The Ultimate Seduction

Chapter Ten

Less than an hour later, Noah shrugged out of his formal jacket, tossed it onto the chair in the corner of his bedroom and locked gazes with the woman who made him hard with wanting. "Have I told you how incredibly sexy you look in that dress you're wearing?"

With a sensual smile curving her lips, she closed the distance between them, tugged his bow tie loose and dropped it to the floor. Then she started in on the buttons of his dress shirt, her warm lips kissing each inch of skin she bared. "Yeah, you have, and I do believe you made mention of wondering what I'm wearing beneath it, too."

"So I did," he said huskily, helping her as she pushed his shirt off his shoulders, down his arms and off. "Is that an invitation to find out?"

Laving one of his nipples with the flat of her tongue, she unbuckled his belt, pulled his zipper carefully over his enormous erection, and let his trousers fall to pool around his bare feet. His briefs followed, which he promptly kicked aside, leaving him completely naked while she remained fully dressed.

"Consider it an invitation, a dare, a challenge."

She knelt in front of him, her palms sliding down his hair-roughened thighs as she went. "I'm game for any or all three."

He chuckled at her playful reply, then groaned as she wrapped her fingers around his aching shaft and stroked him from base to tip, drawing a bead of clear fluid from the head of his penis. Pulling the clip from her hair, he tangled his fingers in the spill of silky strands and dared her to indulge in a more carnal intimacy.

He watched his fantasy unfold as her lashes drifted shut, her lips parted, and she enveloped him in the wet heat and suction of her mouth. She teased him with her tongue, drawing him deeper still, and when she moaned in the back of her throat, the sound vibrated along his shaft and threatened his control.

Effortlessly, she'd taken over the reins of tonight's seduction. She pushed him to the brink, testing his restraint not once, but twice, before she finally stopped, leaving him full and throbbing for release. Refusing to go there without her along for the ride, he pulled her back up and captured her mouth with his, taking over with a challenge of his own.

Their tongues tangled and mated as he tugged the sleeves of her dress all the way down her arms. With a helpful shimmy of her hips, the sweater material slid the rest of the way off her body. When he finally stepped back and looked his fill of her, standing there in a strapless bra, barely there string-bikini panties and silky thigh-high stockings, the first thought that filled his mind was that she was a sexy centerfold come to life. His own personal playmate to enjoy and devour.

"This was definitely worth waiting for," he murmured appreciatively.

Dipping his head, he traced the full swells of her lush breasts with his tongue while reaching behind her to release the catch on her bra. The garment fell to the floor, and he latched onto a taut nipple, suckling her as his name tumbled from her lips. He cupped her other breast in his palm, fondling the warm, resilient flesh until the dual assault had her body twisting against him and her fingers digging into the muscles of his back.

He straightened, and with a hot, deep kiss he guided her back toward the foot of the bed and onto the center of the mattress. He didn't join her just yet, too enthralled by the sight of her lying there. Her blond hair haloed her head, her breasts rose and fell with each deep breath she took, those insubstantial panties covered her feminine secrets, and the provocative stockings encased her long, slender limbs.

Hooking his fingers beneath the thin strings at the sides of her panties, he dragged the damp scrap of fabric down her legs while his lips pressed hot, moist, openmouthed kisses up her thighs. His tongue tasted, his teeth marked her, and she writhed and moaned under his ministrations.

Once her underwear was off, she automatically opened her stocking-clad legs, issuing him the final invitation to come inside her. He did, using his tongue and fingers to make love to her and take her to the edge of orgasm. Again and again, he teased and tormented her with the promise of an explosive climax, just as she'd done to him.

When he was confident that she was primed for him and a few strokes away from release, he rolled on a condom and knelt between her legs. But instead of driving into her as she seemed to expect, he shoved a pillow beneath her bottom, raising her pelvis higher, and draped her thighs over his so that his pulsing cock nestled against the warmth and dewy wetness of her sex.

She looked up at him, a sultry smile on her lips. "You have a thing for pillows, don't you."

"It gives me better leverage, and deeper access." His hand smoothed down her fiat belly and his thumb pressed against her swollen clitoris, making her groan and grip the covers at her sides. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all. I'm all yours, to do with as you please." She dampened her bottom lip with her tongue and asked, "Aren't you going to take off my stockings?"

"No, I don't think I am." His other hand trailed over the strip of bare skin where the lacy bands of her stockings ended, and his stomach muscles constricted in restraint. "I find the contrast of sheer black nylon against your pale, creamy flesh highly erotic."

She blinked lazily, sensually. "You make me feel erotic."

Aching to be inside her, he guided the head of his shaft between her slick folds, found her opening and pushed forward, watching as she took the entire length of him. She made a small sound of pleasure as he buried himself to the hilt, though he didn't move or thrust, just savored the heat and tightness and wonder of being such an intimate part of her.

Keeping his finger on that pulsing nub of flesh at the hood of her sex, he lifted his gaze to hers. Now that he was inside her, he didn't want their lovemaking to end, though he knew it was inevitable. But before he sent them both soaring, he needed to know what was going through her mind, what was happening in her heart.

"What else do I make you feel?" he murmured, arousing her all over again with the slow, slick slide of his fingers.

"Desired," she whispered breathlessly, moving against him in an instinctive motion that drew him deeper. "And cherished."

Unable to hold off any longer, done tormenting them both, he gave her body what it craved, using a firm, seductive touch to make her unravel. He watched her beautiful expression as she came, savoring her soft cries of completion, determined to devote everything about this passionate moment, this woman, to memory, and praying she did the same.

Before the contractions ebbed completely, he moved over her, pressing her deeper into the mattress with the weight of his body, and the heavy, rhythmic glide of his thrusts. He entwined their fingers at the side of her head and she locked her heels at the base of his spine, the tilted angle of her hips granting him deeper penetration and greater friction.

She gasped as he pumped harder, higher, and he watched ecstasy play across her features as yet another orgasm convulsed through her. She quivered beneath him, her inner muscles tightening around his length, milking him with exquisite spasms and coaxing him over that razor-sharp edge of pleasure with her. Arching into her one last time, he tossed his head back with a low, primal growl and gave himself over to the branding heat and scorching climax that jolted down his spine and rocketed through his veins.

Utterly drained, he lowered himself fully on top of her, heartbeat to heartbeat, and kissed her tenderly, deeply, loathe to separate their bodies and shatter the cocoon of intimacy that was theirs alone to share. Possibly, for the very last time.

Minutes later, he lifted his head and smoothed her hair away from her face. "Are you okay?"

A soft smile curved her lips. "Mmm, never better." Her fingers touched his jaw, his lips, and she suddenly grew very serious. "I love you," she whispered, the truth of her emotions shining bright in her eyes, along with a wealth of trust that he didn't deserve. "I just needed to say the words out loud."

His chest tightened in response, and he swallowed hard. "I love you, too," he said, unable to deny what was in his own heart, as well.

She brought his mouth back to hers, sealing the profound moment with a slow, languid kiss that made both of their bodies quicken with renewed desire. And as Noah proceeded to make love to her again, he couldn't help but wonder what this night, and their declarations, would cost them both come the morning when he revealed the truth.

Noah had never been so afraid of losing anything in his entire life. From a very early age he'd learned to guard his thoughts and feelings, protect his emotions from potential pain, and form no attachments other than to his immediate family.

He'd broken every single one of those rules with Natalie, who'd gotten under his skin and filled an emptiness in him he hadn't even known existed until her. And for the first time ever, he wanted a woman in his life permanently, was willing to risk everything to give up his solitary lifestyle and make a forever kind of commitment to Natalie, who was just as much of a lost and lonely soul as he'd been.

But first the truth between them beckoned.

Uncertainties and doubts attacked Noah's empty stomach, invading his system like angry bees, making him all too aware of everything Natalie stood to lose, too. Inhaling a steady breath, he squeezed his eyes shut, dipped his head beneath the hot, harsh spray of water in the shower, and tried to wash away his misgivings about their upcoming conversation.

She'd told him she loved him, and while last night he'd rejoiced in the declaration, now a small, insecure part of him couldn't stop analyzing her revelation. Did she truly love him, or did she only believe she loved him because of her amnesia and their intimate situation?

He was so damned torn and confused, he couldn't think straight. He craved time and distance to clear his head and figure out the best way to tell her the truth-that their relationship was all a fabrication that started out as a way to protect her, and ended up with him so emotionally involved he knew he'd never be the same again. No matter the outcome of their discussion.

Shutting off the shower, he dried off with a towel and quietly got dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, then socks and sneakers. He walked over to the bed where Natalie was still sleeping and took in her disheveled hair and content expression, knowing he was responsible for both. He leaned down and brushed a soft kiss across her cheek, watching as she blinked her eyes open and looked up at him with a frown.

"What are you doing out of bed and dressed?" she asked, her disappointment plain.

"It's nine-thirty, sleepyhead," he said with a smile. "Do you plan on staying in bed all day long?"

"Maybe, if you'll consider joining me." Grinning shamelessly, she stretched her lithe body, uncaring of the covers that fell to her waist and revealed her naked breasts.

It took every ounce of control he possessed to resist her very tempting offer to spend the day in bed with her and forget about the real world. He straightened and thrust his fingers into the front pockets of his jeans to keep from touching her warm, supple skin and luscious curves."How about I go out and get us some pastries and lattes for breakfast?"

"Mmm," she said, the one word a provocative, come-hither purr in her throat. "I could handle that."

"Great." He took a step back, then another, fighting his body's desires with the need to make things right with her before they made love again. "I'll be back in about half an hour," he promised, and then he was gone.

Natalie lay in bed, listening to the sound of Noah's light footsteps heading down the stairs to the foyer. She heard him stop there to set the silent house alarm before leaving to pick up breakfast. A small smile touched her lips at his protective nature, though now that she knew why he was taking extra precautions with her safety, she appreciated his attendveness.

She heard his car back out of the driveway, then an overwhelming silence settled over the house, along with the realization that she didn't like being alone. After a week of constantly being surrounded by people, she felt a bit uneasy being companionless. Which was ridiculous, she knew, since she clearly couldn't spend the rest of her life with a bodyguard attached to her side.

Yet it seemed by Noah's reserved behavior this morning and his restless desire to get out of the house that he needed a reprieve, even if it was a brief one. In a way she understood. Last night had been so emotionally intense, a surrender of hearts and souls in a way that felt like the very first time for her. She'd been thrown by the depth of her feelings for Noah and hadn't been able to hold back the declaration that had felt so perfectly right.

Yet for as much as he'd returned her sentiment, there had been a few times she'd sensed uncertainties within him, as if something deep and personal was going on in his mind that he wasn't ready or willing to divulge just yet. Then again, there was always the possibility that she might be reading too much into her own insecurities.

With a sigh, she got out of bed and padded to the bathroom. After taking care of personal business, she brushed her teeth and changed into her drawstring pants and a loose, comfy T-shirt. Just as she finished combing out the tangles in her hair, the sound of shattering glass downstairs made her jump, and her heart accelerated to a hard, pounding beat.

Startled, and certain Noah had returned and accidentally broken something, she dropped the brush on the vanity and started out of the bedroom and down the stairs.

"Noah?" she called, and came to an abrupt halt when she saw that the glass from one of the windows flanking the front door was scattered on the floor in the entryway. The door was ajar, and the morning breeze wafted indoors. The cool air caused goose bumps to rise on her flesh, contradicting the hot prickle of unease invading her entire body.

Her gaze shot to the security system on the wall. The red light on the alarm panel flashed, indicating the silent alarm had been set off. Noah wasn't home, and someone had obviously broken into the house.

The phone rang, the loud, jangling noise breaking through the silence and Natalie's paralyzed nerves. Praying it was Noah, or even the security company, she leapt over the shattered glass on the floor, ran into the kitchen and grabbed the portable unit. Before she could connect the call a familiar male figure appeared on the other side of the counter and ripped the phone line from the wall, leaving her with a dead unit in her hand.

She screamed in fright and stumbled back a few steps. Terror gripped her as she stared at the man who'd been stalking her-her ex-boyfriend, according to Noah. A man who obviously had no qualms about breaking and entering to get what he wanted. And what he wanted was her.

Oh, God.

An arrogant smile lifted his lips. "Hello, Natalie," he said, though he didn't make any move toward her. The counter between the family room and kitchen still separated them, but his presence emanated an underlying animosity she felt to her bones.

Shaking from the inside out, she curled her fingers tight around the receiver in her hand to keep her grounded. "Ch-Ch-Chad," she stammered, surprised that her vocal chords worked.

He lifted a blond brow, looking immensely pleased at her recollection. "You finally remember me. I was beginning to think that your amnesia, and Noah's influence on you, had permanently erased me from your memory."

His voice was low and tinged with malevolence.

Disjointed memories flashed in her mind, of Chad's face twisted with fury and a temper to match. And then the recollection crystallized. She'd been the victim of that rage before-it was what had caused her to leave Chad and start a new life here in Oakland.

She was stunned by the memory, and terrified by Chad's irrational frame of mind and what he was capable of doing to her. "Get out, now," she ordered adamantly.

"We'll be leaving together this time," he said, too calmly. "Do you know how long I've been waiting to catch you alone? It hasn't been easy with your watchdog by your side at all times."

Refusing to turn her back on him, she took a step back, then another, edging closer to her only means of escape-a framed threshold leading to the formal dining room and the stairs that headed up to the second level of the house. She thought of Noah's revolver in the bedroom upstairs, and knew that it was her best source of defense against this deranged man.

But she had to get to the weapon first.

"You'll always be mine, Natalie," Chad said possessively, drawing her full attention back to him.

Her chest tightened as his familiar words sank in. They were the same as the words she'd read on the card that had accompanied the bouquet she'd received at the hospital. Noah hadn't sent her those flowers, she realized. Chad had.

"You never should have left me," he chided as he moved around the counter, his steps deceptively slow and unhurried, his gaze dark and direct. "Did you really think that I wouldn't be able to find you? And I can't believe that your lover thought that I couldn't get to you, just because you were locked in his house. You're mine, and this time I'm not letting you go."

He was too close, too dangerous, and she'd had enough. Taking advantage of the only weapon and distraction she had available to her, she pitched the phone in her hand at Chad's head. The unit hit its mark, striking him in the temple. He grabbed his head and howled in pain, and she turned and ran through the opposite doorway and up the stairs, desperate to get to Noah's gun.

Once she'd made it to the master bedroom, she shut and locked the door. She bolted over to the dresser and rummaged through the drawer where he kept his revolver, her heart beating in time with the heavy, angry footsteps of Chad coming up the stairs.

She tossed Noah's cotton undershirts onto the floor in her frantic search, and a sob of despair caught in her throat when she realized that the gun was gone. He must have donned it this morning, though for the life of her she couldn't remember him wearing his holster, which didn't mean much. She'd grown so used to the weapon being a part of him that she hardly noticed it anymore.

But the fact remained that the gun was gone, and she was trapped upstairs with a crazed man after her.

The bedroom door rattled as Chad tried to kick in the sturdy wooden panel, spurring Natalie to find another means of defense. She'd gone through two other drawers for something sharp or blunt to use when the door cracked and splintered from the force of Chad's repeated blows, then crashed open.

She jumped back with a gasp, while he stood there in the doorway, the cut near his temple oozing blood down the side of his face. His features were filled with violent rage.

Fear swelled within her. "I'm expecting Noah back any minute," she blurted out, hoping and praying it was true. "I suggest you leave before he returns."

Chad strolled into the room, seemingly unfazed by her threat. "Ahh, Noah, your fiance," he drawled in a chilly tone, and smirked. "Do you really believe that lie he told you?"

She shook her head in confusion as she backed toward the far side of the room to keep distance between them. Knowing conversation was her best stall tactic until she could figure out an escape, she asked, "What he?"

"The two of you aren't engaged." He waved an impatient hand in the air. "I've been watching you long enough to know that the two of you weren't ever an item, at least not before the night of your accident."

His comment rippled through her mind, and denial rose fast and furiously. Of course she and Noah were engaged! They lived together. She'd given him her body, her soul. She loved him.

But along with that denial came snippets of conversations she'd had with Noah, of him skirting the issue of their engagement, no ring on her finger, no wedding date set, and no straightforward answers to the many questions she'd asked about them as a couple.

More vague images appeared in her head-Noah at the bar, talking and flirting with her, walking out with her the night of the accident, and her playfully fending off his flirtatious advances. They'd been friends, acquaintances, nothing more. The memories were fresh and real and gave her no choice but to believe Chad's words.

She and Noah weren't engaged.

The truth crashed over her in waves, shaking the very foundation of her relationship with Noah, which in essence had been nothing more than an affair. No wonder so much hadn't made sense to her.

"I thought you'd finally changed," Chad went on bitterly, touching her personal items on the dresser, taking a whiff from her perfume bottle before continuing toward her. "But being the slut that you are, you moved in with him, slept with him and now you're his whore."

Whore. She winced, remembering Chad cursing her with that exact word the night he'd attacked her after work in Reno.

He'd claimed she was a tramp for using her body as a showgirl, and he didn't like other men looking at her, lusting after her. Memories of her tumultuous past with Chad deluged her mind, overwhelming her-memories she would have been happy to keep suppressed. But this confrontation triggered a release of recollections she couldn't stop or escape.

Swallowing the whimper of panic rising to the surface, she kept inching backward, until her spine pressed up against the wall and she found herself cornered by Chad and the king-size bed to her left.

Knowing she was trapped, Chad continued to approach her like a savage animal anticipating pouncing on his prey. "I've had enough of watching you with him. Now I'm going to take back what's mine."

Her chance of escape was slim, but she wasn't going to let Chad bully her anymore. She refused to be a victim any longer, refused to allow this man any power over her mind or body-as he'd had in her past.

Resolute and more determined than she'd ever been before, she sprinted to the left and dove for the bed so she could scramble across the mattress. She made it halfway across before she felt a large hand clamp around her ankle and yank her back. She flipped over just as Chad started to move on top of her, his intent clear.

He was going to assault her.

And she was going to fight for her life, without remorse or hesitation. Just as he let go of her ankle, she kicked, hard, and aimed high. Her foot connected with his jaw with a loud crack, and his head snapped back from the impact. Her other foot landed in the middle of his chest, knocking him off balance and giving her the reprieve she needed to get the hell away from him.

"Goddamn whore!" he bellowed furiously, the agony of her dual attack radiating in his eyes.

She rolled away from him and off the bed. As soon as her feet hit the floor she was running out the door and down the stairs. He was seconds behind her, cursing her and promising retribution every step of the way. Before she could reach the foyer and front door, shards of glass be damned, he grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her to an abrupt stop.

She yelped in pain but didn't stop moving, her arms swinging, hands punching, and legs and feet striking any body part she came in contact with. They stumbled into the living room, and she kicked him in the shin, expecting his instant reflexes to cause him to let her go.

No such luck. Another explicit curse filled the air and he shoved her down onto the floor between the couch and coffee table, pinning her there with the weight of his body. He straddled her thighs, taking away any chance she might have had to knee him in the groin.

She wanted to scream in frustration but didn't waste her energy on something that would be of no help to her predicament.

He stared down at her, his nostrils flaring with each labored breath he took. "I'm going to take what's mine. Right here. Right now."

"Go to hell," she said through gritted teeth. "You're nothing but a hypocrite! You call me a whore, yet you have no qualms about using my body to slake your lust!"

He clenched his swollen jaw and narrowed his gaze to tiny slits. "It doesn't matter. You're used goods, anyway."

Grabbing the neckline of her shirt, he ripped it right down the middle, exposing her breasts encased in a thin cotton bra. She fought to fend him off, then ceased her struggles when she caught sight of the bronze statue on the coffee table next to her. As much as it revolted her, she let his hands grope her and didn't issue a protest when his mouth touched down on the upper slope of one breast.

Swallowing the nausea rolling in her belly, she sank her fingers into his hair in the pretense of enjoying his kisses, feigned a sigh of surrender and reached for the bronze statue. As soon as her fingers curled around the cool metal she jerked Chad's head back and bashed the statue against the side of his head. The first hit merely dazed him. The second strike rendered him unconscious.

He slumped on top of her, and with a deep sob she immediately shoved him off and crawled away from his lifeless form, the statue still clutched in her hand. She pressed her back up against the wall just as the sound of a vehicle skidded to a stop in the driveway. Seconds later, two uniformed police officers charged into the house, guns drawn-no doubt sent by the security company when she hadn't answered the phone.

They took one look at her ripped shirt and devastated expression, coupled with the man crumpled on the floor, and came to all the right conclusions. They made sure she was physically unharmed, then proceeded to take care of Chad, locking him in cuffs and rendering him immobile so he'd be no threat when he gained consciousness.

As they called for backup and an ambulance for Chad, Natalie buried her face in her hands. She finally broke down, allowing her emotions and tears to flow freely and releasing the fear, anxiety and pain she'd kept bottled up inside of her for too long.

But mostly, she wept for the empty future without Noah that awaited her after today. She understood now that their relationship had been based on a lie, a fabrication she'd fallen for, deeply and irrevocably, when in reality she'd been merely a responsibility for Noah. He'd taken her into his home to protect her from Chad since she couldn't recall her past, and she'd fallen for the protective ruse. But Noah had never truly been hers. Their relationship, his family, the sense of belonging she'd experienced-it had all been a false sense of security that had now been shattered by the return of her memory.

Despite his tale that they were engaged, she couldn't blame Noah for the affair they'd had, since she'd been the one to allow her own suppressed needs and desires to blossom and take flight. She'd tempted and teased him, instigating those first few erotic encounters and ultimately seducing him into making love to her.

She'd just had no idea how intimately involved her heart, body and soul would become with Noah-in a way she'd never given to another man. And while she harbored no regrets for loving him, neither did she expect him to make her promises of forever. As she now remembered, he'd been a confirmed bachelor before her memory loss, a man who enjoyed his freedom and carefree, uncomplicated lifestyle.

And she was a woman who'd never let a man as close as she'd allowed Noah, for fear of losing her sense of self, as she almost had with Chad. The amnesia had loosened her inhibitions and left her much too vulnerable to love. To Noah.

She swiped at the moisture beneath her eyes and on her cheeks and shored up her resolve. With her memory back and the crisis of being stalked over, it was time for her to move on and start out fresh-no matter how much she dreaded a life without Noah.

Chapter Eleven

The moment Noah pulled into his driveway and saw a patrol car and ambulance parked in front of his house, fear nearly strangled him. He jumped out of his vehicle and ran.

The broken window next to the front door and the shards of glass crunching beneath his sneakered feet as he bolted into the foyer sickened him, adding to his anxiety and dread that Chad had finally gotten to Natalie.

In his living room, he came across the paramedics strapping Chad to a cot, and Noah's stomach lurched when he caught sight of the blood on the other man's face, and his lifeless form. His gaze frantically swept the general area for Natalie, and his chest tightened with apprehension when he didn't find her.

Where in the hell was she? Had they already taken her away in a separate ambulance? Or, God forbid, had she been fatally hurt?

Desperate to know something before he went insane with worry, he grabbed the arm of a passing EMT, and the young man looked up at him in startled surprise. Now that Noah had the technician's attention, he released him.

"Where's the woman?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

The man hooked a finger toward the adjoining room. "She's in the kitchen with the police."

"Thank you," he muttered, and strode into the kitchen, instantly finding her sitting at the table in the corner nook with two police officers taking her statement. Relief at seeing her alive mingled with a stabbing pain in the vicinity of Noah's heart as he took in her disheveled hair, puffy eyes and the dried tears streaking her cheeks. Her shirt was torn, and she was holding it together with one hand.

Guilt swamped him, making him weak in the knees. She'd been attacked, and he hadn't been there to protect her. The realization hit him like a swift punch to his gut. He knew what Chad was capable of and had sworn to keep Natalie safe, yet he'd left her alone and vulnerable to the other man.

Would she ever forgive him for being so careless with her life?

Natalie glanced beyond the police officers in front of her, her eyes widening when she saw him standing there. Both men followed her line of vision, and perceiving Noah as a threat, they placed a hand on their holstered weapons and narrowed their shrewd gazes on him.

"Who are you?" one of the blue-uniformed men asked.

Noah raised his hands, making sure that the officers saw that he was carrying a revolver beneath his untucked shirt so it didn't come as a surprise to them later. "I'm the owner of the house, and Natalie is my fiancee."

"Are you Licensed to carry a concealed weapon?" the other officer demanded.

"Yes, sir." Very slowly, Noah withdrew his wallet, showing the men his identification and his P.I. badge. "Can I have a few moments alone with her, please?"

Still skeptical, one of the officers asked Natalie, "Do you know him, ma'am?"

She nodded jerkily, apparently still in shock from all that had happened. "Yes, I do. I'll be fine with him."

As soon as the two men exited the kitchen, Noah pulled Natalie up from the chair and wrapped her in his arms. He felt the steady beat of her heart against his chest and absorbed the warmth of her body, the scent of her skin. Then he pulled back and searched her face, needing confirmation that she was unharmed, despite the harrowing way things looked.

"Did Chad hurt you in any way?" he asked, his muscles tensing at the possibility.

"Mostly, he just scared me," she said softly, and managed a slight smile, though her body language was too guarded with him compared to her open, candid personality of the past week.

She sat back down and smoothed her tousled hair away from her face. "Did you happen to get a look at Chad?" she asked, a teasing inflection in her tone. "He's in worse shape than I am."

He heard the pride in her voice, that she'd fought Chad and won the battle. But where did that leave them? The emotional distance he felt growing between them frustrated him, and he hoped her reserve was because of the recent trauma she'd suffered, and not because she was withdrawing from him.

"Yeah, I saw Chad." He took the chair next to hers. Desperate for some kind of connection to her, he reached for her slender hand and pressed it between his palms. "Can you tell me what happened? "He needed to know what she'd gone through, if she was truly all right-mentally, emotionally and physically.

She inhaled a deep breath, but didn't back down from reliving the nightmare she'd just endured. "He broke in right after you left and tried to attack me," she began, and filled him in on all the details, right up to the point where Chad had pinned her to the living room floor with the intention of raping her. "When I saw your bronze statue on the coffee table, I knew it was my last chance, so I used it to knock him out cold."

Noah grinned as he kissed the tips of her fingers, amazed at her tenacity. "You are so incredibly brave, and I'm so proud of you."

Her chin lifted stubbornly, her internal strength shining through. "I wasn't about to let him get away with terrorizing me this time."

"This time?" he echoed, catching her deliberate choice of words. "You remember your past with him?"

"Bits and pieces came back to me," she said, and shuddered delicately. "Enough for me to recall that he'd had control over me in the past, that he'd been possessive and jealous to the point of being smothering."

He wondered what else she recollected during the course of the attack. He rolled his shoulders, which did nothing to ease the tension bunching his muscles. "I'm so sorry, Natalie," he said, his sincere apology a heartfelt plea for her forgiveness.

Her gaze met his steadily, her irises a stunning shade of blue. "What for?"

Her question was too pointed, delving deeper than the surface reasons for his apology, as if she knew much more than she was letting on. There was a wealth of confessions he owed her, but he went with the most obvious reply. "I never should have left you alone."

"There's nothing to forgive." Her smile was sad as she touched her fingers to his cheek in a loving caress. "You can't protect me forever, Noah. Chad was intent on getting to me, and it was all a matter of time. If not today, then tomorrow, or next week, or next month. And there's no way you could have known that he'd break into the house."

Still, guilt ate at him, along with so many regrets. He'd let her down, and in turn had let himself down, as well.

"I'm just glad everything is finally over," she said with a sigh. "Now we can go back to living normal lives."

She was glad everything was over? Including them? And what the hell did she mean by them going back to living normal lives-with or without each other? Doubts, uncertainties and old fears flared bright and hot within him, raising his anxiety a few notches.

She gently but firmly pulled her hand from his grasp. "By the way, you don't have to pretend anymore," she said quietly.

He stared at her beautiful features, his outward calm belying his inner turmoil. "What do you mean?" His voice was low and rough.

Her shoulder lifted in an attempt at a casual shrug. "About you being my fiance, and us being engaged."

Unable to help himself, he winced. "Has all of your memory returned?"

"Enough to remember that you and I weren't in a relationship before the car accident," she replied, her cheeks coloring a light shade of pink. "Not an intimate one, anyway."

Anxious and jumpy at her revelation, he stood and paced the small area in the kitchen. Natalie wasn't angry, just resigned and accepting of the choices he'd made on her behalf. Choices that had made her intimately his, body and soul.

"I never should have touched you, or made love to you," he said, even as he knew he never could have resisted her. He'd tried, only to fail. He'd gotten inside her body, and she'd found her way into his heart.

"I didn't give you much choice in the matter, Noah," she said wryly. "I wanted you, and I don't regret a thing about our affair."

So, she was going to chalk up their relationship as an erotic, illicit tryst. The thought made him want to haul her over his shoulder again, carry her up to his bedroom and make love to her until she admitted she couldn't live without him.

"Noah," she said, interrupting his thoughts and making him realize that she was standing, too. "Why didn't you tell me the truth about us?"

He released a long breath and explained. He owed her at least that. "It all started at the hospital, as a way for me to get into your room and get information from the doctor about your condition. Once I told him that you were my fiancee I gained access to your room, along with your prognosis. And from there, the fabrication snowballed. The doctor said it was best to let you remember things on your own, and then when I realized you were being stalked, it was the best way to keep you safe and in my care without you insisting you could handle things on your own-which you tried to do a few times, if I remember correctly."

She ducked her head sheepishly, obviously remembering the way she'd argued with him about going back to work and school. The woman was stubborn and independent-traits that both frustrated and aroused him.

Closing the distance between them, he tucked a finger beneath her chin and lifted her gaze back to his. "Except I didn't do a very good job of protecting you, did I?"

"I don't blame you for anything, Noah." She bit her bottom lip, her eyes shining with emotions he couldn't define. "If anything, I owe you for taking me in when I had no one else to take care of me. I couldn't have asked for a better bodyguard than you've been to me."

He clenched his jaw with irritation. He didn't want her damn gratitude, or have his role in her life reduced to guardian. He ached to tell her again that he loved her, but would she even believe him, or just assume it had all been part of the ruse of their intimate relationship? And what of her declaration spoken in the heat of passion last night? Were her feelings for him real, or just part of what she'd perceived to be true before she learned actual reality today?

He was terrified to rind out. Terrified of having fallen in love with this woman, only to lose her.

"I think I've imposed long enough," she went on pragmatically, looking away so he couldn't gauge her expression. "And now that Chad is going to be prosecuted and behind bars, there's no reason for me to stay here with you. As soon as the police are done questioning me, I think I should leave and go back to my own place."

He shoved his fingers deep into the front pockets of his jeans and forced himself to ask, "Are you sure that's what you want?" He left the beginning or the end of their relationship in her hands. One word, yes or no, would seal their fates and futures. Together, or alone.

She hesitated, long enough to get his hopes up and make him believe that she might have a change of mind- a change of heart. Then she squared her shoulders and met his gaze, tough and strong and courageous.

"It's what I think is best," she whispered, giving nothing away, "for the both of us."

Despite Natalie's request that they go their separate ways, Noah couldn't stay away from her. Client cases consumed his days, especially since Cole and Melodie were still on their honeymoon, but he spent his evenings at Murphy's, just to be near Natalie, no matter how awkward and reserved things were between them now.

During the course of the past few nights it had been Gina who'd served him and Bobby their drinks, while Natalie handled a different section of the lounge. The times he came face-to-face with Natalie their conversations were friendly and polite, and he could have sworn he'd seen longing darkening her gaze. Or maybe it was all wishful thinking on his part.

All she had to do was say the word and he was hers, but so far she'd held true to her resolve to return their relationship back to the status quo of acquaintances. And he knew he had no one to blame for her decision but himself. He'd made the choice to entangle her in a fabrication that had destroyed any chance they might have had of a future together.

"Hey, Noah, it's your shot," Bobby said, snapping him out of his depressing thoughts and back to the game of pool at hand. "You've got solids."

Noah gave the front of the establishment one last quick glance for Natalie, who hadn't yet started her shift though it was nearly 7:00 p.m. Gina was working part of the lounge, while another waitress who usually worked a different shift covered the other section of the bar. Blowing out a tight breath tinged with frustration, he returned his attention to the placement of the billiard balls on the table. He lined up his cue, made the shot and completely missed the pocket he was aiming for.

He swore beneath his breath, though he wasn't surprised that he'd missed his mark. His game sucked lately.

Bobby lifted an amused brow his way. "Are you sure you don't want to trade in that soda you're drinking for a beer to loosen you up a bit?"

A wry grin canted the corners of Noah's mouth. "I doubt a few beers will cure what ails me."

Bobby leaned against his cue stick and studied Noah for a long moment before coming to his own conclusion about his friend's mood. "Man, you're in way over your head with Natalie, aren't you?"

I love her. The inescapable thought came automatically, though Noah kept the private words to himself. Bobby didn't know the extent of his relationship with Natalie-the intimacy they'd shared and the emotional depths in which he'd plunged.

Gina made her way to the back of the establishment and breezed by their table. "Either of you need a refill?" she asked.

"I'm fine," Bobby said, then made his shot, sinking two striped balls into two separate pockets.

"I'm good, too," Noah added, then dredged up the one question he knew Gina could answer for him. "Is Natalie off tonight?"

Gina cleared a nearby table and wiped down the surface. "I guess you could say that," she murmured.

Noah frowned, sensing much more to Gina's comment. "What do you mean by that?"

She glanced at him, searching his expression, then shook her head. "You don't know, do you?"

Witnessing the rueful look in Gina's eyes, Noah's stomach twisted into a knot of apprehension. "Know what?"

Gina hesitated, then finally said, "Natalie turned in her resignation this afternoon."

"She quit?" he asked incredulously. "Why?"

Gina chewed on her bottom lip, as if uncertain she should divulge any more information. She must have seen his desperation, because she finally put him out of his misery. "She told Murphy that she's moving."

A fresh wave of panic reared inside of him. "To where?"

Genuine regret filled Gina's eyes. "I honestly don't know, Noah."

"Order up, Gina," Murphy called from the service area, and she gave Noah a soft "I'm sorry" before hurrying over to the bar to pick up her drinks and deliver them.

Noah scrubbed a hand along his taut jaw and stared at Bobby, as if he could make sense of what was happening. "Where in the hell would she move to?" And why? Was she putting even more distance between them, or escaping memories of Chad's attack? Or a combination of both?

"I have no idea what goes on in the minds of most women. Maybe you should ask Natalie for yourself," Bobby suggested pragmatically.

Did he even have the right to question her choices? Noah wondered. After all she'd been through, after all he'd put her through, didn't she deserve to make the kind of decisions she felt were the best for her future? Even if that meant he wasn't a part of it?

Bobby came up beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't let her go without telling her how you really feel. If you don't at least try to bridge the gap between the two of you, you'll regret it for the rest of your life."

The profundity of his friend's words of wisdom made Noah curious. "Are you speaking from personal experience?"

Bobby shrugged, neither confirming or denying the direct question. "Just trust me on this, Noah. If she's the woman you love, then fight for her."

Noah had never been put in such a position before, having to win the affection of a woman. But then, he'd never wanted a woman as much as he needed Natalie in his life. And how ironic was it that he'd protected his emotions for so long, only to fall for the one woman who remained elusive to him?

He'd watched Joelle and Cole struggle with the same fears and doubts not that long ago. He'd even helped them to recognize the weaknesses that had prevented them from grasping happiness together. What Noah hadn't admitted to himself was that he'd been afflicted with the same insecurities as a result of his shaky childhood.

The scared little boy in him who'd faced so much rejection and pain in the past had kept him from laying his soul on the line the morning Chad had attacked Natalie. As hard as it was for him to admit, he'd been scared of taking a personal gamble that would leave him emotionally vulnerable. Then and there, he should have been brave enough to tell Natalie exactly how he felt about her, as Bobby had suggested. With the return of her memory, she needed to understand that his feelings for her were real, and not a part of some pretense designed to protect her.

Now that he had distance from the situation, it wasn't difficult for him to recognize that they were both running from a lifetime of tragic memories. They each harbored a fear of intimacy, feared trusting another person with their heart and soul. And yet he trusted Natalie with his life. He wanted her for keeps and forever, and he wasn't going to hide behind a painful past any longer when she was everything he'd ever dreamed of, and so much more. And that meant taking chances-like finally buying her the engagement ring she deserved. A symbol of his belief in her, and an eternal commitment to them as a couple. It was time he faced his own fears and took a risk with his emotions, and with Natalie.

He had nothing left to lose, except his heart.

Natalie stood in the center of her studio apartment Saturday morning, unable to believe that her entire life could be packed into only half a dozen boxes. That was the extent of the personal belongings she'd collected over the years. She still had a few breakable items she needed to wrap up, but other than that, she was nearly set to leave Oakland and start out fresh-yet again.

Her chest squeezed tight with heartache, a reaction she should have grown used to the past week without Noah, but one that only seemed to get worse with each day that passed. She hoped the distance of her move would help ease her misery. By Monday she would be gone, a memory to all who'd touched her life so briefly, yet so profoundly.

An overwhelming sadness washed over her, and she immediately chastised herself for wallowing in grief. She was used to being on her own, and she wasn't a stranger to starting over. Being raised in a multitude of foster homes had conditioned her to being resilient, and taught her not to get too attached to any one person or any particular place.

With the onslaught of her amnesia, all the rules she'd lived by for so long had been forgotten. She hadn't remembered that she needed to protect her emotions from Noah, which had allowed another part of her personality to develop and blossom. She'd been open and uninhibited with him, and her sense of freedom with Noah had felt so liberating. And while so many men through the years, Chad included, had treated her like a sex object with long legs and big breasts, she'd never once felt as though her body was the key factor in Noah's interest. He'd been noble until she'd seduced him, genuinely concerned about her safety, and so incredibly caring, sweet and tender.

He'd set her confined soul free, in a way she'd never imagined possible. In a way that began and ended with her love for Noah.

A shiver coursed through her, and she wrapped her arms around her stomach, realizing just how much she stood to lose. Despite their fabricated engagement, there was no doubt in her mind that Noah was a man to believe in and trust- with her heart and her future. Yet they both seemed to be running scared of all that had developed between them in such a short amount of time. Her desire to be with Noah was so overpowered by her fear of being too vulnerable and too dependent on another person that she wasn't facing what her heart truly wanted.

She straightened and lifted her chin mutinously. "It's time you stopped running, Natalie," she said to herself sternly, knowing that her instinct to flee had to end so she could finally take charge of her life, her future. And the only way she could accomplish that was to stay in Oakland and continue to make a life for herself here, as she'd always intended. She needed to follow her heart and embrace the challenge, instead of always taking the easy way out.

Chad was being prosecuted with numerous felony charges that would keep him behind bars for years. She had a job she enjoyed at Murphy's, and with just one more year of college, she'd have her social work degree.

Undoubtedly, she belonged here, in a way she'd never belonged anywhere else. And Noah, with his protective nature and caring ways, was the reason. And if she wanted a relationship with him to work, she had to be willing to meet him halfway, in all things-including love, respect and trust. If he was still interested in a relationship. After the way she'd walked out of his life last weekend, and hadn't contacted him since, she wasn't so sure.

A knock sounded at her door, startling her. Figuring it was the apartment manager delivering her check for half the amount of that month's rent, Natalie opened the door and found Noah standing on the other side of the threshold. She sucked in a startled breath, and her eyes widened in surprise.

"Noah!" she gasped, a surge of hope mingling with uncertainty.

A lazy smile eased up the corners of his mouth, as if he didn't have a care in the world, reminding her of the easygoing bachelor he'd been before he'd taken her into his protective custody as his "fiancee." While she felt like a disheveled mess in a pair of old cutoffs and an untucked blouse, he looked damned sexy and all male in a pair of casual pants and a blue shirt that stretched across the broad expanse of his chest. His dark hair was tousled, and his striking blue eyes appraised her in turn.

"Hello, Natalie," he drawled, his voice so deep and sexy that her body surged with instantaneous awareness. "Can I come in?"

"Of course," she said, pasting on a semblance of a bright smile. He brushed past her into the small living area that encompassed her bed and a few necessary pieces of furniture.

Closing the door after him, she waved an apologetic hand at the open boxes scattered on the floor and the rumpled covers on her bed. "Sorry about the mess in here."

His gaze took in everything before coming back to rest on her, the flexing muscle in his jaw the only indication of emotion. "I heard you were leaving," he said gruffly.

She shoved her fingers into the back pockets of her shorts and affected a nonchalant attitude, though she craved his touch, his warmth. God, she'd missed him so much this past week! How had she believed that she could leave this man behind when he'd become her whole reason for living?

"I was thinking of moving to San Diego," she said.

He tipped his head curiously. "You were going to leave without saying goodbye?"

He looked and sounded genuinely hurt, and she hated that she was the source. She couldn't judge where they stood as a couple, or what the reason was for Noah's surprise visit, but with her decision to remain in Oakland firm, she needed to be honest and up front with him. "Noah-"

As if he didn't want to hear what she had to say, he started toward her, completely, overwhelmingly male, making her words stall in her throat as he approached her so determinedly. Stopping inches away, he tangled his ringers into her hair and tipped her head back so she had no choice but to look up at him and meet his hot blue gaze.

"Well, here's a going-away present for you," he said, and covered her mouth with his own.

He kissed her greedily, selfishly, deeply, and she opened to him, taking whatever he was willing to give her. Their lips meshed, tongues mated, and he swallowed the moan that bubbled up from her throat. Just when she thought she'd go up in flames, he slowed the kiss, drawing out the lush sensations, branding her with the heat and taste of him, making her melt deep inside.

After what seemed like an eternity, he lifted his head, his expression both fierce and tender at the same time as he gauged her response to his parting gift.

Feeling thrown off balance, she pressed her hands against his chest to steady herself. "That certainly didn't feel like a goodbye kiss," she said, her voice husky with the desire he'd so easily stoked.

"You're right. It wasn't," he admitted, and feathered his thumb along her bottom lip in a soft caress. "It was a kiss asking you to take a chance on me, on us." He trailed his knuckles down her cheek, oh-so-gently. "All you have to do is say yes, Natalie," he murmured.

As much as she longed to surrender to his tempting overture, her cautious nature couldn't help but wonder if he was here out of some warped sense of obligation. Or were his actions motivated by guilt?

There was one way for her to find out. And if he gave her the answers she sought, she was all his in return.

"When you told me you loved me that last night we were together, did you mean it?" She held her breath as she waited for him to answer.

His gaze softened, glowing with the same emotion she'd seen in his eyes that night they'd bared their hearts to each other. "I never say anything I don't mean."

"Neither do I," she said, her meaning clear. "Not even when I'm under the influence of amnesia." She'd fallen in love with him then, and she still loved him now.

A slow, relieved smile spread across his gorgeous face. " I love you, Natalie," he said, the words resonating as strongly as the beat of her heart.

Tears of joy filled her eyes. "Oh, Noah, I love you, too," she whispered. And loving him gave her the strength to share her greatest fears. "And I've never been so afraid of wanting something as much as I want you."

"Then we have something in common, because all of this is brand new to me, too. I've never let myself need anyone before you, because I've lost too much in the past. Being a carefree bachelor was easier than risking rejection, in any form. But you- Ah, Natalie, you're worth every bit of that risk."

"So are you," she assured him. She may have come to that conclusion only moments before he'd arrived, but she'd always known it in her heart. "After my parents died, I refused to form attachments to anything or anyone. Even with Chad, I might have lost myself in that relationship, but I never, ever risked anything emotional with him. I swear the very last thing I was looking for when I moved to Oakland was love. You made my pulse race every time our eyes met across the bar, but I fought my attraction to you for months, as you know."

"Yes, I do," he said, and chuckled.

She smiled, too, then grew serious again, wanting him to understand everything that led to her loving him. "But with the amnesia I lost so many inhibitions-nothing held back my emotion and desires for you. No matter the circumstances, no matter the pretense of our engagement, everything I felt for you was, and is, real and true."

He hugged her close and brushed his lips across her temple. His contented sigh sent warm breath rushing over her skin. "You don't know how happy I am to hear that."

She pulled back, just far enough to look into his eyes, needing that connection with him. "I also know if the accident never happened and I hadn't lost part of my memory, then we wouldn't be standing here like this, because I never would have allowed you close enough."

A dark brow lifted with amusement. "Are you suggesting that fate brought us together?"

"Maybe I am." She shrugged, and smiled up at him. "Maybe we were meant to be together. I know I couldn't go back to the emptiness and solitude that was my life before you."

"Me, neither." He kissed her. Lightly. Tenderly. "Come home with me, Natalie, today. You're all packed and ready to go and my house is too damned big and lonely and quiet without you in it. You belong there with me."

"I love the way that sounds," she told him. "I've never truly belonged anywhere before."

"You're part of my life and family now," he said possessively. "So from now on, if you're going to run anywhere, run to me."

He was so calm, so steady and reliable. "I promise I will," she said, knowing he had shoulders broad enough to carry her burdens, and arms secure enough to keep her safe, forever and always.

But right now, at this very moment, she needed his body for an entirely different reason. Brazenly, she pushed him back, until his knees hit the edge of her bed and he fell back with a grunt of surprise. With him sprawled on the mattress, she crawled on top of him, straddling his thighs, welcoming the press of his erection against her feminine mound.

She sighed, and grinned down at Noah, having him finally right where she wanted him. "I hope you don't mind, but I have to have my way with you." She whipped off her blouse and bra, tossing them to the floor. "Right here. Right now." Skimming her hands beneath his shirt, she pulled it up and over his head, then bent to lave a nipple with her tongue, causing her heavy, aching breasts to graze his belly.

He thrashed and groaned, the muscles along his abdomen rippling. "Natalie-wait."

She wiggled out of her shorts and panties. "I've waited an entire week for you, and it's felt like a lifetime. I need you, Noah." She unbuckled the belt on his khaki pants, dipping her tongue into his navel, and lower, as she pulled the zipper down and released his rigid shaft for her to touch and caress.

She squeezed him in her fist, and he hissed out a breath, his hips bucking upward for a firmer stroke. "God, you're insatiable."

A slow, sinful smile curved her mouth as she tormented him with a soft, leisurely lap of her tongue along the swollen head of his penis. "You bring out the absolute best in me, including wanting you on a regular basis." She released him, only long enough to peel off his pants and briefs and drop the articles of clothing beside them on the bed. Then she was back on top of him, her body poised over his, his erection pressed against her slick opening. "Is that going to be a problem for you?"

Strangled laughter escaped him, and his glittering eyes met hers. "Hell, no. You've seen how my body reacts to just being near you."

"That's good to know." With her hands braced on his chest, she lowered herself onto him, taking him deep inside where she was hot and wet and silky soft, her expression reflecting supreme pleasure as she started to move rhythmically on him. "Because I don't think I'll ever get enough of you."

Noah understood the addiction, since he felt the same. But there was still one more thing he needed to do, had to do-just as soon as he took control of the situation. Pulling her down to his chest, he wrapped his arms around her and rolled her beneath him, so that he was in the dominant position.

She didn't seem to mind. She hooked her ankles against the back of his thighs and rocked him forward while she arched into him, causing him to slide impossibly deeper. Without a condom separating their flesh, the texture and friction of their bodies was more intense.

He grabbed her hip with one of his hands to still her provocative movements. "Natalie, wait" he said through gritted teeth, feeling his own orgasm cresting and his restraint unraveling.

Startled, she blinked up at him, concern furrowing her brow. "Noah? What's wrong?"

He reached for his pants beside them, grateful they hadn't landed on the floor, and dug a small black velvet box out of the front pocket. Then he glanced back down at her, smiling gently at her wide eyes and uncertain expression.

He braced a forearm next to her head so he didn't crush her with his weight. "I had no idea how my visit here would end, but I was optimistic," he said.

"Is that-" She glanced from the small box to his face, disbelief and hope mingling in the depths of her gaze. "Oh, Noah, is that what I think it is?"

Lowering his head, he kissed her parted lips. "It's an engagement ring. I want to make you mine for real. No pretenses this time, Natalie." With his thumb, he flipped open the lid, revealing a gorgeous solitaire diamond ring that made her gasp. "I wanted this moment to be perfect, and do this right. You know, get down on one knee and ask you to marry me," he said wryly, knowing that this intimate moment would be one neither of them would ever forget, but that it wasn't a scenario they could easily share with friends and family.

Her soft hands framed his jawline, and her eyes shone with utter devotion and an abundance of love. "We're a part of each other, body and soul," she whispered, reminding him of that fact with a slight pull of her inner muscles around his shaft. "How much more perfect can a proposal get?"

A crooked grin lifted his mouth. "Say yes. Say that you'll marry me."

She didn't hesitate. "Yes, Noah Sommers, I'll marry you."

It took a bit of finagling, but he managed to remove the ring from the black velvet lining. Natalie held up her left hand, and he slipped the glittering diamond on her ring finger, making her his from that moment on.

Weaving their fingers together at the side of her head, he surged into her, strong and deep. "You do realize, don't you, that since I'm not wearing a condom that we might get an early start on that family we both want."

"Oh, let's hope," she said enthusiastically. "But if not, there's always tonight and tomorrow-"

He laughed and quieted her with a kiss, letting desire and passion take over, knowing fate would take care of everything else.