Sal relaxes into the pillow. “Thanks.” She palms a pill and swallows it down with a grimace. She hates these migraines, hates these miserable callbacks to her old life with Roy, her past a constant nipping at her heels no matter how fast she tries to run.
“There.” Sal gives Luke back the glass. “That should do it.” She smiles, strained. “I’m sorry. I forgot to take it. Old habits.”
Luke fixes her with a stern look that she’s come to learn means business. “Nothin’ to be sorry about,” he says, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.
In one smooth movement, Luke gets up and crosses to his side of the bed. Sal has to hide a chuckle as he slides beside her, his face pained as he adjusts himself.
She sighs in contentment as he takes her in his arms once again, aligning his long body to hers. When he pulls back to look at her, she sees nothing but undying love in his eyes. Full-throttle lust. “Damn it, woman.” He’s grinning. “You turn me on.”
She matches his grin. “I saw that. Good to know I haven’t lost my touch.”
“Nine months gone ain’t gonna chase you away from my mind.” He kisses her, soft and sweet. “I’ve been a fool, Sal. I should’ve told you how I felt. I didn’t think how it would come across.”
“It’s not all your fault,” she says, giving him a shamefaced smile. “I overheard you on the bus, saying ‘I love you’ to someone on a phone call ...” Here, Luke’s brow creases in a puzzled frown. Sal continues. “And I thought ... I thought the wrong thing.”
For a minute, his face is thoughtful as he thinks on it. Then, his eyes widening in realization, Luke lets out a light breath of a laugh. “Shit. That was Emmy Lou. She wanted to see you and I was tellin’ her to stay away.” He traces a finger across her cheekbone, pain filling his dark eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to scare you, or go too fast. It kills me that you thought I stopped lovin’ you.”
Her stomach curling with warmth, Sal maps Luke’s face in her hands. Feels the jump of his smooth jaw between her palms. Everything about this is new. His touch like velvet. His smell like rosewood oil and wood shavings.
As she stares into Luke’s warm eyes, Sal’s hit by a wave of sadness. “I wish I could remember you,” she says softly.
She feels bad she can’t—like Luke doesn’t deserve this Sal and her shitty memory.
“You will.” His voice a vow.
She stares at him searchingly. “What if I don’t? What if my memory never comes back?”
“You’re alive.” Luke tightens his grip. “Whether or not you get your memory back, you’ll still be the same stubborn girl I fell in love with. I’ll always love you no matter what.”
The fierceness in his voice has Sal feeling faint. It also has her feeling regret. Regret she remembers nothing. Especially this gorgeous man in front of her. Her husband. Who loves her. Who she can’t remember.
Sal looks to the window, refusing to cry. She chokes out a pitiful laugh. “How can you? I don’t even know who I am.”
“I know who you are.” Luke nudges her chin up to meet her teary gaze. “You are beautiful. And you are brave. You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met. And you’re gonna get through this.” He brushes his lips against hers. “You know you got me. You got Seth. Lacey too, if you want her.”
Sal laughs breathlessly.
Then she grips his hand. Leans in close. “I want you, Luke.”
She needs him to know that. Because he loves her, because while she’s not there yet, she will be.
He exhales a slow breath. “Sal, I’m yours. You ain’t never gotta worry about that.”
His eyes dark with desire, Luke clutches Sal to his chest, his heartbeat pounding out a steady melody.
He dips his head to kiss her softly on her temple. “You’re my road, Sal. The only one I ever wanna walk.”
His words send a shiver of happiness down Sal’s spine, closing the book on any of her doubts. Shutting her eyes, Sal melts into the cradle of Luke’s arms, loving the way they fit together. Like linked pieces. Her so small, Luke so strong and protective and safe. A force of a man. Her refuge. His lean, muscular body. His tan hands. His voice, mellow and soft, a drawl for the ages. For her ages.
“Tell me I’ll remember,” she says, her voice muffled against his broad chest.
“You’ll remember.” Luke’s breath tickles her hair. “Go to sleep, Sal.”
Despite the drowsiness lapping over her, she nuzzles his neck, kisses the hollow on his throat. “Mmm, don’t want to.”
“Easy, darlin.” There’s a smile in his voice as he presses a kiss against the top of her head. “We’ve got nothin’ but time.”
Time. That’s right. Safe and sound in Luke’s arms, Sal reminds herself she won’t get hurt here. The past is behind her. All of Roy’s lies and terror, nothing but dust on the country wind. Tonight is a new beginning. On her way to being found. Being Sal.
All she wants is this. The future. Her future with Luke. It’s everything. Nothing can take that from her.
Nothing.