Rekindle The Flames (The Men of CLE-FD Book 4) (16 page)

Chapter Nineteen

Megan had been home from the hospital for a week and was
making progress on her own with her recovery. Her organs, as well as her
memory, were healing properly. Pieces of her memory were falling into place,
creating a familiar puzzle. Once she stepped foot in her childhood home and saw
her mother, her memory expanded. She remembered when Connor got married. She
remembered how to drive but couldn't practice with only one working arm. She
remembered Pam. Everything was falling into place except Ryan. She did remember
the kiss, though: a kiss that had stayed on her lips for more than four days.

She was sitting on the sun porch, enjoying the weather
when her father joined her. “Nice day out today. Do you want to go for a walk
in the park?” he asked her.

“Maybe later, Dad.” She used her toes to push the rocking
chair gently. “What's going on between you and Mom?”

“Everything's fine between us, Megan.”

“Ha, that's a lie. Where's the love, Dad? I don’t remember
this coldness between you two. I’ve seen you take her in a corner and whisper. 
I also think I heard arguing the other night.”

“Sweetheart, couples argue. We’re fine, and you don’t need
to worry about us.  Anyhow, have you talked to Ryan lately?”

She nodded. “Only for a minute today, he had to respond to
a call.  Dad, why is he the missing link to everything?  He claims we are in
love, and I do feel a stir when he is near me. I don’t know what it is. 
Whenever he is around me, my knees go to mush, my heart races, and I sweat.  I
guess what I’m experiencing is more lust than love.”

“Megan, the man does love you. He’s put up with a lot of
chicanery and tantrums from you and Iona. Maybe that’s why you can’t remember. 
You want to forget the stuff you put him through.”

 “I can’t see me being a pain in the ass.  Everyone says
I’m such a nice person.”

“You are, but you’re spoiled rotten to the core.  I can
say that because I’ve had a hand in spoiling you. When you don’t get your way,
you throw a fit and demand until people, including Ryan, would give in to you.”

“Maybe I should go home. There could be something in the
house that might trigger the neurons in my brain to snap together.”

“You should go home. The less exposure you have to Iona,
the better.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“It will all come to you and when it does, have a barf bag
by your side. I have to run to the office to catch up on some work. Do you want
to come with me to get out of the house?” James asked.

“Okay, I may be confused but not stupid. You don’t want me
alone with Mom. I deserve to know why.” Megan saw the vein throbbing in her
father’s temple, something she had never seen before.

“We’ll talk about that later. Get your purse; we’ll get a
bite to eat and see a movie after I’m done at the office.”

She winked at her father. “A date with my handsome dad, on
a Friday night, what more could a girl ask for?”

“Then, how about going to a movie with an old friend
instead?” Iona’s voice had drifted onto the porch before she did. She raised
her elegant shoulders. “Well?”

Megan saw a shadowy figure move in the corner of her eye.
Just as she was about to take a second look, James’ small groan of disgust
caused her to look at him. His nostrils were flared, and his jawline was tight.
He was angry that Emin was there. James Jones never verbally displayed his
anger, but anyone with eyes could see it when he was mad. He knew Emin had to
see it today.

James stood up abruptly. “Iona, we have to talk now!”

“James, don’t be rude to a guest in our house. Emin is
here to visit Megan. Show some kindness.”

“It’s fine, Iona. Mr. Jones has every right to be upset. I
am here uninvited again, and I'm interrupting a father-daughter moment. Please,
Mr. Jones, accept my apology.”  Emin extended his hand to James.

James folded his arms across his chest, unmoved and
unimpressed. “Yes, this is the second time this week. Exactly when do you plan
on returning to work, Emin? After all, you’re what - a second or third-year
associate? I can’t imagine your firm is happy that you’re away so often.”

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Emin leaned against the
banister. “I’m not with that firm any longer. I work for my family’s business.
I head up the legal department for our import business based here in
Cleveland.”

“Huh, that’s a lot of responsibility for someone with
little legal experience. You should think about spending more of your time in
the office getting acclimated with the laws of the business instead of sniffing
around my daughter who happens to be married.”

“James, stop it!” Iona scolded.

Megan struggled to stand up from the rocking chair. She
gave up after losing her balance and slumped back in the chair. She watched her
father tower over Emin, waiting for lava to erupt from his smoldering head. She
had no idea why he was so upset. He and Emin had always been friendly in the
past.

James escorted Emin and Iona over to the far corner of the
large deck. Megan couldn’t hear what they were talking about or see James’
face. She would have to read Iona’s face to get an idea of what was going on
between the three of them.

James’ lips barely moved as he spoke. “I’m here to tell
you right now don’t fuck with Megan.  You think you’ve grown some balls by
coming back to Cleveland, Emin. I’m here to tell you I will cut those bastards
off and display them on my bookcase like a trophy.”  He stabbed a finger in
Emin’s chest. “Whatever business you have with Iona, get it over with and leave
Megan out of it.”

 “Mr. Jones, you might want to back off me,” Emin said,
pushing his hand aside. “I’m not here to cause any trouble. You’re right; I do
have business with your beautiful wife.  She made me a promise, and I’m here to
collect.”

“Correction: my ex-wife,” James barked.

Emin chuckled. “It doesn’t matter to me if she’s an
ex-wife or not; she owes me, and I’m not leaving without my purchase or the
return of my $3,000,000. Mr. Jones, there will be trouble if I’m refused either
of them.  I’d prefer Megan’s hand in marriage over the money if that helps you
with making a decision.”

James frowned. “Son, you don’t know what trouble is. I
don’t care what connections your family has or that you assume it is enough to
frighten me.  So that gall you’re exhibiting is scary to someone who doesn’t
know you, but it doesn’t faze me.” He brushed the imaginary dirt off the lapels
of Emin’s suit jacket and smiled sinisterly. “Once my wrath is in motion, you
and everyone close to you will feel every ounce of it. Are you sure you want to
find out exactly what I’m capable of doing?”  Emin swallowed and moved away
from James’ grip.  “That’s what I thought. Now be a good boy, say goodbye to
Megan, and never show your face around here again.”

“James, what has gotten into you?” Iona questioned.

He snarled at Iona. “You weren’t given permission to
talk.  You're aware of what I have in store for you, and you'll get it as soon
as Megan is on her feet.  Now, both of you get the hell out of my face before I
forget I’m a mild-mannered man and show my true colors.”

Megan couldn’t read the expression on any of their faces.
Emin smiled as he knelt down beside her.  When he touched her hand, a chill
spread through her whole body, making her shiver.  It was 89-degrees outside,
and there was no wind or fan nearby to cause her to have goosebumps.  This was
the second cold reaction she’d gotten from his touch.  When he visited her days
ago, she got the same sensation.

Emin thumbed his finger over her hand and her fingers
involuntarily jerked. “Megan, we’ll have to catch that movie later, I have to
take care of something at the office.”

“Emin, what were you arguing about with my dad?”

“We’re not arguing; just having a difference of opinion.
But, if you want to come with me, just say so.  I’ll take excellent care of
you, Megan.  You’ll have people to wait on you hand and foot so you can relax
and get better. Just say the word, Megan and I’ll take you with me.”

His shifty eyes didn’t sit well with Megan.  This wasn’t
the same man she knew.  He was different and that caused her to feel uneasy
with him. She shook her head slowly. “Apparently, I’m married.  I can’t go
anywhere with you.”

He whispered in her ear and out of earshot of James whose
was on the phone. “Your father is lying to you in order to stop our plans to be
together.  You’re divorced, sweetheart and we’re supposed to get married.  I’ll
call you in a couple of days to see if you’ve changed your mind.”

Left speechless, she let Emin’s stretched out arms
envelope her in an embrace. Her body went limp but not with desire. Something
wasn’t right. If Emin was supposed to be her man, where was the rush of
flutters that she got when Ryan hugged her? She never had an emotional
attachment to Emin that way.  They were close, but brother-sister close; not ‘I
want to see you naked’ close.  That much she did remember.

With the current heatwave and the sudden tension
surrounding her, Megan felt dizzy and closed her eyes waiting for the wave to
pass.  She noticed with each dizzy spell a bit of her memory returned.  She
couldn’t wait to see what chapter of her life returned with this one.  Most
likely it would involve Emin. Squeezing her fist tight, she pounded on the arm
of the rocking chair praying it wouldn’t be true that they were together.  Ryan
stayed on her mind too often.  There had to be some truth to what he was saying
about them being in love.

“Dad,” Megan shouted.

James snapped his head around and went to her. “What is
it, Megan?  Did you remember something?”

Sweat beaded on her forehead. “Please call Ryan for me.”

“Honey, I can’t, he’s at the firehouse working today,
remember?”

“I don’t care if he is working.  I need to speak to him
today…now!”  She was shaking and couldn’t explain why.

“Megan, I will call him first thing in the morning for you
when he is off work.  He’s a firefighter and can’t drop what he is doing to run
over here.”

Her heart dropped. “I need to hear his voice.”

James removed a cell phone from his pocket.  “I was going
to give this to you later but here.”

“Dad, you got me a new cell phone?  Thank you.”

“I put the numbers of the two women you work with at the
hospital so that you can call them instead of waiting for me or Iona to call
for you.  I also put Ryan’s number in there for you. Just wait until his shift
is over before you call him.” He patted her on the knee.  “Since you don’t want
to hang with me, I’ll take you to your room so you can rest.  If you need
anything make sure to ask your nurse.”

“I will. Um, where did Mom go? Did you send her away after
that little powwow was over?  Emin left suddenly, and now Mom is gone…what was
that about anyhow?”

James frowned. “I didn’t send her anywhere; I assume she
is in the house.  Megan, did Emin say anything to you before he left?”

She nodded.  “He mumbled something I didn’t understand.”

His voice deepened. “Tell me what he said.”

“I have a headache. I think I will go lie down for a while,”
she said avoiding her father’s question.  It was getting hard to believe
anything anyone was saying to her.  Her father seemed to be the only person
willing to tell her anything, but now she had to question his loyalty.  Was
there anyone she could turn to? There had to be one person that could shed
light on her relationship with Ryan and Emin. She needed the help of someone
not in her immediate family.

James returned outside after he helped Megan get to bed. 
He heard Iona on the phone arguing.  No doubt she was arguing with Emin.  He
waited for her to hang up and approached her.  His voice was dark and uncaring.
“You have really got yourself into deep shit this time.  How are you going to
get out of it, Iona?”

“Emin will have me killed if he doesn’t get his money,
James.  I’m asking you for one last favor as the mother of your children.”

“If that supposed to move me, it doesn’t.”  He stuck a
piece of gum in his mouth.  He chewed a lot of gum since he gave up smoking. “I
got what I wanted, you out of my life and I retained all my possessions.  You
were so sure that Megan would marry Emin that you didn’t bother to read what
you were signing.  How does it feel to be penniless, Iona.”

She raised a perfectly arched eyebrow refusing to show
fear. “We can both benefit, James.  Megan doesn’t have to stay in the
marriage.  She’ll marry Emin and when her memory returns she can divorce him. 
I would have kept my word to him and in return I get to save my life.”

“How does any of that benefit me?” He asked glaring at her.

“I won’t reveal your side deals, James.  I’m sure the FBI
would be interested to know what goes on behind closed doors at your office.”

He shook his head and laughed. “You’re worried about
Emin—you should be worried about me taking you out.” He put his hand around her
slender neck. “We’re only in this house together for Megan’s sake.  Once this
is over, baby, you better run. So far away that you don’t speak the language.”
James released Iona and walked off the deck. 

Iona rubbed her neck watching him get in his car and drive
off.  She knew James didn’t make petty threats. He was a man that followed
through with everything he said.

Chapter Twenty

Three Days Later

It was a beautiful day in the park as Megan basked in the
sun’s warm rays. She and Gabrielle sat near the water fountain to wait for
Ryan’s arrival. She recalled sitting in the park for hours waiting for the man
with the big dog to arrive just to get a glimpse of him.  She still found it
hard to believe she’d married that man and doesn’t remember it.

“So are you nervous?” Gabrielle asked.

Megan inched her sunglasses up on her nose. “My palms are
sweating.  What if he doesn’t go for the idea, Gabrielle?”

“What makes you think he won’t?  Look, Megan, I’m not
trying to get in your business, but since you called me for help, I feel I’m
entitled to offer a little advice.”

“Please do. It’s not like I’m getting any useful advice
from the people living in the house with me.  I swear it’s like a game of
tug-of-war to get answers from them.”

Gabrielle crossed her legs and said, “I’m sure they’re
doing it so you won’t get overwhelmed with too much at one time.  Anyhow, my
advice, however, is simple.  Just be honest with Ryan. He talks to Jon and me,
and he’s hurt that you’ve pushed him away. Geez, when he learned that Emin had
been to visit you that did it for him.  He is about ready to throw in the towel
and give up on the marriage. If you aren’t sure that’s what you want, you’d
better open your mouth and say so before it’s too late.”

Megan played with the strap of her purse. “I know he’s
getting annoyed with me. Lately, I’ve been able to hear it in his voice. 
Before I got another phone, I depended on Mom or Dad to call him for me.  When
my mother would call, he was either too busy to talk or didn’t want to be
bothered. He flatly refused an invitation I’d asked her to extend to him to
come over. Strangely, the next day when my dad made the call, we talked on the
phone like nothing was wrong.”

Gabrielle rolled her eyes. “Didn’t you find that odd
considering what he’d told you in the hospital?”

“I did at first.  Then again, I had my mother talking in
one ear and my father doing the same in the other ear; it left me confused on
which one to believe.  That’s why I called you.  I figured you didn’t have any
stakes in my marriage and would tell me the truth.  You were the only person I
had to turn to besides Pam. And based on her reactions to him, I somehow felt
she would not have found any fault with him.”

Gabrielle laughed. “Pam would be honest. Granted, you would’ve
had to sit through all her colorful annotations, but she would not give you bad
advice about Ryan.”

“Dad adores him and is pushing me in his direction while
Mom talks down about him.  She says we argued all the time, and I had left him
once already.  This stuff has my head swimming, Gabby.”

“Alright, this has to stop.” Gabrielle turned sideways on
the bench to face Megan. “I don’t mean to disrespect your mother, but she is
lying to you.  Megan, she is not going to help you and Ryan salvage your marriage. 
She has never liked him.”

“Can you explain why? These are the answers I’m looking
for and no one will tell me.”

“It’s not my place to fill in those gaps, Megan, but there
was a lot of stuff that happened in your marriage.  However, Ryan has never
laid a hand on you and has always respected you.”

“Dad did say I put him through some stuff.  Is that true?”

“Yes, you’re stubborn but so is Ryan to an extent.  But,
that’s neither here nor there; it’s your mom causing the turmoil now.  You need
to listen to your father when it comes to Ryan.  He is not lying to you.  Iona
has been plotting to ruin your marriage and is taking advantage of your memory
loss to force that dirtbag Emin on you again.”

Megan’s mouth dropped open.  Her mind wandered to a
conversation she and Emin had the other night. “That’s what he meant.”

“What are you talking about? Do you remember something?”

“Maybe.  The other night Emin made a comment about my
marriage was over, and we were in a relationship.  I didn’t believe him.  When
he touched me, my skin actually crawled, Gabby.”

Gabby placed a hand on Megan’s and spoke softly. “That’s
because in your heart you know you love Ryan. Your mind might have misplaced
him, but your heart hasn’t.”

Megan took a deep breath. “There is truth in those words,
Gabby; because I miss him.  How can that be if I don’t remember him?”

“The power of love is very persuasive.  Follow your heart
and everything else will fall into place.”  Gabrielle looked in the distance.
“Here comes Ryan.  I’m going to leave you alone, but I won’t be far away in
case you need me.”

Megan’s nerves jumped when she saw Ryan approach from the
distance. Her whole body tensed with every step he took. His sexual rawness
made her horny.  She had to slap down that idea since her body was not in any
condition to handle sex. Anyhow, Ryan was a kind-hearted man that showed her
pity and let her cry on his shoulder. Still she slobbered at the sight of him.
He was tall, his skin tanned from the rays of the sun and his muscular body
looked so delicious.  She couldn’t help but stare as his frame paused in front
of her.

“I got word you wanted to see me.”

His deep velvet voice melted into her center making contact
with her core. The broad chest straining against the thin t-shirt didn’t help
either. He had the sexy, make-your-panties-drop kind of body. Megan forced her
head to stay up to meet his gaze. He grinned at her. Damn, that smile should be
illegal. “Yes.  Thank you for meeting me at the park.  Where is your dog?”

“My dog went missing years ago,” he said sitting next to
her on the picnic bench. “So, what’s up? I was surprised when Gabby called to
say you were ready to talk. I’m ready to listen whenever you want to start.”

Words evaded her as her jaw flapped opened and shut but
nothing came out.

“Cat got your tongue or did you get shy all of a sudden?”
he teased.

“I-I—uh guess I don’t know how to say what is on my mind
and not sound like I’m hitting on you.”

“Are you hitting on me?” He flexed his eyebrows and
laughed. “All kidding aside, I’m glad to hear from you. It’s been hell not
seeing you these past few weeks.”

“I invited you over and you refused.”

“When did that happen?”

“Come on, you remember perfectly.  I had Mom invite you to
a cookout.  You refused to come.”

“Megan, Iona did not invite me to anything. I only talked
to you when Mr. Jones called, or you called yourself.”

Her heart thumped hard against her chest.  Gabby was right
with her assessment about Iona. “Wow, she blatantly lied to me,” Megan
grumbled.

“What did you say?”

She looked at him.  His eyes held the same concern and
affection she saw the day she woke up from her coma. “Never mind. Anyhow, what
were we talking about?”

“Talking on the phone…are you okay?” he asked taking hold
of her hand.

She smiled weakly. “Yes.  And thank you for giving me the
space to work things through, Ryan.”

“I understand you needed the space. Except, I need to know
where I stand with you now. You don’t remember me and I’m starting to think you
don’t want to remember me. So, if this meeting is to tell me that and that you
want a divorce, then I guess I have no choice but to give you what you want.”

Okay, girly, put on your big-girl panties and do what
you came to do—it is now or never
. Once she figured out her life and what
she wanted, her brain started to click—Gabrielle filled in the dark areas as
best as she could. Facts showed she didn’t want Emin, and her father was not
lying about Ryan loving her.

Feeling exposed in her tank top and shorts, Megan wished
she’d had put on something a little less see-through as Ryan stared at her. No
matter how uncomfortable she felt, she resisted crossing her arms over her body
to shield herself from his roaming eyes. His sexy smile remained as his gaze
dipped to her chest. “Hello, is anybody home?” He asked brushing his hand
against her thigh.

As their fingertips brushed, Megan felt a spark of
electricity. Every nerve ending in her body stood at attention, begging,
screaming to be touched and caressed by this man. She moved her hand away.

His face turned serious. “What did I do this time?”

She crossed her legs to calm the tingling. She guessed
even memory loss wasn’t strong enough to cancel out the sexual desires she had
for the man she couldn’t remember. “You haven’t done anything, Ryan.  I think I
have it all figured out only it scares the crap out of me that I’m so intrigued
by you, sexually.”

He raised his brow. “Come again?”

“I’m embarrassed to say that I have these urges burning
inside of me for you but can’t remember a damn thing about you. I don’t
remember what our life together as a married couple was like.  Did we have a
satisfying and healthy sex life?”

“Baby, we weren’t perfect.  We disagreed on things, but we
would compromise to find a solution that worked for the both of us.  But, when
it came to the bedroom, we set the walls on fire.  We’ve always had a sexual
attraction for each other, and neither one of us ever went to sleep unsatisfied.”

Megan looked over the rim of her sunglasses sighed
inwardly. 
This might be where I’ll need Gabby to come rescue me
. “So…um…do
you think it’s possible we could try again? I know it will take a lot of effort
on my part with all the gray areas still unanswered, but I’m willing to give it
a go if you are?”

Ryan folded his fingers together rolling his thumbs. “I’m
curious what made you change your mind?”

“I explained that?”

“It can’t be because you’re horny, Megan. Sex will not
cure your memory loss…although, it might,” he grinned changing his answer.

“I knew this was a mistake.  I’m sorry I wasted your
time.” She started to stand up, and he stopped her.

“I’m not against this, Megan.  In fact, this is what I
want.  I miss having you with me. It’s not the same around the house when I
come home from a long shift. I hate the quietness and not hearing you moving
around.”

The hard calluses on his hand felt rough on her skin.  She
wanted to pull her arm away but didn’t want to lose contact with his touch. 
“Really? Ryan, be sure you want this, and you’re not doing it because you feel
sorry for me.  I’m a big girl.”

Ryan caressed her face with his finger. “You’re my wife,
Megan.  I’m more than sure I want you in my life.”

Megan caught the drool before it fell from her mouth. 
Ryan did things to her, and she was thankful the dark glasses hid her eyes as
they roamed over him. However, the way he was looking at her made her feel he
knew exactly what she was doing.  Her mouth parted. “I need my memory to return
now.”

*****

Ryan watched with bemusement as Megan delicately arched
her brows. Her eyes did a sly flow over his body to rest on his crotch. He bit
back a string of curses. “Maybe this will help bring back a memory or two.” He
leaned forward, marveling at the way his body hummed when she swayed toward
him. Before he could talk himself out of being cautious, he cupped her face
with his hand and drew her to him. He knew there were a million reasons why he
shouldn’t kiss her. Too bad he couldn't think of a single one to make him stop.
His lips slid over hers, and he breathed in her scent. The remnants of her
perfume made his blood simmer. When her tongue met his, he felt the jolts of
electricity go straight to his groin. Groaning against her lips, he pulled her
closer to him. She sighed and wound her arm around his neck cradling her arm in
the sling between them. She molded her upper body against his.

Ryan moved his hands to her waist, his thumbs traced a
path at the hem of her tank top. She hitched in a breath. A voice in his head
said to stop; she was hurt. His body wanted to shoot that voice. Groaning
against her lips, he tried to bring his libido under control. He felt her draw
back and lifted his head to look down at her. What the hell was wrong with him?
This was not part of the plan.  He had written it all out in his scheme to woo
her back.  He would wait for her to make the first move.

He shook his head as he forced his hands into the back
pockets of his jeans. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.”

“Don’t apologize.  Isn’t that what you told me…never
apologize for doing something I want just as badly as you?  Look, Ryan, I know
I don’t remember everything about us, but there is something in my heart that
says we belong together.”

“Yeah, we do, baby.  What you and I have is special. Very
intense and controlled, if I might add.”  He threw that in hoping it would
trigger the erotic nature of their lovemaking.

 She eyed him as she worked her bottom lip and let out a
long sigh. “Why do I have a feeling I’m going to regret what I’m about to ask
you?”

He shook his head. “I don’t know. Why do you?”

She blushed. “Because if you reject what I am about to
suggest, I’ll be crushed.”

“We can play this game for hours, Megan.  Just say what is
on your mind and let me worry about how I take it.”

“I’ve made up my mind to move back in with you.  I think
it could be beneficial to me.  I need to be where we made our memories. So,
there I said it. I’ll let you think about it for a few days and get back to
me.”

She chewed on her bottom lip, and Ryan temporarily lost
focus while watching her. When she sighed, he forced himself to concentrate on
the matter at hand and not the lust brewing below his belt. “That would make me
very happy.  But, first we need to set some ground rules.”

She frowned. “Ground rules?”

“Yes.  Megan, I’m not going to force myself on you.  We’ll
take it slow and let nature take its course. I’m taking sex off the table now
so we can work on getting to know each other again.”

Rolling her eyes, she hitched up her shorts to hide the
strip of flesh under the cotton fabric of her shirt. “Oh-ok,” she stuttered.
“That was not on my mind, Ryan.  I couldn’t do that if I wanted to.”