He looked concerned, but only slightly. “Well, it looks like I’m going to have to court you all over again. I suppose I should move things along rather quickly, considering the wedding is in two months.” He stood up, swept me into his arms, and kissed me—roughly at first, encircling my waist and pulling me to him with all of his strength. He crushed my mouth with his, and an involuntary sigh escaped my lips when he parted them with his tongue. His grip lessened and the kiss became sweet and intoxicating, leaving me light-headed and yearning for more.

Sam—Henry, whoever the heck this was—was about to get more than he bargained for, kissing me like that. I found the chair behind me with my right foot, and used it to push myself up and wrap my legs around his waist. I pressed my pelvis to his and felt him rising underneath me.

“Sam…” His name came out in short gasps when my lips left his to find his neck and lick from his throat to the back of his ear.

Abruptly, he set me back on the ground. “Cora, ” he said, looking flushed, “You are not well. You insist on calling me Sam, you practically gave poor Helen a heart attack by speaking to her that way, and now your advances are… out of character. Out of respect for you as my future wife, I must put a stop to this.”

I poked out my bottom lip and sat back down in the chair. “I want to wake up now, ” I said feeling the weight of the world lie heavy on my eyes.

“Love, you are awake, and I promise things will be back to normal in no time.”

Normal? I seriously doubted I would encounter normal anytime soon.