Ally straightened her spine. At least she’d regained her physical strength, despite some bruising and her scarily blank mind.
Yet she wasn’t as confident as she tried to appear while she waited for him to continue. Cooped up in these rooms with no distraction from her thoughts was driving her crazy, leaving her emotions askew.
That had to explain her reaction when she’d seen Angelo in the doorway, looking from the bed to her. Something hot and needy had flared inside. There’d been a gleam in his eyes that spoke of awareness and for an instant she’d felt an answering flash of desire. She assumed it was desire. A dragging weight low in her body and a softening between her thighs.
How could she respond sexually to a man who despised her? Did she have no pride? No self-control?
Ally thought of the picture he’d painted of her and wondered if perhaps she didn’t.
Suddenly she wished she’d taken the chair he’d offered. Her brain was whizzing and adrenaline shot around her body, making her poised for flight. Or fight.
And how it was she recognised that, when she didn’t recognise her name, she had no idea.
‘You came by sea. I’ve checked locally and there are no reports of a missing foreigner.’
‘Go on.’ There had to be more. It had always seemed obvious she’d come ashore at his beach.
‘I found a paddle in the rocks at the end of the beach. The sort used with stand-up paddleboards.’
Dark eyes narrowed on her as if watching for some infinitesimal reaction. What did he expect? A flash of memory? Her lips tightened. If only...
‘You think I paddled from the mainland?’
Her gaze shot to the glass doors onto the balcony where she’d caught a smudge of darkness earlier that might be the mainland. But the weather had closed in again and all she saw was thrashing rain and greyness. But his words jogged no memory. Ally breathed deep, trying to stifle disappointment.
‘It’s a fair distance but doable for someone fit enough.’ His gaze flickered over her, as if assessing her physical fitness, and Ally’s skin prickled. It wasn’t a sexual look yet she felt hyper-sensitive to his scrutiny.
‘Okay.’ She made herself focus. ‘If that’s the case then I was staying on the mainland. If we search—’
‘Already done.’ His gaze turned laser sharp, making Ally wish she wore something more than the plush robe against her bare skin. ‘I traced the guy who rented out a paddleboard for cash to a woman who meets your description. He’d already reported you missing to the authorities.’
Ally caught her breath, her hand going to her throat as anticipation swelled. This felt like progress at last. ‘They’ve traced where I was staying?’
Surely, once she returned there and was reunited with her belongings, it would jog her memory.
Eagerly, she moved closer, only stopping when she caught a delicious hint of male scent, warm skin, citrus and cedarwood and realised what she’d done. She was a mere arm’s length from the man who might be her host yet felt like her enemy.
Ally planted her feet on the antique carpet, refusing to back away. She wouldn’t be cowed by him.
She breathed deep, telling herself she was intrigued to be able to identify the components of the scent, including a hint of pepper. Thiswasn’ta response to him as an attractive man. It was her discovering more about herself.
Maybe she was a perfumer? Or worked in a department store, selling expensive colognes? Excitement stirred.
‘Now that’s the interesting thing, Alexa. There was no trace of a missing stranger staying locally. Your name on the rental book was an unreadable scrawl too, though it started with an A. They checked the locker where you left your belongings but there was nothing to identify you. Just a set of clothes and cash.’
‘Ally. I told you I don’t like being called Alexa.’ Which was probably why he did it. ‘What about a hotel key?’
Angelo shook his head. ‘Nothing. It’s as if you didn’t want to be traceable. As if you carefully planned it that way because you were scheming something.’
She frowned, her mind working furiously. ‘That’s far-fetched, don’t you think?’
He spread his hands, shrugging his shoulders. ‘Nothing would surprise me.’
With you. He didn’t say it but he didn’t need to.
It was merely one more provocation on top of the others—his snarkiness as he’d described their previous relationship, his housekeeper’s air of acting under sufferance, the lack of warmth from anyone except the doctor. On top of the terrible clawing fear that maybe she’d never regain her memory, it was too much.
Ally stepped forward right into his personal space, and poked him in the chest.