Chapter 34MayaThat night, Maya was dressing for bed when Alex came up behind her and curled his arms around her waist. His hands rested over the swell of herstomach as he nuzzled a line from the top of her shoulder to the sensitive region just below her ear. Goose bumps danced and scattered along her skin, and she trembled against his chest.“I much prefer you naked, mi amor,” he said as he slid one hand up to pluck at the string of the gown she’d just slipped on.His words speared through her mind, sparking a distant remembrance. For a moment, she had an image of him standing before her, staring at her with glowing eyes, saying those exact words. She struggled to remember more, but it slipped away as fast as it had slipped in.She closed her eyes in frustration even as she gave way to the pleasure of his touch.He slid the strap over her shoulder, following it with his lips until it tumbled down her arm. Then he turned his attention to the other side, giving it the same down her a
Chapter 35AlexAlex rose at dawn the next morning. He hadn’t slept since Maya hadnawakened with her nightmare. After he’d soothed her, and she had fallen into a more peaceful rest, he had lain awake, staring at the ceiling as he realized theimpossibility of their situation.Careful not to wake Maya, he showered and dressed. After checking to make sure she hadn’t been disturbed, he went quietly down the stairs. He bypassed his office, though it was his custom to begin the day with business matters.This morning something drove him to the beach where Maya so often visited. The air was chilly blowing off the water, but he took no notice as hestood watching the waves break and slide into shore.Maya’s past, their past, threatened her in sleep. Her memories waged war at her most unguarded moments, and what would he do when it all came back?The terrible conflict that ate at him was wearing him down. He should be angry, and at times he was. But it was also easy to forget. Here on the isl
Chapter 36Maya. Maya knelt in the cool soil of the garden and plucked the few weeds from around the flowers and greenery. With Alex ’s morning ritual of working, she had found other ways to occupy her time, much to the dismay of the gardener who flew out twice a week to tend the grounds.Ever since her outburst on the beach, Alex had ceased to push Patrice and Dr. Karounis at her for every little health concern. Instead, they stayed firmly in the background on an as needed basis, and Alex had relented on her traveling the stairs alone.Despite the fact that he continued to work in the mornings, he came out to have breakfast with her before returning to his office. Then the fun began for Maya. Each day she found a new method of driving him insane. He would comelooking for her when work was finished, and invariably she tried the restraint he had promised to exercise when it came to demanding that she rest.When Alex had found her in the garden on her hands and knees, she thought he w
Chapter 37Maya.Not wanting to be entirely predictable, Maya forewent the garden the next dayband opted instead for the heated pool. She had been eyeing it with longing since they had arrived, and thanks to boutiques only too willing to deliver to the island, she had a simply decadent swimsuit she was dying to try out.As she pulled the skimpy suit on, she realized that in essence she was trying to seduce Alex . Not that she hadn’t already, but she was attempting to make him fall in love with her.She frowned back at herself in the mirror. Wasn’t this backward? He was thebone with the memory. Shouldn’t he be trying to make her fall in love with him?She knew she loved him but hadn’t said the words. Something had held her back, and now she pondered what it was that made her unwilling to take thatnjump.There was a hesitation about him that niggled at her, as though he wanted to keep a certain amount of distance between them. She didn’t want that. She wanted him to love her as she love
Chapter 38“Mmmm, you are warm.”“Are you cold?” he asked huskily. “I wonder what I can do to warm you.”She pulled him closer, wrapping her arms around him. She threaded her fingers into his wet hair and kissed him. A sound of contentment purred from herbthroat as he returned her kiss with equal ardor.His erection strained against her belly, hot, like steel. Warmth shot throughbher body, leaving her flushed and aching. She wanted him. Wanted him so badly.“Take me upstairs,” she whispered as his lips scorched down her neck and tobthe swell of her breasts.The sound of a door closing startled them both. Alex let out an oath as he rolled away from Maya and yanked up a towel to cover her. Mayastiffened when she saw Zuri over Alex ’s shoulder.Her surprise turned to anger. The woman had barged in, intruded on their privacy without so much as a call to let them know she was coming out to the island. They hadn’t even heard the helicopter land, but then they had been occupied with other m
Chapter 39Alex.Alex hung up the phone with a grimace and leaned back in his leather chair. He put his hands behind his head and stared up at the ceiling.He had to return to New York. Piers had called him with the news just moments ago, and Alex greeted the fact with a discomfort that was aliento him. Worse, he’d had to inform Piers and Theron that another of their designs had been stolen. They were understandably furious. With Maya. How would they react when they learned he had every intention of marrying her as soon aspossible?He was torn between wanting Maya to go with him and wanting to keep her sheltered here on the island. Away from any chance she might remember. Away from the judgment and animosity of his brothers.The beginnings of a headache plagued him as he considered the selfishness of that particular thought. He knew, though, that when she remembered, and the doctors had assured him she would, things would irrevocably change between them.He should still be furious w
Chapter 40AlexAlex’s jet touched down in New York in the late afternoon, and a limousine was waiting for them when they stepped off the plane. A tall formidable looking man stood by the car, and as they drew closer, Maya could see a strong resemblance between him and Alex.“Theron,” Alex called out. “I did not expect you to meet us. This is a surprise.”Theron gave a half smile. “Can I not greet my brother?”Alex put an arm around Maya’s waist and drew her forward. “Theron, this is Maya. Maya, this is my younger brother Theron.”She smiled. “I’m very glad to meet you.”His gaze flickered impassively over her, and he didn’t return her smile. Slowly hers faded as she read the unwelcoming look on his face. Instinctively, she shrank into Alex.Then Theron’s gaze dropped to the hand on which she wore the engagement ring, and he outright frowned. He stared back up at Alex, his jaw tight.“You will be courteous,” Alex said in a very low tone. Even so, she could hear the bite in his voice.
Chapter 41Maya When she did wake up, she was in a different bed. She blinked the sleep induced fog away and realized that she was in Alex’s bedroom. She stretched and was glad not to feel the pressure in her head any longer.She sat up and saw Alex standing across the room looking at her. For some reason, she felt unsure of herself in that moment.“I must have been more tired than I realized,” she said lightly. “I didn’t even wake when you moved me.”“You will sleep in our room, in our bed.”She blinked. “Well, okay. I just didn’t think. That was the room I had before.”He closed the distance between them and sat down on the bed next to her.“Your place is here. With me.”She cocked her head. She had the distinct impression he wasn’t just speaking to the fact that she had gone to bed in another room. It was almost as though he was convincing himself, and others, that she belonged with him.“Your brothers don’t approve of me,” she said quietly.His face became a stone. “My brothers h