Page 28 of In Bed with the Rancher

While he unbuckled his seatbelt, he looked intently at her and her heart beat faster. Slipping his hand behind her neck, he drew her closer while he leaned toward her and his gaze went to her mouth.

The minute his mouth covered hers, her heart thudded. She closed her eyes and kissed him in return, slipping her hand to the back of his neck. It was a long, breathtaking kiss that made her heart pound and made this parting hurt more.

When he sat back, he looked at her solemnly and she wondered what he was thinking.

“Go get reacquainted with your family.”

He glanced over his shoulder at his childhood home. “I’d feel a whole lot better about getting out of this car if you would agree to go out with me tomorrow.”

She had to smile at that. “Why don’t we discuss that when I pick you up tonight?”

“Tomorrow I’ll have money, sweetie, and I can take you out to eat at the fanciest place we can find.”

Laughing, she shook her head. “Just go find out about yourself.”

“Okay,” he said, smiling at her. She reminded herself he had no idea who was waiting in that big house for him. He’d had no past, no ties, and that was about to change completely and she could get a call from him later today canceling tomorrow’s plans and telling her goodbye. She wasn’t going to think about that until it happened.

“I can’t wait for later,” he said, giving her a look that made her tingle.

“Call me. You have my number.”

He nodded. “Well, I hope I recognize my family and I hope this jogs my memory.” He stepped out of her car, closed the door and went up the steps to ring the bell.

She drove away slowly, but looked in her rearview mirror as she went down the circle drive. He was standing at the door and she saw it open and a man greeted him as he stepped inside.

Hurting, she wondered if she had just kissed him goodbye.

Seven

Wynn stood on the porch and punched a button, hearing chimes play inside, and then a butler opened the door. “Ah, Mr. Wynn, welcome home. We were so happy to hear you’re safe.”

“Safe, but without any memory, so tell me your name. I don’t even remember the house,” he said, looking around. But as he studied the surroundings, he had a flash of memory. Walking into this entryway and hall and bringing a woman to dinner with him.

“Oh, my, they told me about your memory loss. I’m George Bolton, the butler. Let me show you to the great room and I’ll tell your mother you’re here. She and your younger brother, Jack, are home right now. Your sister, Lucy, isn’t home yet, nor your dad. He gets in later tonight.”

“His sister is home now, George,” a cheerful voice said, and he looked down the hall to see a willowy, black-haired woman striding toward him.

“Lucy,” he said, a memory coming of catching her when she fell off a horse when they were kids. And then another memory of her running to him when he set a high-school record as quarterback of the football team. And even though George told him, he remembered her name. “Lucy,” he said again with more enthusiasm. She was the first person since the blow to his head that he recognized, and he was thrilled.

Relief filled him, along with a warm feeling for his younger sister. He was certain he had always been close to her. He started to hug her, but when he reached out, she shook his hand.

“Welcome home, Wynn,” she said solemnly and he stopped, feeling surprised. She didn’t really sound happy to see him. He shook her hand carefully and she turned away. “I’m going to my room. I’ll see you downstairs at dinner.”

“I’ll tell your mother that you’re here,” George repeated and left, walking out behind Lucy.

Wynn looked at his sister walking up the stairs. What kind of dynamic did they have? Her cool greeting indicated she didn’t like him, yet his memories of her were so positive. His reactions when he first saw her were warm and friendly. He wished he could tell all this to Ava. Ava was a good listener, with good ideas and clear thinking. Thinking about her, he felt a pang. He already missed her and that startled him. In spite of their intimacy, he barely knew her. And yet, because of their intimacy, she was on his mind a lot.

Now he was beginning to remember his life. Seeing his family and childhood home must have triggered the memories that were coming back to him full force. Relief that he remembered his life was overwhelming and he felt a rush of joy.

After Ava had pulled him out of that canyon in the storm, he hadn’t had a clue about anything in his life or who he was. Ava had been the solid rock that had stabilized him, helped him, gotten a nurse for him and given him reassurance and hope. And then given him the sexiest night of his life. He wanted to be with her right now. That surprised him because he had just left her.

Thinking about her made him want her that much more. He wanted Ava in his arms, in his bed tonight. Making love to her was a recent memory and he had full recollection of every moment of that night. Total recall of how soft she was. How sexy she was. How fantastic she was in bed. No faded memories there. He was certain there had been women in his past, but he couldn’t imagine any as sexy as Ava. Or as good a friend, even though they had known each other only a few days.

Was he in love?

That thought jolted him. He hadn’t known her long enough to be in love. Suddenly another memory came. He didn’t want to marry and he didn’t want kids. He was as certain of that as he was that Ava had saved his life. And his reason for not wanting kids? He didn’t want them because they might be like his brother. They might be like Wynn. They might be like his brother Wynn.

He ran his hand over the back of his neck as that thought struck him. His brother Wynn. “Damn,” he said aloud, still standing in the hall by himself. His brother was Wynn. He was Wade. He closed his eyes as memories filled his mind.

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