Unforgettable (7 page)

“Really? Dreaming of me, kitten?” He grinned and winked.

She snorted. “You wish. The nightmares seem to be coming more frequently,” she confessed. Galen pulled her close to chest and an instant feeling of safety infused her.

 “Did you remember something more?”

“No,” she sighed, looking around to make sure no one else needed her. There was a lull, everyone was eating or drinking happily so she had no excuse but to turn back to the large man waiting impatiently for her to elaborate.

“The nightmares are always the same, me running, knowing someone is chasing me, that if they catch me I’m dead.”

He drew in a sharp breath, his face hardening. “But you don’t see who it is?”

She shook her head, feeling her gut clench. She took in a shuddering breath. When would she remember? When would this all stop?

“Have dinner with me?” he asked quietly.

She gave a jolt at the surprising change in conversation. “What?”

“Have dinner with me tonight. We’ll leave straight after your shift.”

“What? In my dirty work clothes? I don’t think so.” They were both aware she hadn’t said no outright.

“Tomorrow night then, bring a change of clothes with you.”

She thought about it for a long moment. But really, there was nothing to think about. She wanted to go out for dinner with him, to get to know him.

“Okay,” she replied. “I’d like that.”

He relaxed slightly. “Great.” He grinned. “I’ll see you at six tomorrow night then.”

“Sure.” She smiled, moving away, feeling unbelievably happy at the idea of dinner with him. It wasn’t until she looked over and seen that he’d disappeared that she realized she’d never actually taken his order.

*****

Eden stood outside the diner the next night, waiting for Galen to appear. Last night she’d arrived home to find a bouquet of flowers on her doorstep and a note reminding her of their date tonight. And he’d mowed her lawns. She couldn’t believe it. She’d been meaning to do them herself, but she hadn’t gotten around to it.

The flowers were lovely. Carnations. Her favorite. Of course he’d have known that. He’d told her bits and pieces about their past, filling in some of her gaps, but not nearly enough to satisfy her. She felt like he was holding back something major.

Even though she wanted to trust him, Eden cautioned herself to be careful. She was vulnerable. She shivered, feeling chilled, as though there were eyes watching her. She looked around, but saw no one around. She shook it off as her imagination and waited for Galen to show.

“You look lovely.”

“Eek,” she screeched, turning suddenly to find him standing behind her. His eyebrow rose inquisitively.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

“No,” she gasped. “You gave me a damn fright, couldn’t you wear a bell around your neck or something?”

“I need every advantage around you, kitten,” he drawled. “You sure that’s all? You look a little pale, are you feeling all right?”

“Have you been watching me?” she asked suspiciously.

“No.” His eyes narrowed. “Why?”

She shook her head. “Nothing, it doesn’t matter.”

“Eden,” he growled out her name.

She shook her head again, hugging herself tightly. “I’m just being silly. I felt like someone was watching me, then when you snuck up on me, well, I thought maybe it was you.” She shrugged. “Where’s your car?”

“I got Rick to drop me in earlier, so we could just take your car. Stay here while I have a look around.” He took a step but she grabbed his arm.

“Don’t. I was just being silly. Besides, we’re going to be late.”

He turned and took her shoulders. “Wait in your car.” Sighing, she watched as he took off at a jog. What he was going to look for she didn’t know, but if anyone had been watching her, which she now doubted, they were going to be long gone. She jumped in the driver’s seat of her car.

The passenger door opened suddenly making her gasp in shock as he slid into her small car.

“Will you stop doing that!” she yelped.

He was frowning. “No sign of anyone around,” he muttered, ignoring her glare.

“Like I said, I was being silly, having no past can make a person jumpy.”

He let out a rumble of discontent. “I don’t like you driving home from the diner by yourself, especially at night. Anything could happen to you. From now on, I’ll drive you to and from the diner.”

She snorted. “Yeah, right.”

“I mean it.” He glared at her.

She glared back. “You’re being ridiculous. I was just imagining things. That doesn’t mean you get to start bossing me around.”

“You either accept me taking you to and from work or you quit.”

“Why the hell would you think you have the right to give me ultimatums?” Oh she was getting well and truly mad now.

He leaned in close, trying to intimidate her. Her chin rose as she decided to tough him out. “It’s not a request, Eden.”

“Get bent, Galen.”

“You’ll do as I say.”

“Or what?You going to send me to bed without supper?” She smirked, ignoring the way his eyes narrowed to slits.

“Oh, I’ll take you to bed, darling, but when I do, I’ll be in it.”

“Oh, you-you-,” she tried to work up some temper, but the image of him in her bed, caressing her, loving her, was stealing what little anger she could muster at his arrogance.

“You’ll obey me, kitten, or I’ll warm that butt good. Now shouldn’t we get going? Don’t want to be late. Unless you’d rather just go home to bed.”

She squashed down the tempting impulse to say yes and drive them home at lightning speed.

“I’m hungry,” was all she managed to mutter as she started the car.

“Hmm, me too.”

From the way he looked at her, she knew he wasn’t hungry for food.

*****

“Something wrong with the food, kitten?”

Eden startled and looked down at her plate, it was still loaded with the Caesar salad she’d ordered. She looked over at his plate, surprised to see it was nearly empty.

“No, it’s fine, I’m just not that hungry.” How could she be with him sitting so close to her, his leg brushing against hers constantly kept spinning desire across her nerves, fracturing her concentration?

She wiggled in her chair, hoping to ease the ache pounding in her pussy.

“It won’t help,” he told her with a knowing look.

“What won’t help?” she asked

“Wriggling around to try and slate your need. You can deny it, try to ignore it all you want but there’s only one thing that’s going to satisfy you. Me.”

He stared at her seriously, no hint of a smile on his face. Eden blew out a breath, starting to wonder if that wasn’t simply the truth. Perhaps he was the only one who could ease the ache.

“Eat up, kitten.”

“I still can’t remember anything about you,” she told him. He winced slightly but she plowed on, not wanting to hurt him but needing to talk truthfully. “But I feel this attraction to you and at times it’s overwhelming. Other times it’s terrifying. Because I simply don’t remember anything about you. I’m sorry, I know that must hurt.”

“It does, but only because I love you so much. And you do know something about me. You know that I love you. That I will protect you above anyone else. That I want you.”

Eden rubbed her temple in a useless attempt to ease the pounding headache that had developed. “What about my family? Won’t they be worried about me?”

He looked at her sadly.

“Oh,” she said quietly, her heart breaking. This is why she hadn’t worked up the nerve to ask until now. She just knew it was going to be bad.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. Your parents have been gone for a long time. But when you joined with me, my family became yours.”

“Your parents?” she asked.

“My father is dead. My mother is very much alive. I have one sister, but she lives in North Carolina.”

She nodded. “I-I can’t remember…”

“It’s okay. Come on, kitten. Let’s head home before someone works up the courage to approach us and ask what’s wrong.”

Eden looked around, blushing again as she realized how many people in the restaurant were staring over at them in interest. Galen stood and helped pull out her chair, a total gentleman as he paid for their meals while Eden assured the owner that there had been nothing wrong with the salad.

Turning off the main road, she drove her small car along the long, winding gravel road that led to Rick’s estate. He owned a large house set deeply into the woods, and except for Eden, who rented one of his small cottages, his closest neighbors were more than ten miles away.

She’d been kind of surprised that Galen hadn’t insisted on driving, he was so Neanderthal about some things she thought it would threaten his manliness to let a woman drive. But he’d happily climbed into the passenger seat after holding open the driver’s side for her.

Galen quickly jumped from the car and came around to open her door. She smiled at him as he helped her up, her smile turning to a look of surprise at the small pile of newly chopped wood neatly stacked up against the side of the cottage.

“I’ll chop some more up tomorrow,” Galen told her. “It was as much as I could get done today.”

“Thank you, you didn’t have to, and thank you for dinner.”

He smiled down at her. His gaze devouring her face, he leaned down, his intentions clear. She found herself reaching onto her tiptoes, meeting him halfway as his lips joined with hers. Her arms creeped around his neck, pulling him closer as he deepened the kiss, his tongue slipping inside her mouth, dipping in and out, teasing, sneakily driving her wild until she found herself clasping his face with hers, holding him still so she could ravish him deeply.

His hands covered hers, squeezing gently before pulling them off his face as he drew back. He held her as she swayed, feeling an overwhelming sense of disappointment that she quickly tried to write off as relief.

“Wait here while I check the cottage,” he told her.

“What? Hey!” She grabbed hold of his hand, tugging at him. “What do you mean, wait here? What are you checking for?”

“I just want to make sure that it’s safe.”

She frowned at him. “It’s been safe every other time I’ve entered. What makes tonight any different?”

“Because tonight you felt like someone was watching you. I’ve learned to listen to your feelings, kitten. Now wait by the car while I check the house for intruders.”

“No way.” She stepped up beside him. “I’m coming in with you.”

He laughed, the sound in no way amused. “When hell freezes over.”

“It is getting kind of chilly,” she said cheekily.

He bent down until his face was a mere inch from her own, obviously trying to intimidate her. But if there was something she’d learned in the last few days it was although he may look scary and intimidating, he had a heart of gold.

He didn’t frighten her.

So she glared back.

“Stay here,” he growled. “Or I will paddle your butt, got it?”

Eden snorted. Like she hadn’t heard that threat plenty before. He was all talk.

Galen waggled his finger. “Stay.”

“Woof-woof,” she replied. “You’re being ridiculous, there’s nobody in there and even if there was they’ve probably run off from all the noise we’ve made.”

“I’m not willing to chance it, Eden. Stay here.”

She waited outside, even though she thought he was being ridiculous. But as she stood there, the darkness started creeping her out. Her imagination went into overtime as she imagined eyes watching her. Eden found herself inside the house before she’d even really thought about it.

“What do you think you are doing?” A furious voice asked her.

Screeching, she turned to where Galen stood behind her, glaring at her, a muscle by his right eye ticking. She gulped at the dark promise in his gaze.

“Where did I tell you to wait, Eden?” he asked. Although he never raised his voice, she flinched and took a step back. Galen corralled her against the wall, leaning over her.

“You were being silly, there’s no one here. And it’s dark out there.”

His gaze softened slightly. “Sorry, baby. I should have told you wait in the car with the doors locked. I won’t make that mistake again. Still, that does not excuse your disobedience. Come with me.”

Without another word, he sat on the sofa and gestured her over.

Ahh, yeah, no way was she getting any closer to him.

“You know, I’m really tired, I think I’ll go to bed now,” she told him, inching backward. “You can show yourself out.”

“I’ll put you to bed after your punishment, Eden,” he told her calmly. “Now come here.”

Eden shook her head frantically, staring at him through wide eyes. “No way. This is not happening. I am not into this. I don’t want a spanking.”

He merely raised his brows, his manner relaxed, calm, but his eyes were firm. “You disobeyed me, Eden. That comes with serious consequences. I know you don’t remember our relationship, but where I come from men look after their women, they protect them. Rules are in place for your safety and you are expected to follow them. If you don’t, then you accept the consequence. For you, my darling, that is going to be a very red bottom.”

“I thought you came from Montana,” she replied, her voice wobbling slightly. “You cannot tell me that every woman in Montana has to follow these rules.”

He smiled slightly. “No, baby, when I said where I come from, I wasn’t talking about all of Montana, just my own little patch of it. But there, baby, where we live, women are cherished, looked after, and taken in hand if they put themselves in danger or disobey their men. You did both tonight, Eden.”

“Well, I didn’t know about these crazy rules of yours, so how could I be expected to follow them? I can’t believe I ever did follow them.” What the hell had she gotten involved with?

He chuckled. “I can see every thought on your face, kitten. You always were an open book. Honey, you may not remember all of this, but when you became my ma-mine, you agreed to live by them. Of course, you often ended up with a spanked butt, you did like to get yourself into trouble. Something that hasn’t changed.” He became firmer, more serious. “Someone out there who tried to hurt you, Eden, and I don’t think you’re taking your safety seriously enough. You will obey me when it comes to protecting you or you are going to end up over my lap often.”