Chapter 1

In the office, I'm nothing but an invisible wallflower.

My boss, however, is Ryan Lakewood, my childhood friend, but these days he's colder than a midwinter blizzard and twice as distant.

Everything changes when a freak accident wipes his memory clean. Seizing the chance of a lifetime, I lie through my teeth and tell him, "I'm your girlfriend."

Just like that, the frosty tyrant melts into my own personal, clingy puppy dog.

I can't keep my hands off his perfect abs.

A single kiss sends him blushing like a shy schoolboy.

It isn't until after we tie the knot that I overhear him on the phone, his voice dripping with arrogance. "So what if I faked the amnesia? So what if I played dirty? That's exactly why I got the girl and you didn't."

My heart drops through the floor. It turns out I wasn't the hunter after all. I was the prey.

*****

"The patient suffered damage to his hippocampus from the impact, causing temporary memory impairment. In layman's terms," the doctor said, "he has amnesia."

Those words hit me like a tidal wave, shattering the calm that had settled over my heart.

My eyes landed on the man, Ryan Lakewood, in the hospital bed.

A stark white bandage was wrapped around his head, making his stupidly handsome face look almost fragile. His long lashes rested against his cheeks, and for once, the intimidating, stay-away-from-me vibe he perfected at the office was completely gone.

This was my boss now. But we grew up together.

He had been a stony-faced brat since we were in diapers and basically treated me like a piece of office furniture now that we were adults.

And now, he couldn't remember a thing.

That's when a brilliantly evil idea began to bloom in my mind.

I crept closer to the bed and, with a hesitant finger, poked his bicep. It was solid.

I had no idea he was hiding such a killer body under those stiff suits.

Just then, his lashes fluttered. He slowly opened his eyes.

His eyes, usually so intense, were now wide with a lost, innocent confusion. He looked like a baby deer caught in the headlights.

He stared at me, his lips parting. His voice was raspy and fragile. "Who... are you?"

It worked! I tamped down the giddy, triumphant joy bubbling in my chest, summoned my inner actress, and let my eyes well up with tears.

I sniffled, letting my voice crack with just the right amount of heartbroken disbelief. "Ryan... you really don't remember me? It's me, Sophie. Your girlfriend. The love of your life!"

His eyes flickered, shock and confusion flashing across his face.

He stared at me, searching my face for a clue.

I went for broke. Leaning forward, I cupped his face in my hands and gave him a soft peck on the lips.

His lips were soft and cool.

I completely lost it. I actually kissed Ryan Lakewood. But honestly, it felt incredible.

I watched, fascinated, as a blush crept up from the base of his ears, spreading until they looked like they were about to catch fire.

He froze solid, a statue with wide, panicked eyes. The only thing moving was the frantic pulse I could see beating in his neck.

My inner demon was doing a full-on salsa.

I laid it on thick, tears now streaming down my face. "You really don't remember?" I said. "You used to hold me all the time and call me your everything. You said you couldn't live without me..."

As I spoke, I snuck glances at his face, gauging his reaction.

His Adam's apple bobbed in his throat. He couldn't meet my gaze, and a suspicious flush crept up his cheeks.

It worked. The frosty ice king turned into a total softie the second his memory vanished.

I was dying of laughter inside, but on the outside, I put on a heart-wrenching show, burying my face against his bedsheets and letting my shoulders shake with fake sobs.

"Sophie?" he stammered, testing my name out for the first time. His voice was light and velvet-soft, trembling with just enough uncertainty to make my heart skip.

My head shot up, my eyes swimming in tears. "You remember?" I asked.

He shook his head, his brow furrowing as he tried to force the pieces of his memory together, and that vulnerable look on his face was enough to make my heart absolutely melt.

"I... I don't know," he admitted, his gaze clinging to mine. "But... please don't cry."

He reached out a hand, clumsily trying to wipe away my tears.

I seized the opportunity, capturing his hand and pressing it to my wet cheek, nuzzling into the warmth of his palm.

His hand was massive against mine, radiating a steady heat, while the faint rasp of calluses on his palm sent an electric shiver straight down my spine.

I saw his whole body go rigid again as the blush spread all the way down his neck.

This was beyond hilarious. It was like the universe had just handed me a life-sized, high-end action figure to play with.

"Ryan," I murmured, my voice pure honey. "Don't you worry. Even if you've forgotten the entire world, I'll never leave your side. We'll get your memory back together."

He stared at me, his deep eyes reflecting my own face. After a long, charged moment, he nodded slowly.

"Okay," he said softly.

In that moment, I felt like I had just laid claim to the most obedient toy in the entire world.

Ryan spent years acting like I didn't exist, but the tables turned. I was going to make sure he paid me back for every single second of it with interest.