Read Bound to the Past (Starville Series Book 1) for Free Online Page A

like a dumb, fussy child.”
    “Yeah, heʼs pretty good at that.”
    “I feel trapped in here, you know. I mean, maybe if I could get out and explore the town a little, I would remember something. What good can it do to just lie in this bed?”
    He sounded so disheartened that Sara caught herself fighting back the urge to take his hand to comfort him. “I know itʼs hard, Jack—actually, no, I canʼt even imagine what it must feel like to just wake up and not remember anything.”
    “It sucks.”
    Okay, that made it impossible for her to keep a straight face. “However,” she continued, “itʼs barely been one day since your accident. Youʼll be outta here before you know it. But maybe for now, you should concentrate on getting better.”
    Jack didnʼt seem convinced but didnʼt protest. His gaze fixed on space. “Iʼm going crazy here. The only thing I know about myself is that my name is Jack, and even that means nothing to me.” He abruptly turned his head to look at her. “I know this may be a rude thing to ask, but Iʼve been wondering… Did we know each other before my accident? Do you know anything about me?”
    His sudden questions nearly made her fall off the chair. Crap. Sara hated lying to him, but what choice did she have? She couldnʼt tell him the truth yet.
    “We met for the first time last night, when you stopped to help me change my tire,” she said tentatively. “I learned your name from Doc, and he also told me that you left Starville many years ago. Iʼve only lived here for four years, though, so I donʼt know much else. Sorry.” At least that wasnʼt a total lie―although the disappointed expression on Jackʼs face made her feel like the worldʼs worst fraud.
    “Yeah, I figured that. So, tell me about yourself instead.”
    His change of topic was so sudden and unexpected that she barely stifled a sigh of relief. “Thereʼs not much to tell, really. I teach English Literature at the community college. I love it.”
    “You love literature?”
    Sara burst out laughing at his aghast expression. “Donʼt worry, youʼre not the only one who thinks Iʼm a freaky bookworm.”
    “I donʼt think youʼre freaky. Maybe a little…weird.”
    “Thanks!”
    Jack shook his head, his gaze sweeping over her long, shiny black hair freefalling down her back. The population of Starville must be idiotic to believe that woman was a bookworm, he decided. For the first time since theyʼd met, he wondered whether she was married, engaged, or involved with anybody. There was no way such a sweet, smart, and sexy woman could not be taken. His eyes automatically searched her left hand, noticing the lack of rings. Not that it meant anything; a lot of people chose not to wear a ring though they were married. “So, what else is going on in Sara Milanoʼs life?”
    “Boring stuff,” she said with a shrug, then immediately felt guilty about her little lie. God knew she was lying to him enough already! Yet there was no way she could tell him about her real job. He was a stranger, and she never told strangers it.
    “You said youʼve only lived here for four years. Where did you live before?”
    “A little everywhere. Iʼm originally from Italy but grew up with my mom, whoʼs a trauma surgeon in Paris and founder of an international, non-profit medical organization. Weʼve been pretty much all over the world.”
    “Damn.”
    She chuckled at the sheer astonishment on his face. “Of course, I couldnʼt really follow her everywhere, because the countries she went were mostly war-torn and too dangerous—so I usually stayed at our house with the nanny or visited my grandparentsʼ farm in Southern Italy.”
    “Sounds like fun.”
    “Staying with my grandparents was…but the rest is not as fascinating as it may sound. Traveling is fun once in a while, but it gets old quickly. To be honest, I hated never having a place to call home.”
    “Which is why you moved to this hole of a town?”
    “Yep. Three thousand one