After a terrible car crash, Brooke can’t remember her own name—much less her wedding day! Finding irresistible Lorenzo Tassini at her bedside—and a gold band on her finger—is shocking.
Honor-bound to care for his estranged wife, Lorenzo whisks her to his luxury Tuscan villa. But Brooke’s nothing like Lorenzo remembers! Her sweetness surprises him, as does the chemistry between them, blazing like never before. Stunned to discover her virginity, Lorenzo must uncover the secrets of the woman wearing his ring…
Excerpt, THE INNOCENT’S FORGOTTEN WEDDING
by Lynne Graham
Early the following morning, alarm bells rang and lights flashed
from the machinery by the bed. The woman came awake and went into panic, eyes
focusing on an unfamiliar room and then on the arrival of two nurses, their
faces both concerned and excited at the same time. She clawed at the breath-ing
tube in her throat because she couldn’t speak and the women tried to both
restrain and soothe her, telling her over and over again that the doc-tor was
coming, everything would be all right and that there was nothing to worry
about. She thought they were crazy. Her body wouldn’t move. She could only move
one hand and her arm felt as if it didn’t belong to her. How could she possibly
have nothing to worry about? Why were they talking nonsense? Did they think she
was stupid?
The panic kept on
clawing at her, even after the doctor arrived and the breathing tube was
re-moved. He kept on asking her questions, questions she couldn’t answer until
she couldn’t hide from the truth any longer. She didn’t know who she was. What
was her name? She didn’t know why she was lying in a hospital bed. She didn’t
have a last memory to offer because her mind was a blank, a complete blank. It
was a ridiculous relief to receive an approving nod when she evidently got the
name of the Prime Minister right and contrived to name colours correctly.
‘What happened to
me?’ she whispered brokenly, her breath rasping. ‘Have I been ill?’
‘You were in an
accident.’ The doctor paused there, exchanging a glance with the staff
surround-ing the bed.
‘What’s my name?’
she asked shakily.
‘Your name is
Brooke… Brooke Tassini.’ The name meant absolutely nothing to her, didn’t even
sound slightly familiar.
‘Your husband will
be here very soon.’ Brooke’s eyes widened to their fullest extent in shock. ‘I
have a husband?’
For some reason,
the nurses smiled. ‘Oh, yes, you have a husband.’
‘A very handsome
husband,’ one of the women added.
Brooke stared down
at her bare wedding fin-ger. She was married. Oh, my goodness, she was married.
Did she have children? she asked. No…no children as far as they knew, they
said, and a tinge of relief threaded through the panic she was only just
holding at bay. Then she felt guilty about that sense of relief. She liked
children, didn’t she? But it was scary enough to have a husband she didn’t
remember—it would be simply appalling if she had contrived to forget her
children as well.
About
Lynne Graham: Lynne
Graham lives in Northern Ireland and has been a keen romance reader since her
teens. Happily married, Lynne has five children. Her eldest is her only natural
child. Her other children, who are every bit as dear to her heart, are adopted.
The family has a variety of pets, and Lynne loves gardening, cooking,
collecting all sorts and is crazy about every aspect of Christmas.
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