Bride in Trouble Read online

  She looked over her shoulder and met his gaze. “Have I ever said it?”

  His lips curved up. “No.”

  She shivered. “I’m not taking off the T-shirt.”

  He chuckled. “Like that’s going to stop me.” Placing a finger at the nape of her neck, he trailed it down her back over the cotton. She closed her eyes and sighed, going limp again in his arms.

  He kissed her head, above the hair covering the dressing. “How is your head feeling?”

  “It’s okay. I feel… fuzzy. I’m tired of thinking. It makes it hurt.”

  “Then don’t. Just feel.” He placed kisses slowly down her neck and over her shoulder. “Imagine we’re on a desert island somewhere, under the shade of a palm tree, and it’s hot, and there’s nobody else around.” He brushed his lips along her arm, touching his tongue occasionally to her skin. “There’s just me and you and the seagulls in the sky, and the waves in the distance. We can do anything here, and there’s nobody to see, and nobody to judge. Just me and you. We have all the time in the world to love each other.”

  “Oh God…” She shuddered as he continued drawing patterns on her back. “I wish I was stronger, but I can’t resist you…”

  “We’re getting married. You don’t have to resist me.” He rested his fingers under her arm and drew them down her ribs, over her hips and along the outside of her thigh. “Imagine lying naked on the beach, feeling the sun on your skin.” He brought his fingers back up, sliding them under the T-shirt. Beneath the cotton, she was wearing a pair of panties, but he could feel that she didn’t have a bra on. He brushed his fingers over her tummy, and she moaned in response.

  “You’ve always been so easy to arouse,” he said, drawing circles up her ribs to beneath her breasts. “Sex with you is always amazing.”

  “I wish I could remember,” she whispered.

  “You’ll have new memories to replace the old soon enough.” He shifted behind her, sliding his left arm beneath her shoulders, and moved her so she was half lying on him, her back to his chest. “Look at me.”

  She turned her head, her sultry eyes half lidded, her lips parted, and he kissed her, moving his left hand beneath the T-shirt to cup her breast.

  “How does this feel?” he murmured, brushing his thumb over her nipple.

  “Mmm… nice…”

  He touched his tongue to her bottom lip, and she arched her back to kiss him, unwittingly pushing her breast into his hand. He tried not to groan out loud, turned on himself, his erection pressing in the small of her back, eager for action. She was hot for him, and she’d never needed hours of foreplay. Normally, she’d be begging him to slide inside her by now, maybe even pushing him onto his back so she could sit astride him, and he’d let her have her own way for a while before rolling her onto her back so he could thrust home. Their lovemaking was sometimes slow and sensual, sometimes fast and furious, and he loved the way she challenged him, wanting him to fight back and take charge. They were perfectly matched, and he couldn’t believe the accident had changed the way she was deep down.

  But that was for him to explore another night. For now, he just wanted to give her pleasure and put her mind at ease. Her nipple was like soft velvet, but he could feel it hardening, turning to a tight bud, and she moaned as he tugged it, making it lengthen in his fingers.

  “Just relax,” he murmured, hoping Angus was right and any tensing of her muscles wouldn’t affect her head. “Let it happen. Don’t reach for it.”

  She kissed him again, and he felt her gasp against his lips as he traced the fingers of his right hand down her thigh, then up over her panties.

  “Do you want me to touch you here?” he whispered, brushing very lightly between her legs.

  “Mmm.” She groaned as he tugged her nipple again. “Yes…”

  He moved his hand down to her knee and lifted it, pulling her leg across him, and leaving her exposed to his touch. Then he slid his fingers down, over the top of the cotton panties, touching ever so lightly between her legs. She shuddered.

  “Steady.” He stroked the inside of her thighs, then back up between her legs. “Does that feel nice?”

  “Oh… yes…”

  “Do you think you’ve changed, Phoebe? Do you think I’m going to have trouble bringing you to orgasm?”

  She groaned. “You’re so fucking arrogant.”

  “I should make you wait for swearing at me.”

  “I would’ve thought you’d like that.” Her green eyes flashed at him briefly.

  “I do. Swear all you like.” He ran his finger underneath the elastic of her panties, making her stomach ripple. “We both like talking dirty.”

  “I don’t.”

  “Yes, you do.” He kissed her jaw and the corner of her mouth as he brushed his finger over her mound. “You love it when I tell you how I’m going to fuck you.”

  “Rafe!”

  He slid his finger down into the heart of her, and she moaned.

  “My Phoebe,” he said fiercely as he found her swollen and wet, more than ready for him. It was only then that he realized how worried he’d been that the accident had changed her. But it hadn’t. She was still his fiancée, the one who made his heart soar. “Jesus, I love you so much.” He slipped his finger down into her, gathering her moisture, then brought it up to start caressing her clit. “I’m going to make you come now.”

  “Oh God…” She rocked her hips a little against his hand.

  “Take it easy,” he scolded. “Just let it happen. Don’t rush to get there. I’ll take you. Let me guide you.”

  She lifted a hand to slide into his hair, bringing his mouth down to hers as his fingers slipped through her folds, teasing her closer to the edge with every stroke.

  “You know…” she whispered, “exactly where to touch me…”

  “Of course I do. You’re my girl. And I’m never letting you go.” His heart was racing, and he plunged his tongue into her mouth, swirling his finger over her clit.

  Her fingers tightened in his hair, her hips tilting up. He lifted his head, seeing her cheeks flush, her breathing turn irregular. “Careful,” he murmured, slowing his finger, giving her long, even strokes as her climax crept up on her. “That’s it. Come for me, sweetheart. Nice and slow.”

  Her teeth tugged on her bottom lip as her hips stilled. “Ohhh…”

  He saw it sweep over her, heard her gasps, watched her body tense with pleasure as she clenched deep inside. He’d kept it as slow and gentle as possible, and when her eyes finally fluttered open, he was relieved to see her lips curve up.

  “Mmm,” she murmured, relaxing in his arms.

  He kissed her, taking his time, letting her drift back to earth. When he finally lifted his head, he could see she was almost asleep.

  “No pain?” he whispered, touching her head.

  “No pain.” She blinked slowly, looking into his eyes. “Thank you.”

  “You’re very welcome. I told you we wouldn’t have a problem.”

  She moistened her lips. “Are you sure you don’t want to just… climb on board?”

  He chuckled and kissed her forehead, removing his arm from beneath her so she could lie properly on her side. “Not tonight. You need sleep.”

  “What about you?”

  “I’m a big boy. I’ll manage.”

  Her eyelids fluttered shut. “I owe you one.”

  “Don’t worry, I’ll keep a tally.”

  Her lips curved up.

  Within two minutes, her breathing had turned even.

  Rafe waited a bit longer, not wanting to wake her, then rose quietly from the bed and went into the bathroom.

  He was still hard as a rock, and there was no way he was going to sleep with an erection like that. Pushing the door to, he slid his hand into his boxers and took himself in hand. He was so keyed up, it took him less than a minute of replaying Phoebe’s orgasm in his head before everything tightened and he came with hot,
hard pulses that made him grit his teeth so he didn’t cry out.

  *

  In the bed, Phoebe heard his muffled groan. He hadn’t been able to resist. Smiling, she snuggled down into the pillows and drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “So, my last day off,” Rafe said. “What would you like to do today?”

  Phoebe crunched her toast, trying to avert her mind from the thought of staying in bed with him the whole day. He sipped his coffee, his bright blue eyes holding a touch of amusement that told her he knew perfectly well what she was thinking.

  It was difficult to turn her mind to anything else. She was sure that last night had been something they’d probably done a hundred times before, and was nothing special in the big scheme of things, but for her, it was the first time she could remember a man touching her that way, and it had blown her mind.

  He’d known exactly what to do, what speed and pressure to give her the ultimate pleasure, and all her remaining doubts had fled. This man knew her intimately, maybe even knew her body better than she did. She couldn’t deny it any longer. What was the point in turning her back on this relationship? She’d loved him enough to want to marry him. He was an easy man to love—it wouldn’t be long, she was sure, before they were back to where they’d left off. She was halfway there already, captivated by his easy charm, his confidence, his assurance of how he felt about her.

  “Stop it,” he scolded. “Don’t look at me like that.”

  “After last night? I can’t help it.”

  He blew out a breath. “You sure don’t make it easy on a guy.”

  “Aw. Poor Rafe. Getting married to a girl who has the hots for him. What a terrible life you must lead.”

  He leaned back and pushed away his coffee cup, giving her an exasperated look. “So, getting back to the original question, what would you like to do today?”

  Her smile faded a little. She picked up her toast and examined it, then put it down again. “I don’t know. I’m disappointed that nowhere I’ve been has jogged my memory at all. Every now and then I think I can see a shape through the fog, but it goes so quickly. Is there anywhere else you could take me that might help?”

  “There are lots of places. I don’t want to tire you out, though.”

  “I don’t care. It’s more important to me that I remember.”

  He nodded. “One thing I did wonder was whether you wanted to come to Marlin’s tonight. The bar in town. We often meet up there with our friends, and they’re all going down there this evening. I originally said we’d pass as I didn’t think you’d want to answer a hundred questions, but after what you said, maybe it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to see everyone.”

  The thought terrified her, but she could see his point. “What time?”

  “Seven-ish.”

  “Okay. Let’s do that. So, what shall we do for the rest of the day?”

  “We’ll go out,” he said. “I’ll take you to some of the lovely places we’ve been, and you can see if it helps the fog to clear.”

  They got ready and headed off in the car. First, he took her to Matauri Bay, a gorgeous beach on the east coast. They had a long walk along the sand from one end of the beach to the other, while he told her about their first Christmas together, and how they’d hired a beach house and spent Christmas Day either in the sea or in bed. Phoebe listened and smiled, but inside felt wistful at the thought of all those early memories she’d lost. She wished she could remember for Rafe, because he spoke so lovingly of their early days. But just wishing wasn’t going to make it so.

  Afterward, he drove up to Mangonui, a quaint little fishing village at the edge of Doubtless Bay. They had a slow walk along the waterfront, then stopped at a chocolate shop called Treats to Tempt You and had a latte and a selection of their truffles.

  “These are amazing,” Phoebe said, sucking on a lemon creme as they walked back to the car.

  “We come here all the time.” Rafe took a kiwifruit truffle and popped it in his mouth. “We usually have a box of their chocolates at home, and we have dinner at Aqua Blue around once a month. And that’s where we went for our cooking lessons.” He gestured to the restaurant a few doors down from the chocolate shop, then glanced at her. “Ring any bells?”

  Phoebe looked away, across the harbor to where the fishing boats were heading out to sea. The sunlight danced on the water, dazzling her. For a moment, she thought an image was forming, like seeing something out of the corner of her eye. But as she tried to grasp it, it slipped away, leaving her with a vague headache and a heavy feeling on her chest.

  “Hey. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.” Rafe put his arm around her. “Come on, it’s time we headed back.”

  “I’m okay. I don’t want to go home yet.”

  He drove back toward Kerikeri and took her to Rainbow Falls. They stopped at the cafe outside and had some lunch, then walked along the path through the bush, hearing the rushing water through the palms and ferns. And then it appeared, the water tumbling over the rocks and falling nearly ninety feet into the deep green river.

  “We came here on one of our first dates,” Rafe said. “And it’s also where I proposed to you.”

  Phoebe’s eyes widened. “Oh my God, really?”

  He took out his phone, tapped on the screen a few times, then turned it around to show her a photo he’d taken of her in this very spot. She was wearing her engagement ring and laughing, and there were tears on her cheeks.

  She took the phone and stared at it, biting her lip. “I don’t remember,” she whispered. “I wish I did, but I don’t.”

  “It’s okay.”

  “It’s not okay, Rafe. It’s awful. I can’t imagine how you must feel.”

  “I don’t care,” he said fiercely, pulling her into his arms. “All that matters to me is that you’re here now. I don’t care about the past.”

  It was a sweet thing to say, but she couldn’t believe he meant it. She buried her face in his jacket, cursing the fact that she’d gone out of the house to run that evening. She never wanted to run again, never wanted to be reminded of that awful moment.

  “It’s going to be all right,” he murmured, his arms tight around her. “We’ll get through this, and one day we’ll tell our kids about it, and we’ll laugh at how weird these early days were. I know it feels bizarre now, but we’re making new memories together, and that’s what’s important.”

  His jacket smelled of his body spray, warm and comforting. She listened to the water crashing down behind her, thinking about the photo. She’d looked so happy. How amazing it would have felt to have been dating this guy and then have him go down on one knee and ask her to marry him. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, determined not to cry. It was pointless to get upset about it. As he said, they were making new memories and she had to concentrate on those and on what she had, not what she’d lost.

  They stayed there like that for a while, as other visitors to the site passed quietly by them, casting small smiles. Then eventually, Rafe led her back to the car and drove home.

  They walked inside, and Phoebe put her purse on the table and went over to the window, looking down at the river. Rafe came up behind her and put his hands on her upper arms. “Are you okay?”

  “I feel a bit low. I’m sorry.”

  “No need to apologize. After what you’ve been through, I would think it’s perfectly normal.”

  “I’m tired, that’s all.”

  “We’ve done a lot today. Why don’t you have a rest before we go out this evening?”

  She hesitated, on the edge of tears, not wanting to leave him. She felt that if she were to sit down and really think, she’d be able to sort everything out, but her brain just wouldn’t work the way she wanted it to.

  “Come on,” he said gently.

  He led her into the bedroom, and when she got onto the bed, he stretched out beside her, fully clothed and on top of the covers. She snugg
led up against him, and he kissed her forehead.

  “I can hear the wheels spinning,” he said, stroking her hair. “Just rest, sweetheart.”

  “I’m missing something,” she mumbled. “It’s right there, on the fringes, but I can’t find it.”

  “You just need time.”

  She didn’t want to sleep, she wanted to remember. But sleep came anyway, and everything faded to black.

  *

  “It’s so good to see you,” Dominic said. “You look so much better than when you first woke up.”

  They were sitting outside Marlin’s Bar, at a group of tables on the corner of two of the main roads through Kerikeri. It was a balmy evening, and they were all wearing shorts and T-shirts. Despite her medication, Phoebe had requested a glass of wine, feeling the need to relax. Rafe had given in under protestation when she’d said she needed some Dutch courage to face everyone.

  She’d been pleased to discover that the group meeting at Marlin’s that evening included her brothers. Elliot was there with his girlfriend, Karen, and Dominic had brought his daughter, Emily. Libby was there with Mike, and several of their other friends. Rafe had introduced her, and everyone had been pleased to see her. She’d smiled a lot but hadn’t said much, and had been relieved that they hadn’t asked her too many questions. Had Rafe prepped them on that? She was thankful if he had.

  She smiled at her eldest brother. The others were discussing rugby, Rafe leading the conversation as he talked about the lineup for the upcoming game against the Aussies. She hadn’t had a chance to talk to Dominic alone yet. She adored the way he had his arm slung around his daughter, who’d curled up at his side. Emily was the spitting image of her mother, Jo, with long brown hair, a snub nose, and kind eyes.

  “I feel better,” Phoebe said. “It was lovely, though, waking up and seeing you there.”

  He smiled back. “I was so relieved when I looked up and saw you watching me.”

  “Have you really lost all your memories?” Emily asked.