“Sorry, the guys wanted out of the house. Apparently, they don’t cope well being indoors for long.”

  “Sounds like having a dog,” I mutter, but he hears me and smiles.

  It doesn’t take long before word spreads that not only Liam is in the bar, but his whole band as well. Space becomes a factor when I’m too swamped to notice them, or how often Liam looks my way.

  At some point in the evening, they move to a booth in the corner of the bar, and are surrounded by people. From the few glances I managed to steal, the guys love the attention, but Liam is wary.

  He’s uncomfortable, and not one person around him notices but me.

  When Rory calls time, I lean on the bar, sighing with relief. This must be Rory’s best night since I’ve been here. The register hasn’t stopped pinging with orders, and Rory’s grin has grown with every dollar passed over the bar.

  Patrons groan, a few muttering about how fast the night has passed, when I catch Liam staring, looking like a lost little boy. Waving him over, he wastes no time crossing the bar, leaving his friends at their table.

  “You okay?” I ask him.

  “It’s all a bit much, you know? It’s been quiet up till today, and I liked that.”

  “Are they staying at your place?”

  “Yeah,” he says, looking over his shoulder at them.

  I’m still having an issue on how I plan to hurt him.

  “You can stay at my place tonight if you want. On the couch, of course.”

  His hesitation has me holding my breath. “The offer’s there if you want it. I’m tired. I’ll be going to bed as soon as I get home, so you’ll have the downstairs to yourself. It’ll be quiet.”

  “Yeah, okay. I’d like that.”

  I have my own motives, but I’m not blind. So does he. Me offering for him to stay over gives him more time with me to try and right the past. As long as he believes he’s succeeding, the harder he’ll fall for me in return. And that’s my plan. I’ll get him to fall in love with me and rip his heart out, just like he did to me. It’ll be poetic justice.

  The guys head out, and after telling them about his plans to stay at my place tonight, he waits for me to lock up.

  At home, I switch the lamp on in the corner of the living room and slip out of my coat, dumping it over the armchair.

  “I’ll grab you a pillow and some sheets.”

  I leave the room and take three deep breaths. I went to his place earlier to speed up my seduction plan, and now that he’s here, I’m fucking nervous.

  Grabbing a pillow off my bed and the top sheet, I head back downstairs to find Liam standing in front of the Christmas tree, watching the lights flash different colours.

  “How do you normally spend Christmas?” he asks when I clear my throat, letting him know I’m back in the room and toss the bedding onto the couch.

  “It depends. Sometimes, I spend it with my family if we’re all talking to one another, or I spend it here on my own.”

  He turns to face me. “My mom wants me to spend the holidays with the family this year. A fresh start, so to speak.”

  “But you don’t want to?”

  He looks back at the tree. “I owe her family time, I suppose. But if you’re going to be here alone, I’d rather spend it with you.”

  His honesty lashes at me every time. He doesn’t hold back what’s racing through his head.

  For my plan to be believable, I can’t just jump into this without any hesitation.

  Sitting on the couch, I sigh and pick at the sheets.

  “Liam, I agreed to spend time with you, but spending a holiday together is saying too much about where we are.”

  “It was just an idea.”

  There’s no way I could keep up the pretence around his parents for an entire day. The fewer people who see my plan play out, the better.

  He moves across the room and kneels in front of me. “I can’t figure out why I can’t stay away from you. All I could do tonight was watch you, counting down the minutes till we could be alone again. It feels like I’m running out of time, and I don’t know when the timer will get to zero.”

  It has to be his guilt, buried so deep in his mind, he can’t remember, but there enough for him to feel it.

  “You’re the one who left town, Liam. I went nowhere, and I’m not going anywhere now.”

  I manage not to flinch when he places his hand on my cheek and brushes his thumb over my cheekbone.

  “I want you so much, I can’t wrap my head around it,” he whispers.

  Taking the advantage, I lean in close, placing my hand over his, and kiss him. I start slow and soft, waiting for him to take the lead. With one sweep of my tongue across his, a fire is struck. He pushes me back onto the couch and lays his body over mine as he deepens the kiss.

  I arch into him, making it real clear how much I want us to move this along. Pulling at the hem of my sweater, he backs up so I can pull it over my head. And before I can undo my jeans, he’s working the button and yanking them down my legs, claiming my mouth once more when they’re a heap on the floor.

  “Let’s take this upstairs,” I suggest in between kisses.

  “Are you sure?”

  I learned a long time ago that sex doesn’t have to be based on emotion. Liam taught me that. It’s just basic carnal desires being met, and leaving two people satisfied.

  “I’m sure.”

  Taking the heat factor up a notch, he lifts me off the couch with such ease while continuing to duel with my tongue. It turns me the hell on.

  Wrapping my legs around his waist, he climbs the stairs.

  “My room is on the right.”

  Kicking the door open, he spins us around and we fall onto the bed, where he grinds his hardness against me. We both need to be naked, now. His tongue dances with mine as I slip my hands between us and work his belt until I get to his jeans' button and pop it open. The last time we were together with no clothes on, I had no experience or idea of what to do. Tonight, though, I know exactly how I want to get myself off.

  Pushing against his chest, he gets the hint and backs up. Shuffling around, I kneel before him and pull his jeans down his legs, quickly followed by his boxers. When his dick springs free, I wrap my hand around his impressive length and slide it up and down once, twice.

  “Shit…” I lean closer to take him into my mouth. “If you put your lips around me, I won’t last long.”

  Looking up at him from under my lashes, I tell him, “Fuck me till you blow, then. Once you do, we’ll have the rest of the night to play.”

  He accepts the offer and pushes me back. Grabbing my thighs, he flips me over and brings my hips up, leaving my ass in the air.

  “Here I thought nothing could beat the sight of your face. The view of your ass is spectacular.”

  I give it a little shake. “Appreciate the view later. Now, fuck me.”

  He doesn’t need to be told twice. By the time I fist the sheets, he’s thrusting into me, filling me completely.

  Oh shit, he feels good. So fucking good.

  “Don’t hold back.”

  Pulling out, he pounds back into me, grunting, “I don’t intend to.”

  Grabbing my hips, his fingers dig in for a firmer grip as he relentlessly drills into me, driving me crazy. I hate how much I’m liking him inside of me, but fuck if he isn’t hitting all the right spots.

  Crying out, I bite down on my bottom lip and smother the moan desperate to escape. My hands turn white from fisting the sheet so tight.

  “Oh God… yes, yes!” I pant.

  His pace picks up, and like a fucking machine, he doesn’t stop until he climaxes. Once he comes down, he pulls out of me and collapses on the bed, just as I fall facedown onto the mattrass.

  Exhaling long and hard, he murmurs, “I needed that… I needed you.” Rolling his head to the side, he looks at me. “I don’t want you regretting this.”

  I don’t say a word. I don’t know how to respond. The sex was great, but the last thing I want to do is think too much about it.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Liam

  Gabriella sleeping is what I imagine peace feeling like. Her long breaths are hypnotising, and I could watch her forever.

  Her room is neat and tidy, no clothes lying around but the ones we stripped out of a few hours ago. The TV hangs on the wall with a dresser underneath, lined neatly with creams and perfume bottles. A few of the photo frames draw my attention. Slipping out of bed and into my boxers, I cross the room and pick one up. Gabriella is cradling a small baby and smiling for the camera. In another, she’s sitting between two boys in superhero costumes. She hasn’t mentioned much about her family during the conversations we’ve had, and it’s another side to her I want to get to know.

  Moving to the window, I watch the snow slowly falling, wishing I could get my memories back. But at this moment, I’m at peace with it. After being with Gabriella tonight, I don’t want to remember who I used to be before the accident.

  She has a life here, and I have mine back in L.A. Not that I have a clue what it’s like. Jimmy keeps emailing me, wanting me to return and try to slip back into my old normality, but the pull to stay here is too strong to fight. From the second I woke up and was told I had a wife, the pull grew stronger.

  “Do you ever sleep?”

  I look over to see Gabriella leaning on her elbow, watching me.

  “Not really.”

  Climbing back in beside her, we lie facing each other, neither of us particularly tired.

  “Tell me about your life here. Who are the kids in the photos?”

  “The baby girl is my niece, Elizabeth. She’s Axle’s daughter. The boys are my nephews, Asher and Aaron. They’re Connor’s sons.”

  “What are your brothers like?”

  A soft laugh fills the space between us, and she rolls onto her back with a sigh. “Connor is a good guy, really. He’s a good dad, and makes sure his family is taken care of, but he’s similar to Axle in many ways.”

  “How do you mean?”

  “Axle is a hothead. Fighting and drinking are fun to him, and he’s in and out of county like it’s a motel. He’s in lockup now. Anita, his baby momma, kicked him out a couple of months ago, and he doesn’t bother with Elizabeth.”

  “I guess they wanted to kick my ass for what I did to you, huh?”

  “You left town before they could get their hands on you. They weren’t happy at all.”

  I bet they weren’t. Seems a lot of people weren’t.

  “Should I expect an ass kicking when I next see them?”

  “No. But I wouldn’t go out of my way to approach them if I were you.”

  “How’s your mom? Is she still drinking?”

  Gasping, she snaps her head to the side.

  “You remember? I haven’t told you that about her.”

  Closing my eyes, I can see her mom. “I see your mom slouched over a bed, throwing up. You’re trying to help her, and I’m picking up empty wine bottles.”

  Gabriella sits up, clutching the sheet to her chest. “You’ve remembered something. That actually happened.”

  Her excitement grows, and I feel bad for not mentioning the previous couple of memories that have recently resurfaced.

  I open my mouth to tell her when her smile slips and her brows pinch together.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “With that memory coming back, more are bound to follow…” Pausing, she looks away.

  “You’re worried I’ll turn into the old Liam again,” I finish for her.

  She nods, but refuses to look at me.

  I might not remember everything, but I remember the hatred and frustration I felt the night of the crash, and I know how I feel now.

  I promise her, “That won’t happen. I don’t ever want to be the person you’ve told me about. I don’t want to be him again.”

  Cupping my hand around her cheek, I make her look at me. She needs to see the desperate pleading in my eyes for her to grasp the truth of my words as I speak them.

  “Wherever we end up after this, I promise you, you’ll never see the old me again.”

  Taking my chances, I claim her mouth. She doesn’t push me away, nor does she tense under my touch.

  “Please, believe me,” I plead.

  Brushing my lips along hers, she whispers, “I’m trying.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Gabriella

  The washer beeps, letting me know the cycle is done. Pulling the sheets out, I transfer them to the dryer. The minute Liam left this morning, I stripped the bed and threw it into the wash. The sex was amazing. But like I’ve been telling myself all morning, it was simply sex. Sex that I’ve had plenty of times before, just with a different guy. Sex is sex. It becomes a mantra.

  The minute he declares love, I’ll make my move and strike. All I have to do is keep my shit together and put my best acting skills to use, just like he did once upon a time.

  My phone pings with a text from Liam. I can’t get a break from him these days.

  I have to go out of town for a couple of days.

  I can’t keep the momentum flowing if he’s not here. He hasn’t mentioned anything about having to leave so soon before now. He’s only been gone for a couple of hours. What the hell could’ve happened?

  Is everything okay?

  Tapping the side of the phone, anticipating his reply, it rings instead, his name flashing across the screen.

  “Hey.”

  “Hi.”

  He does this now, goes quiet, when before he always had something to say.

  “So you have to leave? Did something happen?”

  “I’m coming back. I just have to go and sign some papers. I’m not sure for what yet, but my label wants a face-to-face.”

  “At least you’ll have the guys with you.”

  Who knows what will come back to him being around his home, things he should be very familiar with.

  “Actually, they’re staying here in town. I was hoping you’d come with me.”

  I. Am. Floored.

  “To L.A.?”

  “Yeah. I’m told I have a big house there. You’ll have your own room if you want it. I can even show you around Hollywood.”

  For my plan to work before he starts to remember everything, being around him is a must. I quickly assess my situation with work. I reckon Rory wouldn’t mind me taking a few days off, seeing as I rarely ever do. I’ve been a model employee since I started, and I think he kind of owes me.

  “Okay. I’ll call Rory and sort cover. When do you need to leave?”

  “This afternoon. Is that good with you?”

  He isn’t hanging around.

  “Sure,” I drawl, while mentally packing what I’ll need to take with me.

  “I’ll pick you up in an hour.”

  “See you then.”

  As soon as the call ends, I hit up Rory’s number and put the phone on speaker while heading up to my room.

  “Hey, what’s up?”

  “I need a huge favour. I need the next three nights off.”

  Setting my phone on the nightstand, I pull out my overnight bag from under the bed. It doesn’t take long to pack enough underwear, three outfits, and my toiletries.

  “Are you sick?”

  “No, nothing like that. Liam needs to head back to L.A., and he’s asked me to go with him. I wouldn’t normally ask, but I’ve never have before, and I really need this time off.”

  “It’s fine. You’re owed, I suppose. But are you sure you know what you’re doing with him? What he did, Gabriella… It doesn’t make any sense you hanging out with him.”

  His concern and loyalty to me has a lump lodging in my throat. He’s probably my only true friend.

  “Trust me. I know what I’m doing.”

  “Okay. Be safe, be good, and I’ll see you when you get back.”

  He hangs up, and I debate whether to pack my laciest underwear. Fuck it. I need to ramp this plan up, so in the bag they go. For all I know, going back to his life will trigger his memories, and we’ll go back to warring over the divorce.

  Hauling my bag downstairs, I leave it in the hall and flit around the house, tidying up and hanging the sheets to dry so they won’t be in the machine for days. The hour passes by quickly, and Liam honks his horn as I’m double checking that the back door is locked and the shades are drawn. He jumps out of his car while I’m locking up and takes my bag for me.

  “Thank you for agreeing to come with me,” he says, throwing my bag in the trunk.

  “No problem. Rory was fine about me taking off, but I have to be back in three days.”

  “That’s fine.”

  He doesn’t mention last night during the drive, and I don’t bring it up. It’s not until we’re seated in first class and the plane is taking off that he turns to me and asks, “You okay after last night?”

  Considering I’ve not allowed myself to think about it, I do my best to act coy, but happy.

  “I’m good. Are you?”

  His grin is no doubt genuine. “I can’t stop thinking about it. I’m more than okay.”

  “Is that why you asked me to come with you. Are you hoping it’ll happen again?”

  His brows nearly hit his hairline. “Of course not. But I wouldn’t be opposed if it did.” He sighs, and tension settles between us. “If truth be told, I couldn’t leave town without you.”

  “What would you have done if I couldn’t join you?”

  He shrugs. “I have no idea.”

  “Liam, when you say things like you couldn’t leave town without me, I can’t help but wonder if you’re tricking me again. You used to say stuff like this before.”

  His smile instantly slips, and a sliver of satisfaction ignites within me.

  “I can understand that, but I’m not playing this time.”

  Nodding, I look out the window and smother the smirk that wants to be seen. He may not be playing, but I am. My plan still stands, and will be executed.

  Closing my eyes, I imagine how it’s going to feel when I hear his heart break.