her before the truth interfered with this idyllic relationship of theirs.

The woman lying on the bed, dressed in a silky nightgown that draped along her voluptuous curves and with a come-hither look in her eyes, had every intention of seducing him. Her hair spilled around her shoulders, beckoning him to sink his fingers into the textured softness, and a sexy, irresistible smile lifted the corners of her mouth. His groin tightened at the thought of making love to this gorgeous, sensual creature, to hear his name on her lips when she came-and he knew he'd sell his soul to be deep inside her body again.

Unstrapping the gun holster he was still wearing, he set his revolver and leather holder on his dresser, his gaze never leaving her stretched-out form on the bed. "You look incredible," he said huskily.

She looked immensely pleased with his compliment. "I did some shopping of my own today, and I thought of you when I tried this on. I couldn't resist."

Neither could he. Her nipples jutted against the silky material, the tips as diamond hard as the erection straining the fly of his jeans. "I like it, but you do know you won't be wearing it for long, don't you? I want skin-on-skin contact."

"You'll get that," she said, and caressed a hand over her silk-clad hip to her bare thigh, seemingly enjoying the sensation she created-while driving him crazy with curiosity about what she wore beneath the skimpy negligee. "First, though, we play."

He lifted a brow, falling hard for this spirited, shameless side to Natalie. He'd play with her any way she wanted. "What did you have in mind?"

"Something-erotic," she whispered naughtily as her lashes fell half mast over her slumberous gaze. "See that chair next to you?"

He finally broke eye contact with her and found the armless chair he usually kept in the far corner to toss his clothes over. Now it sat prominently in the middle of the room. "Yes, I see it."

She smiled. "I want you to take off your shoes and shirt and sit down on it."

He did as she asked, toeing off his sneakers, removing his socks and peeling his shirt over his head. Leaving his jeans on as directed, he lowered himself to the chair and waited for her to choreograph the next move.

She scooted off the bed and slowly strolled toward him, the hem of her gown flirting around her slender thighs, teasing his senses. Lust rippled through him, heightening to an excruciating hunger when she came to a stop a few feet away from him, prolonging his need to touch her.

She wet her lips with her tongue. "Can you see the closet mirrors and the mirror over the dresser?" she asked.

He glanced from the closet to the dresser, realizing just how strategically she'd placed his chair. He had an unobstructed view of the two of them, at different angles. "I see the mirrors." He swallowed thickly, in near pain at the throbbing pressure taking up residence in his pants. "And I see you and me reflected in them, too."

She smiled in satisfaction. "Perfect."

He tipped his head, going along with her charade. "And why's that?"

"I want to watch you when I make love to you sitting on that chair, and you'll get to do the same."

Hedonistic images projected in his mind, of the two of them intimately entwined in the heat of passion. He groaned, knowing the fantasy would soon become reality, with both of them being voyeurs to each other's pleasure, and their own.

"All you have to do is tell me what you want, and it's yours." Her fingers glided over the full swell of her breasts, then she toyed with the thin strap holding up her sexy gown. "Would you like me to strip for you?"

"No, not yet." Refusing her request tested his restraint, but he knew how one look at her naked body could make him rush headlong into a quick tryst. Tonight, he wanted to take his time with her, wanted to savor and enjoy her playful, uninhibited behavior. "Though I would like to know if you're wearing any panties."

"The negligee didn't come with any." She shrugged, feigning an innocence that turned him on even more. "Was I supposed to wear a pair?"

Undeniable excitement pulsed through him. "Sweetheart, I'll take you just the way you are, which makes it nice and convenient for me." He crooked a finger at her, inviting her closer. "I want you to come here and sit on my lap."

She glided across the space separating them, and instead of sitting sideways on his thighs like he expected, she settled her bottom against his groin and leaned her back against his naked chest. Looking into the mirror in front of him, he could easily see how her legs were positioned primly between his, with her feet flat on the floor and her knees locked together in a shy, modest manner that contradicted her vixen appearance and actions.

The back of her head came to rest on his shoulder, and she turned her face toward his, a sinful smile on her lips. "Is this okay?"

He settled his hands on her waist, just because he'd waited too long to touch her. And he wanted to make sure she stayed put. "It's not quite what I had in mind, but I'll make do." Wedging his feet in between hers, he draw her knees apart, spreading her legs wide open for him. The silky material of her gown draped along her thighs and covered all her feminine secrets, but not for long.

He buried his lips against the side of her neck, and moved them up to her ear. "Look in the mirror, Natalie," he said, and placed his hands on her thighs.

She obeyed, watching as he gradually slid the hem of her negligee upward until he'd exposed the soft, swollen lips of her sex. His entire body constricted with a sizzling stroke of heat, and he lightly ran his fingers through the dark blond curls covering her mound.

"Mmm, absolutely perfect," he said, his tone low and rough with arousal.

She squirmed restlessly on his lap, her breathing deepening. "Noah-touch me."

He knew what she wanted. Knew what she needed. But she'd been the one to suggest something erotic tonight, and he wasn't about to let her off so easily. "There's something incredibly exciting about watching a woman pleasuring herself," he murmured as he brushed his lips against her jaw and let his hands drift up her arms. "I want to watch you touch yourself. Everywhere."

Hooking his thumbs beneath the straps holding up her gown, he slid them over her shoulders and down her arms. The shimmery fabric pooled around her slim waist, revealing her taut, heavy breasts to both of their gazes. Her large, darkly flushed nipples pulled tight with desire. With her wanton and naked on his lap and with longing darkening her eyes, she was the very essence of feminine sexuality.

And she was all his.

"God, you're so damned beautiful," he murmured, in awe of her grace, elegance and sensuality. Taking her hands, he flattened her palms on her breasts and helped knead the supple flesh with their entwined fingers until she picked up a rhythm she liked best. She moaned in protest when his hands drifted away to let her take over on her own.

"Do whatever feels good," he coaxed, and groaned when she rolled the tips of her breasts between her fingers and pinched them just hard enough to make her breath catch and her back arch into her hands.

And that's all it took for her to lose herself in the provocative fantasy he'd spun and to embrace her body's restless needs, to satisfy the carnal cravings he knew had her so on edge. Her palms skimmed lower, and he watched, completely captivated, as her fingers fluttered along the inside of her splayed thighs, and finally delved through her damp curls and into her wet heat with a long, slow stroke that made her gasp, shudder, and come apart.

Her head fell back, and a soft, wrenching cry escaped her throat as her orgasm hit, hard and intense. Her hips rocked into her fingers, and her bottom rubbed against his rock-hard erection, forcing him to grit his teeth to keep from coming with her.

Giving her a few moments to float down from her high, he brushed his lips along her flushed cheek and gently fondled her breasts to maximize her pleasure until the last of the shock waves rippling through her body receded. Finally, she went lax against him, her lashes fluttered back open, and she met his gaze in the mirror with a lazy, replete smile.

Turning her head to look up at him, she lifted a hand and trailed her fingers along his jaw. "My plan was to have my way with you."

Catching her wrist in a gentle hold, he brought her hand to his mouth so he could deliberately nibble and lick the taste of her off her fingers. "Here's your chance," he murmured with a wicked grin. "Finish undressing me."

Obeying his request, she slid to the floor in front of him. She removed her gown, tossed it aside, and pushing his knees open, she moved in between. Slowly, deliberately, she eased the tab of his zipper down and over the thick shaft stretching tight the front of his jeans, then she grasped the waistband and pulled both his pants and briefs down his legs and off, leaving him just as naked as she was.

Wetting her lips with her tongue as if he were a sensual feast she was about to devour, she encircled his hard length with her soft, slender fingers and squeezed his erect flesh. A drop of pre-come appeared, and she used her thumb to spread the silky bead of moisture over the broad tip of his penis and along the ridge of his shaft. His stomach muscles flexed, his cock pulsed in response, and a lustful groan rumbled in his chest, encouraging her to continue.

The sweetest, most seductive smile appeared on her lips. "Now it's your turn to watch," she said, and took him into her mouth.

He sucked in a swift breath as the overwhelming sensations of slick heat and electrifying pleasure overwhelmed him. With effort, he dragged his gaze back to the mirror, taking in the woman kneeling in front of him and the erotic vision he was a part of. As she swayed forward to take him deeper, her hair swept across her cheek, blocking his view. Caught up in the fantasy she'd created, he gathered the soft strands into his fist and drew it away from her face, giving him an unobstructed view of her making love to him in such a generous way.

The last time she'd pleasured him, he'd believed it was all a lascivious dream. Now he enjoyed every bit of reality-of having her soft lips surrounding him, mouth suckling, and her wet tongue lapping and swirling from the base of his shaft, all the way up to the sensitized tip- until his climax sizzled just below the surface and the exquisite stimulation was too much for him to bear.

Groaning roughly, he tightened his fingers in her hair and pulled her away. She glanced up at him with dark eyes that questioned his reasons for stopping her when it was clear she would have gladly taken him all the way.

"I want to be inside of you when I come," he said, the answer coming from the depths of his soul, the longing to be buried in her tight heat and warmth both an emotional and physical need. "Straddle my waist and ride me, Natalie."

She reached over to the dresser and grabbed the small square packet she must have put there before he arrived. She quickly sheathed him with the condom, then stood, widening her stance and moving over his thighs so she could sit astride his lap. With her hands gripping his shoulders and him guiding his shaft into her body, she slowly lowered herself, taking him inch by excruciating inch, until she was completely seated on his thighs and he was buried to the hilt.

She sighed but didn't move, and he understood the need to savor the moment, the perfection of their joining, the utter closeness, and the way she clasped him so tightly. Opening his mouth against her throat, he lazily licked her skin and dragged his hands down her smooth back. Once he reached her bottom, he pulled her tighter, deeper against him.

She gasped and arched, and he moved his hands to her lush breasts, pushing them up high so he could take them into his mouth. He laved her nipples, grazed them with his teeth and parted his lips to take as much of her as he could. Her fingers speared through his hair to hold him close, and he suckled her, hard and strong. With a broken whimper she began to move on him, hips gyrating, body rocking rhythmically, and he let her set the pace.

He lifted his head and caught their reflection, their bodies naked and entwined in the throes of passion. "Look in the mirror, Natalie, and watch as we make love," he urged huskily.

She did, her eyes a smoky shade of blue as she met his gaze in the mirror, then took in their intimate position. Her lips were parted as she panted for breath, her face flushed from arousal, and he strummed his fingers from her shoulder to her waist, causing her to shiver in response.

He couldn't wait much longer, and wanted her to be with him when he came. "Send us both over the edge," he rasped, and bucked upward, prompting her to move as well.

She picked up his rhythm, matching him thrust for thrust, and the pleasure between them grew, driving them both higher. A desperate, keening sound escaped her as the heat and friction escalated. Seemingly needing more, she wrapped one arm around his neck, aligning their bodies from chest to groin, and used her other hand to frame his face as she lowered her head and captured his mouth in a deep, hot, tongue-tangling kiss that mimicked the fast, hard, frantic mating of their bodies.

The intensity was too great, the tumult of emotions he harbored for this woman too overwhelming, and Noah felt himself falling headlong into a searing orgasm that ripped through him like an electrical shock. And then she was moaning into his mouth, and he felt her convulsing around his shaft, milking him, shuddering with the force of her own release as she gave herself over to him in every way that mattered.

Natalie woke up in the middle of the night with a start, her body flinching as if someone had physically jolted her awake. Her heart pounded hard in her chest and she was trembling from the inside out. It took her a moment to realize that she was safe in bed with Noah, and that being chased through dark alleys to a dead-end street had all been a bad dream.

A very realistic dream, she couldn't help but acknowledge, one that had taken on nightmarish qualities that even now, despite being fully aware of her safe surroundings, made her shudder. The man in her dream who'd chased her had taken on the face of the guy who'd been watching her at the restaurant the day before, and that in itself bothered her. She'd been running desperately, trying to escape him. The fear she'd experienced in her dream had been distinct and stifling, and continued even now as she tried to make sense of it all.

Unbidden, a brief image flashed in her mind, of walking beside Noah and her being pursued by the same man in her dream. More disjointed glimpses appeared, of her fleeing Noah's embrace in a panic. Blindly running across the street. Hearing the slam of brakes and the sickening impact of being hit by a car.

Then she remembered nothing else, though those images felt real and familiar. She tried to conjure more recollections, something that would better explain what she'd envisioned, but all she got for her effort was more fragmented pieces to add to the already complex puzzle in her mind.

There was no doubt that she was recalling flashes of her accident, and she couldn't help but wonder if the man she'd seen at the restaurant had a link to her past somehow. And what if he wasn't only a part of her nightmare, but was connected to her reality, as well? She desperately wanted to remember details, but a part of her was also afraid of knowing the truth for fear that the sense of security she'd come to know with Noah might shatter, leaving her to flounder all on her own.

Doubts and uncertainties mingled with the other disturbing emotions her dream had evoked, and she huddled beneath the warm weight of the blankets, as if the covers could protect her from the oppressive thoughts and haunting visions tumbling through her head.

Noah shifted beside her, his hand absently sliding across the strip of cool sheet separating them. A frown furrowed his brow, and he blinked his eyes open. His expression relaxed when their gazes met in the shadowed darkness, an intimate, soothing connection that instantly eased the tension from her body.

"Natalie?" he murmured sleepily, and came up on his arm to get a better look at her, which caused the sheet to fall to his lean waist. He must have sensed her distress, because concern flashed across his expression. "Honey, are you okay?"

The man had the uncanny ability to know when she needed him the most. His presence. His internal strength. And his intuitive ability to calm her when she felt so close to falling apart. "I had a bad dream," she told him, and heard the quiver in her own voice.

"Want to tell me about it?" he asked.

No, she really didn't, mainly because there was so much she didn't understand, and she suspected she'd look like an idiot trying to explain what she, herself, couldn't make sense of. So, she gave him a brief summary, just enough to satisfy his curiosity. "The only thing I can remember is being chased by a man, and I couldn't escape him." And she was so grateful that she'd woken up before he'd captured her, because she didn't want to think about what fate he might have had in store for her.

Awareness glimmered in his gaze, making her wonder if he knew the significance of her dream. Then he lifted the covers, beckoning her to his side of the bed. "C'mere and let me hold you," he whispered.

She couldn't refuse something so elemental, the need to be held and comforted. She scooted over to him, welcoming the shelter of his arms surrounding her. Snuggling close to his warm, naked body, she draped her thigh over his and rested her head on his chest. She inhaled deeply, and the male scent of him soothed her frazzled nerves and relaxed her, as did the absent way his hand stroked along her side and over the curve of her waist.

"Are you sure you're ready to go back to work tomorrow night?" he asked a few minutes later, his tone low and gruff.

His question didn't surprise her, because she knew how much he objected to her returning to work so quickly after the accident. She glanced up at him, taking in his gorgeous features, that sexy mouth that could curve into an irresistible grin as well as do incredible, wicked things to her body. "Is there a valid reason why I shouldn't?"

He looked mildly annoyed with her argument. "You know I think it's too soon, and after what happened at the restaurant this afternoon with that guy, I'm thinking you might need more time."

And she'd use that time to sit at home and contemplate what she couldn't remember. Ugh. "We've already talked about this, Noah. I have to go back, for me." She refused to be a victim to unexplainable fears, and she needed to move forward with her life, despite her memory loss. "I feel good physically, and it's only for a few hours."

He sighed, the release of breath ruffling her hair. "You know I had to ask."

"Yeah, I know." Stifling a grin, she placed a kiss on his jaw then laid her head back on his chest, amused by his attempt to be gruff when she knew he was as soft as a marshmallow inside. His caring and tender attitude toward her was what she adored about him, despite how overbearing he could be at times. No wonder she'd fallen in love with him and agreed to be his wife.

Love. The word resonated in her chest, filling it full with the rich, precious emotion, along with the security of belonging to someone else.

It was the first time she'd thought of Noah in terms of love since being diagnosed with her amnesia, but the sentiment felt perfectly right, as did being a part of Noah's life.

She sighed, and cuddled closer, so very grateful that at least her relationship with him, and their future together, was something she could believe in and trust. Grateful, too, that this incredible man made her feel so safe and secure when everything else seemed so muddled and uncertain.