Lost Memories (Honky Tonk Hearts) (16 page)
A teenage boy held her down, trying to kiss her.
“Get off!” She screamed and kicked until the door of her bedroom crashed open.
“Lance, what are you doing? Get off of your sister.”
Violent eyes squinted as the boy snarled.
Lance was her brother?
With a strangled cry, she wheeled away from the group.
Her ears rang.
Her vision blurred.
She stumbled and covered her ears to block out the ringing.
“Darcy?” Chris’s voice sounded far off in the distance.
She heard her name being called again, then Nick’s as the sound mixed with the buzzing just as everything vanished into blackness.
Chapter Twelve
Darcy struggled to return from the darkened corner of her mind. The pounding in her skull discouraged her from opening her eyes. She moaned.
“I think she’s waking up,” a familiar male voice stated from above her.
“Darcy, Darcy?” Nick’s deep voice came from a distance.
She blinked, fighting against the urge to close out the blinding light.
“Hey, sleepyhead, come on.”
Her vision cleared slowly, from Chris, to the crowd gathering, to Trent, and to the warm body holding her. “Nick?”
“Right here, darlin’.”
His tone rumbled in her head, which was pillowed against his chest.
“What...” She licked her dry lips.
“Here, sip this.” Trent handed her a bottle of water.
With Nick’s assistance, she grasped the plastic container in her shaking hand. The cool liquid made its way to her mouth, dousing her parched throat. “What happened?”
“You passed out,” Chris answered and hunkered down beside her.
Her heart jumped as she looked up into faces of people she didn’t know. “Who are all these people?” She struggled to sit up, panicked.
Strong arms tightened around her. “The guests, remember? We were about to go camping.”
Deep concern shown on Nick’s handsome face, causing her to touch his stubbled cheek.
“I think that’s my job, cowboy.” Her so-called husband appeared above her.
“Come on, people, get back with your horses. Just a little setback,” Sam called. “She’s gonna be fine. We’ll get this show on the road in a few minutes.”
Mind reeling through the commotion, her head snapped up. Memories, voices, faces came rushing in. Lance wasn’t her husband. She rubbed her temples as the hammering in her skull increased. Trying to understand it all, the fog cleared and pieces began to come together in her mind. Images of her mother marrying her stepfather, his son, Lance.
Lance was her stepbrother.
“We’re not married,” she informed them. “He’s my stepbrother,
not
my husband.”
Nick pulled back with an expression full of questions.
A lump of emotion rose in her throat. After all this time, she knew her past, where she came from. And it all paled in comparison to the anxiety she felt about her future with Nick. God, did she have a future with him? Did he feel as strong a connection to her as she did him? Uncertainty filled her, causing a tear to slip down her cheek. She shut her eyes and snuggled into his warmth, blocking out the doubts, savoring the safety of his embrace.
“I’m serious. I remember. I remember everything. I’m not married to him or anyone else.”
Her chin was raised and a hard kiss landed on her mouth. She smiled at Nick, her heart overflowing.
He lifted her to her feet, placed a strong arm about her waist, and rested his forehead on hers with a sexy little smile on his sinful lips.
She was free to love Nick, to be with him.
Lance approached from the side. “Get your hands off my wife.”
“You sure you’re okay,” Nick asked her.
She nodded.
“Sam, hold onto her.” When his brother stepped to her side, Nick released his hold. The fist he landed on Lance’s face laid the disillusioned man flat out on the ground.
“Sam, do something.” Although her stepbrother deserved it, she didn’t want to see anyone hurt any further.
“Nick, stop,” Sam shouted, but made no effort to intervene.
“I think you broke my nose. I’ll sue you for this.” Lance touched the sides of his injured part.
“Go ahead and do that.” Nick opened his fist and shook out his fingers before flipping the other man over. He clasped Lance’s wrist behind his back. “Chris, throw me a rope and someone call the police. Tell them we have a stalker and all-around dirtbag trespassing on the ranch.”
After Nick secured the man’s hands, her cowboy hauled Lance up by his wrists, causing a string of profanities to flow from his mouth. “Keep watch over Darcy’s
stepbrother
.”
Sam took a hold of Lance’s arm. “With pleasure.”
Not able to stay away any longer, Darcy wrapped her arms around Nick’s waist.
“I called the sheriff’s department,” Trent said re-joining the crowd. “They’re sending a car over.”
“I’m taking Darcy to my cabin so she can rest. When the authorities get here, send the officers over there.” He picked her up in his arms and crushed her to his rock-hard chest.
All these months she waited to remember her past, but none of it mattered right now. The only thing she cared about was her future. Her throat tightened and ached with suppressed emotions.
Nick entered his cabin and crossed to a room in the back of his home. Laying her down on a big bed, he stretched out beside her and propped his head in his hand. God, she was beautiful. He traced a knuckle down the side of her angelic face. He loved the way her smile began in her eyes. Happiness clogged his throat. Unable to stop himself, he kissed the tip of her nose.
Thank God, she wasn’t married. He wasn’t sure how he would have overcome the hurt of her leaving. Elation overflowed. The warmth of her breath caressed his face as his lips met her soft ones.
“Every time I kiss you, you take me to heaven,” he whispered before slipping inside. He kissed her until his insides grew tight with want.
She groaned as he pulled away.
A calloused finger landed on her lips, rubbing over the rim. “I love you, Darcy Brooks. I think I have since the day you starting working here—part of the reason I stayed away in the beginning.”
“That only prolonged the inevitable. Think of how much more time we would have had.” She ran a hand down his chest.
He tenderly nipped at her flesh, regretting the need to finish the conversation before they could embark on the ride of their life.
“I know you have a life wherever you lived before now, but I can’t go on without you.” He took a shaky breath. “My life doesn’t make any sense without you now.”
She frowned and squinted, seeming to pull the info out of the newfound memories. “I gave up that life two weeks before the accident. I quit my job and moved here to hide from someone stalking me.”
“Lance?”
“I’m pretty sure.” She sat up, cross-legged on the bed. “I think he resented the attention his dad gave me, especially after my mom died. There were a couple instances where...he approached me thinking I wanted to fool around with him.” She picked up their laced fingers and played with his digits. “One time he forced himself on me, but his dad walked in before he got too far. Then about a year ago, I received heavy-breathing phone calls, threatening letters. I thought the stalker could be a client of the law firm I worked for or a family member of one of the clients, but then Lance started showing up at the functions and restaurants I went to.”
Nick pulled her closer to his body needing to feel her, to protect her, to keep himself from marching back to the barn to tear Lance limb from limb. “What about the cops?”
“They couldn’t do anything; I had no proof.”
“We have proof now. Everyone out there heard him say he watched us.” Nick forced himself to remain calm while he encased her face with his hands, directing all his focus on her. “But I want to hear more about
you
. What did you do back home?”
“I worked as a paralegal in a law firm in New York.”
“Big city girl, huh? That’s how you knew about the review counsel.” He rubbed a strand of her hair between his fingers. “How’d you end up in Amarillo?” Would she be happy living a country life?
“I was tired of looking over my shoulder and one night just left everything behind and drove, and drove.” She shrugged. “There was something about this place that drew me in.” Flipping over on her side, her hand rested on his chest. “I love it here. I...I love you. I want to be with you.”
Gazing into her eyes, he got lost in a sea of emotions. “Stay here on the ranch, move in with me, be my wife.” He held her between his hands afraid if he let go, she’d vanish from him. “Maybe you could even get a job at Mr. White’s office. I mean, if you want to stay in that line of business. Or you can work here with me.”
She jumped on her knees and landed on top of him. “Yes, yes, yes.” She rained kisses all over his face stopping only when a knock sounded on the door.
“I should get that.”
Reluctantly, he got up and went to open the door.
“Nick, this is Officer Callahan. He has questions for y’all,” Sam informed him.
“I’ll go get Darcy.” Not going far from her side, he escorted his love to the living room and stayed glued to her while she recited everything she told Nick to the officer.
Officer Callahan jotted down notes and asked endless questions. “My partner has Mr. Brooks in the car. We’ll take him into town and press charges after I get statements from the guests.”
“Thank you, officer.” Darcy stood and followed him to the door.
As the cop left, Nick placed an arm around her waist.
Grateful for the support, she leaned into him, and he turned with her in his arms toward Sam.
“How are the guests? Anyone demanding a refund?”
“No. I told them as soon as the police were done, Trent and Chris would get them on their way.” He smiled and rocked on his heels. “More good news—while I was waiting for the police, Mr. White called. It seems when he informed Mrs. Miller about contacting the previous ranch she sued, she dropped all the charges.”
“Really?” Darcy said with delight.
“What did you say?” Disbelief registered on Nick’s face.
“The ranch is free and clear.”
How could this day get any better? With Lance behind bars, her memory being back, the ranch was cleared, and she was marrying the love of her life. Placing a palm on each of his cheeks, she pulled him to her and captured his lips.
A throat cleared. “I’ll ah...let myself out.”
Groaning, Nick’s mouth left hers and a hand urged her head under his chin.
“Sam, wait. I want you to be the first to know...we’re getting married.”
“What?” A gleeful shriek sounded from the door.
“Hi, Mom.” Nick hugged the woman with one arm, preventing Darcy from moving with the other.
“Mom? Dad? What are you doing here?” the second eldest asked as he kissed his mother’s cheek.
“Samuel, Nicholas.” Tammy Matthews kissed her sons, giving Darcy a wink and a smile. “Hello, Darcy.” She stepped forward and embraced her. “Did I hear correctly? You two are getting married.”
“Y-yes.” Heat rose to her cheeks, as her fiancé stared down at her with a goofy grin on his.
“See, I was right.” Tammy looked over her shoulder to her husband and pushed dark blond hair out of her face.
“It’s not nice to gloat,” Nick Sr. informed her with a smile.
“What are you talking about?” Nick frowned at his mother.
“You two. I suspected there was something between you two from the beginning. A few phone calls to your brothers confirmed it.” With a permanent smile, she whispered, “Now, if I can just get the rest of my boys to settle down.”
“Tam,” his father warned in a low voice. “Leave the kids alone.” He grasped her hand. “Let’s go up to the main house and someone can tell me what the heck is going on out there. We drove up as police were driving away, and the guests are standing around laughing.”
“I’ll fill you in up at the house,” Sam offered.
“We’ll see you two later?” Nick Sr. spun his wife around before she could object and guided her outside.
“How long do you think we have before your ma shows up at the door again?” Darcy tucked her head on his shoulder, loving the solid strength of him as he lifted her into his arms.
“I’m counting on my brothers to keep her busy for a long time, because I plan on keeping you occupied all night.” He kicked the door shut and locked the bolt.
The sound echoed, causing excitement to race through her. “You know, yesterday I didn’t know who I was or where I was going.”
“And now?” He followed her down on the bed and ran a large hand over her body awakening her senses.
“I don’t feel lost anymore. I know exactly what I want.” She hooked her arms around his neck, pulling his face down to her. “And I want you, Nick Matthews.”
A word about the author...
Sherri Thomas enjoys being outdoors, spending time with her family, and tending to her many animals. If she's not in the barn, on an ATV, or horseback riding, you can find her reading or writing a romance novel—with the wonderful chaos of her four children and dogs in the background.
She loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her at:
or drop a comment at
Sherrithomas.blogspot.com
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