The Tycoon's Temporary Bride: Book Four (7 page)

As that curiosity intensified, Tashi realized
that the vision she’d had a few minutes ago wasn’t a dream after
all. They were memories. Memories of Adam sitting behind her in the
tub, bathing her before Dr. LaCrosse saw her. He’d lifted her from
the tub, dried her off in a big fluffy towel, then taken her to the
bed and dressed her in the white nightgown and panties. He’d
repeated those actions several times during the time she’d been
sick. Every time she awoke, it seemed like he was there—as if he’d
never left her side.

How long ago was that? How long had she been
in his home, in his bed?

Anxiety cooled Tashi’s heated thoughts. Where
was her bag of cash? Her cell phone? Her eyes darted frantically
around. She had to get back to her apartment. If she lost that bag
and her phone, she would…

Tashi held her breath as Adam pushed away
from the door and began walking across the gigantic room toward the
bed, her anxiety over the whereabouts of her possessions giving way
to a different kind of apprehension. He was irresistible in a pair
of khaki cargo shorts and a light blue shirt. His lustrous black
hair flowed down the sides of his face and bounced against his
chest, the tapered ends brushing his narrow waistline as he
walked.

As he got closer, Tashi could make out the
corded muscles of his arms and legs with the mat of dark hair
sprinkled along his olive-toned skin. His humongous bare feet sank
noiselessly into the fluffy white carpet. He looked god-like, as if
he was above everything on this mundane planet, yet Tashi knew
better. He wasn’t above it. He’d embraced it—the most elementary
part of it—and without hesitation.

Suddenly, all the embarrassment Tashi thought
she should have been feeling since Adam Andreas crawled through her
bedroom window in the middle of the night, now crashed over her
like a tidal wave.

How could she ever face him now? How could
she look into those enigmatic blue eyes knowing that he’d seen her
in the most disgusting condition of her life, that he’d breathed
her stench, washed her filth from her body, seen and touched parts
of her anatomy that no other man had ever seen or touched.

And still they were strangers.
Intimate
strangers.
Tashi closed her eyes and tried to relax her face
muscles and breathe normally as he came within a few yards of the
bed. Maybe he’d go away if he thought she was sleeping.

“I know you’re awake, Tashi,” he said in a
low husky voice. “And if you’re not, then perhaps a kiss would do
the trick.”

Tashi’s eyes flew open to see a smile playing
at the corners of his sexy mouth. A dark stubble shadowed the lower
region of his face. He probably hadn’t shaved since she’d last seen
him. “I’m awake,” she said when he attempted to bend over as if he
was going to carry out his threat to kiss her.

His smile widened, revealing the even
whiteness of his teeth. Tashi had never admired a man’s teeth
before. She didn’t know that a woman might fantasize about a man’s
teeth, about the way her nipple might look caught between them
before his lips closed around her breast.

Tashi felt a curious swooping pull in the
area just below her bellybutton. She forced her gaze from Adam’s
mouth to his eyes. They were soft and gentle as he gazed down at
her. They seemed full of knowledge—knowledge about her. No one had
ever looked at Tashi that way before—like he knew her, but was
still seeing her for the very first time. It made her uncomfortable
and excited in the same breath.

“Hi, there,” he said.

“Hi.” She could feel her dry lips
trembling.

“Feeling better?” He perched on the side of
the bed as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do,
like they’d known each other for a lifetime and were accustomed to
sharing these unplanned moments of harmony.

Her need to pee resurfaced, but she still
felt lightheaded. He’d done so much for her already, she hated to
ask for more of his help. It wouldn’t be good for her to become
anymore dependent on him. “Yes,” she said, licking her lips that
were consistently growing drier.

“You must be thirsty. The doctor said to keep
you hydrated.” Reaching out, he picked up a crystal pitcher from
the nightstand and began pouring water into a glass.

“I need to go to the bathroom. Really badly,”
she said as the sound of water trickling into the glass made her
want to pee more. It would be a lot more embarrassing if she wet
his nice white bed. “Can you help me up, please? I’m still a little
weak.”

“Of course.” He flashed his even whites at
her, and before she could wink, he pulled down the comforter, slid
one powerful arm under her upper body and the other under the backs
of her knees and picked her up. “Hold on tight,” he said, as he’d
said the night he’d crawled through her window and picked her up
out of her own filth.

Tashi rested her head on his shoulder and
wrapped her arms around his neck as he carried her effortlessly
across the floor. He smelled nice, like sandalwood and spice. His
soft mane and his facial stubble tickled her cheek causing a series
of quivers to surge through her veins.

If she weren’t certain before, Tashi now knew
that she was well on her way to a full recovery. Her body was
becoming aware of and responding to Adam in a way it couldn’t have
while she was writhing around in pain, drugged, and half
conscious.

He strolled down a passageway, passing two
closed doors on each side. Then they were in a spacious
circular-shaped bathroom with wraparound marble counters, a large,
open shower stall, and an equally large Jacuzzi under a wall of
windows—the only wall in the en suite that wasn’t mirrored. Tashi
trembled as she recalled sitting naked on Adam’s lap submerged in
water.

When he set her down in front of the door
that opened up to the commode, she was astonished that her legs
supported her. “Thank you,” she said, glancing at him through
lowered lids.

“You’re welcome.” He gazed down on her, his
galvanizing look stirring that army of butterflies in her stomach
again.

He was seeing her differently too, Tashi
thought in dismay as his gaze slowly traveled down the length of
her. She wasn’t his sick helpless patient anymore. She was a woman,
a young beautiful woman with hot blood running through her veins. A
woman whose naked body he’d seen, and bathed, and touched. She was
a woman he now desired.

Those primal feelings, those natural cravings
for that ultimate physical union between a man and a woman were
making their way to the surface of both their minds. Tashi
shuddered outwardly

He took a step toward her. “If you need more
help, I’ll—”

Goodness no
. She jumped back and
collided with the closed door. “No. I—I can manage.” It was one
thing for him to hike up her nightgown, pull down her panties, and
sit her on the toilet when she was half conscious, but no way now
while she was fully awake would she allow him to treat her like a
toddler. It was probably second nature to him, seeing he had a
two-year-old daughter. But he’d gone even further than merely
helping her to the bathroom. He’d seen her through her period that
was now thankfully over—changing her pads and taking care of her
like nobody in the entire universe had ever done.

To keep her embarrassment hidden from him,
Tashi stepped inside the private space and closed the door. She
squinted at the sunlight streaming through the window. It wasn’t
nighttime anymore. The sun had broken through—literally and
figuratively. They were no longer shrouded in darkness, and she was
no longer delirious with fever and pain—just with desire.

His blue eyes had been laced with as many
questions about her as they were with desire for her. He had
questions she couldn’t answer. She didn’t want him getting any
further involved in her life. It was too dangerous for him, and his
daughter. She would never forgive herself if she caused harm to
come to that innocent little girl. The people who were after her
wouldn’t think twice about killing a child if she got in their way.
They were in the business of selling children, some as young as
five, into sexual slavery. They killed those who crossed their
paths. They’d killed that FBI agent. She was certain that’s why she
hadn’t heard from him. And they would kill Adam, too, if he got in
their way.

She’d already said too much when she told
Adam that
they
might find her and kill her if she went to
the hospital.

Why, oh why had she told him that?
Tashi wondered as she washed her hands and splashed cold water on
her face. Why hadn’t she just told him that she couldn’t go to the
emergency room because she didn’t have medical coverage? That was
the truth. Ever since she’d been on the lam, she’d made it her
priority to take care of herself—eat healthily, exercise, dress
warmly in the winter, and stay out of the rain in the summer. She’d
never been sick once.

Tashi sat down in a nearby chair and dropped
her face in her hands. The FBI agent had told her not to trust
anyone, not even the police—no one but the man whose name began
with
A
. Why hadn’t he given her the name when she’d first
walked into the house that night, before he gave her all the other
instructions on how to escape from the house, the city, about what
to do once she got to Granite Falls?

He’d even questioned her about whether or not
she’d slept with Scottie—a strange question she’d thought at first,
and one she’d refused to answer until he’d asked her quite
adamantly again. When she’d responded negatively, he’d let out his
breath and the tight line around his mouth had relaxed.

Why was that information more important to
him than first giving her his friend’s name? The name that had been
swallowed up in the first round of gunshots that rang out into the
air that night. The agent hadn’t even given her his own name. So
she couldn’t drop it in the hopes that some man here in Granite
Falls whose name began with
A
would recognize it, say he was
the agent’s friend and that…

“Tashi. Are you okay? Do you need help?”

Raising her head, Tashi pulled herself
together. There was no lock on the door. “I’m—I’m fine, Adam. I’ll
be out in a second,” she called, hoping to keep him on the other
side of the door.

Standing, she stared at her reflection in the
mirrored wall above the sink. God, she looked horrible. Dry,
tangled hair that was sticking out every which way, puffy eyes,
hollow cheeks, and cracked lips made her look like a wasted
scarecrow. Yet, just a few minutes ago, Adam had lusted after her.
The man was impossible. Too good to be true.

Giving no thought to invading Adam’s privacy,
Tashi rummaged through the drawers on both sides of the sink until
she found a pack of hair elastics. She pulled her hair back from
her face and secured it in a ponytail. She pinched her cheeks
trying to bring some color back to her complexion. That would have
to do until she got back to her apartment. The sooner the better.
But she didn’t know how to tell Adam she was leaving without
seeming ungrateful.

After all, he’d just spent… She had no idea
what day it was. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door. Adam
was standing on the other side like a sentry on duty, ready to pick
her up again if she just said the word.

“What day is it?” she asked, walking ahead of
him toward the bedroom. Her legs were still unsteady, but at least
she could walk, and without pain at that.

“It’s Monday. Afternoon. Four thirty to be
exact.”

Monday?
She faltered in her step.

Immediately his arms went about her. “Whoa.
Take it easy.”

She leaned back into his support for a few
wildly exciting moments and curled her toes into the white carpet
that was so silky and fluffy, she felt as if she were standing on
air. The heat from their entwined bodies and the distinct bulge
pressing into the small of her back reminded Tashi that she was
scantily clad and alone in a huge house with an irresistible man.
Prying his arms from around her, she continued toward the bedroom,
and reached for a robe lying at the foot of the bed. It matched the
nightgown she was wearing. She slid it on and tied the satin belt
around her waist.

“Adam, whose clothes am I wearing?” she
asked. Borrowing a nightgown wasn’t such a big deal, but the
thought that the undergarments might belong to one of his lovers
made her nauseous.

“My mother’s. You’re both the same size.
Petite and slender.”

His mother’s?
That was worse.

“Don’t worry. They’ve never been worn. You
can keep them if you want.”

“I thought you said you lived alone.” Tashi
turned and perched on the edge of the mattress as the effects of
being on her feet for too long began to take a toll on the little
strength she had. “You said no one else but Dr. LaCrosse would know
I’m here.”

“I do live alone. My parents live in Como,
Italy, but they visit often.”

Another reason for her to get out of here
fast, Tashi thought as she encountered a certain watchfulness in
his gaze. His questions and suspicions were evident and valid. He’d
brought a total stranger into his home and nursed her back to
health. A stranger who’d told him that people were trying to kill
her. He’d done his Good Samaritan deed. She would do him a favor
and relieve him of his duties.

She glanced around the room again, and
breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her backpack on the floor
near the door with a green dress she recognized draped over it. How
thoughtful of him to have grabbed her backpack on his way out the
night he brought her here. She wished she’d been lucid enough to
ask him to get her duffel bag from its hiding place. But that would
have led to questions about its contents.

If he knew what was in that bag, he might get
the wrong idea. He might think she robbed a bank or something, or
that she was a drug dealer, or perhaps had associated with or
stolen from one. He might think that a drug-dealing organization
was the “they” she was hiding from. Then whatever little respect
and sympathy he had for her would be gone. Even though they might
never see each other again, Tashi didn’t want any thoughts Adam
might have about her to be bad. Months, maybe years from now, she
wanted to be able to look back on their time together with a smile
of gratitude and the thud of excitement in her heart. She wanted to
believe that his thoughts of her were pleasant.