“What do they tell you?”
“They tell me I love you, and you love me. They tell me we’re meant to be together.”
“And why do you believe pictures over what I told you?”
“It’s easy to lie with words. The truth is in our expressions.” I sit down on the bed and look up at her. “Tell me how it happened. Tell me everything. How did we get back together?”
She settles herself next to me, takes the envelope from my hands, and pulls out the pictures. She’s silent as she studies each one, laughing at the Elvis impersonator/officiant. I catch a few stray tears slipping down her cheeks but the smile on her lips never fades. She sets them aside and looks up at me before taking a deep breath.
The words tumble from her lips. The whole story of how I showed up at her apartment and begged forgiveness seemed familiar, and when she told me the only way she’d take me back was if I married her, I laughed.
“That is something you would definitely say,” I tell her.
“I just don’t understand why you pushed me away when I was trying to help you. Whether you hate me or love me, Mav, I’m always going to be there for you.”
I rub my hands against my thighs before looking up at her. “I was scared. I’m still scared. My memories are gone, Mia, and it’s the scariest thing I’ve endured.”
She reaches for my hand and holds it in hers. “I’m here. I’ll always be here because I promised to love you true, don’t you remember?”
“Yes,” I tell her because in that moment, the memory of the two of us standing together in a tacky Las Vegas wedding chapel reciting vows hits me. “I remember every promise we made to each other that day including the promise to never let you go.”
Seven
Mia
“You remember? You remember the day we got married?” It seems too good to be true.
“Yes,” he answers with a smile. “I remember the whole day.”
“Even the limo?”
He nods, his smile turning wicked. “Especially the limo.”
I want to throw my arms around him and kiss him but I’m hesitant. I don’t want to overwhelm him. “Do you remember anything else?”
He shakes his head. “No. There are bits and pieces of days but the only full memory I have is of our wedding day.”
“Can I kiss you now?”
He holds up a hand. “Yes, you can but I want to be honest with you. Losing my memory has, ironically, fucked with my head. My guard is still up but only because of the gaps. I can’t just go back to normal until I remember everything.”
Even though it feels like he’s still doubting me, I understand. I can’t imagine going through something has traumatic as losing your memory. “We can go slow until you’re back to one hundred percent.”
“Then pucker up, baby.”
I laugh before leaning toward him to press my lips against his. His brain might be foggy, but his body clearly remembers everything. The electric heat between us ignites and my kiss melts into his. He shifts his body so he’s facing me and slips an arm around my back before we collapse onto the bed. Our connection never breaks.
It feels wonderful to kiss him, to restrain myself from wanting more. I’m hyper aware of the arm trapped under my body, the way his fingers brush along my back, and the way his other hand cups my jaw as he returns my kiss. My body presses against his until I can feel his heart beating against my chest. When was the last time we kissed like this?
When we break apart, it seems natural. We’re both a bit breathless and Maverick rests his forehead against mine.
“That was nice,” I whisper.
He growls. “Very nice but…”
I chuckle. “You wanted more?”
“Memories or no memories, you’re a sexy, beautiful woman. Can you blame me for wanting you?”
