He slipped out of bed and went to the window. Lingering images replaced the view of the trees. Blue pieces of paper had fallen around him like confetti. They’d disintegrated before hitting the ground. He’d tried desperately to snatch them out of the air. Finally, he’d caught one. It had a name written on it. Samson. The paper had melted into blood dripping from his fingers. Who was Samson? What did the dream mean? Was Samson in trouble or a threat to him?
“Good morning.” Lauren sat up, holding the sheet to her chest. Tousled hair, rosy skin, lips swollen from kisses. Coupled with the desire in her eyes she was breathtakingly sexy.
Reid’s balls tightened. His cock jerked to life. Feed the hunger and walk away. That’s what he’d planned yesterday. Need had sucked him back in, just like now. He sat on the bed. “Hey, beautiful.”
She laughed. “You know you don’t have to sweet talk me.”
Reid nuzzled her throat. The appealing musky scent of sex surrounding them erased the dream. Why am I so addicted to her? “Is it working?” He circled her raised nipple through the sheet.
Lauren moaned. “Yes, but…I can’t.” The ease of passion shifted.
Damn. What a dick. Sleeping with her didn’t give him special privileges. He’d invaded her life. “You don’t have to explain.”
“Wait. It’s not that I don’t want to.” She laughed ruefully. “I could stay in bed with you all day, but I can’t use it as an excuse to avoid what I came here to do. I have to start today.” Welling moisture reflected in her eyes. “This was my Dad’s place.”
He took her hand. “When did you lose him?”
“He died of a heart attack last year. The timing sucked. Not that there’s ever a good time to die unexpectedly.” She blew out a breath. “He was about to retire in a few months. Anyway, the boxes upstairs in the loft belonged to him. I’ve been putting off going through them, but it’s time.”
“Want help?” With all the shit on his plate, had he honestly asked that? But he couldn’t leave knowing she struggled with loss.
“Not if you feel obligated. You don’t owe me anything.”
But he did. She tried to untangle her fingers from his, but he held on. “It’s not obligation. I want to. I can stay one more day.”
Lauren gave him a contemplative look. A smile slowly replaced a frown. “All right. We’ll take it day by day.”
“I said one more day.”
“I know, but I was thinking about it. I don’t think you should go. Yesterday, you said you could be in danger. Without your memory, you may not recognize who’s a threat.”
“And that’s exactly why I should leave.”
“But—”
He cupped her face and placed his thumb on her lips. “Memory or not, I can handle danger. What I can’t handle is you being hurt or in trouble because of me.”
Her brow crinkled with a stubborn expression. She tugged his hand away. “We already had this conversation. I don’t believe you’d have come to me if you knew it wasn’t safe to do it.”
“I have to find out who I am. Just like you can’t put off what I came here to do. I can’t let being here stop me from finding out.”
“I’m not saying you shouldn’t. Who knows what else you’ll recall if you give yourself until the end of the week. I mean, what else are you going to do, hike around until you remember something? Stay.”
Just being near her pushed buttons that lowered his resolve. “We’ll take it day by day.”
“That’s fine for now.” She grinned. “I’ll just have to convince you I’m right.”
No doubt she’d try. “Are you sweet talking me, beautiful?”
“Absolutely. The same way you’re sweet talking me.” Lauren nudged him back on the bed. She stroked his length from base to tip. “Is it working?”
Need socked out the air in his lungs. He bucked from the mattress. “Too well.”
“Good.”
Lauren pumped him slowly in her hand. The desire in her eyes made him shake. She thumbed away pre-cum from his cock. As she swirled it over the tip shivers racked down his spine. The welcome torture ended when she finally rolled the condom on him. Heaven washed over Reid as she sank down on his length. The rise and fall of her hips forced hard exhales. She lightly scored his nipples and tingles traveled down to his balls. His heart pounded. Her gaze trapped him. She trapped him with some invisible bond he didn’t want to break. He couldn’t remember his past, but innate understanding made it clear. He’d never connected like this with another woman. He strummed her clit. Her thighs quivered. Her * pulsed as she lost rhythm and cried out his name. As she came apart, Reid followed, wishing he never had to leave.
Chapter 10
Lauren took the stairs up to the loft. Cardboard boxes and plastic storage tubs sat stacked on the floor. What would she find? Would she discover what distance and death had kept her from understanding?
Reid joined her. “Where do we start?”
The first large box was as good as any. “With this one.”
He gave her the box cutter. “I’ll let you open and sort. Just tell me where to put what.”