Then, Joshua ced Ste''s hand over his heart.


    "Star, I don''t want to lie to you. It''s possible there was a real rtionship between us, but it''s also possible there wasn''t. Either way, since I''ve forgotten, it''s all in the past for me. I can''t be certain about what happened before. But the one thing I am certain of now is that my heart belongs to you, Star. Both now and in the future."


    He looked at her with such intense, burning earnestness that it took her breath away.


    Ste had been through her fair share of storms, but in that instant, her heart still skipped a beat.


    Even Joshua''s confessions were different from anyone else''s-sincere but not blunt, far from a simple "I love you" or "I like you."


    As if sensing her hesitation, his voice grew even softer,ced with an inexplicable charm.


    "Star, please don''t push me away, okay?"


    When a man like Joshua showed his gentle side, it was unlikely any woman could resist. Even Ste, who had been hurt before and was reluctant to give her heart away so easily, found it hard to refuse his tenderness.


    He was just too good at this.


    Even though she knew this lost memory could be a major source of uncertainty between them, and might even lead to countless problems down the road, at this moment, as if bewitched, Ste found herself nodding.


    Joshua finally smiled. "Then promise me, no matter what happens, you won''t ignore me again."


    He hugged her gently and whispered, "These past few days without you, I was going crazy."


    Ste''s heart melted. She instinctively exined, "I wasn''t trying to ignore you. I just needed time to think."


    Joshua lowered his eyes, hiding the dark chill within them.


    "I admit I handled the matter with Laurel Quinn poorly. In the future if there''s anything you want to know, you can ask me directly instead of hearing it from someone else. Star, I with never lie to you."


    No matter what happened, Joshua never made excuses. He always took responsibility and apologized to her. It was impossible for Ste to me a man like


    that.


    And the situation with Laurel wasn''t his fault, either. From what Beckett had said, it was clear the hypnosis had been done without Joshua''s consent. He was a victim in this, too.


    Without needing much of an exnation, Ste had alreadye up with excuses for him.


    As for Laurel Quinn...


    Ste was still a little concerned, but everyone has a past. If Joshua could ept her past, then she could certainly ept his. Even if he had truly loved Laurel once, that was all in the past now.


    Ste finally let go of her worries. "Okay," she said softly.


    Joshua had been watching her expression closely. Seeing that her reservations


    were gone, the hostility simmering inside him finally began to fade.


    He looked at the delicate, pale profile of her face and suddenly said, "Star."


    The moment she looked up at him, his lips met hers.


    In the dim light, his handsome face was cast in shadow. His deep, dark eyes were half-closed, a possessive fire burning within them, making him look like a conqueror. However for a man who had been married, his kiss was surprisingly hesitant and raw as if he were doing this for the first time.


    A thought suddenly popped into Ste''s head.


    Could hypnosis make someone forget how to kiss?


    Soon, she didn''t have time to think about such things anymore.