Will Marsden is a man on the run from his memories and his past. Steward of Denton Manor was a good position until Captain Dearne, the owner, lost the manor on the turn of a card. When the feckless Dearne is dumped unconscious and near death on his doorstep, Will grudgingly accepts an enormous sum of money to care for him.<br><br>Dearne regains consciousness but has no memories of how he came to be in the bed of a dark-haired, angry, but gorgeous man or how he came to be so badly injured.<br><br>When nightmares drive Dearne into Will’s arms every night, the attraction between them explodes. As Dearne battles with lost memories, he is forced to accept the fact that someone in his family wants him dead, and Will is forced to confront his past head on. Will the revelations uncovered manage to tear them apart?

Memories

Dearne flopped back and cupped himself the same way he did when they had been at Will’s cottage. Will focused on getting the bandage off him without actually touching any of his naked skin but it was difficult. When he peeled back the pad Dearne flinched and peered down.


“Good. Very good.” Will piled up the bandage and then went and washed his hands, and then washed and dried the wound. He took the salve and applied it gently. “Perhaps you should leave the bandage off for a little while and get some air to it.”


“Perhaps I will rest for the afternoon in the altogether.”


Will rolled his eyes at him and put the stopper back on the jar. Dearne watched him and grinned. “That stuff could come in handy.”


That was it. Will’s entire body flushed again, including his face and ears. “Will you stop?” He closed his eyes.


“I’m sorry,” Dearne said, and actually sounded as though he was.


Chapter 42