He could see a myriad of thoughts running through her mind. He knew she thought he was probably insane. Hot, then cold. She wouldn’t know what to think.

“Did we discuss marriage before the accident?” she asked, not taking her eyes from his. He could lie but he wouldn’t go that far.

“No, but things were good between us.”

“I don’t want a marriage of convenience. I know, I don’t know how, but I know I can only marry for love. I can barely comprehend being pregnant, and I wish I had my memory back, but I’m not going to marry you just because we slept together. Every time I ask you about the past, you hedge around it. Why?”

“The doctor said not to force anything on you.”

“That’s a cop-out and you know it,” she replied, getting irritated with him.

“It’s the truth,” he insisted.

“Would you have asked me to marry you if I wasn’t pregnant?”

Chad stood there like a deer caught in headlights. All he needed to say was ‘yes’ but he knew it was a lie. Maybe eventually he would’ve asked her, he tried to reason with himself. But he’d always vowed never to get married. Having a baby changed things, though. They needed to put the needs of their child’s welfare ahead of themselves. She should understand that.

“That question doesn’t matter – it’s irrelevant,” he hedged.

“I disagree. I think it’s completely relevant.”

“I want to raise my child. Does that make me a bad guy?”

“You can be active in your child’s life without marrying me. I don’t even know you, not really. Maybe I’ll feel differently once my memories come back, but you’re not helping matters by acting like a Neanderthal,” she scolded.

“You’re my responsibility. I don’t shirk on what’s right.”

“So, now I’m nothing more than a responsibility. One more daily chore for you to take care of.”

“You’re twisting my words,” he huffed in frustration. Chad moved around the room, running his fingers through his hair, trying to figure out how to get through to her. Why did she have to be so stubborn?

He walked to the fridge and started pulling items out. He had to do something with his hands or he feared he may place them around her small neck and strangle her. He smirked at himself. He would never, in a million years, hurt a woman. He wanted to kill the men who’d dare to harm her. Until they were caught, she was still in danger. If she’d just agree to marry him, he could protect her and the baby. Even with amnesia, she was pure Anderson, stubborn, even to the point of self-sacrifice.

Chad tossed a sandwich in front of her, then sat at the table and took a large bite of his sandwich. He was angry – and she was frustrated.

“Maybe I should just go and stay with my father. I think he’d like that.”

“No.”

“You can’t just tell me no. I’m an adult, in case you haven’t noticed,” she said with a glare.

“You’ll stay here,” he commanded. He was really ticking her off.

“You insufferable pig. Don’t you dare try to tell me what to do!” she snapped, standing up so fast her chair went flying behind her.

Chad jumped from his seat at the same time. He was furious with himself – the stalker – the situation – just about everything. He tried to calm himself down – remember she’d only been home one day.

“I’m going to the barn,” he said, turning to leave. He was proud of the restraint he was able to use. His passion always flared whenever he was in the same room with her, hell, within the same county.

“Afraid of a girl? Or is it that you just can’t handle it when a female doesn’t fall all over herself trying to please you. I bet you’re used to men, women, and children bowing all over themselves to do your bidding,” she said, then turned to make what she hoped was a dramatic exit. Men!

Chad sent her a smoldering look that was wasted on her retreating back.

“What? Does Princess Bree not like someone disagreeing with her? You have it all backwards, Honey. I think you’re the one who’s so used to getting her own way, she can’t handle it when she doesn’t get the last word in, or win the argument.”

Bree had never in her life wanted to punch someone, but she felt her fists curling as she fought the urge to walk back and slug him in his smug mouth. He was calling her a princess. She looked around his impressive home with a derisive laugh. Sure, she’d learned she came from money, but he didn’t look to be hurting, himself.

“I’m sorry. It doesn’t look as if you like that. Would you like for me to get on one knee and beg for forgiveness?” he said with a grin.

“That works just fine for me,” she answered.

“Good luck with that,” he snarled.

“I’m leaving,” she answered and took a single step before he grabbed her arm and whipped her around to face him.

“I don’t understand what it is you do to me, but I can’t resist you – not even for your own good,” he growled before grabbing a handful of her hair and pulling her against his body. His head dropped and his mouth connected with the sweet heaven of her lips.

Bree’s eyes widened as anger turned into full-blown passion, but her body knew what she wanted, and she quickly clutched at his shirt, opened her mouth, and held on for dear life.

Bree instantly melted as he seduced her with his hands and mouth. The man could literally kiss the sense right out of her. She didn’t care that they hadn’t solved anything. She was hungry for him, and only he could feed her desire.

His body felt like steel underneath her hands. She wanted to feel skin against skin. Her nipples were painfully hard as they pressed into the lace of her bra. She needed it gone – there were too many clothes in her way.

She moved her hands to his shirt and tugged at the material, wanting to run her fingers along the contours of his masculine chest – down the washboard that was his stomach, and lower to his hardness, currently pressing tightly into her stomach.

Chad took the hint and moved an inch back so he could rip his shirt off, then in the next second stripped hers and tossed it somewhere behind them. His hands moved back to her hair, tugging her close, causing her to cry out in pleasure.

“More – I need more,” she cried as his hands moved to her neck, then lower to unclasp her bra. She breathed a sigh of relief when the cool evening air hit her aching nipples, then gasped in ecstasy as his mouth surrounded the tight pink bud of one, then the other. It felt so good, it was almost painful.

His teeth clamped down on her sensitive bud, making her back arch, and a guttural groan escape her dry throat. He swept his tongue along the well-loved skin, then moved back up the smooth column of her throat and she greedily bit down on his lip. He groaned and she felt her body heat rise to another level.

Chad stripped her pants and panties in one smooth motion, then lifted her up on the counter without breaking their mouths apart. She rubbed her nipples against his solid chest, trying to relieve the aching. It only stoked the flames higher.

“Now,” she commanded him. She needed their bodies connected – she had to feel him inside her, or she’d die of sexual frustration.

“Can’t wait anymore,” Chad groaned as he parted her thighs, stepping between them. Bree barely caught a glimpse of his impressive manhood before his head was pushing against her tight entrance.

“Yes,” she called as he pushed slightly inside her. He stalled and she raked her fingers down his back to his firm butt and pulled him closer. With a groan, he finally pushed inside her, and Bree saw lights going off behind her closed eyelids.

So full – so very full.

She felt complete as he filled every inch of her, stretching her in the very best way. She thought she couldn’t possibly feel any better than she did in that moment – until he began moving.

Chad began thrusting in and out of her, slow at first, but quickly increasing his speed. Bree could do nothing but hold on tight as their bodies slid together, building up pressure, until finally she exploded in a fusion of light. She shook around him as he pumped inside her a few more times, before his body locked tightly against her and he quivered underneath her touch.

His hot breath skimmed across her neck as he leaned into her, shudders consuming him. She ran her fingers down his spine, his skin hot to the touch. He gently nipped her shoulder, then brushed his tongue across the point, alleviating any pinch. She didn’t want to let go. She felt more emotion locked in his arms, than she had since waking from her coma. She didn’t want to let the feeling go.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Better than okay. I don’t know if I’m going to be able to move for at least a month,” she sighed.

“Let me help you with that,” he said lazily as he picked her up, their bodies still one, and carried her to his room. She tensed as she looked at his huge bed, wondering if it was too intimate of a step for her to climb in with him.

As her body tensed, she gripped his manhood, still hard within her, and caused another groan to escape him.

“No other woman has ever done this to me,” he groaned as his body lit on fire once more. He laid them on the bed together with her locked tightly in his arms and started moving inside her still quivering body.

It didn’t take her long to feel the pressure building back up, and soon all her worries were forgotten, at least for a little while.

***

Bree gulped down large sips of icy cold water. She finished one glass, then quickly polished off another. As she stood by the sink hydrating her body, she couldn’t help but laugh.

She’d spent an entire day in bed with Chad, making love over and over again. She was surprised and delighted at how well he knew her body, inside and out. Between making love, she’d managed to catch a little sleep, but hadn’t minded when he woke her, only to send her flying again.

He was an incredible lover, and she had to fight not to shout out, yes, oh, yes, I’ll marry you, anytime. Lust and love weren’t the same thing.

She ran her hand over her stomach and smiled. It was obvious they had no problem in the bedroom, but she didn’t know how well they could do outside of it. He’d remained by her side the entire time she’d been in the hospital so that meant something, but still…

Bree turned off the water and stood for a moment, unsure what she should do. Chad was in the shower and they hadn’t discussed if she was spending the night in his room. She would assume he wanted her there, considering they hadn’t been able to tear themselves away from each other all day, but what if he wanted her to go to her own room now.

“I’m being stupid,” she muttered out loud, then jumped at the sound of her own voice, causing her to giggle.

She heard the shower turn off and decided to stay where she was. She wanted to go to his bed, but at the same time, she wanted him to seek her out. There was nothing wrong with maintaining her pride, even if she’d let go of every ounce of self-control that day, already.

She looked out the window and noticed movement in the backyard. She didn’t really think anything of it since the ranch was surrounded by animals. It most likely was one of his dogs, or maybe even a large raccoon. But something just seemed off.