When Alistair’s laptop arrived at the hotel the next evening, it felt like he’d been handed a secret parcel from the heavens. This computer contained clues about his previous life. Shipped from a B3 subsidiary in France, the laptop came loaded with his work programs but no email client, since they couldn’t get the security protections in order fast enough to enable internet.

He opened it cautiously, smoothing his hand over the top. Memories came back to him in bits and pieces, but they were mostly just fragments, quick flashes of something that he couldn’t quite make sense of. He didn’t bother telling Jess about them, since he didn’t want to excite her too much. Besides, she seemed to like filling him in. The way her excitement took hold while explaining certain facets of the office or of their lives gave him a special joy. She positively bubbled over, especially when talking about her structured approach to learning languages, like the four she already knew at a conversational level, or playing with her nieces.

“You are so wholesome,” he commented when he spotted her tending the stone fireplace.

“What?”

“I was just thinking about that story you told me with your nieces, when you were at Disneyland,” he said, smiling as he turned the laptop over in his hands. “How you withstood heatstroke and starvation to get them that damn photo with Cinderella.”

She snorted. “I wouldn’t call it wholesome as much as crazy.”

“Either way, very noble.”

She smiled, leaning back onto her heels as she poked at the glowing logs. “There are just some things in life you have to do, even if it kills you. Disney is one of them.”

“I’ve never been,” he said, then paused. “Or have I?”

She lifted a brow. “I don’t know, actually. If you have, you’ve never confessed.”

“I suppose it will remain a mystery then.” The computer pinged as it turned on, and then he was staring at the background image of B3 Engines. “I’m in.”

He poked around the laptop for a while, taking stock of the work programs and their various functions. Some file templates awaited him, blueprints of engines that were in process or being revised. He stared at the images for so long he lost track of time. Thing made sense, but only vaguely. He understood the blueprints but had a hard time focusing on what he was trying to accomplish with them. And that frustrated him, which forced him to concentrate harder. After what felt like an hour at least, Jess’s voice in the other room interrupted his trance.

She spoke in soft tones, something like disappointment carrying through the air. He couldn’t quite make out what she was saying, though. A few minutes later, she came into the room looking worried.

“Is everything okay?” He glanced up at her briefly.

“Well…my parents won’t be arriving today.” She nibbled on her bottom lip, reminding him of how many hours had passed since last kissing her. He should rectify that. “Their plane was delayed. Again.”

He furrowed a brow. First it was that Jess had the dates wrong, and now they had another setback. At this rate, their visit together in the mountains would barely last a few days. “Why?”

“Snowstorm.” She sighed, tossing her cell phone on the couch. “They’re trapped in Paris.”

“Hm.” Alistair frowned, trying to think of a solution. “Are there any flights making the trip here, or…”

“None, as of now.” She sunk into the couch. “My mom is freaking out too, she’s such a worry wart. So of course she’s flying off the handle, can’t be calmed down, saying all sorts of crazy things…”

“Do they have a place to stay while they wait out the storm?”

“Yeah. They’re getting a hotel.” She rubbed at her eyes. “I’ll call down to the restaurant to cancel the reservation. I guess nothing about this trip is going according to plan.”

“You’re right about that.” He tapped at the side of his computer while he thought about how to make her feel better. An idea slowly came together. “Let’s go down to dinner tonight anyway.”

She shrugged. “I guess I could change our reservation from four to two…”

“Yes. I insist.” He closed the laptop, setting it aside. “And let’s start getting ready.”

She looked uncertain. “Are you sure—”

“Yes. I know you were looking forward to taking your parents out to eat, but we can still have a nice meal out of the room without them. It’ll be in their honor. How about that?”

She cracked a grin, brushing some of those silky dark locks out of her face. “Okay. Sounds good. Should we get all dressed up?”

“Absolutely.” The sincerity of her smile relieved him, made something feel deeply right inside. Pleasing her, making her feel good, made him feel good. He kissed her forehead on his way to the bathroom to take a shower. An impromptu date night seemed in order now, especially since the arrival of his work computer felt like another cause to celebrate. His life would come back together, dammit. Even if he had to relearn every single detail about his previous existence.

He soaped himself up quickly, ignoring his throbbing cock as his thoughts turned to Jess. It wouldn’t be right to jack off in the shower…not when he was so looking forward to getting to know his fiancée all over again. He wet his bottom lip, fisting himself once as he imagined the healthy curve of her ass when she bent over, the tight peak of her nipples when his hands started roaming her body. Waiting longer to attempt an orgasm might be wise, but almost a week trapped with this bombshell, not allowed to get off, was a torture all its own.

Tonight, he’d make the case for taking her all the way. She’d see—he was ready. And she’d been ready since day one.

Jess slipped into the bathroom after him, her eyes stuck on his chest as he sauntered past with the towel tied loosely around his waist.

“My face is up here,” he teased, pointing at his face.

She shoved at him. “Sorry, didn’t mean to objectify you. I’ll punish myself in here.” She sent him a sexy look and then shut the door, locking it with a loud click. He knocked softly on the door.

“Now, now, darling,” he said. “No need to punish yourself alone. I can help. I can bend you over the bathtub and give you a right good spanking.”

She giggled from inside. “Maybe later.”

He groaned. “Are we talking dessert?”

“If you’re lucky.”

He smirked, whipping off the towel. At least they were both heading in the same direction. He was waking up with a hardon every morning, which meant it was more than time to re-consummate this relationship. The woman’s pouty lips alone demanded it.

He dressed quickly, pulling on a pair of pressed slate gray pants he’d found in his luggage, along with a black button-up shirt. When Jess breezed out of the bathroom, her face was meticulously made up—sultry but tasteful—and she had styled her brown tresses into a loose updo.

“You look stunning.” He reached for her, snagging her on her way to the small wardrobe.

“I haven’t even put my clothes on yet.”

“Even more stunning.”

She laughed, swatting at him, and reached for a black dress on a hanger. She slid it over her head, and it swished softly into place. He ran his hand over her hip, humming appreciatively. “The most stunning yet.”

They finished dressing and headed downstairs to the lodge lobby, arm in arm. The way Jess smiled at him told him the dinner date had been a smart move on his part. The lodge-styled restaurant was the most elegant cabin he’d ever seen, with an enormous stone fireplace on one end, flanked by floor-to-ceiling windows that tapered upward into a cathedral ceiling. A cheery hostess led them to their table tucked away on the far edge near one of the impressive windows, overlooking the snow-covered pine trees.

“It’s really coming down,” Jess murmured, eyebrows knit together as she looked outside. “If they can even get into Austria at all…maybe they won’t be able to make it here.”

Alistair squeezed her hand. “Let’s see if it eases up tonight and tomorrow.”

When the waitress appeared to take their drink orders, Alistair suggested a red wine. Jess shot him a stern look.

“You shouldn’t,” she warned in a low tone.

“It’s not for me,” he reassured her, smiling up at the waitress. “Bring us a merlot, please. The best one you have. Two glasses, though I won’t use mine because I’ve recently suffered a head injury.”

The waitress lifted a brow and excused herself while Jess stifled giggles.

“We’re going to have a fabulous dinner,” Alistair said, sipping at his water glass. “Even if I merely pretend to drink alcohol.”

“I just don’t want to do anything that could prevent your recuperation,” Jess said, gnawing at the inside of her lip while she adjusted the placement of her silverware. Less than a week relearning this woman and already he knew that she liked things just so—precise, organized, and linear. And from what he knew about himself, she was something of a complement to him. Perhaps even his opposite.

“You are a fantastic recuperation companion,” Alistair said. “The best I’ve ever had.”

“The only you’ve ever had,” she clarified. They shared a private smile, one that made his chest tighten. Her plump lips glistened vibrant red and perfectly lined, and though he was desperate to smear her lipstick with kisses, he rather liked watching her, just taking her in.

After they’d been quiet for a few moments, Jess shifted in her seat. “Why are you staring at me?”

“Because I’m with a gorgeous woman, and I’m allowed to stare for once. Shh.”

She laughed, her cheeks turning rosy. The waitress returned with their wine, and as she went through the ritual of uncorking and presenting the bottle, Alistair realized now might be the perfect time for the next phase of his plan.

If Jess was upset about her parents not making it for the grand reveal of their relationship, then he wanted to do something that at least nodded in that direction. Once Jess sipped and approved the wine selection and the waitress took their orders, Alistair cleared his throat. He adjusted his sport coat and then stood, grinning down at her.

“Where are you going?”

“Nowhere, my dear.” He came to her side, lowering himself deliberately onto one knee. Her eyes rounded as he took her hands between his.

“Jess.”

“Oh my God, Alistair,” she said, her neck flushing.

“I know your parents aren’t here, but I thought we could still have the big reveal like we planned,” he said softly, distantly aware of attention turning their way from the other restaurant patrons.

Jess bit her lip, a cocktail of emotions crossing her face.

“I’ve known you for years, and I’m getting to know you all over again. And I must say, the second time around might be even better than the first. And I consider myself lucky for it, because I’ve gotten to hold you and know you and realize that there truly is no other woman for me.” He paused, emotion tightening his throat. “Even when I have my senses knocked out of me, I still choose you.”

Tears filled her eyes, her grip on his hand tightening. “Alistair—”

“Jess Green. You’re my colleague, my partner, my friend, my lover…and more recently my nurse.” His grin widened. “Will you also do me the honor of being my wife?”

A sob escaped her, and she pinched her eyes shut. “Yes.”

He pulled her into a hug, and applause swelled around them. She clung to his neck, crying into his shoulder. When he stood, he placed kisses over her cheeks and forehead. When he returned to his seat, he noticed all the ruddy, happy faces in the restaurant, raising glasses or sending thumbs-up signs.

Jess sniffed hard, taking out a little pocket mirror to check her face. “God, that was sweet.”

“Don’t worry, the wedding speech will be better.” He sipped at his water. “I have all this time to plan exactly how to tug at your heart strings.”