What the Waves Bring by Barbara Delinsky Read Free Book Online

your bed when I awoke this morning, that you can’t consider me a total stranger.”
    â€œThat was different,” she argued quickly, her cheeks flaming. “Your clothes were drenched. If I hadn’t taken them off, you might have caught pneumonia. I acted out of pure necessity. But … I don’t even know your name … nor do you!”

    He grew more serious, his voice dropping in deep flow. “Does that really seem so important right now?”
    April seized her chance, mustering the courage to confront him bluntly. “Yes! It does! For all either of us knows, you may have a wife and family worried sick right now—even mourning you. How can you think to kiss me … with that hanging over you?”
    The dark gaze that had been soft and open seemed to instantly cool, then harden. His low curse was muffled as he pushed himself from the sofa and paced across the room. “Don’t you think I’ve considered that?” Hands thrust into the back pockets of his jeans, he glared out the window. The shirt he had thrown on over his turtleneck jersey hung loosely but April could not help picturing the broad chest it hid. “I’ve thought of nothing else for the past two hours! I’ve gone over everything, trying to remember something. I’ve studied every inch of this place, hoping that some small item will trip the switch. And still I come up with nothing! There is no clue to my identity—or the possible existence of family. Even the monogram on this shirt is meaningless!”
    Monogram? Why hadn’t she noticed it earlier? April caught the word and clung to it as he growled on. This was a new face he was showing her, a face charged with determination and bearing the vehemence of his character as he whirled around and strode toward her. “From what I can see, we’re going nowhere for a while. From what I also see,” he said, the chill in his eyes showing signs of thawing, “we are well-stocked and relatively comfortable.”
    From where she sat, upright now on the sofa, April watched his approach, tilting her head back to take in his towering height. Her mouth felt strangely dry as she waited for him to go on. When he did, his voice held a clearly sensual note.
    â€œTo sum it all up, I see myself stranded, with neither
past nor future, in a small house, with a very beautiful woman—”
    â€œNot beautiful,” she interrupted, turning awkwardly away, her heart pounding, her mind in a whirl.
    But his strong fingers curved at her jaw, forcing her gaze back to his. “Yes. Beautiful. Warm. Giving. Compassionate.” He paused, studying the tremor of her lower lip, then traced it with his thumb. “You rescued me from the storm and took me in, didn’t you?”
    A strange euphoria had begun to seep slowly through April’s body, generated by the nearness of this man and the inexplicable excitement of his touch, which now curled its way to the back of her neck. All she could do was to nod mutely.
    â€œThen, let me do something in return.”
    Swallowing hard, she struggled to speak. “You could build a fire …”
    â€œI could.”
    â€œOr”—she moistened her lips with inadvertent allure—“make us some lunch …”
    â€œI could.”
    â€œOr …” Her mind drew a blank, all power diverted to her budding senses.
    He drew her to her feet with a gentle hand, threading his long fingers through the thickness of her chestnut hair. “Why not kiss me, then we’ll decide what to do …”
    â€œNo …” Her whisper was feeble, her entire being mesmerized by the aura of masculinity that had enveloped her and seized control. His mouth took hers while her lips were still parted, coaxing her response with the persuasiveness of his tenderness. Now it was she who was the helpless one, tossed about on a sensual sea that threatened to overpower her. Mindlessly, she