Free ReEmergent -Guardians of Vesturon [4] by A.M. Hargrove Page A

took her thumb and ran it along his lower lip several times. She stood on her tiptoes and touched her lips to his. Not able to stand still any longer, he took her into his arms and began to kiss her back, slowly and sweetly. His heart soared when he felt her hands on the back of his neck. When she began to moan, Xarrid broke away and continued to hold her in his arms.
    “ Why did you stop? I liked what you were doing to me,” she confessed.
    “ Saylan, I am not strong enough to continue on that path sweetheart. May I tell you something?”
    With her nod, he went on, “You are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. I want you to know something. I don’t care how long it takes for you to remember us or even if you don’t ever remember and I have to win you all over again, I will love you forever with everything I have in my heart and soul. You are the most important thing in the universe to me and I will stop at nothing to prove that to you.”
    Her lips curved into a smile as she replied, “Thank you Xarrid. I know there’s something between us, something I’m supposed to feel. I know that. But there’s also something missing and I want to get that back. Is that asking too much?”
    “ No! And just so you know, I’ll wait for you...forever if that’s what it takes.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Now, is there anything you want to ask me about us?”
    “ Yeah. Tell me everything!”
     
    ********
     
    Two hours later, Saylan was curled up in the corner of the sofa like a kitten and Xarrid was facing her, sitting on the edge, telling her their story. They laughed, cried and laughed again when he got to certain parts. He held nothing back for he believed she had a right to know all the details about their relationship. He also filled her in on things he hadn’t told her...things he’d assumed she’d known but since he couldn’t be sure, he told her just for good measure.
    “ Do you think I’ll ever get the memories back?”
    “ Yes, I do. I think you’ll get them back piece by piece. One day you’ll think about something and remember it, and maybe you won’t even realize you had forgotten it. Does that make sense?”
    “ I think so. It’s so strange to think you and my parents and so many others know more about my life than I do. It gets really frustrating. And those awful headaches. I hate them!”
    No one had bothered to inform Xarrid that Saylan had been suffering from debilitating headaches, which were common after brain trauma. He asked her about them and she explained. He felt sick.
    “ I didn’t know. I’m so sorry sweetheart. I wish someone had told me.” He brushed her hair off her forehead. It startled her and she jerked away from him. He noticed how her eyes had widened and her lower lip trembled.
    “ Saylan, forgive me. I guess I got a bit carried away. I should have asked for you permission to touch you.”
    She bowed her head and said in a quiet voice, “It’s okay. We were forbidden to touch each other. If we even so much as brushed up against one another, we were severely beaten. I’m still trying to become accustomed to being able to do it without fear of any repercussions.”
    Xarrid’s body tensed with anger. “Who beat you?” he asked in a steely voice.
    “ The leaders of our group.”
    “ I should very much like to kill every one of them.”
    Saylan lifted her eyes to his and saw the fervor in them. “You would do that for me? Kill someone?”
    “ In a heartbeat. If I thought that person had harmed you. Without a doubt I would.”
    Her next actions surprised him as much as anything had that day. She moved to her knees, slid onto his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. As her head lay against his chest she thanked him for wanting to protect her against those that had been cruel to her.
    “ Oh bloody hell Saylan, I would give my life for you. If only you could remember how we felt about each other. I thought my life had ended when you disappeared. I