Jenna was going to get married, and she couldn’t even get a decent date. Life was completely unfair.
As she made the long trek across the parking lot, her thoughts drifted yet again to the sexy paramedic who’d taken care of her. She’d never learned his name. The little gold name badge pinned to his uniform shirt pocked had said E. Marshall. Her imagination had taken flight the last few days, trying to come up with his name.
Edward? Too stuffy.
Elliott? Talk about stuffy.
Eric? Not bad.
Ethan? A possible candidate though she’d gone out with an Ethan in high school and what an egomaniac he’d been.
Earl? Laughable.
Eminem? His real name was Marshall Mathers, after all…
Okay. Clearly, she was crazy.
He’d been nice, her hero named E. Marshall. And sweet. Holding her hand when the ambulance pulled into the hospital, offering reassuring words in that low, measured voice. A voice she still heard in her dreams though he was murmuring much more exciting things. Like how much he wanted to kiss her or demanding that she take off all her clothes…
“Hey.”
Morgan stopped short and lifted her head to find the very man filling her thoughts standing before her, dressed in jeans and a black T-shirt. It must be his day off, or maybe he’d just come off duty. “Hi.” Pleasure filled her at seeing him again, at hearing that deliciously sexy voice.
He flicked his chin. “Back to get your staples removed?”
Her hand automatically went to the spot where said staples were. The gash had been deeper on her skull so the doctor placed five staples just above her hairline and used a butterfly bandage on her forehead. She’d pulled it off yesterday, and the wound was healing nicely. “Yeah. My appointment’s in a few minutes.”
“Does it still hurt?”
“No, not at all.” The night it happened and the next day her head had throbbed mightily.
“Good.” He smiled, and her knees wobbled. “Glad to hear it.”
Oh, God. Was this it? A bit of not-so-stimulating conversation and then he’d just walk away from her? No way could she let him get away from her again. But she wasn’t brave enough to ask him out or anything. That had never been her style no matter how much of a strong front she’d put on for everyone. Really, she was a big ol’ weenie, especially when it came to men.
Especially when it came to breathtakingly handsome and protective men.
“I want to thank you for everything you did for me that night. You were awesome.” She meant what she said but also threw it out there to stall for time. To get him to linger with her just a few more seconds.
“If they send you one of those survey letters in the mail, make sure and tell them that. The powers that be really do read those things.” He chuckled and sunk his hands into the front pockets of his jeans.
Her gaze dropped to those pockets, the way the denim stretched across his thighs. She’d been too out of it that night to really check him out beyond the dazzling face, but he had a great body. Broad shoulders and chest, narrow hips, strong thighs…
Her cheeks grew hot, and she jerked her gaze back up to his, noticing his lips were curved into a slight smirk. As if he knew exactly what she was thinking. “I’ll do so. Thanks again…”
“Evan.” He thrust his hand out, and she grabbed it, her entire body tingling at the contact. “I don’t think I ever told you my name.”
Evan. Better than Earl or Eminem that was for sure. “No, you didn’t. You were a little too busy taking care of me. I’m Morgan.”
“I know.” He shook her hand, held on to it a bit too long. “I remember.”
He remembered her name. That gave her a little thrill. “Well, I should go. Don’t want to be late for my appointment.”
“It won’t take long.”
“That’s what the doctor said. Though I’m worried how they’ll take out the staples.”
“They have a little tool that just lifts them out.” He demonstrated with the flick of his hand. “It’s easy.”