Covering my ears, I shook my head vehemently, tears now blurring my vision. “No,” I screeched. “Stay away. All of you.” I stammered between hard breaths. Gasping for air, I clutched my throat. Black spots began to darken my vision. I shook my head to focus. “Please,” was that me whispering? Someone said something behind me. It didn’t register. I shook my head again, the haziness now full-blown, blanking my sight. “Help...” My vision went black as darkness closed in on me. I felt the weight of my body being dragged down. Desperate to let go, I welcomed the obscurity, the oblivion, nothing, the peace.
“Should we move her?”
“No. Let her come to first.”
“What do you think happened?”
“Should we call her doctor?”
“No. Let’s just give her some room. She needs air. She’s had a panic attack.”
Several voices filtered through my head, the last one, in particular, filled with undisguised concern and oddly familiar, stood out. Deep, husky, and commanding. Was he a doctor? A policeman perhaps? The take-charge attitude lining his words indicated his experience in these kinds of situations. What situation was that? Me making an ass of myself by passing out? I kept my eyes shut. If I opened them, what would I see? Was I ready to face the concerned gazes, the pity, the shame, the curiosity? Would they take me to the hospital if I didn’t?
“Hey, can you hear me?” that voice again. This time, soft, calming, tender. I felt the heat of his palm on my skin as he rubbed my arm in gentle circular motions.
Slowly, I opened my eyes and stared up at compelling irises that were neither green nor brown but a combination of both. Golden specks, framed with thick dark lashes added to the gentleness oozing from them.
“Hi. Are you okay?” the deep whisper trickled through a rush of warm air that brushed over my face.
Stupidly, I just stared, taking in the jet-black hair that strangely reminded me of satin and crowned by flecks of gray at the temples. A sharp nose and square jaw lined by a neatly trimmed salt and pepper beard completed the perfection of an extremely handsome man. While my senses were still learning to distinguish between various scents, I was consciously aware of just how good he smelled.
Full, pink lips parted in a slow smile. “Are you okay?” he repeated.
It was only when I moved slightly, that I noticed I was lying with the top half of my body in the crook of his muscular arms cradling me like a child while the rest laid on the floor. Startled by the stranger’s nearness, I jerked upright, bringing me into a sitting position.
“You had a panic attack,” he explained when I glanced around. Anxiety once again gnawing at my insides to find several curious stares on me. “If you let me, I can take you back to the hospital,” he offered, his voice still the epitome of serenity.
I studied his expression for a full minute. Although wary, I saw no threat there yet still couldn’t place where I’d heard his voice before. Something about the man’s attractive face was strangely magnetic, almost soothing. I felt safe, protected. Immediate calm settled over me. I nodded.
Rising to his feet, he leaned down and offered me a hand. He was tall and I couldn’t help noticing the way his black suit and dark shirt molded his powerful build. I might’ve been in a coma for a while and still adapting to everything, but it seemed like there was nothing wrong with my libido. I was drawn to this man—a random stranger who’d saved me—someone I might never see again. Maybe it was just the sexually potent pheromones he was giving off. Still, I couldn’t explain the bizarre tingling sensation snaking over my suddenly heated skin.
“Come on,” he coaxed, mistaking my admiration for hesitation.
The second our fingers connected, I shivered. The feeling like a buzz of static electricity passing through my body. Outside, he held open the passenger door to a sleek car. What make, I had no idea except that it looked very sporty. While the hospital was just around the corner, he didn’t see the need to walk and gestured for me to get in. Inside, I inhaled deeply. Was it possible to describe a man’s cologne as delicious? Whatever it was, the manly fragrance filled my nostrils. When he slid behind the wheel, he hung his jacket on the back of his seat then looked at me. “Comfy?” I nodded. In total contrast to the amount of time it had taken for me to arrive at the coffee shop, it took ten minutes to reach the hospital parking, sign in at the front desk and walk to my apartment.
All through the trip, I said nothing until we reached my door and Dr. Landers appeared out of nowhere. “Hello, my dear. Heard you had a bit of an adventure today?”
Laughing, I opened the apartment door and invited them in. When we were seated, I turned to Dr. Landers “It wasn’t a nice one,” I whispered cognizant of my savior’s gaze on me. He’d chosen to stand at the window making me all too aware of his presence—a quiet, dominating one compared to all the people I’d met since waking, not like there were many.
“Well, it’s a start, panic attack and all.” Dr. Landers chuckled. “I see you’ve met Zayne.”
“Zayne?” I looked from him to my savior and back again.
Dr. Landers frowned. “You haven’t introduced yourself, I take it,” he addressed the other man. “Ashrika, this is Zayne Morrone, the man that saved you.”
It was my turn to frown. “As in today?”
“No, my dear. He’s the man I mentioned to you. The man who found you and brought you to the hospital and who’s—”
I gasped, unsure how to react or what to say. I hadn’t practiced for this meeting. Winging it, it seemed, worked well, considering I was on my back and out of it for the second time we met.Thisman was my rescuer? This man who looked like he belonged on the cover of some fashionable magazine was my rescuer. “You’re the person who’s been taking care of me?” I asked, seeking clarification for my overwhelmed mind.
Zayne’s smile was slowly becoming a very potent feature—I could be wrong, but I had the feeling that it was a rare occurrence and wondered what his laugh would sound like. “Yes. I’m glad you’re finally awake.”
“How did you know I’d be at that coffee shop today?” I was suddenly curious to discover everything about him, more importantly how he’d found me. I was still learning to estimate ages and given his salt and pepper look, complemented by his mature features, I put him in his late thirties. I could be wrong.
“I didn’t know you’d be there.” With infinite slowness, he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, dragging my eyes to the thickly sinewed arms. I balked at the sudden rush of heat through my lady parts. Okay, it seems my body thought that corded arms were a thing to tease a woman into arousal. I resisted the smile. “I was supposed to visit with you today and stopped there to pick up some of those chocolate almond butter cookies you like.”
That was so unexpected, I didn’t know whether to smile or laugh. “How do you know I like those, seeing as this is your first visit?”
