A frown forms at the corners of his lips as he shakes his head.
“Are you sure? I can’t help but think if you found this medallion of mine, you might have found my car keys, or better yet, my purse.”
“No, baby, those thugs made off with your purse. There was nothing else around you, I swear.” His stark eyes hold so much conviction.
“Well, maybe if we go back, if I could look at the cars around the restaurant, it might spark a memory,” I reason. “If we ask around, maybe someone might recognize a car that hasn’t been moved for a couple days, and there’d have to be a registration in the car. Then maybe I could find a name, a clue,” I plead.
Both of his hands cup my cheeks as he earnestly locks his eyes with mine. “Sweetheart, it’s not safe to go back. I’ve told you this. We are not going to find anything, especially now; it’s too late in the game.”
Ideas flood my brain as I try to come up with other solutions. “Okay, well, what about the news? Surely there has to be a missing person bulletin, or we can get on a computer and search.” He leans his forehead against mine, and I think he’s beginning to lose patience, but he doesn’t let on as he stays calm.
“Jules, we’ve been over this already. Even if you found out who you are, it would be too dangerous for you to go back anyway. We are safe here; no one knows where we are. We’re in another state now, and far away from receiving a decent satellite reception. It’s all a moot point.” He lets out a heavy sigh and briefly closes his eyes. “Please, I’m begging you to trust me here. Have I brought harm to you in any way?”
“No,” I whisper.
“Do you feel the least bit threatened by me in any way, shape, or form?”
I shake my head.
“Then please believe me. I have your best interest at heart, so let me take care of you and protect you.” He gives me a tender, chaste kiss on my forehead. “This is what I do best, Jules, and I have contacts to help me get to the bottom of what’s going on. Give me a little bit of time, okay?”
“Travis...?” I tentatively ask.
“Yes, sweetheart?” he asks warily.
“Why do you want to help me? I mean…you barely know me. You’ve taken off work, and you’re spending all your time, energy, and resources on me.” My hand moves to the side of my head, trying to slip under the wrapped bandage and loosen it. It’s irritating me, but in an instant, Travis gently pushes my hand away and begins taking over, carefully removing the gauze wrapping.
I let him remove the compress in silence, letting him digest my words. By the time he’s done taking off the gauze dressing, I think he’s forgotten about my question. I’m about to ask him again, but then he finally answers, “The moment I saw you, I knew there was something between us.” He closes his eyes briefly, then opens them, staring at me with resolution. His eyes pierce into mine. “This...” he motions between us, “this just doesn’t come along every day. We have something here, and even though you may not remember it, I know you feel it.” He pauses, looking at me earnestly. “Tell me you feel it,” he softly pleads.
Everything in my life right now is seemingly moving so fast, but he’s right. I do feel something, a connection of sorts, but I can’t explain it.
I swallow hard. “I do feel something, Travis. I’m not sure what it is though, and it scares me, especially since I don’t remember anything.”
“You can trust me, Jules. You can trust me with your heart and with your life; I promise you that.” He pulls me into a warm embrace, his strong arms holding me tight against his chest. His masculine scent swirls around me, and I inhale deeply, closing my eyes. He’s all alpha male, and I feel somewhere inside of him is a hard edge, but he also comes across as a tender and compassionate man. He makes me feel safe in his arms.
“For some reason I can’t explain, I do feel as if I can trust you, Travis.” My hands slide to his broad back as I feel his shoulder muscles flexing and moving beneath them. He feels so good in my arms. I begin rubbing the length of his back, soothingly and appreciatively, thankful for all he’s done for me.
“I won’t betray you, Jules. You can always trust me. I will always protect you; please believe me when I tell you that.”
I rest my cheek on his chest, snuggling my nose into his neck, breathing in his scent again. “I believe you, and I’m thankful, Travis.” I suddenly have an overwhelming desire to swirl my tongue over the muscular ridge of his neck. What is wrong with me? My breathing begins to pick up, and I clench my legs together tightly, trying to ward off these feelings of lust. I know I’m not a wanton hussy. I barely know the man.