him closer like she was watching herself in an instant replay. Her eyelids fluttered shut as her mouth inched closer to his, her lips parted slightly, ready and wanting him.
Then it happened.
With the soft, feathery touch of her lips on his, an image of the dark man from her dream flashed before her. He looked like the devil in a tuxedo, smiling at her and motioning for her to come to him. She twisted from Sam, put a hand to her burning lips and pinched her eyes tight for fear of who she’d see when she opened them.
She couldn’t breathe. She was afraid to breathe. She needed to breathe. “What have I done?” The words hitched on a jagged breath.
“Kate?” Sam cupped her chin, and her eyes opened as he stroked her cheek. “It’s all right.”
“No. No, it’s not all right.” Relief of seeing Sam before her became replaced by a distressing fear she didn’t quite understand. “That wasn’t fair of me.” She wrapped a lock of her hair around a finger. Had the accident caused damage to her brain other than memory loss? She felt as if she’d somehow betrayed Sam. “I’m sorry,” she said, more to his boots than to his face.
“Don’t be.” His rubbed her forearms with his large hands. “I knew this might be awkward until you started to remember stuff. Hey, if the memories don’t come back, then we’ll build new ones.” He tucked a stray curl behind her ear. “We’ll take things slow. I won’t do anything you don’t want me to, okay?” At her nod, he added, “Don’t be so hard on yourself. You need time to adjust.”
She chewed her lower lip, feeling foolish for starting something she wasn’t prepared to finish. They were husband and wife. She should want to finish. She felt a connection to Sam but knew for sure the dark man was or had been in her life. Maybe this dark man was a friend of theirs. As awkward as it might be, she needed to find out.
“There’s something I need to tell you.” She saw his gaze drop to the floor.
“Go ahead, shoot.”
“I had a strange dream last night and there--”
“You were probably nervous about being back in the house. You don’t have to be afraid as long as I’m here.” He rested his hand on her shoulder.
“No, Sam, that’s not what I meant. There was this--”
He glanced at his watch as he backed away, almost knocking over a chair. “Can we do this later? I really gotta go.”
“I’ve got some questions I was hoping you could answer.” She hustled after him to make sure he’d heard. She didn’t want him to be late but hoped he could spare a few minutes to talk. “What about my questions?”
Grabbing his wallet and keys, he stopped by the door. “Listen, I can’t be late today. I’m presenting the blueprints for that big mall job. I’ll be home as quick as I can. We’ll talk at dinner, I promise. You rest and take your time getting re-acquainted with the place.”
“All right, bye.” She watched him jump into the truck and disappear down the drive. Loneliness folded over her like a heavy wool blanket. She’d do as Sam suggested, and maybe some of the answers would come to her. Maybe she might uncover something which would trigger her memory. It was worth a shot. After all, this was her life.
First, she still needed caffeine.
Further investigation yielded two rather old tea bags, which would have to do for now. While the water heated on the stove, she started a running list of things she would need from the store. Moments later, she carried the steeping cup to the window. Looking out at the deep grove of evergreens, she started to think.
In her dream, she’d been frightened and running. Could it have been from the dark man? When she’d seen the dark man’s image in the kitchen, she hadn’t been afraid, and he was the same man from her dream. She was sure of it. Warmth spread through her body. She wasn’t sure if it was the tea working its way down, or something deeper like she and the dark man had been lovers. He was
Then it happened.
With the soft, feathery touch of her lips on his, an image of the dark man from her dream flashed before her. He looked like the devil in a tuxedo, smiling at her and motioning for her to come to him. She twisted from Sam, put a hand to her burning lips and pinched her eyes tight for fear of who she’d see when she opened them.
She couldn’t breathe. She was afraid to breathe. She needed to breathe. “What have I done?” The words hitched on a jagged breath.
“Kate?” Sam cupped her chin, and her eyes opened as he stroked her cheek. “It’s all right.”
“No. No, it’s not all right.” Relief of seeing Sam before her became replaced by a distressing fear she didn’t quite understand. “That wasn’t fair of me.” She wrapped a lock of her hair around a finger. Had the accident caused damage to her brain other than memory loss? She felt as if she’d somehow betrayed Sam. “I’m sorry,” she said, more to his boots than to his face.
“Don’t be.” His rubbed her forearms with his large hands. “I knew this might be awkward until you started to remember stuff. Hey, if the memories don’t come back, then we’ll build new ones.” He tucked a stray curl behind her ear. “We’ll take things slow. I won’t do anything you don’t want me to, okay?” At her nod, he added, “Don’t be so hard on yourself. You need time to adjust.”
She chewed her lower lip, feeling foolish for starting something she wasn’t prepared to finish. They were husband and wife. She should want to finish. She felt a connection to Sam but knew for sure the dark man was or had been in her life. Maybe this dark man was a friend of theirs. As awkward as it might be, she needed to find out.
“There’s something I need to tell you.” She saw his gaze drop to the floor.
“Go ahead, shoot.”
“I had a strange dream last night and there--”
“You were probably nervous about being back in the house. You don’t have to be afraid as long as I’m here.” He rested his hand on her shoulder.
“No, Sam, that’s not what I meant. There was this--”
He glanced at his watch as he backed away, almost knocking over a chair. “Can we do this later? I really gotta go.”
“I’ve got some questions I was hoping you could answer.” She hustled after him to make sure he’d heard. She didn’t want him to be late but hoped he could spare a few minutes to talk. “What about my questions?”
Grabbing his wallet and keys, he stopped by the door. “Listen, I can’t be late today. I’m presenting the blueprints for that big mall job. I’ll be home as quick as I can. We’ll talk at dinner, I promise. You rest and take your time getting re-acquainted with the place.”
“All right, bye.” She watched him jump into the truck and disappear down the drive. Loneliness folded over her like a heavy wool blanket. She’d do as Sam suggested, and maybe some of the answers would come to her. Maybe she might uncover something which would trigger her memory. It was worth a shot. After all, this was her life.
First, she still needed caffeine.
Further investigation yielded two rather old tea bags, which would have to do for now. While the water heated on the stove, she started a running list of things she would need from the store. Moments later, she carried the steeping cup to the window. Looking out at the deep grove of evergreens, she started to think.
In her dream, she’d been frightened and running. Could it have been from the dark man? When she’d seen the dark man’s image in the kitchen, she hadn’t been afraid, and he was the same man from her dream. She was sure of it. Warmth spread through her body. She wasn’t sure if it was the tea working its way down, or something deeper like she and the dark man had been lovers. He was
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