Page 35 of Tamed By a Passionate Lady
And now, he was lying in a bed, in a house that was apparently his own, beside a wife that he did not recall.
“I live in Liverpool,” he said, an edge of desperation to his voice. “I have always lived in Liverpool…”
But the beautiful woman shook her head. “No, James. Youdidlive in Liverpool, for most of your life. But three years ago you moved here, to Lancashire.” There was distress in her voice. “Think. Can you not remember the past three years at all?”
He closed his eyes, desperately, willing the memories to come to him. Trying to remember living in this house, alongside this woman. He had been here for three years, apparently, and she had been his wife for two of those. But as hard as he tried, there was nothing. It was all a murky darkness.
“Dear God,” he said, opening his eyes again. “This is a nightmare. I have never been so disoriented and scared in my life…”
She made a small sound of distress, gripping his hand tighter, pressing it to her face.
He gazed at her.His wife.
Her name was Adaline.
His heart softened. She looked so beautiful in the light shining through the window. Her hair was as black and silky as a raven’s wing, coiled back into a bun at the nape of her neck. He noted her long neck, the swell of her bosom rising from the bodice of her gown, her olive skin. She looked exotic, like she wasn’t English. Did she have Spanish blood running through her veins?
“Adaline,” he said, in a gentle voice. “It was you who called to me, wasn’t it?”
She gazed at him, his hand still against her cheek.
“I heard your voice,” he whispered, his eyes raking over her face. “I heard you speaking to me, but I could not work out most of the words. But I did hear you asking me to come back to you.”
She blinked rapidly. “You did?”
He nodded. “It was you who brought me back. It was your devotion. If not for you, I might still be languishing there.”
She blushed. She did not seem to know what to say.
“What else did you hear?” she asked, in her soft voice.
“I heard you say that you were keeping a promise to me,” he said quietly. “That you wished to love me, without fear.”
Her blush deepened. She bit her lip, placing his hand slowly back down on the bed, and releasing her own. She looked almost like a shy girl, hesitant, unsure of herself.
His heart tightened. She truly was the most bewitching of creatures. He could not remember marrying her, or living with her as man and wife, but it was not hard to see why he had married her in the first place.
His blood started to throb, just a little, at the thought of lying next to this exquisite woman. He could not remember making love to her, but he could imagine what it would be like taking her into his arms and claiming her as his own, over and over again.
He suddenly wished, with all his might, that he could remember those nights of passion. That he could remember her, pressed against him, gazing down at her. The mere thought that he might never recall those moments was almost torture.
“I should let you rest,” she whispered, at long last. “And I need to let Dr. Brown know that you are awake immediately. He visited just this morning, but I am sure he will come straight back once I tell him the good news.” She paused. “He may be able to awaken your memory further, too.”
She stood up. His heart lurched and he reached out, gripping her hand tightly.
“Do not go,” he implored, gazing at her beseechingly. “Do not leave me…”
She looked astonished, for a moment. Then her face changed, blossoming with joy. She stared down at his hand, gripping her own. He saw that her bottom lip was trembling with emotion.
“I will stay,” she said, sitting again. “Just a little while longer. While you need me…”
“I do need you,” he said, in a low, anguished voice. “I am afraid, Adaline.”
“Oh,” she said, her eyes wide. “Please, do not be afraid. It is a wonderful thing that you are awake. Your memory will return, I am sure of it.” Hesitantly, she reached out a hand, stroking his forehead.
Her touch was warm. His eyes started to roll back in his head, as she kept caressing him. He was so very sleepy, but he fought against the sensation, wanting to stay with her.
Hewasafraid. He was afraid of closing his eyes. What if he never opened them again?
