Free Bridal Reconnaissance by LISA CHILDS

her full bottom lip and nearly undoing Evan’s fragile control. “I want your word that if Christopher and I go with you to Winter Falls that you will protect us.”
    Just like the old Amanda, she had managed to stagger him. “What? You’re going to trust me?”
    Touched by her faith, he slid his fingers along her taut cheekbone and into the hair feathering her ear. She flinched under his touch, so he dropped his hand. “No, you don’t trust me.”
    “I want to.” The words were uttered as an anguished moan, and again the tears shimmered. “I really want to, but I can’t remember anything. I can’t remember if I should trust you. I can’t remember you…”
    Feelings pummeled Evan’s restraint. He’d once loved her so much, once shared everything with thiswoman, all his hopes, fears and passion. And she remembered nothing.
    Nothing of him.
    But since finding her again, he hadn’t acted like the lovesick fool he’d once been for her. He’d leashed his emotions because he’d known he’d found her with the sole intention of letting her go. But he couldn’t let her go now, not yet, not when a madman intended to hurt her.
    Overcome by an unexpected surge of protectiveness, he then found himself taking her soft mouth in a hard kiss as his restraint snapped. His lips plundered, his tongue delving into the sweet recesses of her mouth when she gasped. One of his hands held the nape of her neck while the other ran over her slender back, grasping at the suedelike material of her jacket.
    When her hands clutched at his hair, he fought for his senses, knowing she probably wanted to pull him off. Instead, her fingers tightened, and her lips returned his kiss, her tongue sliding along his.
    Deep breathing was impossible with the way his heart pounded. Despite the years, she tasted the same, just as sweet with passion. Exactly as he remembered but more…
    He gentled the kiss, his mouth caressing hers as his fingers ran through her short silky tresses. He’d just touched the hard ridge of a scar beneath her hair when she swayed in his arms. Had she fainted again?
    “Evan!”
    The voice that called his name wasn’t hers. She didn’t call him Evan. She called him Mr. Quade. His wife treated him like a stranger.

    She pulled out of his arms as Royce poked his head out of the door to his room. “Sorry, man, but you didn’t hear the phone…”
    Evan fought to clear the passion from his brain as Amanda turned to the window, her back to him and her arms wrapped protectively around her midriff. What had he done? She’d just agreed to try to trust him and he’d destroyed that, destroyed whatever chance he’d had of convincing her to come willingly to Winter Falls.
    When the trial transcripts and medical records flashed behind the eyes he squeezed closed, he knew he would bring her home with him—no matter what resistance she put up.
    “Evan,” Royce said again.
    He shook his head, clearing it of the jumbled words and emotions. “Yeah, phone. Who is it?”
    “Cullen Murphy.” A member of the River City security firm they’d hired. “He found Snake.”
    “Is he with Cullen?”
    “No, Cullen just called with the address to see what we wanted to do.”
    “We want to talk to Snake.” God, he hoped it wasn’t another dead end. “Let’s go.”
    He didn’t want to leave Amanda alone, but then another Murphy watched her. She wouldn’t get far without Evan’s knowledge, or without Evan himself. He wasn’t taking any chances on losing Amanda again.
    “I’m going with you,” she said, her voice steely with determination.
     
    A MANDA DIDN’T KNOW what surprised her more. That she’d convinced Evan Quade to let her come alongto confront Snake, or that she’d agreed to leave her son in a stranger’s care. But then again, The Tracker was no stranger to any parent. He was the first one you would call if you lost your child. Wouldn’t he be the best choice to keep Christopher safe? Probably a better choice than