cooked us a delicious meal. I’ll do the cleaning. That’s only fair.”
Matt and Elizabeth got up, carefully avoiding touching each other. They went into the living room where she glanced around, then settled into an overstuffed chair, looking apprehensive.
“What should I do?”
“Like I said, get comfortable.”
“That’s difficult.”
For a whole lot of reasons, some of them having to do with her situation and some with him, he knew.
He sat down on the sofa, trying to relax and not having perfect success.
“Lean back. Look up at the line where the wall meets the ceiling.”
“Why?”
“It puts your eyes at the right level.”
She did as he said, and he kept speaking to her in a soothing voice. “Relax now. Relax now. Relax now.”
He saw some of the tension drain out of her features.
“How do you feel?”
“Good.”
“There’s nothing to worry about. We’re just going to see if we can bring back more of your past.”
“Yes,” she murmured.
“And when I tell you to wake up, you will. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“We can start with a little mental vacation. Let’s go somewhere where you’d like to be.”
She thought about that. “I’m not sure.”
“Most people like the beach. Does that work for you?”
She waited a beat before answering, “Yes.”
“We’re at the beach. You’re on a chaise, lying in the sun. It feels good on your face and body. The waves are rolling up across the sand.”
“Um.”
“Let’s go a little deeper into relaxation. You go back to the resort where you’re staying. You go inside, and there’s a flight of steps. You go down, one step at a time.”
“Okay.”
“Every step takes you deeper into relaxation.” He could see from her face that it was working.
“What’s at the bottom of the stairs?” he asked.
Her body jerked.
“What?”
“Women. They’re frightened.”
“Why?”
“They’re a long way from home.” Her body jerked again. “I don’t want to be there.”
“Okay.”
Her eyes blinked open, focusing on him.
She looked so lost and alone that every instinct urged him to cross the room and take her in his arms again, but he knew that wasn’t such a great idea, given what happened every time they touched.
“Yes,” she murmured.
“You know what I’m thinking?”
“It’s all over your face.”
“Sorry I’m so transparent.”
“Not to most people, I think.”
“I want to ask about that memory.”
She shuddered. “It’s nothing good.”
“Is it something recent?”
Her vision turned inward. “I think so.”
“But you aren’t sure?”
“I’m betting it has to do with that man who was following me. Maybe I saw something I wasn’t supposed to. And the mob is after me.”
“The mob?”
“You have a better explanation?”
“I wish I knew, but the part about your stumbling into something sounds right.” He thought for a moment. “What kind of women?”
“Young and pretty.”
“What race?”
“Why are you asking?”
“You had a memory of an Asian woman before.”
“These were Caucasian.”
“Okay. Do you think it has anything to do with your job?”
“Good question.” She shook her head. “Maybe it would help to try word association.”
“I think we shouldn’t try to push this any further tonight. You’ve had a tiring day—coming off a mild concussion.”
“Yes, probably pushing to come up with any more answers right now is a waste of time.”
“I don’t want to leave you and Mrs. Kramer alone, with that Wilson guy out there.”
“I think we’ll be all right.”
“But you took off out the back when the doorbell rang.”
She shook her head. “Yeah. I’m jumpy, but that doesn’t mean it’s logical.”
He wrote down his cell phone number and set it on the coffee table. “Call me if anything worries you. Or if you have any memories.”
“I think the latter’s more likely when you’re around.”
He nodded, looking at her hand. It was so tempting to reach out and touch her. They’d get memories, all right. And a lot more.
She looked up at him and away, and it was obvious again that she knew what he was thinking.
“I’ll tell Mrs. Kramer I’m leaving.”
Elizabeth was still in the living room when he returned, and he had to force himself not to stop and touch her. And force himself to leave, for that matter. He’d forged a connection with this woman who didn’t even know her name, and he wanted to strengthen that connection. But nothing had changed as far as his ethics were concerned. He still had no business coming on to her.
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