Rocky Mountain Rescue, Elle James [rooftoppers .TXT] 📗

“Maybe we should keep going,” JoJo said.

Emily shook her head. “No, that’s enough for tonight. We don’t want to push too hard and make you shut down again.”

JoJo wanted to keep going, to learn who the man was who’d hurt her. But Emily was right. She couldn’t keep pushing if it meant she’d go back to no memories at all.

“Thank you, Emily,” JoJo said. “I feel like I’m one step closer to remembering.”

“Keep up the hope, but don’t expect it to happen all at once.” Emily patted her knee. “You’d better get some sleep. Tomorrow’s going to be an extra busy day.”

“You’re right. It’s going to be a long day.” JoJo rose from her chair. “I hope you get some rest.”

Emily rose, walked with her to the door and gave her a big hug before she opened the door and let her out.

“Thank you, Emily,” JoJo said again.

“We’ll try again tomorrow, if you’re up to it.”

JoJo walked through the door and nearly ran into Max who was leaning against the wall. “Geez, you scared me.”

He straightened. “Sorry, I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“I’m fine. I was just having a session with Emily.”

“Did she help you remember anything?”

JoJo took in a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “I don’t know. Maybe. This hypnosis thing is kind of scary and, at the same time, it just might be the key to accessing those memories I can’t reach when I’m awake. It was like I was in a dream. Only this time, I could remember bits and pieces.”

He walked with her down the hall to her bedroom. When she opened the door he said, “Let me look first.”

“Do you really think there would be a problem in my bedroom here in the lodge?”

“Did you ever think that somebody would sabotage your apartment and blow it up with a gas leak?”

She shook her head. “It’s all yours.”

It took him two seconds to look through the room, and he was back out. “It’s all clear. If you need me, you’ll know where I’ll be,” he said. “Lock your door behind me.”

JoJo entered her room and closed the door.

“I didn’t hear your lock click,” Max said from the other side of the door.

JoJo laughed and twisted the lock. “Satisfied?”

He chuckled. “I am now.”

She could hear his footsteps moving down the hall, and his door opening and closing. She ran to the connecting door, unlocked it and flung it open. “Did you lock your door?”

He smiled. “I sure did.”

She leaned against the door frame. “I’m going to get a shower. Care to join me?”

His brow furrowed. “Are you ready?”

“Ready for what?”

“To pick up where we left off.”

“I think so.”

He shook his head. “Go get your shower, JoJo.”

She frowned. Feeling thoroughly dismissed and a little angry, she turned away, closed the door, gathered her things and went across the hall to the bathroom. She’d barely closed the door when a knock sounded on it. JoJo smiled and opened the door, “I thought you—”

She expected to see Max standing there. Instead, she found Curry. She had always wondered what it meant by having your blood run cold. Up until that point, she hadn’t known what it meant. Now, she did.

Curry’s eyes narrowed. “Sorry, didn’t know the place was occupied.”

“JoJo,” Max called out.

She looked around Curry to see Max headed her way. Her pulse was pounding. Something about Curry’s dark eyes seemed somehow familiar.

“Mr. Curry, have we met before?” she asked.

His brow dipped. “I’m sure I would remember if we had,” he said. “I’ll leave you to the bathroom.” He turned and walked down the corridor to the other end.

Max hurried toward her, carrying his shaving kit. “I changed my mind,” he said, and entered the bathroom and closed the door behind them. Then he pulled her into his arms. “I don’t know what it is about that guy, but he gives me the creeps. Trust me, it takes a lot to give me the creeps.”

JoJo rested her cheek against his chest. “I feel the same way. I don’t know what it is about him either.”

“We don’t have to shower together,” he said. “But I’ll stay in here with you while you shower just to make sure you’re safe. That is, if you want me to.”

She lifted the hem of his shirt and pulled it up over his head. “I want you to stay.” While she helped him out of his clothes, he helped her out of hers, and soon they were standing together beneath the spray.

“Did you bring—”

He reached outside the shower for his shaving kit and produced a condom. “At this rate, I’m going to need to get a new supply.”

She smiled. “Yes, you will.”

He sheathed himself then lifted her by the backs of her thighs, pressing her against the cold tiles of the shower wall. “Tell me if I do anything that scares you.”

“I will.” She captured his face between her palms and kissed him.

After they sated themselves in the shower, they dried each other off, dressed and crossed the hall into her bedroom.

“Do you want me to stay?” he asked.

She took his hand and led him to the bed. “Yes, I do. When you were with me last night, I didn’t have dreams.”

“But isn’t that the idea of having dreams, so that you can remember what happened?”

“I’ll leave that to Emily and hypnotism. I’d rather get a good night’s sleep. I hadn’t had one until you slept with me.”

He frowned. “How long has it been?”

“Over six months,” she said.

Max picked her up and laid her in the bed then crawled in beside her. He pulled her into his arms.

“I want you to know it’s not all about the sex,” she said.

He chuckled. “That’s my line.”

JoJo smiled. “I just want to hold you through the night, and I want you to hold me.”

She lay there nestled in his arms and fell into a deep dreamless sleep, thinking how nice it would be if she could do this every night.

If only.

Chapter