Perfect Stranger (Serendipity's Finest 2.50)

She leaned back in her seat with a full-blown sigh. “I love medicine. I love to treat people, kids especially. But my path hasn’t been pediatrics. Ever since I came back to town, my dad pulled me into his practice, his hospital, grooming me to be his successor as chief of staff. So I work the ER, I help out with the administrative duties, I oversee doctors and nurses and shifts and OR schedules. And because I don’t want to lose touch with medicine, I keep hours at the office with patients.”

“Doesn’t sound like you have much time left for you.”

“You caught that, huh?” She laughed.

Even knowing her less than twenty-four hours, Luke knew the sound was forced. “You were out dancing last night.”

“That was an effort to get Cara out of the house so she’d stop thinking about Mike. I had to get someone to cover for me in order to do it.”

“Doesn’t the hospital have enough doctors to give you more normal hours?” he asked, understanding that the weariness in her expression obviously came from more than being up all last night with her friend.

“Not if I don’t want someone else to usurp the position my father’s been grooming me for.”

He noted she didn’t say it was the position she wanted. But it wasn’t his place to point that out. She was a big girl and if her life made her unhappy, she’d change it. “You looked like you were enjoying yourself last night. Before the excitement went down,” he amended.

“I made time to go out for Cara’s sake but once I hit the dance floor, I realized how much I needed the break. And then I caught sight of you.” Her voice dropped, the slightly breathless hitch catching him off guard, in some ways as reassuring as it was sexy.

She studied him intently, making Luke wonder what was going on in that beautiful head of hers. And she was beautiful. Even without much sleep, little makeup, and in hospital scrubs, Alexa Collins, with her gleaming chestnut hair, creamy skin, and intelligent eyes, stood out. But it was more than her looks, though he liked staring at her. He enjoyed talking to her, too. And thinking back on their dancing had him itching to get his hands on the body he’d barely touched the night before.

“What happened when you caught sight of me?” He pressed her to continue because she’d invited him onto the dance floor with her. Because she’d let him get close enough to turn them both on. And because she’d agreed to have breakfast with him this morning.

The waitress had just set the check on the table and Luke knew where he wanted them to end up next. He just wasn’t sure she’d be on board. Then again, she’d been staring at him on and off throughout the meal, her interest as obvious as his. The chemistry was still there, alive and brewing with an intensity he’d never experienced, not in an ordinary setting like this diner. Hell, not in any place at any time. Something different was happening between them, and he wondered if she felt it, too.

She bit into her lower lip, making him wonder if that fleshy portion was as soft as it looked. If she’d taste sweet like the maple syrup on her pancakes.

“When I looked at you, everything around me disappeared,” she said softly, her words more sugary than he’d hoped.

She reached out and placed her hand over his. “Come home with me?” she asked.

He hadn’t expected her to be so blunt, but she’d described her life as hectic and without much time for herself. If she wanted something, she’d have to reach out and take it when she could. She obviously viewed him as her break, an escape from daily life, and the irony of it was, that was exactly what he wanted to give her.

“Darlin’, there’s nothing I’d like more.”

CHAPTER THREE

As a grown woman, Alexa knew what she was doing when she invited Luke home. She just couldn’t believe she’d done it. She blamed her lack of sleep and the fact that he’d gotten her to talk about herself, her career, and her lack of personal time. Not only had her guard been down, but she’d been reminded of all that was missing in her life. Sitting across the booth from the hottest guy she’d seen in her lifetime, one who looked at her like she was something special and wanted to eat her up…how could she not allow herself this one indulgence? She certainly wouldn’t be working today whether or not Luke Thompson, pro football player, joined her in bed.

Although she hadn’t changed her mind about her invitation, she experienced a twinge of awkwardness as she gave him directions to her house, a sma

ll three-bedroom she’d bought from the bank when the owners foreclosed and moved out of state. She might not spend much time there, but it was home and she’d done all she could decor-wise to make the house her own. Having grown up in one of the larger mansions in the wealthier part of town, in a place her father had turned into an art showcase after her mother died, Alexa focused on homey touches instead. White walls, lavender trim, and real plants that needed watering, which was something she made time for each week.

As Luke followed her into her house, Alexa was acutely aware of him taking in his surroundings.

“Pretty place,” he said as she placed her bag and keys onto the foyer table.

“Thanks.” She didn’t turn to face him, wondering if she should invite him up to her room. Or into the kitchen for a drink first. Her gaze fell to the clock on the wall.

Ugh. It was ten A.M. No drink.

She’d been at the hospital all night and felt grimy. How could she have thought to ask him here? And now that she had, how did she begin? Did she just jump him in the hallway? Dating a colleague, she’d done that on occasion. Bringing men home? Not ever. She was so out of practice at this sort of thing it wasn’t funny. Her thoughts were all over the place, as were her nerves. And now she couldn’t stop her mind from going a hundred miles an hour.

Suddenly she felt him step up behind her, his body heat warm against her back as he pushed her hair off her shoulders. “Relax,” he said in a deep voice that melted her bones. “We’ve got all day and you’re wound tight. Why don’t you go up and shower. I’ll still be here when you’re through.”

How did he know exactly what she needed?

“Okay,” she said softly.

“It’s going to be so good,” he promised, then settled his lips settled against her neck and nibbled on her skin.