“Yes, at a summer party at Gilbert Manor.”

“I can’t recall too many details of the past, but I do remember the parties were always fun in the summer,” she said. How dumb was that, right! She couldn’t help feeling frustrated by the fact that she couldn’t remember a party that her family threw. Rory knew they’d had a bunch of them and there were photo albums in the library that showed them, but she never looked at them after she realized they weren’t triggering any memories.

“They were,” he said, reaching out and brushing his finger against the back of her hand where it lay curled on the table. “What else do you need to learn?”

Fear was right there waiting to wrap itself around her and make her retreat, but instead she turned her hand under Kit’s, slid her fingers through his and a shiver went through her entire body. “Everything.”

He leaned in closer. There was something electric in the way their eyes met. God, he was cute. She loved the dark stubble on his cheeks and his thick eyelashes. The scent of his aftershave was subtle. She took a deep breath, inhaling it all in. He rested his elbow on the table as their eyes met and something that felt almost magical seemed to pass between them.“Everything?”

She nodded. “There is so much I’ve missed.”

“What if I helped you out?”

“With driving?” she asked, because it was the safest thing to suggest at this moment.

“And other things,” he said, in a lower timbre. It sent a quiver throughout her entire body. Her lips felt dry and she licked them. His eyes tracked the movement of her tongue and his mouth sort of opened. Was he flirting with her?

“What kinds of other things?”

Ugh. The words just popped out and her tone...that was her flirting tone. Did she want him to flirt back with her?

“I have to be honest with you, I want you.”

Hewantedher.

She swallowed. So yes. He definitely wanted her to flirt with him, too. Her eyes widened and then she realized that she had no idea what to do next. “I... I...”

He squeezed her hand. “Do you want to spend more time with me, Rory?”

She nodded.

“Do I make you nervous?”

She shook her head. “You should. You’re a stranger and a man... I am not sure why you don’t.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear that. What if we date? We can take things at your pace. I’ll teach you to drive and whatever else you have on your list,” he suggested. He spoke in that low, rumbly tone that resonated through her body and made her feel like she was back in his arms.

“Do you want to do that?” she whispered.

“One thing about me, I don’t say things I don’t mean.”

Wow. Well, okay, then. That kind of honesty was what she was looking for. She was tired of people who were nice to her because of her condition and Kit was offering her a chance to have everything she’d been dreaming of with a real guy. Not the faceless lover who sometimes showed up in her dreams.

“Duly noted. Oh, and one thing about me? I’m trying to say yes to everything.”

“So then we’ll start dating, Rory Gilbert.”

Dating. OMG. Was that still a thing? She didn’t know, but apparently it was for her. A wave of giddiness swept through her. She was going to go out ondateswith Kit and get to bask in his dreamy eyes, thick eyelashes and that kissable mouth of his.

“Yes, we will, Kit...” she said, then paused. “I don’t know your last name.”

Three

Whatwashis last name? He had decided not to lie, and if he told her the truth there was a chance she wouldn’t connect him with his brother. But then again, he wasn’t sure. Something as small as a name could spark her memory. “Palmer. Kit Palmer,” he said.

Liar.

But he still wasn’t sure what part, if any, Rory had played in his brother’s destruction that night.