I wait in a corner while reading the directions on how to get to the security office to pick up my badge. This hospital is massive compared to my previous one. The maze I have to navigate through gives me anxiety, but it doesn’t take much these days.
As my name is called, I shove my phone in my pocket and grab my coffee from the bar. I take a sip, relishing the taste in hopes it’ll simmer down the headache already beating at my temples.
My phone rings, prompting me to shuffle items in my hands as I make my way out of the coffee shop. Just as I’m able to answer, I feel myself colliding with a hard, sweaty figure.
A not so subtle gasp leaves my lips, considering the impact and coffee that spills all over my scrubs. Large hands settle on my shoulders to steady me as I sway.
“Shit,” I say, looking up, seeing who just spilled coffee all over me.
A tall body towers over mine, packed with lean muscles, each serving a purpose to build the beautiful man that stands before me. This only fuels my anger, because how can I be upset overthis?
When I peer up at him, I’m met with shocking emerald eyes and a sweaty hoodie that hangs over short brown hair.
For a brief moment, shock flickers through those beautiful eyes, like I’m an answer to a question that has been lingering. I can’t pinpoint what that means or why he feels it.
My very nature has been groomed to read body mannerisms, changes in tone and the way eyes darken or light up. I’ve been made to analyze every single thing about a person to predict what will happen next, and if it’ll hurt or help me. It’s my job as a nurse, and it became my life with Ryan, too.
There is something wild behind his green eyes now. A promise of freedom with a threat lurking right behind it. Yet, he looks atmeas if I’m something exotic or amazing.
A fire I thought was snuffed out kindles inside of me. It’s small, but it’s aflame and burning. I thought it was nothing but smoke after everything that suffocated it.Suffocated me.
A smirk pulls his lips, so feline, so intricate as if each move of his is fluid and filled with purpose. Meticulously planned down to a simple smile that has me wondering why it’s appeared.
Keeping my eyes on his, I don’t say anything at all while I challenge his stare. He doesn’t move out of the way or even take his hands off my shoulders. Not even a damn apology for ruining my scrubs and coffee.
Instead, he says with a voice silk like night, “What filthy words for such a pretty mouth.”
TYLER
As soon as she looks up at me with those round blue-green eyes, my heart beats differently because it wants to beat only forher. Words can’t describe what I see when I see her.
My smile only lights a small fire behind her eyes, one that isbegging to become an inferno. Once the shock fades, her anger returns in the form of a scowl that scrunches the constellation of freckles across her nose. The bun of sunshine curls does absolutely nothing to reduce the height difference between us, only making my smile bigger.
That fire only grows behind her eyes, and a part of me wants to edge it on just how big those flames can get.
Clearly unamused by me, she finally looks up while I continue watching her, waiting for her to say something while refusing to remove myself from her. I search her face, waiting for her to say anything because I’m clearly so desperate to hear it.
I finally manage more words, considering my previous comment hasn’t elicited any from her. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” She blinks, still in shock. But the tone laced between each letter tells me she isn’t. In fact, her voice has abite.
Just as quickly as her anger came, it’s been replaced by a default of sadness. A quick glance at her watch has her pushing past me without another word.
My eyes search her body, desperate to find a badge to tell me her name, where she works, something to indicate how I can find her again because she is already running from me.
“Please, let me buy you a new coffee at least,” I say, observing the coffee stains on her scrubs. “And maybe even reimburse you for the ruined scrubs,” I chuckle.
Despite her pause, she still doesn’t seem appeased by me. “No, thank you,” she says over her shoulder.
I’m trying everything I can to just keep her here a little longer. If curiosity killed the cat, then let me find my grave because I need to know more about this girl. My heart pummels in my chest as I frantically search my own mind for reasons to make her stay. But something tells me old cards won’t work on her.
“Or at least new scrubs…” I move in front of her again, blocking her path to the door.
“I’ve had worse things on me. I really have to go.” She gathers herself as she pushes past me, her shoulder hitting my arm as she does.
Fuck, that makes me smile even harder.
“Please, I feel awful. Something tells me I was at the right place at the right time,” I plead. Something tells me this isn’t an accident.
