I looked up the pale full moon hanging in the vast black velvet sky, its soft light illuminating the world and casting beautiful shadowed hues. As I walked along the shore, warm sand massaged my bare feet as cool water danced around my toes. The white shift adorning my body, dampened by the sea mist, hung loosely off my shoulders and fluttered out behind me, the thin material caught up in the embrace of a gentle tropical breeze.
But I was alone.
Wasn’t I on a cruise ship moments earlier? Or was that a dream?
Scanning the horizon, I saw nothing but reflections of moonlight shimmering upon the water’s wavering surface.
“Where is everyone?” I whispered, searching the strangely familiar paradise surrounding me.
The lulling sound of tumbling waves was my only response.
The warmth, the waves, the shift-like night gown, the scent of jasmine hanging heavy in the air, the dusky palm trees that lined the beach with their fronds swaying in tune to the sing-song of night birds—I had day-dreamed of this place once. A beautiful deserted island far away from the cold, harsh realities of a bitter, brutal world. My fantasy…
It was how I imagined heaven would be.
But how did I get here?
I blinked hard as a memory tugged at the back of my mind, bringing more confusion, invoking emotion, of something dark and horrible, of something lost…painful.
I pushed it all away.
I was here now. Did it really matter how I got to here? Why ruin this dream or fantasy or whatever it was? Why not enjoy it for as long as I could? Though I couldn’t remember anything before this moment, and such a realization should have frightened me, I was relatively peaceful, happy even.
I had a strange feeling that it had been many years since I felt that way.
Perhaps I had died and gone to heaven.
At the thought, darkness and fear pulled at my mind again, trying desperately to break through the fog of forgetfulness, but before I could explore it, the muted patter of trotting hooves pounding against sand filled my ears.
I turned to see a man rein his horse a few feet away from me.
“Jane, you’ve come,” he said, a sad smile touching his lips. “Finally.”
Before I could reply, the horse took a few anxious steps toward me, breathing heavily. I moved back slightly, a little nervous of being trampled by the massive beast.
“He won’t hurt you,” the stranger assured. “He’s just excited to see you.”
As if understanding my fear, the giant stallion lowered his head. I lifted my hand hesitantly, letting the creature nuzzle my palm. “Have we met before?”
The man chuckled, obviously catching on to the double meaning. “I’m John.”
“My name is Jane. But you already knew that.” I looked up. “I’m sorry that I don’t remember you. But, it seems I have forgotten…”
My stomach fluttered and my heart skipped beats as I tried to recover my train of thought. But unfortunately, my muddled mind suddenly lost its ability to command my lips to form words.
Damn, John was something to behold.
However, the more I stared at the sexy stranger, the more my other body parts reacted, as if suddenly awaken from a long sleep. The simple ability to feel sensations seemed to intensify ten-fold, making me acutely aware of everything that brushed against my skin—from the sandy water swirling around my ankles, to the very breeze that traveled around me, tugging and pulling on my night gown. I could even feel John’s gaze traveling down the length of my body, his heavy appraisal akin to warm caresses—feather light, but thrilling all the same.
My nipples hardened, rubbing against soft material of the shift with every breath I took, and moisture gathered between my thighs. Heat rose to my cheeks as I realized that I had no undergarments on.
Could he tell?
“Jane?”
I had the overwhelming feeling of familiarity. I knew him from somewhere. But from where? Why couldn’t I remember?
“Yes?”
John descended from the stallion and held out his hand. “Will you come with me? I have a surprise I want to show you. I think you will enjoy it very much.”
Even though I had probably met this man before, I really didn’t know him. Could I just go off with him to God knows where? What if he wanted to hurt me? Or worse, kill me?
His gaze captured mine and held it, searching, reading, as if he now knew every thought that passed through my head. “It’s safe here. Nothing can or will harm you.”
The chilling darkness in my mind reemerged, lingering just beyond the hazy recesses of my forgotten memories. I slid my fingers into his, not sure if it was his alluring words that made me do so, or that he offered a distraction from the distressing presence in my head. But he seemed sincere, and I didn’t want to face the darkness alone.
I gave a small smile, instantly feeling better as his warmth seeped into my hand. “Lead me to my pleasure then…” or doom.
He gathered the reins and we headed toward the tree line, his horse silently trailing behind us.
“As I was saying earlier,” I continued, “I’m sorry I don’t remember you. I seem to be suffering from amnesia of sorts. I probably should be going to a hospital, not on a walk.”
He shook his head. “There are no hospitals here.”
“Really? Is this a deserted island?”
“You can say that.”
I crinkled my nose. “I don’t understand. Is it or not?”
He stopped and turned to me. When lifted his hand toward my head, I flinched, closing my eyes tightly. A few seconds passed. When nothing happened, I opened my eyes and stared up at John. He shook his head and smiled, then smoothed my hair away from my face.
“Do you want it to be a deserted island?” he asked softly.
Something in the way he spoke and gently caressed my hair set my heart beating widely. “Yes,” I whispered.
“Then that’s what it is.”
It was a strange answer, but I was happy to hear it all the same. I felt as if I had received a great gift. I was given something I wanted. And Lord knows I never got anything I wanted.”
Wait, how do I know that?
An image flashed in my head. A man, handsome, but something in his eyes seemed cold. Mean. Suddenly, the image was gone, leaving fear and doubt in its wake”
“Jane, come back to me.”
Shaking my head to clear it, I found John leaning forward, holding aside brush to reveal a worn path. It was only in that moment that I noticed he was carrying a lantern.
“Oh, wow. Where did you get that?”
“I had it on hand,” he replied smoothly, then tugged me along onto the trail.
As we walked, I tried to enjoy the exotic flora we passed, but I couldn’t help but wonder at my memory loss, at the weird darkness plaguing my mind, of how I came to be with this sexy man.
“Have we known each other long?” I asked.
“I’ve known you a very long time.”
“Why am I here?”
He tilted his head to the side, as if considering his answer. “Because you deserve to be.”
I couldn’t help but giggle. “I meant, why I am here on this Island and not… wherever else I’m suppose to be. I wouldn’t have happened to have been on a cruise ship earlier, was I?”
“You’re on this island because you want to be, and you are supposed to be here. And yes, you were on a ship before you came.”
“Were you on the cruise, too? Did we come here together?”
He sighed. “Yes, I guess you can say that.”
Was this my lover and I didn’t remember him? If so, why didn’t he just say that?
My imagination conjured wonderful, sensual scenarios of us together to replace the memories that were not there. Yes, it would make sense. That way I felt about him, the way my body responded to him.
“So I’m on vacation with you. We are… together.”
The moment the words came out of my mouth, more images flashed through my head. Horrible images of the other man my mind conjured earlier, of us fighting, of him—
“Jane, come back to me.”
I blinked. “What?”
John slowed. “No, we were not on vacation together, but I’ve been blessed with the honor to stay with you, now and forever, if you will have me… if you want to stay here and not return.”
“If I want to stay here? If I will have you?” I giggled. “Are you proposing to me?”
“In a way, yes,” he offered quietly as we emerged into a beautiful clearing.
Oh my! He was serious, and I had to be dreaming. Besides being in the company of the sexiest man I could ever remember being with, which isn’t saying much at the moment given the state of amnesia—but I’m sure he still was, I was now standing in a fantasy world.
The stallion wandered off into the perfect grassy glade next to a tumbling waterfall cascading down smooth rocks. The full moon peaked through the canopy above us, sprinkling the flowing waters with glittering diamond sparkles. Tropical flowers upon winding vines hung heavy from the trees as fireflies darted around in sync with the music of the night, of crickets chirping and bird song, distant waves and soft rustling of leaves in the warm breeze.
Blood. Pain. Horrible pain. He wouldn’t stop. Blood all over me. Sticky and thick.
“Jane, come back to me.”
I inhaled sharply and met John’s gaze. “Sorry. I was just trying to remember—”
“Not yet.”
I rubbed my arms, as if trying to remove the icky feeling left there. I wish I was back at the beach so I could bathe in the salt water, to remove the lingering half-memory from my skin.
“Would you like to swim in the pool?” he asked.
I smiled and nodded. Then it occurred to me... “Wait? Is it deep? I don’t swim well.”
Am image flashed in my mind again, one of me being thrown into a swimming pool, of me gasping for air and struggling to keep my head above the water’s surface as the mean man watched, laughing.
“Jane, come back.”
I was abruptly pulled from my thoughts. “I’m here,” I offered automatically.
“I’ll go in with you. You are safe. I promise not to let go of you.”
I felt like I could trust him. I mean, he said I was safe. He said he wouldn’t let go of me. And for some reason, I simply believed him.
“Okay.”
I let him take me to the shore. As my toes touched the water, I drew back, my fear reasserting itself.
“It’s not deep, chest level only.”
“Then why are you going in with me? You’re going to get all wet.”
“Miss the opportunity to have a romantic swim with a gorgeous woman? How could I not go in?”
I felt the blush stain my face. The warmth spread to other parts of my body as erotic images popped into my head. We would be so close.
John led me in further, holding my hand has we navigated toward the falls.
I pulled away when we reached the cascading water, excited to partake of the cool, tumbling liquid. I closed my eyes as I leaned back, my hands pushing my hair away as water poured over my body, leaving me feeling rejuvenated and cleansed.
Opening my eyes, I found John watching me intently. Love, desire, promises of many delightful evenings in this place—all there in his eyes.
“You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he murmured.
Goosebumps formed on my skin and my nipples tightened under his heated gaze, poking through the thin, translucent material clinging to my skin. I took a deep, steadying breath. I had never felt so beautiful, so sexy, so desirable in all my life.
“Thank you.”
Once I was done rinsing, he gathered me back in his embrace. Lying upon his hard body, we glided to the middle of the pool. I rested my head against his hard chest as we floated aimlessly in the crystal clear pool.
It all felt so wonderful. So right.
“I wish I could stay here forever,” I whispered. “With you.”
“You can,” he replied, his deep voice reverberating from his chest into my ear.
I lifted my head. His eyes bore into mine, and I had the most overwhelming urge to kiss him. But I couldn’t. I knew him, but didn’t.
Damn amnesia.
I looked away. When I got back on the cruise ship, I’d have to see the doctor. I wondered when the departure time was. And where did I have to meet the boat that would take us back to the ship? How much time did I have left in paradise?
John’s fingers gently captured my chin and turn my head to face him. He leaned in and hesitantly pressed his lips against mine.
My tongue darted out of its own accord and deepened the kiss. He tasted sweet and salty, yummy. One arm pulled me closer as his free hand tangled into my hair. The kiss became urgent, and my body burst with overwhelming need. I found myself wrapping my legs around his waist, pushing against his hardness, silently expressing my wish to pursue more.
John held me tight as he carried me to the shore and gently laid me upon the soft grass. His lips roamed down my neck and across my shoulders, his fingers brushing over my breasts, teasing the peaks with feather-light caresses. I arched up into his hand, offering more of myself to his touch.
My hands removed his clothing while he continued to arouse my body until I burned, despite the cold, wet gown between us. However, soon even that barrier disappeared.
His hardness, warm and smooth, slid between my moist, swollen folds.
“Please,” I breathed. “Make love to me.”
He entered me, filling my body with his thick rod.
We made love beneath the moon-sprinkled canopy, his thrusts fueling my passion, my body demanding more with each stroke. I climbed higher and higher as he fanned the smoldering fire within, and I finally succumbed to the flames of my desire.
I screamed then, caught up in an explosion of earth shattering delight. His mouth captured mine, my body shuddering beneath his as waves of searing hot pleasure washed over me.
John held me as I melted within his arms, his fingers stroking my hair while he whispered sweet words within my ear.
When I finally cooled enough to catch my breath, I looked upon him with amazement. “I’ve never... I don’t think I’ve ever... Well, I don’t remember anyone ever making that happen to me.”
He smiled. “If you stay, it will always be like this.”
“How long can we stay here for?”
“As long as you want. Forever, if you wish.”
I giggled. “We have to go back to real world some day, you know.”
Suddenly, darkness enveloped my vision. Images flashed—screaming, the beating, the blood...
“Jane, come back to me.”
I ignored John’s entreaty, instead forcing my mind to rewind to beginning of the memory, my attention latching onto the horrible man whose presence had danced in and out of my head all night.
We were in our quarters on the ship. First there was screaming, then physical contact, a pounding, painful attack. Each blow was accompanied by empty accusations. Not long after the first strike, I fell beneath the onslaught of the violence. As I lay on the floor, enduring the unrelenting assault, I could feel my life force draining from my body.
I was suddenly weightless, looking down at the attack, watching my fiancé literally beating me to death. I didn’t deserve it, but I forgave him all the same.
Then someone else arrived, there, but not. A transparent shadow of sorts, beckoning me to come with him. He knew my name.
Fearing the new, unknown presence, I fled.
“Jane, come back.”
I opened my eyes, meeting John’s intense gaze.
I remembered everything now.
“You have to make a decision now,” John whispered.
“It was you. You came for me. What are you?”
“It near broke me to witness each time your fiancé... and I couldn’t do nothing but watch. I was not allowed to intervene. But now, you’re here. This place is your reward. Your heaven if you will. But you have the option to go back—”
“Wait. How is that I feel for you like I do? I don’t know you.”
“You’re heart knows me. It always has. I’ve been with you you’re whole life. It’s difficult to explain, and at the moment, I have no time.”
I stared into his eyes and knew he spoke the truth. My heart did know him.
Was he my guardian angel?
“Jane, you have to choose now. I can take you back if you want.”
I had thought I loved my fiancé, which is why I stayed despite the abuse. I had thought if I loved him enough, he would change. But now, after meeting John, I knew what real love felt like. But if I stayed, I’d be leaving behind my life, everything I’d ever known. How did one make such a decision on demand?
Should I take leap of faith and commit myself—literally—to spend an eternity in paradise with a sexy man I just met?”
“Jane, please—”
I placed my finger over John’s lips and smiled. “I love you. I’ll stay.”
Story written by Tia Fanning
“Fanning the Flames of Romance”
www.tiafanning.com | 
