“Let’s get you back up to the house.” Kate helped him to his feet, then slid her arm around his waist to steady him. “You okay? Feeling dizzy or anything?”
He stared down at her, blinked a few times and frowned. “This is crazy,” he muttered.
“What?”
With his thumb and index finger, he wiped his eyes and held the bridge of his nose. He probably had the mother of all headaches right now. All the more reason to get this big guy moving toward the house, because if he went back down, she couldn’t carry him.
“I know you,” he murmured. “I just... Damn it, your name isn’t coming to me.”
Kate froze. “You don’t know my name?” This was not good. That ball of fear in her stomach grew.
Shaking his head, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and started leading them off the dock. “I must’ve hit my head harder than I thought. Why isn’t it coming to me?”
Kate pressed a hand to his abdomen, halting his progress. She shifted just enough to look him in the eyes. Since she wasn’t a medic and never had any kind of training other than a basic CPR course, she had no idea what signs to look for with a head trauma.
“Look at me,” she ordered. “You know me, Luc. You know my name.”
Blowing out a breath, he hung his head. “I... It’s on the tip of my tongue. Damn, why can’t I remember?”
He glanced back up at her, worry filling his dark eyes. This was not good, not good at all. She was going to have to get him back to the house and call the palace doctor. Obviously, Luc’s memory wasn’t cooperating. But she didn’t want him panicking; she could do enough of that for both of them.
“My name is Kate.” She watched his eyes, hoping to see some recognition, but there was nothing. “I’m your—”
“Fiancée.” A wide smile spread across his face. “Now I remember you.”
Luc leaned in to capture her lips once more, with a passion she’d never known.
Three
Fiancée? What the hell?
Mustering all her willpower, Kate pushed Luc and his intoxicating mouth away as his words slammed into her.
“Let’s get you inside,” she told him, trying not to focus on how hard he must’ve hit his head, because he was clearly not in his right mind. “I’m not comfortable with that knot you have, and you may have a concussion. I need to call your doctor. Hopefully, with the storm gone, we’ll have cell service.”
Luc stared at her another minute, then nodded. Slipping his arm around her shoulders again, he let her lead him up to the house. Something was definitely wrong with him. The Luc from only twenty minutes ago would be arguing that he didn’t need a doctor, and he certainly wouldn’t be leaning on her for support.
She couldn’t even think about the fact that he believed they were engaged. Because if he thought they were sleeping together, this situation would get extremely awkward really fast.
Though she’d be lying if she didn’t admit to herself just how much she liked him thinking they were a couple. How long would his mind play this trick on him? How would he treat her now that he believed they were together?
Once she had him inside and settled on the sofa, she stood up and caught her breath. Luc was one massive, thick, muscular man. She’d known he was cut, but she’d had no clue how solid and heavy he would be.
His body had leaned against hers, twisting her dress on their walk. As Kate readjusted herself, trying to refill her lungs with air and not panic, she found him staring up at her, that darkened gaze holding her in place. Shivers rippled through her at the intensity of the moment—and the man.
“What?” she asked.
“Why are you all wet?”
Plucking at the damp material that clung to her thighs, Kate shook her head. “I got caught outside in the storm earlier.”
Those eyes continued to rake over her body. “You’re sexy like this,” he murmured as his heated stare traveled back up. “With your dress clinging to your curves and your hair messy and wavy.”
Kate swallowed, because any reply she had to those intimate words would lead to a lie, and she couldn’t let him keep thinking they were anything more than employee-employer, servant-royal.
“Where’s your cell?” If she didn’t stay on task, she’d get caught up in all those sultry looks he was giving her...and she desperately wanted to get caught up in the promise behind those sexy stares. But he wasn’t himself right now. “I need to call the doctor. I hope we have service.”
Luc glanced around, raking a hand through his hair. “I have no idea. I don’t even remember why I was outside.”