it.
She closed her eyes and willed herself to remember something. Blank. Nothing. It was as if someone had erased everything in her brain. And she had absolutely no idea who she was. She looked at the stranger. “How can that be?”
His dark eyes studied her. “I’d say that nasty bump on your head might have something to do with it. You’ve been through a lot in just a few hours.”
She reached up and touched the tender area. “How did I get it?” One of a thousand questions she needed answers to. “How did I get here? Oh, God! Where am I?”
“Now, slow down. I’ll tell you as much as I can,” he promised. “You’re in a remote part of the Cambrian Mountains in Wales. Your plane lost power and came in for a crash landing.” He nodded toward the German shepherd lying by the fire. “Max woke me up and we tracked the location. By the time we got to the crash sight, you had wandered off. It took us awhile to find you, but thanks to Max again, we located you under some trees. Then I brought you back here to the cabin.”
Then he stripped her naked, she thought. None of what the man said stirred her memory. “Surely there was someone with me. Please, don’t tell me I was flying the plane.”
He glanced away, then back to her. “No, there were two men inside, the pilot and copilot. I’m sorry. They didn’t make it. As far as I know, you’re the only survivor.”
Dead. Two people were dead. She waited to feel something for the men, but nothing. She was almost ashamed of her lack of emotions. The victims could have been her friends, or members of her family.
Jake got to his feet and walked to the stove. He wanted to give her some space to sort things out. She’d had a terrible shock. Not only had her plane fallen out of the sky, she might have lost someone special to her. And when her memory returned, she’d have a lot to deal with. Something he knew about all too well.
“Did I have a wallet on me, or something that had any identification?” She looked like a waif as she brushed her tangled brown hair from her face and clutched the warm blanket like a lifeline. She was so damn appealing he had trouble speaking.
“I didn’t have much time to search the plane. The storm had worsened and once I found you, I thought best to get you somewhere dry. The temperature dropped ten degrees before we made it back here. You were pretty chilled. The only thing you have that might give a clue to your name is the charm around you neck. There are three initials, A.N.A., or it could also stand for the name Ana.”
She frowned. “Can we call the police or a forest ranger? Somebody?”
“Not possible. You picked a remote place to land. I have an off-road vehicle, but the road here washed out yesterday when this storm hit.”
“How will anyone find me?” Panic clouded her eyes, along with pain.
“If your pilot radioed his location, someone should be looking for you. But that could take a few days with these conditions.”
Jake turned to the sink, grabbed the pump handle and primed it until water shot out of the faucet. This place didn’t have any modern conveniences. Hell, it didn’t even have many of the basics. That was the charm for Jake. To be as far away from the world and its problems as he could get. But it looked like one of them had found him.
He filled the glass, took two ibuprofen from the first-aid kit and walked back to her. “Here, take these. They should help take the edge off.” He offered her two tablets.
She looked confused.
“They’re just over-the-counter painkillers. Can’t hurt you. Go on, take them. Your head has to be killing you.”
“It’s like someone’s using it as a drum,” she admitted, then took the medication and drank thirstily from the glass. She gave it back to him. “Thank you. Now, if you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to get dressed,” she said haughtily. “Would you please find me something to wear?” She looked down at the blanket.
The burning wood in the fireplace crackled and sparks shot out. The last thing Jake needed was to be reminded she was naked underneath, especially since he was the one who helped her get in that condition. His fingertips still could recall the feel of her soft skin. Forget it, Sanderstone, this woman’s trouble. You don’t mix well with the pampered princess type.
“I hate to disappoint you, but until your clothes dry out all I can offer you is one of my shirts and a pair of sweatpants.”
There was that defiant look again, then her features softened. “I’ll be appreciative of anything you can lend me.”
Jake went into the bedroom and pulled a faded chambray shirt from the closet and a pair of black sweatpants. He returned and handed the items to her.
She glanced around. “Is there some place I can wash up?”
“Sure. In the sink. But I wouldn’t suggest you exert yourself just yet. Remember you have a concussion.”
“I know I will feel much better if I can clean up some.” She tried to stand, but stumbled.
Jake reached out and caught her as she was about to go down. He wrapped his arms around her, trapping the downward slide of the blanket. The cloth barely covered her breasts and their fullness threatened to spill out. Oh, Lord help me.
“Okay, let’s get something straight. Until you can stand on your own, I’ll take care of you.”
“But…”
“There are no buts. I’m the boss here. If you want, I’ll let you arm wrestle me for the job.” He cocked an eyebrow to see how far she’d fight him.
“Not fair,” she mumbled.
“Well, hell, who told you life is fair?” He knew firsthand how ugly it could be out there in the trenches, starting with a childhood that had been spent on the rough side of New Orleans.
He liked it better here…alone.
“If only I could remember…something, my name,” she said.
“How about I just call you, sugar?” He grinned.
“Don’t you dare. It sounds like a country-and-western song.”
“Well, now is your chance. You pick a name.”
She fingered the charm around her neck. “How about Ana?”
She looked up at him with those rich blue eyes and instantly he knew that was her name. It fit her. Fit her beauty…her courage…even her irritating stubbornness.
Never wavering from her mesmerizing gaze, he took the shirt and held it out for her. She managed to slip one arm into the sleeve while continuing to grasp the blanket. Then he wrapped the shirt around her back and she put her other arm in. He closed the front and did up the buttons. Once he finished, the blanket fell to the floor. Oh man, this woman was going to make him crazy. “I have socks for your feet.”
He guided her to the couch and sat her down, then went back to the bedroom. He rummaged through his drawers and found the last clean pair of white athletic socks. He needed to do laundry. He returned to the couch to find his guest curled up
