Recaptured Dreams Read online

  title page

  Recaptured Dreams

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  Justine Dell

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  Omnific Publishing

  Dallas

  Copyright Information

  Recaptured Dreams, Copyright © 2012 by Justine Dell

  All Rights Reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission of the publisher.

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  Omnific Publishing

  10000 North Central Expressway, Dallas, TX 75231

  www.omnificpublishing.com

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  First Omnific eBook edition, September 2012

  First Omnific trade paperback edition, September 2012

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  The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

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  Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

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  Dell, Justine.

  Recaptured Dreams / Justine Dell – 1st ed

  ISBN: 978-1-62342-908-9

  1. First Love—Romance. 2. Amnesia—Romance. 3. Fashion—Romance. 4. British—Romance. I. Title

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  Cover Design by Micha Stone and Amy Brokaw

  Interior Book Design by Coreen Montagna

  Dedication

  To Boo for being the reason I breathe.

  To Candice for the inspiration.

  To Dr. B for the undying Frietaship.

  Chapter One

  THIS WAS EXACTLY HOW she’d imagined it. The Somerset House had been transformed into the gala of the season. A huge black tent had been erected, hiding the pale glow of the moon. Flashbulbs blinded her as she made her way from the limo into the venue. Inside the tent, she found glittering lights and a long, glossy runway. People were dressed to the hilt all around her, showcasing their couture dresses and designer jewelry. Sophia Montel sat front row at London’s famed Fashion Week.

  She still couldn’t believe it.

  “Isn’t this marvelous?” Sophia beamed at her friend as she took her seat.

  “Very much so,” Anne Marie replied, squeezing Sophia’s hand. “Your mum really outdid herself this year with your birthday.”

  “I never would have thought Mother would offer this as gift,” Sophia stated, frowning. “She never was one to go along with what she called my ‘fashion fantasies.’ Sometimes she acts too much a countess and not enough like a mum.”

  “Yes, but she knows what pleases you.” Anne Marie’s smile was thoughtful. “What better gift to give her only daughter than a front row seat at a London fashion show?” She raised an eyebrow. “One that happens to include her daughter’s favorite designer?”

  Sophia’s frown disappeared in an instant. “The XS designer is here?”

  “Of course,” Anne Marie said with a chuckle. “With the new autumn line.”

  Sophia let out a loud, satisfied breath, and she wondered if her mother understood more than she let on.

  “It’s time,” Anne Marie whispered as the lights went down.

  Sophia marveled at the models coming down the spotlit runway. Music hummed loudly in the background, the stride of the women mimicking the beat and the mood of the clothes they wore. Some walked down graciously, others feral. Camera flashbulbs popped and clicked as the beaming lights caught the movements of the flowing silk, rustic wool, tucked cotton, and occasional leather.

  Anne Marie leaned over. “Here comes your favorite.”

  Sophia adjusted in her seat in anticipation of seeing firsthand the new line of her favorite designer. She had been following the XS line for years, since the first moment she’d seen the short white poplin dress with black boning, matched with a red quilted bomber jacket, in her favorite London boutique. The colors were always bold yet feminine, the patterns intricate in design yet easy on the eyes.

  Xavier Cain strode out from behind the curtain and commanded the stage with a knowing arch of his brow and crooked grin. He stood proud in his well-tailored black suit and brushed his dark, wavy hair from his eyes.

  Sophia drew a deep breath as she looked him over. His eyes, crystal blue and bright, looked like diamonds sparkling under the intense lights. His broad shoulders and lean frame shifted as he took several long strides further onto the runway.

  “Thank you all for being here tonight to see the new line.”

  Sophia’s heartbeat jolted when she heard his deep voice. It rolled through the air like a silent freight train and slammed right into her. The tone reverberated in her ears, igniting a slight flick of recognition.

  “Everything you see comes from my greatest inspiration.” Xavier’s eyes narrowed, and a hint of sadness flashed across his features. Sophia caught the look and instinctively wanted to comfort him. “Please,” he said clearing his throat. “Enjoy my vision for the Fall/Winter season.”

  Her body stirred at the sight of him all right, but there was something else. Something that Sophia couldn’t quite put her finger on when she looked at him. Like he was familiar, like she’d heard that voice—that wonderful voice—before tonight.

  Xavier disappeared as the first model stepped onstage. The eclectic line moved from daywear to eveningwear and back: pants, skirts, shorts, and dresses. All colors of the rainbow burst to life. Nothing held back; no standard autumn colors here. The beautiful clothes Sophia had expected, but how she knew they could make a woman feel was something different. Exciting. They made her want to slip the cool fabrics around her body and let the energy flow through her. Powerful yet soft, bold yet inviting.

  The final model completed her walk, and all the ladies came out once again for one last dance with the audience. Applause grew louder when Xavier reappeared on stage.

  Xavier breezed down the runway, waving at the crowd. He locked up when a woman sitting just off-stage caught his eye. It was as though an elephant sat on his chest, and he couldn’t catch his breath. She was clapping and smiling as she watched the models go by. Her hair, the perfect color of onyx, was clipped short on her neck and slanted longer in front to hang below her chin. Her face was shimmering like the stars on a bright summer night as she whispered something to the redhead next to her.

  After all these years—could it really be?

  He managed to take another step closer when she turned and faced him. Xavier nearly tripped off the stage when her dark blue eyes met his. His breath came back in a whoosh. Glowing under the lights, she looked like an angel. The mystic blue of her gaze captured him. The curves of her face perfectly complemented her big, innocent-looking eyes, petite nose, and cream, flushed skin. Instantly, his body ached to take a closer look.

  A tug on his arm awakened him from his trance. “Come on, Xavier,” a tall model said in an impatient but friendly tone. “The next line is up.”

  Looking around, he noticed they were the only two left on the runway. The music had slowed, and people shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Shaking his head, he turned on his heel and started toward the curtain. Looking over his shoulder one last time before exiting, he saw her again, the mystic eyes still focused on him.

  Once backstage, Xavier paced the floor like an animal in a cage. He ran his fingers through his hair, wondering if his eyes had been playing tricks on him. He had to get back out there. He needed to be sure.

  “Bryant.” Xavier walked over to his brother, who was also his assistant. “Did Marcus show up for the show?”

  “Not that I know of, but I’m not sure,” Bryant replied.

  “Great, thanks.” Xavier turned on his heel to walk awa
y.

  “Wait!” Bryant yelled. “What do you want me to do with the—”

  “Figure it out,” Xavier huffed as he exited from backstage.

  Xavier rushed out the side door, toward the seating area, and took Marcus’s empty chair in the front row. He sat down and peered across the stage through the models walking by, the beams of light slashing across the runway, and the flashing cameras. His back was tense and straight and his hands were clasped tightly together. His heart raced as he looked at every face on the other side until he found hers.

  “What was that about?” Anne Marie asked Sophia as soon as Xavier had left the stage.

  “I haven’t the faintest idea,” Sophia said in an exasperated tone, still bristling from the single stare.

  “He was staring right at you.”

  No, that couldn’t be. But somehow it had been. He’d stopped just feet from her, and Sophia had lost herself in him. As they’d stared at each other for that brief moment, her body had burned with a frizzle she had never felt before, as though he’d burned a hole right through her. Her pulse beat in her ears. His still and serious expression had made it seem he’d been studying her. But for what?

  She didn’t know Xavier Cain, but the ripple of excitement from those few moments made her wonder what knowing him would feel like.

  “I don’t care much for this line,” Sophia whispered to Anne Marie, trying to change the subject. “It’s too boring.”

  Anne Marie laughed. “Some designers think boring is fashion.”

  As the last model rounded the corner and headed backstage, Sophia turned her head and was pinned in her seat. Xavier sat like a prowling cat on the other side of the stage, his eyes narrowed on her. She nudged Anne Marie and angled her head in his direction.

  “There he is again,” Sophia said.

  “Who?”

  “Him. The XS designer.”

  “What is he doing?” Anne Marie squinted across the bright runway. “Oh my…”

  “What?”

  “Yes—that’s him all right, and he’s staring at you…again,” Anne Marie replied. “He must see something he likes.”

  Sophia frowned. “He does not.”

  “We’ll just have to see about that, won’t we, darling?”

  Sophia was entranced each time she was caught in his gaze. He wouldn’t take his eyes off her, and every time she broke her own stare during the model procession, she found it quickly wandering back to him. Each time she looked into his eyes, her chest restricted with shallow breaths and her body went hot. Sweet Lord, how could a man’s stare make her feel so female?

  Sophia didn’t remember anything she’d seen during the last half of the show; she’d been too distracted to care. When the lights came up, she expected Xavier to still be sitting in his seat. For that matter, she almost expected him to leap across the runway in her direction after the way he’d been looking at her. Instead, her brow furrowed as she spied him racing toward the exit ahead of the crowd. Had she been imagining his attention? Had the lights played trick on her?

  Through the bustle of people, Anne Marie and Sophia eventually also made their way toward and out the door.

  “I’ll have to remember this experience the next time I have a fight with Mother.” Sophia laughed as she stepped out of the tent, into the pleasantly mild air. Sophia always enjoyed the warmer winter days a London February could occasionally produce.

  “Yes, it’s definitely been entertaining.” Anne Marie smiled at her. “I’ll go arrange for the car and pop back straight away.”

  With a nod, Sophia watched Anne Marie walk toward the valet.

  “Wait.”

  A hand curled around her arm, and before Sophia could turn to look, she was whirled around into Xavier’s arms. Her heart stopped as she found herself pressed into his body, their faces just inches apart. His breathing was ragged and his blue eyes wild as he looked over her face. Feeling his arms tighten against her hips, she trembled.

  For those brief seconds, Sophia was lost as his eyes continued to scan her features. It felt oddly comforting to be wrapped in his solid hold. But his near-savage stare made her want to duck for cover. It was almost as if—

  “Um, hello?” Anne Marie interrupted her thoughts as she tapped on Sophia’s shoulder. Sophia jerked her head around and saw Anne Marie giving her a wicked smile. “I do hope I’m not interrupting. The car is ready.”

  Sophia’s gaze slid back to Xavier. His wild eyes cleared, and he let out a long sigh as he loosened the grasp on her hips and brought a hand up to her face, slowly tracing the outline of her jaw. Although uneasy, she felt the need to lean into him.

  “It’s you,” he whispered as he brought his face closer to hers.

  Flustered and electrified from his touch, Sophia could only mumble, “Yes.”

  “Xavier!” someone yelled. “There you are. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

  Xavier didn’t take his eyes off Sophia’s when a dark-haired man stalked over.

  “Good grief, Xavier!” the man barked. “You of all people know better than to run out at the end of the show. We have some business to finish.”

  He yanked on Xavier’s arm, only to be swiftly shaken off.

  “Listen,” the distressed man huffed, “I don’t have time for this.”

  Xavier looked at him and scowled. “Not now, Bryant.”

  “Yes, now. The truck’s out back, and the driver is nowhere in sight to load. One of the models ran off with her clothes still on, and the courier has misplaced the couture dress we brought over to show tomorrow.” Bryant drew a quick breath, shooting Sophia a quick, dismissive glance, and kept going. “On top of that, Diana is having a fit over some expensive fabric order that was damaged on its way from Japan, and Marcus called saying the new interns we hired have destroyed the work room, and he’s pretty sure one of them is stealing—”

  “Enough!” Xavier’s deep voice boomed as he released Sophia and turned toward Bryant, pointing a sharp finger into his chest. “I know where I have to be and when. I’ll handle it when I’m ready. Understand?”

  Xavier loomed menacingly over him. The man nodded curtly, bowing his head as he retreated.

  Xavier focused back on Sophia with piercing eyes. “Come to the after-party,” he demanded.

  “Oh, well…” she started, still unable to get her mind to focus clearly.

  “We’d love to.” Anne Marie flashed a smile at Xavier as she stepped between them.

  “Good.” He took a card out of his inner jacket pocket and handed it to Anne Marie. “Here’s the address.”

  Xavier grabbed Sophia by the waist again and drew her snugly to his body. Her mind went instantly blank as she looked into his cool eyes lit up under the high moon. Those were eyes she could get lost in, she thought. Bluer than a summer sky. Beautiful. Captivating. Mesmerizing. She was certainly mesmerized by something, but she couldn’t figure out what exactly. It wasn’t only his eyes. Maybe it was just him. Never in her life had she felt so connected to someone so quickly. It was a heady feeling, one that she didn’t want to stop. Ever so lightly, he brushed his lips across hers, and she shivered head to toe.

  “Don’t be late.” He released her and stalked in the same direction as Bryant.

  Stunned, Sophia just stood on the sidewalk in a daze. She’d let him kiss her. A man who made her insides twist…a man she didn’t even know.

  Oh bugger. She couldn’t decide if that had been incredibly rude of him or incredibly stupid of her. Right now, her brain didn’t seem to care either way.

  “Hmm.” Anne Marie cocked her head and tapped her fingers to her lips. “That was interesting.”

  Still shaken, Sophia turned to her friend and saw the smirk on her face. “Well, I…” Oh my heavens…Words escaped her. “Yes.”

  Amused, Anne Marie laughed and hugged Sophia. “Flustered a bit, are we?”

  “Yes…yes,” Sophia said gently. “You could say that.”

  Anne Marie grabbed her hand. �
�Well then, let’s go to the after-party and see how much more flustered we can get you!”

  Xavier stomped backstage behind his brother. He raked his hand through his hair, unable to believe he’d let her walk away.

  His Sophia. He’d thought of her, dreamed of her, and prayed for her for the last ten years. And there she’d been, as if in answer to his prayers.

  He hadn’t seen her in a decade. And the small bit of a kiss he’d given her had only sparked his longing for her more. The girl he’d spent countless hours looking for was right there in London, waiting for him. She’d trembled in his arms. Silent yearning had been clear on her face, and all he’d wanted to do was sweep her up, tuck her into a limo, and drive away.

  “Tell me again why you couldn’t handle this, Bryant?” Xavier ground out as they rounded the backstage corner.

  Bryant cocked a grin. “You’re the boss, bro. You get all twitchy when things don’t go as planned. You always have your hands in the middle of it.”

  Xavier suppressed a growl. He wanted his hands on Sophia, not cleaning up a fashion show mess. “I could’ve done without any hassles tonight. I was busy.”

  They stopped in front of their storage room. Bryant slid open the door, and they stepped inside.

  “Yeah, you looked busy.” Bryant walked over to a rack in the corner. In meticulous fashion, he plucked clothes from it and put them into over-sized luggage cases. “But in case you forgot, we’ve got things to do here.”

  “I didn’t forget. I was doing something else very important.” Xavier dug his phone out of his pocket and sent a message to Diana and Marcus, whose problems were insignificant at the moment.

  “The sassy raven-haired beauty is important? Figures.”

  Xavier jerked some clothes off the rack and flung them into the cases. Keeping them neat wasn’t priority number one. Finishing quickly was. “It was Sophia.”

  Bryant stopped packing. He gave a twisted smile. “The Sophia?”

  Xavier’s nod was quick.