Amelia walked out the front door ahead of Luke, lighter and freer with each step she took away from the Knight house. She was walking into day, she thought with an inward giggle. If she hadn’t already had a surname picked out, she’d have chosen Day. Amelia Day, total opposite of Prudence Knight.

She gave a little jump to the next step and stopped. “I have a car.” She looked around. “At least, I had a car?”

Luke stepped past her and stowed her one suitcase and the small box of personal items in the back seat of his car. He turned and walked back to her, the rise of the step putting her higher than him, just right to look into his eyes. If she had the courage to lift her arms, she could loop them around his neck. She should have the courage inside her somewhere. She’d learned to fly, to climb and to kick butt in self- defense class during her forays as Amelia. Not to mention the expertise with weapons she’d acquired working for John Knight. She’d taken it a bit further than Knight knew, maybe another interest she’d inherited from her real father?

“You still have a car. It’s at the hospital. I have your keys in my pocket, but as an officer of the law, I couldn’t let you drive it back here without a proper driver’s license. I’ll have someone drive it home for you later.” He sounded and looked serious, except for the twinkle deep in his dark eyes.

“I see.” Amelia smiled at him, watching the pulse at his neck speed up. Power—and with it courage—rose in her at the sight. Just a small pull on the throttle and she could lift off. She could. “Both my proper—and my improper—licenses got blown up by Grady. I guess I’m totally at your mercy.”

“Totally?” He arched one brow.

“Totally.” Amelia arched hers back. Courage was welling up inside her.

His smile took her breath away. It was tender, amused, and very sexy. It curled her toes in her very proper Prudence shoes. It was hard to stand with curled toes, harder to think. She took a deep breath—and her courage in her hands—and lifted off, lifting her arms until her hands rested on his shoulders. Warmth shot up through her palms and did a quick run through her body. It was a nice warm, but mixed with the cold air, she did wonder if she might start a small weather system over their heads. Even better, he didn’t reject her.

He cleared his throat, but his voice was still husky when he said, “My mom wanted me to invite you over for lunch. Today.”

Amelia inched her hands around his neck. If she was going to fly, she might as well soar. She stepped a bit closer. A mere inch of cool air separated their bodies.

“Mom. Lunch. Sounds serious?”

His hands found their way to her waist. Chills spread out from where he touched her. She wanted to kiss him so bad her lips hurt. Flying wasn’t enough. She needed orbit. His gaze caught hers and held it, upping the chill factor and the altitude.

“I am. Very.” He hesitated, then said, “A lot has happened to you in the last few days. I know you’ve got a lot of things to sort through—”

Luke stopped. Damn, he was out of practice and had never been great with words even when he was in practice. Rosemary had made it too easy for him. She should have kicked his ass, not did the proposing for him. He’d read a few of Dani’s books where her heroes always knew exactly what to say, but damned if he could pull up any of it now.

Her arms inched a little further around his neck, bringing their bodies barely together. It had been a while, but his body had no trouble remembering what to do. His arms didn’t either. They slid the rest of the way around her waist, taking contact from light to firm. If only his brain could get up to speed.

Their lips were a millimeter apart when she said, “I’ll admit it does feel a bit odd. Like I have two people and two memories inside me. But there’s not that much to sort through for me. I know what I want.”

Her eyes asked him what he wanted. He sighed, relaxing just enough so that their foreheads touched. She shouldn’t make it so easy for him. He didn’t deserve it. Even with her help, the words didn’t come easily. He wanted her so much it hurt and it scared the hell out of him. She made him vulnerable again. His body felt tight with longing and fear.

She moved until her lips were against his ear. “I can’t promise you I won’t ever die, Luke, but I can promise you I’ll love you until I die.”

He felt his insides surrender, and the words he wanted to say to her quit sticking in his throat. They spilled out of him in a soft rush, not smooth or polished enough for one of Dani’s books, but from his heart. From his soul. Somewhere in the mix, he asked her to marry him.

He froze. He was rushing her. “I’m sorry. It’s too fast—”

Her mouth stopped his words, hot and sweet, a little inexperienced, but she was learning fast. And teaching him a few things. Their mouths touched, clung, parted, then came together again.

“I love you,” he said, against her lips. “I love you.”

Houston, Amelia thought, we have orbit…