Forgetting You

“When are you gonna tell her that Bailey died? She has to be asking all sorts of questions.”

“She is,” I answered Tank. “She’s doin’ well but her brain is so fragile still. If I tell her about Bailey it might . . . it might kill her. She’ll blame herself. I know she will.”

“Christ.” Pretty scratched his neck. “Poor girl is going through it.”

“Yeah,” I agreed. “She’s stuck on her differences now too, which sucks.”

“What d’you mean?”

“She’s really upset about her body. In her last memory she was slim, and now she has weight on her. I hope she doesn’t linger on it because I’m fine with how she looks. When I was helpin’ her shower and she bent over, I was glad her arse got fatter. Christ, I could have cried.”

“Hold up.” Texas sat upright. “You helped her in the shower. She was naked?”

“She was showerin’,” I deadpanned. “Of course she was naked.”

“Rewind.” AJ held his hand up. “She has a fractured leg . . . how did she get naked?”

“I undressed her.” At the widened eyes and happy smiles I received, I shook my head, laughing. “It wasn’t like how you’re all thinkin’. She said she needed me to help her, not the nurse. I didn’t touch her, but the way she looked at me may as well have been strokes to me cock. I thought me balls were goin’ to explode.”

Snickers filled the room.

“Sounds to me like she was trying to get some.” Pretty grinned, waggling his brows.

“She was,” I laughed. “She wants me, she told me she loves me.”

“Mate,” AJ said with a smile. “That’s brilliant.”

“Yeah . . . until she gets her memories back.”

“She’s been awake almost two weeks now and hasn’t had so much as a flashback.” AJ looked at me pointedly. “Don’t be worrying so much. She wants you; you want her. Stop making it complicated.”

“It is complicated though,” Tank chimed in. “She’s married.”

Like I could forget that important detail.

“Yep,” I sighed. “That prick is never far from me mind.”

“She can’t remember the man.” AJ shrugged. “She’s fair game in my book.”

“I’m not sympathising with the man ’cause I know he’s a wanker,” Pretty said. “However, if it were my wife in Noah’s position, and her ex knew good and well she was mine, and he was still trying it on with her . . . I’d kill him.”

“Me too,” Tank and Stitch said in unison.

I scrubbed my face with my hands.

“I don’t care about him,” I stated. “I care about Noah. I already kissed her senseless, but I won’t let it get that far. If she does get her memories back, I want to have a fightin’ chance with her. I don’t want to take advantage of the fact that her mind is stuck in the past when she loved me.”

There was a moment of silence, then Pretty clapped his hand against my back.

“You’re a good man, Irish.”

“He’s a better man than me,” AJ snorted. “I’d have fucked her seven ways to Sunday by now . . . you should see how deliciously thick she’s gotten. Thighs and tits of a goddess, boys.”

I was on my feet and swinging at AJ before his last words left his mouth. The fucking lunatic laughed when I landed a right hook to his jaw, followed by a solid punch to his stomach. He didn’t even attempt to fight me off; he had our buddies there to save him. Tank, the monster that he was, had easily wedged himself between us, and shoved me a metre or two away from a now-groaning AJ.

“Cool off,” Tank said, but he was grinning, thoroughly amused. “You got your hits in.”

Not nearly enough of them, if you asked me.

“Arsehole,” AJ shouted, then laughed. “Why’d you have to hit me in my face?”

“It was warranted – you talked about his missus.”

“I’m joking!” He paused. “Okay, I wasn’t, but still. Ow!”

I scowled. “Ye know better. I’m wound up over her right now. Don’t be given me reasons to attend another funeral!”

“You’re so rude!” AJ grumbled as he got to his feet. “And fuck you lot for sitting there – are you recording this, Pretty?”

“Hell yeah I am,” he snorted. “I wanna show my wife what I have to put up with in between calls.”

Amused, I signalled to Tank that I was calm. He returned to his seat and I crossed over to AJ and peered at his face. His jaw was slightly swollen and red, but other than that, he was fine.

“Ye’ll live.”

“If it hurts me to kiss Dani later, I’m decking you.”

I grinned at his grouching.

“When are ye gonna ask her to be your girlfriend? You’re actin’ like a clown with that girl.”

“For your information” – AJ looked me up and down – “I asked her last night. I am now, officially, no longer a bachelor. I’ve got me a missus, a ball and chain, a bed-warmer if you will.”