...Kara felt embarrassed. She didn’t remember much about the last month of her life, but she did know herself.

She was not the type to throw herself at a man. Which was how Gregory could interpret her earlier actions. Which was how she would have interpreted them had she been in his shoes. It was time she was honest with him.

“No, Gregory, my actions are the ones unforgivable.” She reached to touch him. When he flinched, she felt her embarrassment grow. “I can’t remember what happened the last few weeks of my life, but I’m…well, I’m not a tease.”

Gregory looked at her, his dark eyes probing deeply into hers. “I know you’re not.”

“I can’t afford a romance. Not until I can remember my past. Then I may not be able to.”

Gregory turned, surprise evident on his face. “Why?”

Kara held his gaze for a moment, then looked back at the darkness of ocean and sky. “Will you be honest with me, Gregory?”

“I’ll try.”

“Did I do something illegal on the last cruise?”

“Absolutely not.”

Kara released the breath she’d been holding. “Thank goodness. I’ve been so afraid. I mean, you’re here with all the security. Then there were the visits at the hospital from Cimmarron’s police and the investigators from my own country. Everybody wanted to know if I remembered anything, any person.”

“Kara, have you been worrying about this all along?”

“Yes. Let’s face it. I’m just a romance writer and not a very successful one. I’ve only had one book hit the best-seller list, which wasn’t even a very well known list. It’s not like I’m famous or something. I just can’t imagine everyone getting so worked up because I fell and hit my head.” The unasked “why” hung in the air between them.

Gregory was silent. Kara told herself it wasn’t an unusually long pause.

“You did nothing wrong. I can’t begin to explain the intricacies of international politics, but believe me when I tell you this is standard procedure for any accident involving a tourist. Neither my father nor anyone in our government thinks of you as anything other than the victim.”

“But…”

“But nothing. I respect your fears and concerns, but they are unfounded.” He took her hands in his, and Kara felt his warmth seep into her. “Is there anything else bothering you?”

“No. Not right now.”

“Well, if you think of something or there’s something you remember, please talk to me.” His voice, his touch on her hands, his eyes seemed to draw every thought from her mind. “I want to help. I promise you I’ll help you. But I want to remind you what the doctors told you. You must get your strength back. Don’t try to push so much. When you are ready, you will remember. Until then, trust me.”

Kara felt again he was asking for more than the promise his words demanded. But she also felt as if she couldn’t refuse him.

“Okay,” she agreed.

“Very good,” he said. He smiled and added, “Now, come let us take one last stroll around the deck, then I think it’s time for you to get some rest. It’s been a very long day for someone just out of the hospital.”