Remember Me (5 page)

“Okay,” she said, surprising herself.

Hamish met her gaze, his sexy smile returning, and then he took her hand and led her along the beach.

By the time they reached his house, darkness shrouded the shore, the sand lit only by the full moon hanging in the sky like a thrown snowball. She shivered as he led her up the steps of the decking to the sliding doors, only then spotting the large, brown dog with his nose pressed up against the glass. “Oh!”

“That’s Brandon.” Hamish unlocked the door. “Are you okay with dogs?”

“Of course.”

He smiled. “Good.” He slid open the door, and the boxer bounded up to them.

“Hello.” Dropping to her haunches, she let him sniff her hands then scratched him behind the ear. “He’s beautiful.”

“
Handsome
,” Hamish corrected. “He gets quite put out at any denigration of his masculinity.”

“Sounds like someone else I know.” She winked at him as they entered the house, and he pretended to be affronted.

“Hey, I have a pink shirt. And I’m not afraid to cry
.
”

“Really?” She closed the door behind her and followed him into the large, open-plan living room and kitchen area, already liking the spacious feel of the place.

“Absolutely. I bawled my eyes out when Schwarzenegger died in
Terminator.
”

She laughed. He switched on a couple of lamps then turned on the heat pump and flooded the room with warm air.

“Oh...that’s nice.” She rubbed her hands.

“Yeah, it’s pretty chilly out there. Glass of wine?”

“Please.”

“White or red?”

“Red, please.”

While he found a bottle and some glasses, she sat on the sofa and stroked Brandon, who promptly rolled over onto his back. She scratched his stomach, and he sighed blissfully.

“You’ve got a friend for life there,” Hamish said.

“I’ve found this works with the males of most species.”

He grinned. “No argument from me.” He nodded toward an iPod sitting on a set of speakers to one side. “You want to choose some music?”

“Okay.” She scrolled through the albums and settled on some folksy jazz. He came over, handed her the glass of wine, and sat beside her as she lowered herself back onto the sofa.

“Cheers.” He held up his glass.

“What shall we drink to?”

He thought about it. “To midwinter magic.”

Her heart rate sped up at his lopsided smile, his gentle but interested gaze. He seemed so much bigger than her, all height and breadth and muscle, his leg from hip to knee longer than hers by several inches, his arm so brown against her pale skin. She couldn’t go to bed with him. Could she? They’d only just met! And yet somehow that made it even more exciting.

What did it matter? In the twenty-first century, people had one-night stands all the time. Gone were the days when society frowned on women if they didn’t save themselves for their future husbands, and anyway, she was hardly a virgin. As long as a couple used protection, where was the harm in it?

He started talking about music and which concerts they’d been to, but even as she told him about the Foo Fighters gig at Western Springs she’d seen recently, the terrifying image of taking off her clothes in front of him dominated her thoughts. She finished her glass of wine and he poured her another, and she’d drunk half of it when he gave a sigh and tipped his head at her, smiling. “What’s the matter?”

“What? Nothing!”

“Honey, your hand is shaking and I don’t think you’ve heard a single word I’ve said for the last ten minutes. What’s on your mind?”

“Sex,” she said, and then blushed furiously. “I mean...oh jeez.”

Brandon lifted his head and stared at her. Could even the dog sense her embarrassment?

Hamish smiled. “You’re absolutely delightful, you know that?”

“It’s just... I think...”

“Sweetheart. I meant what I said—I only invited you here for a drink.”

“Oh.”

Her disappointment must have been written all over her face, because he started laughing. “That’s not to say I don’t desperately want to take you to bed, because I do.”

“Oh!” The disappointment turned to panic and excitement in seconds.

“What I meant to say was, it’s up to you. I’m not going to pressure you into anything. I know we’ve only just met. I don’t expect anything.”

She swallowed and moistened her lips with her tongue, not missing the way his gaze dropped to watch. “I know. I... I want to. I think. It’s just... I’m not very...” She blushed again.

“Very...”

“Experienced. I haven’t been with anyone since Lee.”

His eyebrows nearly shot through his hairline. “But I thought you said he died nearly three years ago?”

“Er, yeah.”

“Wow. No wonder you’re nervous.” His eyes glimmered with something else then. “And yet you chose me?”

“Um...yes, I suppose so.”

The smile spread slowly across his face. “I’m very flattered.”

“You’re kidding me, right? Women must throw themselves at you all the time.”

“Not quite, no, but thank you for that vote of confidence. It’s been a while.”

That surprised her. Maybe he’d been telling the truth about seeing her photo and waiting for her.

He leaned on the back of the sofa and rested his head on a hand. “Does it make you feel better to know I’m not a hussy?”

She laughed. “Yes. I don’t know why. I guess I assumed you’d be with a different girl every night. That’s a lot of women to live up to.”

“You give me too much credit.” He reached out the hand holding his glass and ran a finger along her cheek. “You’re the loveliest girl I’ve met in a long, long time. I wish you’d believe me.”

“I want to. I really do.”

Brandon put his head on his paws and sighed. Hamish smiled wryly at him before turning back to her. He leaned over and placed his glass on the table. Doing the same with hers, he met her gaze with a mischievous smile. Then he moved a little closer. “Why don’t we start at the beginning?” Slipping his hand to the nape of her neck, he lowered his lips to hers.

Chapter Six

Rose’s head exploded. Okay, maybe not exploded
per se
, but certainly something happened to her brain the moment Hamish’s lips touched hers. Her heart pounded, blood shot around her body at a million miles an hour, and her head spun as a thousand different thoughts collided in her brain, the main one being
HE’S KISSING ME!
Somehow, though, she managed not to move. She closed her eyes and tried to remember to breathe as he pressed his lips to hers. He kissed her slowly, gently, and moved his mouth across hers as if he had all the time in the world.

It had been so long since she’d kissed anyone that she remained still for a while, worried about doing the wrong thing such as clashing her teeth with his. But if he sensed her tenseness, he didn’t say anything. He continued to kiss her with small presses of his lips, and only when she sighed and her lips parted did he brush his tongue into her mouth. She inhaled at the unfamiliar, exciting intrusion, and then he pulled her fully into his embrace. Suddenly the kiss went from a polite peck to a thermonuclear meltdown. She murmured her enjoyment as she stroked his tongue with her own, and his replying throaty growl of pleasure put a match to her internal fuse.

She moved her hands up his chest, feeling firm, tight muscles under the All Blacks’ shirt, then slid her hand up his neck and into his hair, running her fingers through the short strands. The feel and taste and smell of him overwhelmed her and made her heart hammer. He seemed so much bigger closer up—his arms around her were huge and solid. He was like a guy she’d have had posters of on her wall during her teenage years—like an actor on TV she’d have drooled over. Could she really go to bed with him?

Only when the sofa pressed against her back did she realize he’d lowered her down. He stroked his thumb over the fabric of her dress and then slid his hand under the hem and began to brush up her thigh. She threaded her fingers through his hair, wondering what it would look like without the Army buzz cut.

She must have made a sound, or gone still, because he lifted his head and looked at her. She blinked rapidly. “I’m sorry.”

 “It’s okay.” He pushed himself up, bringing her with him. “Did I move too quick?”

“I...” Her cheeks burned. She stood up and walked a few paces forward, her arms folded defensively.

He didn’t come after her. He waited a moment and then said softly, “Rose?”

She hesitated. The house had a fantastic view over the sea, and the bright moon had streaked the deep blue-purple Tasman with silver. In three weeks he’d be gone, back to the life she knew so well, the life she didn’t want for herself, for her children. Of course, it was too soon to be thinking of a relationship—she’d only just met the man. But even though they’d moved at the speed of light, the special connection between them hinted there could be more. She liked him—very much, but she didn’t want to be part of his other life.

Why did he have to be in the Army?
She cursed under her breath, closed her eyes, and shook her head. She didn’t want to set herself up for heartbreak—again.

“Rose?” The sofa creaked as he stood, and he placed his hands on her arms and turned her to face him. “It’s okay. We don’t have to do anything. It’s nice just being with you.” He raised a hand to brush her cheek.

She bit her lip. “I meant what I said,” she whispered. “I can’t get involved with someone in the Forces.”

His smile faded, but he continued to stroke her cheek. “I understand.”

“I want you though.” How could she explain how she burned with desire for him? She wanted him to take her to bed, to crush her beneath him, to overwhelm her with his masculinity. She wanted to feel some of the passion she’d only ever seen in movies, to have him set her alight.

“I want you too,” he said, his voice husky.

“I just need you to understand—this is temporary.”

“I understand.”

“When you go back, it’s got to end...”

“Sweetheart.” He spoke firmly as he cupped her face. “I get it. And if I can have you for only three weeks, or even one night, I’ll take what I can. I was lost the moment I saw you—actually even before then. When I saw your photo, I knew you were going to be trouble.”

“I’m not trouble,” she squeaked.

“Then clearly you have no idea what effect you have on me.”

She chewed her bottom lip and then pressed her hips to his. “I have some idea.”

His eyebrows shot up, and he gave her an amused look. “You got my motor running, what can I say?”

Her mind made up, she stepped back.
Here goes. Please don’t let him laugh.
She grasped the hem of her dress. “You don’t have to say anything.” Lifting the dress, she swept it over her head in one easy movement and let it fall to the floor.

Hamish’s eyes nearly fell out of his head. She forced herself to stand still for a moment as he stared at her. His admiration of her white lacy bra and panties made her glow. When his gaze finally came back to hers, it burned into her. “I did
not
expect you to do that.”

“Oh. Too forward?”
Shit, now he thinks I’m a slut.
“Should I put the dress back on?”

He laughed at that, placed his big hands under her butt, and lifted her, wrapping her legs around his waist. “That would be a hundred per cent no thank you, ma’am. You look just fine.”

“Oh, thank God.”

Still laughing, he walked toward the bedroom. Then he hesitated.

“What?” She’d been kissing his ear but now raised her head.

“I just remembered, I don’t have any protection. I wasn’t expecting to get lucky. Eamon’ll have some though.”

He carried her through to what must have been Eamon’s room, and—still holding her—ferreted around in the cabinet beside the bed, exclaiming in triumph when he found a packet. Pleasure surged through her—he hadn’t planned this. She wasn’t convenient. He really had wanted to get to know her better, and the whole thing had surprised him as much as her.

He brought her back to his room. Telling Brandon to stay outside, he closed the door firmly on the dog before he let go of her legs. She slid down and he pushed her up against the wall. Then he kissed her.

Now she’d made up her mind, all her inhibitions fled, and she returned the embrace passionately. She moved her hips, rubbing the sensitive and swollen part of her against his pleasantly long and hard erection, making him groan. Desperate to feel his skin against hers, she tugged at his T-shirt and tried to pull it off, and promptly caught her bracelet in the stitching. “Shit.” They both started laughing, and she freed herself hurriedly, blushing at her incompetence. “Sorry.”

He grabbed his T-shirt by the back of the neck and pulled it over his head. “No worries.”

“Oh my God, wow.” The guy was all defined muscle and tanned skin with a very masculine scattering of light brown hair. “I’m speechless.”

“Not quite, but I’m going to make you so very soon.” He kissed down her neck, his faint stubble rasping against her skin. She’d pay for that in the morning, but at that moment, she couldn’t have cared less. He tasted her skin with his tongue and lingered over the pulse point in her neck, sucking and making her sigh. At the same time, he slipped his hands beneath the elastic of her panties, cupped her butt, and pulled her against him, pressing his erection into her.

He continued to kiss down her neck to the swell of her breasts, his mouth warm as it closed over a nipple through the lace. She sighed. “Hamish...” Threading her fingers through his hair, she scraped her nails lightly along his scalp and down to the nape of his neck, enjoying his answering shiver.

Pulling her toward him, he slipped a hand behind her back, unclipped her bra, drew it down her arms, and threw it onto the floor. She closed her eyes, beginning to spiral out of control as he brushed his tongue over her nipples and covered them with his hot mouth. “Oh God...” The pounding of her heart wasn’t helped when he moved his hand up the inside of her thigh and stroked the triangle of lace between her legs, pressing firmly so the material quickly became soaked with her moisture. He groaned, and she squirmed against his touch.