Kelly breathed deeply of the salty air as the ocean breeze whipped at her long hair, lifting it from her waist. She slipped her sandals off and bent awkwardly to pick them up. Ryan quickly gathered them for her and tucked them under his arm. Digging her toes into the damp sand, she ventured into the bubbling surf, letting the foam wash over her feet.

Ryan removed his shoes and joined her after he rolled up the cuffs of his jeans. He slipped an arm around her as they made their way down the beach, but she resisted the urge to move closer to his side.

“We shouldn’t go far,” he cautioned. “You aren’t supposed to be on your feet for this long. I promised the doctor this would be a restful trip for you.”

“This is a lot more restful than being on my feet twelve hours a day,” she said lightly.

He frowned and his hand tightened around her waist. “That won’t happen again.”

She didn’t respond, but turned back toward their suite. Ryan’s hand slipped from her waist as she walked ahead of him. When they walked back inside the patio doors, Kelly sank onto the plush couch.

“Would you like something to drink?” he asked.

“Juice, if you have it.”

He rummaged in the well-stocked fridge and came back with a glass of orange juice a moment later.

“You should go on to bed,” he said gently. “There’ll be plenty of time to explore the beach after you’ve had a good night’s rest.”

Even though she was tired, the day had been so…perfect…that she hated to bring it to an end. Spending the time with Ryan had been bittersweet, a throwback to happier times when things had been…

She sighed. She had to stop with the endless string of memories. She had a week with Ryan. One week when the past wasn’t supposed to matter. If he could forget then she would try to as well. And when it came to an end, maybe her memories of him wouldn’t be quite so bitter.

She struggled to get out of the ultrasoft couch and laughed when she realized she was well and truly stuck. Ryan reached down to help her to her feet and she finally managed to stand.

For a long moment she stood in front of him, her gaze stroking softly over the chiseled lines of his face. It was the first time she’d allowed herself to stare unguardedly at him.

“Good night, Ryan,” she whispered softly.

He looked as though he wanted to kiss her and for a moment she wondered how she would react if he did. But finally he said, “Good night, Kelly. Sleep well.”

She turned to go into her bedroom, little twinges of regret nagging her the entire way.

CHAPTER SIX

Kelly didn’t sleep that night. Not that it should have come as any surprise to her. She lay awake in her bed, reliving the past. The first time she met Ryan. How he’d swept her off her feet and into a passionate and all-consuming relation ship.