4

The next morning, Marley sat across from Chrysander as he watched her eat

breakfast. He nodded approvingly when she managed to finish the omelet he’d

prepared, and he urged her to drink the glass of juice in front of her.

Despite her anxiety and uncertainty, it felt good to be taken care of by this

man. Even if she wasn’t entirely sure of her place in his world. He was solicitous

of her, but at the same time he seemed distant. She wasn’t sure if it was out of

deference to her memory loss, and he had no wish to frighten her, or if this was

simply the normal course of their relationship.

She caught her bottom lip between her teeth and nibbled absently. The idea

that this could be ordinary bothered her. Surely she hadn’t desired marriage with

someone who treated her so politely, as though she were a stranger.

And yet, for all intents and purposes, they were strangers. At least he was to

her. A flood of sympathy rolled through her. How awful it had to be for him to

have his fiancée, a woman he loved and planned to marry, just forget him, as

though he never existed. She couldn’t imagine being in his shoes.

He’d watched her closely through breakfast, and she knew she must be

broadcasting her unease, but he said nothing until he’d cleared their dishes away

and taken her into the living room. He settled her on the couch and then sat next

to her, his stare probing.

“What is concerning you this morning, Marley?” Chrysander asked.

His gaze passed over her face, and his expression left her faintly breathless.

“I was just thinking how perfectly rotten this whole thing must be for you.”

One eyebrow rose, and he tilted his head questioningly. He looked surprised,

as though it were the last thing he’d expected her to say.

“What do you mean?”

She looked down, suddenly shy and even more uncertain. He reached over

and touched his fingers to her chin. He slid them further underneath and tugged

until she met his gaze.

“Tell me why things are so horrible for me.”

When put like that, it sounded ridiculous. Here was a man who could have,

and probably did have, anything he wanted. Power, wealth, respect. And yet she

presumed to think it was so terrible that his mousy fiancée couldn’t remember

him. It would have been enough to make her laugh if she hadn’t felt so forlorn.

him. It would have been enough to make her laugh if she hadn’t felt so forlorn.

“I was trying to imagine myself in your place,” she said sadly. “What it feels

like when someone you love forgets you.” His thumb rubbed over her lips, and a

peculiar tingling raced down her spine. “I think I would feel...rejected.”

“You’re worried that I feel rejected?” Faint amusement flickered in his eyes,

and a smile hovered near the corners of his mouth.

“You don’t?” she asked. And did it matter? She hated this lack of confidence.

Not only was her memory of this man stolen, but any faith she had in who she

was to him had been erased, as well. She hated the idea that she couldn’t speak

of their relationship frankly because she worried that she might make errant

assumptions and look a fool.

Embarrassment crept over her cheeks, leaving them tight and heated as he

continued to stare at her.

“You cannot help what happened to you, Marley. I don’t blame you, and

neither do I harbor resentment. It would be petty of me.”

No, she couldn’t see him as petty. Dangerous. A little frightening. But not

petty. Was she afraid of him? She shivered lightly. No, it wasn’t him she was

afraid of. It was the idea that she could have been so intimate with a man such as

him and not remember it. She couldn’t imagine ever forgetting such an

experience.

“What happened to me, Chrysander?” A note of pleading crept into her voice.

Her hands shook, and she clenched them together to disguise her unease.

He sighed. “You had...an accident, pedhaki mou. The doctor assures me your

memory loss is only temporary and that it’s imperative for you not to overtax

yourself.”

“Was I in a car accident?” Even as she asked, she glanced down, searching for

signs of injury, bruising. But she had no muscle soreness, no stiffness. Just an

overwhelming fatigue and a wariness she couldn’t explain.

His eyes flickered away for the briefest of moments. “Yes.”

“Oh. Was it very serious?” She raised a hand to her head, feeling for a wound.

He gently took her hand and lowered it to her lap, but he didn’t relinquish his

hold. “No. Not serious.”

“Then why...how did I lose my memory? Did I suffer a concussion? My head

doesn’t hurt that way.”

“I’m very glad your head doesn’t pain you, but a head injury isn’t what causes

memory loss.”

She cocked her head to the side and stared at him in puzzlement. “Then how?”

“The physician explained that this is your way of coping with the trauma of

“The physician explained that this is your way of coping with the trauma of

your accident. It’s a protective instinct. One meant to shield you from harmful

memories.”

Her forehead wrinkled as her eyebrows came together. She pressed, trying to

struggle through the thick cloak of black in her mind. Surely there had to be

something, some spark of a memory.

“Yet I wasn’t harmed,” she said in disbelief.

“A fact I’m very grateful for,” Chrysander said. “Still, it must have been very

frightening.”

A sudden thought came to her, and her hand flew from his in alarm. “Was

anyone else hurt?”

Again his gaze flickered away from her for just a second. He reached up and

recaptured her hand then brought it to his lips. A soft gasp escaped her when he

pressed a kiss to her palm. “No.”

She sagged in relief. “I wish I could remember. I keep thinking if I just try a

little harder, it will come, but when I try to focus on the past, my head starts to

pound.”

Chrysander frowned. “This is precisely why I do not like to discuss the

accident with you. The doctor warned against causing you any upset or stress.

You must put the incident from your mind and focus on regaining your

strength.” He placed his other hand over her abdomen and cupped the bulge

there protectively. “Such upset cannot be good for our baby. You’ve already

gone through too much for my liking.”

She tugged her hand free and placed both of hers lightly over his hand that

was still cupping her belly. Beneath his fingers, the baby rolled. He snatched his

hand back, a stunned expression lighting his face.

Her brows furrowed as she gazed curiously at him. His hand shook slightly as

he returned it to her stomach. His fingers splayed out, and once again her belly

rippled underneath his palm.

“That’s amazing,” he whispered.

He looked so completely befuddled that she had to smile. But on the heels of

that smile came confusion. He acted as though he’d never experienced their baby

kicking.

She licked her lips and cursed the fact that she couldn’t remember. “Surely

you’ve felt it before, Chrysander.”

He continued his gentle exploration of her stomach. It was a long moment

before he spoke. “I was often away on business,” he said with a note of

discomfort. “I had only just returned when I learned of your accident. It had

been...a while since we’d been together.”

been...a while since we’d been together.”

She let her breath out, relief sliding over her and lightening her worry. If they

had been separated for a time, it would explain a lot.

“I don’t suppose it was the homecoming you expected,” she said ruefully.

“You left a woman who knew you, who was pregnant with your child and

planned to marry you. When you came back, you faced a woman who treats you

like a stranger.”

She glanced down at her finger automatically as she spoke. No ring adorned

it. She frowned at it before she quickly looked back up, trying to make the

uneasiness disappear once more.

“I was only happy that you and our baby were unharmed,” he said simply. He

eased away from her, shifting his body until more space separated them. His

gaze still drifted back to her belly as though he was fascinated with the tiny life

making itself known there.

A buzz sounded, and Chrysander stood and strode to the call box on the wall.

Marley strained to hear who he was speaking to, but she only heard his

command to come up.

He returned to her and sat down, collecting her hands in his. “That was the

nurse I hired to look after you. I have a meeting that I can’t miss in an hour’s

time.”

Her eyes widened. “But Chrysander, I don’t need a nurse. I’m perfectly

capable of remaining here while you attend to your business.”

His grip on her hands tightened. “Humor me, pedhaki mou. It makes me feel

better knowing I’m leaving you in capable hands. I don’t like to think of you

having need of anything in my absence.”

A smile curved her lips at his insistence. “How long will you be gone?” She

hated the hopeful, almost mournful quality to her voice. She sounded pathetic.

He stood as the sound of the elevator opening filtered into the living room.

“Stay here. I’ll return with the nurse.”

Marley relaxed against the back of the couch and waited for Chrysander to

return. His attentiveness was endearing, even if unnecessary.

A moment later, he walked back in with a smiling woman dressed in slacks

and a sweater. She beamed at Marley as she stopped a few feet away from the

sofa.

“You must be Marley. I’m so pleased to meet you. I’m Mrs. Cahill, but please

do call me Patrice.”

Marley couldn’t help but return the older woman’s smile.

“Mr. Anetakis has discussed his wishes with me, and I’ll do my utmost to

“Mr. Anetakis has discussed his wishes with me, and I’ll do my utmost to

make sure you’re taken care of.”

Marley pinned Chrysander with a stare. “Oh, he did, did he? May I ask what

his instructions were?”

Chrysander made a show of checking his watch. “Her instructions are to make

sure you rest. Now, I’m sorry, but I must go out for a while. I’ll return in time

for us to have lunch together.”

“I’d like that,” she softly returned.

He leaned down and stiffly brushed a kiss across her forehead before turning

to walk away. Her gaze followed him across the room, and she realized how

clingy she must look.

With effort, she dragged her stare from his retreating back and looked up at

Patrice. “I’m really quite fit,” she explained. “Chrysander makes it sound like

I’m a complete invalid.”

Patrice smiled and winked. “He’s a man. They’re famous for that sort of thing.

Still, there’s no harm in a little rest, now is there? I’ll see you to bed, and then

I’ll see about making us a nice cup of tea for when you wake.”

Before Marley even realized what was happening, the other woman was

effectively shuttling her toward the bedroom. She blinked when Patrice tucked

her solidly into bed and arranged the covers around her.

“You’re quite good at this,” Marley said faintly.

Patrice chuckled. “Getting my patients to do what they don’t want to is part of

my job. Now get some rest so that man of yours is happy with me and with you

when he returns.”

Marley heard the light sounds of Patrice’s shoes as she walked from the

bedroom. When the sound faded away, Marley glanced to the fireplace on the

wall opposing the foot of her bed. Chrysander had started the flame the evening

before, more for coziness than actual warmth, because the apartment suffered no

chill. Even the floors were heated, which she loved, because she hated to wear

shoes indoors.

The thought hit her even as a burst of excitement swept over her. What else

could she remember about herself? She concentrated hard, but the effort caused

her head to ache again.

The baby moved, and she slid her hand down to rest over her swollen

abdomen. The movement eased the discomfort in her head, and she smiled.

Despite the temporary loss of her past, she had a future to look forward to.

Marriage and a child. She just wished she could remember how she’d gotten to

this point.

With a sigh, she resigned herself to living in the moment. Hopefully her

With a sigh, she resigned herself to living in the moment. Hopefully her

memories would return and fill in the gaps.

She dozed, and when she awoke, she looked at the clock by her bed and saw

that an hour had elapsed. She felt refreshed and drew away the covers, wanting

to get up and move around. The constant rest was starting to make her restless.

Though she was dressed in soft pajamas, she nevertheless reached for the silk

dressing robe lying at the foot of her bed. Tying it around her body, she walked

out of the bedroom and into the living room, where she found Patrice.

She smiled at the other woman and assured her she was feeling well when

Patrice prompted her. Patrice nodded approvingly, and as if sensing Marley’s

need to be alone, excused herself.

Marley took the opportunity to explore the spacious penthouse. She walked

from room to room, acquainting herself with her home. Only it didn’t feel like

home. She could see Chrysander in the style and makeup of the decorations and

furnishings, but she couldn’t see anything that made her feel as though she’d

made any mark on the apartment. For some reason, that discomfited her. She felt

like a guest intruding where she didn’t belong.

When she entered the master suite, her frown grew. Chrysander had placed

her in what apparently was one of the guest rooms. She hadn’t given any thought

when he’d put her to bed and seen to her comfort in the extra bedroom. She’d

been too overwhelmed, too focused on trying to process everything.

She retreated, unable to shake the thought that she was somehow trespassing.

Next to the master suite was a large office. It was obviously Chrysander’s work

space. The furnishings were dark and masculine. Bookcases adorned the back

wall, and a large mahogany desk sat a few feet in front of them. Her feet brushed

across a plush rug as she walked farther into the middle of the room.

A laptop rested on the desk, and she sat down in the leather executive chair in

anticipation of browsing the Internet. She only hoped he had a wireless

connection since she could see no evidence of a cable line connected to the

computer.

She touched the keypad, and the monitor lit up. At least she wasn’t a useless

vegetable and had retained knowledge of the basics. As frustrating as her

memory loss was, she was relieved to know it was confined to her personal

history and not to the world around her.

She shook her head, plagued by the sheer absurdity of it all.

For the first half hour, she did countless searches on memory loss, but wading

through the mass of conflicting opinions only gave her a vile headache. So she

turned her attention to looking up information on Chrysander.

turned her attention to looking up information on Chrysander.

It was a bit frightening to see just how powerful and wealthy Chrysander was.

He and his two brothers were a formidable presence in the hotel industry. There

wasn’t much personal information, though, and that was what she craved.

She sat back, irritated with her cowardice. What she needed was to ask

Chrysander for the information she wanted. For goodness’ sake, he was her

fiancé, her lover. They’d created a child together, and he’d asked her to marry

him. If only she could remember those events, she would feel more sure of

herself.

“What are you doing?”

Chrysander’s whiplike voice lashed over her, and she jerked in surprise and

fright. She stared up to see him standing in the doorway, anger and suspicion

glittering in his eyes. His mouth was drawn into a tight line. He strode toward

her before she could even formulate a response.

“Chrysander, you scared me.” Her hand went to her chest to try and calm the

erratic jumping of her pulse.

“I asked you what you were doing,” he said coldly as he walked around the

desk to stand beside her.

Hurt and confusion settled over her. “I was just surfing the Internet. I didn’t

think you’d object to me using your laptop.”

“I prefer if you leave the things in my office alone,” he said curtly, even as he

reached out and closed the computer.

She slid out of the chair and stood staring at him in shock. Tears burned the

corners of her eyes. He looked at her with such...loathing. A shiver took over her

body, and she desired nothing more than to be as far away from him as possible.

“I’m sorry,” she managed to choke out. “I was just trying to discover

something about me...you...this horrid memory loss. I won’t bother you or your

things again.”

She turned and fled the room before she embarrassed herself and broke into

sobs.

Chrysander watched her go and cursed under his breath. He dragged a hand

through his hair before he sat down and reopened the laptop. A quick check of

the browsing history showed she’d done nothing more than research memory

loss and a few articles about his company. Another check of his files indicated

none of his business documents had been accessed.

He cursed again. He’d reacted badly, but seeing her using his computer had

immediately put him on guard. In that moment, he’d wondered if her memory

loss was all a ruse and she was plotting again to betray him.

He propped his elbows on the desk and held his head in his hands. His

He propped his elbows on the desk and held his head in his hands. His

meeting with the detective in charge of the investigation into Marley’s abduction

had been an exercise in frustration. They had little to no information to go on,

and the one person who could supply it couldn’t remember.

Marley hadn’t been rescued as the news had led viewers to believe; rather,

she’d been abandoned by her kidnappers, and an anonymous caller had alerted

police to her presence in the rundown apartment building. When they’d arrived,

they’d found a frightened pregnant woman obviously in shock. When she’d

awoken in the hospital, she’d remembered nothing. Her life, in essence, began

on that day.

So many questions, so much unknown.

What had been made clear to him, though, was that he couldn’t take chances

with her safety. Whatever threat there was to her was still out there, and he’d be

damned if he let anyone get close enough to hurt Marley or his child again. He’d

expected the authorities to balk when he said he was taking Marley out of the

country, not that he cared, because her well-being was his top priority and he

would do whatever it took to ensure it.

Instead, they’d agreed that it was the best choice and advised him to step up

his security. They wanted to be notified the moment her memory returned, so

they could question her. Chrysander supplied them with his contact information

and told them he would be leaving with her the next day.

There was much to do to prepare for their departure. He’d already alerted his

security team both here and on the island. Preparations were under way, but he

still had many phone calls to make. Yet the sight of Marley’s tears and the hurt

in her voice gave him pause. He should shove it aside and continue with his

plans. Her safety was important. Whether she was upset was not.

Even as he thought it, he was on his feet and going after her.

*

Marley stood in the closet of the bedroom Chrysander had given her, staring

blindly at the row of clothing hanging in front of her. She wiped the tears with

the back of her hand and concentrated on what to wear.

She rummaged through the many outfits, but none of them felt like her. With

an unhappy frown she turned to the row of shelves that lined the right side of her

closet and saw a stack of faded jeans next to several neatly folded T-shirts.

She reached for the jeans, knowing that this was what she felt comfortable in.

But when she unfolded the first pair, she saw that they weren’t maternity pants.

A quick search of the rest yielded the same results.

A quick search of the rest yielded the same results.

She turned back around and flipped through outfit after outfit on the hangers

and saw that they, too, were not suitable clothing for a woman in the more

advanced stages of pregnancy. Why did she have nothing to wear? She glanced

down at the bulge of her stomach. While she wasn’t huge, the waistlines of the

clothing in her closet were too confining for a woman five months along.

She felt his presence before he ever made a sound. Slowly, she turned to see

Chrysander standing in the doorway of her closet. His expression softened when

she swiped at her face and turned quickly away.

He stepped forward and captured her wrist in his hand. “Marley, I’m sorry.”

She stiffened and raised her chin until she met his gaze. “I shouldn’t have

meddled in your belongings.” She raised her hand to gesture at the closet full of

clothes. “We obviously keep a very separate lifestyle. You’ll pardon me while I

relearn the ropes.”

He frowned darkly and stared at her in confusion. “What are you talking

about? There will be no separation of our lifestyles.”

She shrugged indifferently. “The evidence is here. It doesn’t take an idiot to

figure it out. You’ve put me in my own room. My clothes are separate. Our

things are separate. Our beds are separate. It’s a wonder I ever got pregnant,” she

added wryly. She swallowed and then pressed on with the question burning

uppermost in her mind. “Why are you marrying me, Chrysander? Was my

pregnancy an accident? Was I some lascivious bitch who trapped you into a

relationship?”

She knew she sounded hysterical even as the words tumbled out, but the hurt

was eating away at her insides. She needed reassurance, some sign that the life

he claimed was hers was a happy place and not one filled with dark gaps like the

holes in her memory.

“Theos! Come with me.”

Before she could protest, he was dragging her from the closet. He ushered her

over to the bed and sat her down before settling beside her.

She glanced uncomfortably around. “Where is Patrice?” She had no wish to

have a disagreement in front of anyone else.

“I dismissed her when I arrived,” he said impatiently. “She is only here when I

cannot be until we leave for Greece. She’ll remain on the island with us for as

long as you have need of her.”

Marley couldn’t keep the disappointment from her expression. “But

Chrysander, I don’t need her at all, and I thought we would be alone once we

reached the island.”

reached the island.”

His look told her that he wanted anything but, and hurt crashed in again at his

seeming rejection.

“You may think she isn’t needed, but I won’t take chances with your

recovery. Your health is too important to me.” His voice became softer, and his

eyes lost some of their hardness. “You’re pregnant, and you’ve undergone a

great deal of stress. It’s only natural that I would want the best care possible for

you.”

She swallowed and slowly nodded.

He stared intently at her. “Now, as for my earlier rudeness...I apologize. I had

no right to speak to you that way.”

She snorted, which caused his eyebrows to rise. “I don’t think rude adequately

covers it. You were a first-class jerk.”

Color rose in his cheeks, and he swallowed. “Yes, I was, and for that I

apologize. I have no excuse. I’ve been busy making arrangements for our travel,

and I took my frustrations out on you. It’s unforgivable, but I ask for your

forgiveness nonetheless.”

“I accept your apology,” she said coolly.

“And as for your other assertions.” He took one of his hands away from hers

and dragged it carelessly through his dark hair. “We do not lead separate lives.

Nor will we. You did not trap me into a proposal, and I won’t have you say it

again.” He paused and sighed. “I put you in this room out of deference to your

condition. I didn’t think it fair of me to expect you to share a room and a bed

with a man who is a stranger to you. I had no wish to put such pressure on you.”

In that light, her worry seemed silly. What she’d perceived as a slight had in

fact been an act of caring on his part. Her shoulders sagged as her breath escaped

in a sigh.

“I thought...”

“What did you think, pedhaki mou?”

“I thought you didn’t want me,” she said lamely.

He let out a curse and cupped her face in his palm. For a long moment, he

stared at her. Light blazed in his golden eyes, and then he lowered his head to

hers. Her breath caught in her throat and hung there as his lips hovered over

hers.

A fierce longing ignited within her, and suddenly she wanted nothing more

than his mouth on hers. When their lips met, a bolt of electricity shot down her

spine and rebounded, spreading through her body like wildfire.

Instinctively, she arched into him, working her body into the shelter of his as

his fingers fanned across her cheek and he deepened the kiss. Her breasts

his fingers fanned across her cheek and he deepened the kiss. Her breasts

tightened as desire hummed through her belly. His chest brushed across her taut

nipples, and she flinched in reaction.

Her arms snaked around him, and her fingers dug into the hair at his nape.

Peace enveloped her. A sense of rightness she hadn’t experienced since waking

in the hospital bed lodged in her mind.

A low groan worked its way from his throat as he pulled away. His breath

came in ragged spurts, and his eyes shimmered with liquid heat.

“Your body remembers me, pedhaki mou, even if your mind does not.” Pure

male satisfaction accentuated his statement. It sounded arrogant, self-assured,

but it gave her flagging confidence a much-needed boost. He sounded very

pleased at the idea that she recognized him, if only on a physical level.

“I don’t have any suitable clothing,” she blurted, then blushed at the absurdity

of her statement. Her brain had gone to mush as soon as he’d kissed her, and

now she scrambled to cover the awkwardness.

One brow went up again.

“Why don’t I have any maternity clothes?” she asked. “Did I not buy any?”

She reached for any plausible explanation as to why she wouldn’t have

appropriate clothing among the closetful of outfits she owned.

Chrysander frowned. “I am sorry, pedhaki mou. I did not think of this. Of

course you cannot go around in your jeans.” He smiled a slow, sensual smile.

“Even if I do love to see you in them.”

She cocked her head to one side.

He chuckled, and the sound, sexy and low, vibrated over her hypersensitive

body. “You do not like to wear them around me. Something about looking nice

when we are together, but I assure you, you would look beautiful in a sackcloth

if you chose to wear one.”

Heat bloomed in her cheeks, and she smiled at the compliment.

He shook his head ruefully. “I am not doing a good job of taking care of you

since your release from the hospital. I’ve upset you and not seen to your needs.

This is something I must remedy at once. I admit, though, that your safety and

well-being, not your clothing, was uppermost on my mind.”

“Don’t say that,” she protested. “You’ve been wonderful. Well, except the

brief stint as a big jerk.” She smiled teasingly at him as she spoke. “This can’t

have been easy for you, and yet you’ve been incredibly patient. I’m sorry for

being such a shrew.”

He touched her face again, and for a moment, she thought he’d kiss her once

more. “I won’t let you apologize, Marley. You keep worrying about how hard

more. “I won’t let you apologize, Marley. You keep worrying about how hard

this is for me, when you are the one who has suffered.” He took his hand away

and stood. “Now I must make some phone calls so I can have more appropriate

clothing arranged for you.”

She blinked in surprise. “Couldn’t we just go shopping?”

He frowned. “You are not up for a shopping trip. I want you to rest. We’re

leaving for the island tomorrow morning, as soon as you have seen the doctor

and he gives his approval for you to travel.”

“Tomorrow?” she parroted. “So soon?”

He nodded. “Now you know why I must hurry if I am to have your clothing

delivered on time.”

She put her hands up helplessly. He said it as though he had much experience

in making things happen in accordance with his wishes. If he could have clothes

delivered to her on such short notice, then who was she to argue?

“Now—”

She held up a hand to silence him. She knew enough about the look on his

face and the tone of his voice to know that an order to rest was about to follow.

“If you tell me to rest again, I may well scream.”

His gaze narrowed, and he was about to protest.

“Please, Chrysander. I feel well. I napped while you were gone. Now, you

promised me lunch when you returned from your meeting, and I find myself

starving. Can we go eat?”

He cursed again and clenched his fingers into fists. “Of course. Apparently, I

strive to be thoughtless in all things. Come and sit down at our table. I’ll get us

something to eat.”