![]() Atlas Memorial: Love, Lust & Saving Lives
-- EXCERPT: I stood inside the automatic doors; hands clenched. This is it. Taking a deep breath, I took a step forward, dodging a group of men in surgical scrubs, and taking a sharp left towards what I thought was the elevator bank. A few steps in and I quickly realized I had gone the wrong way. Instead of elevators, a coffee cart with a line of customers wrapped around the corridor stood in its place. Shit. I must have gotten turned around and needed to go right, not left. I spun around to change course only to plow directly into someone holding a fresh cup of scolding hot coffee. “Oh my god.” I stumbled backwards, my heel catching on the toe of my other shoe. “Hot. That’s hot.” The guy swiped at his chest, coffee running down the front of his shirt and tie. I looked up into the face of one of the most gorgeous men I had ever seen. “Oh my god, you are hot.” “What?” He pulled at his clothes. “I mean, er, yes. Your coffee.” Shit. “It’s super hot. I’m so sorry.” Heat spread across my cheeks for the second time this morning. I reached over the counter for a stack of napkins, trying to remove all evidence of our meeting from his shirt. “Did I burn you?” “No it’s… I’m fine. I’m good.” He tossed the empty cup into the trash and took the remaining napkins from me. “That was completely my fault. I’m gonna be late and I got totally turned around and I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going and…” “It’s okay.” He smiled. “Apology accepted.” His voice was deep and sensual, forcing my thighs to squeeze together at his words. For a split second I took the risk of looking him in the eye, but quickly decided my knees weren’t strong enough to handle it. His complexion was a creamy sand and his black pearl eyes were warm but mysterious. Longish onyx hair, a direct contrast to the professional business attire, fell slightly into his face as he looked down at me. My insides melted into warm pools when he reached for my hand, shaking it firmly in his grip. “Ryan,” he said, licking his lips. “Stella.” I breathed, barely audible. Whoa. Electricity passed between us as my heart fell into my stomach. Who was this guy? “Well it was nice meeting you Stella, but I’m running late myself.” He dropped my hand. The warm burn remained like a phantom ghost in my palm. “Have a good day.” “You too,” I said. He disappeared through the crowd of visitors pushing in through the Emergency Department and I inhaled a deep breath, allowing my heart to slow down to a normal rate. Several stunned moments passed as it took me to realize that what I had experienced just then was in fact not an out of body experience. That guy, that… Ryan really existed. I caught my reflection in the window and saw my face and chest were still burning a deep red. Plus I was pretty sure my loins were hanging out completely exposed. Not a good look for a positive first impression. I took another deep breath and got myself turned in the right direction, realizing I was supposed to go right instead of left to find the elevators. I was never going to make it on time but at least I wouldn’t be lying when I claimed that I had gotten turned upside down, and not just by the building. ![]()
GIVEAWAY!
1 Comment
Sue G.
9/30/2021 10:03:09 am
This sounds fun!
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