Perfect Stranger (Novella) (3 page)

“I’m a friend of Sawyer Rhodes. Does that help?” he asked.

A small town was a small town. “The football player,” Alexa said, nodding.

“I’m staying with him for a couple of days to help clean out his father’s house.”

She recalled her father mentioning something about recommending retirement homes. “Did Mr. Rhodes move to assisted living?”

“Yesterday,” Luke confirmed. “So you know them?”

“I know the family,” she murmured.

“Good enough of a reference for me to drive you to breakfast?” he asked.

She couldn’t stop the smile he inspired. “Well if you’re a friend of the Rhodeses, I guess you’re safe enough.”

He let out a laugh. “Darlin’, I don’t know many people who’d call me safe.”

And with the way his hot gaze devoured hers, she couldn’t say she felt safe, either. The Alexa she’d become didn’t take chances, didn’t date, and she certainly didn’t give up sleep for a meal. She didn’t crook her finger and invite a sexy stranger to grind with her on the dance floor, either. But the Alexa she was around this man apparently did all those things…and looked forward to doing even more.

*   *   *

L
uke liked a woman with a healthy appetite, something he rarely saw unless he was home with his mother and sisters. Alexa ordered a serious meal: scrambled eggs, two pancakes, bacon, a large glass of orange juice, and coffee. He wasn’t sure what he enjoyed more, eating his omelette or watching her devour her breakfast. She didn’t seem the least bit concerned about what he might think, and by the time they’d finished their food, he had yet another reason to like this woman.

“Oh my God, I was starving,” she said, wiping her mouth with a napkin and finally coming up for air.

He grinned. “Feeling better?”

She nodded, eyes sparkling. “Definitely got my second wind.”

Her words hit him in the gut. He could think of a lot of things they could do to make use of that newfound energy. Instead, he did the unexpected, even to himself, and settled in to get to know her better. “So your friend’s okay?”

Alexa’s gaze softened. “Yes, thank God.”

“And things better with her guy?”

“Probably not yet, but if Mike has his way they will be.” Alexa spent the next few minutes explaining to him how Mike had what she called “sticking” issues, but that she’d never seen him so intent on making things right. “So I’ll give him that chance. But if he hurts her again, I’ll remind him I’m an expert with a scalpel.”

Luke made a mental note to remember that, too. “Bloodthirsty?” he asked.

“Just not squeamish. I’ve been around medicine since I was born. My father’s a doctor, too.”

He nodded, enjoying this glimpse into who she was. “And you followed in his footsteps?”

“It was mandatory,” she said, taking a sip of her freshly refilled coffee. “Especially after mom died and I had no one to stick up for what I might want,” she admitted.

“How old were you?”

“Ten.”

He winced, unable to imagine his sisters getting through their teenage years without their mother’s steadying influence. “I’m sorry.”

“Thanks. How about you?” she asked, clearly deflecting. “Parents? Siblings?”

“Hmm. Both parents still alive and married, and three sisters.”

She opened her mouth, then closed it again. “And you came out a jock anyway?” she asked, laughing.

He grinned. “My dad was the high school football coach and I was the oldest. All pretty much worked in my favor.” His mom got her girls to fuss over and his dad worked hard kicking Luke’s butt and nurturing his talent.

“You were lucky,” she murmured.

“Yeah, I was.”

“Did you always know you wanted to play football?” she asked, leaning closer, clearly interested in his answer. Interested in him.

He nodded. “Pretty much. It came naturally and I always loved it. Still do. Not just the playing but everything about the life. How about you, Doctor?”

“The idea of being a doctor? Yeah, that I wanted. A lot. The reality?” She shrugged. “It’s been a lot tougher than I thought.”

“The actual work? The hours? Or what?”

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.”

A
s 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 small 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.

She curled her hands around the edge of the table and bent her head forward, giving him better access. He nipped, licked, and soothed with his tongue. Nerves forgotten, she trembled, desire licking at her from the inside out.

“Better go,” he said, his hand cupping her behind. “Unless you want to start this right here.”

With a pained groan, she stepped aside. “Meet me in my bedroom.” She ran for the stairs and headed up to shower.

*   *   *

L
uke watched Alexa walk up the few steps in her split-level house, his eyes on her ass. Her body was well hidden in the generous scrubs, yet he found her appealing anyway. With a groan, he shifted his gaze and looked around, not surprised the woman he’d begun to know had an honest to goodness house with a white picket fence. The color scheme was a soft white and light purple, and the whole place radiated warmth. She was everything—and nothing—like he’d expected, and unraveling her layers was as exciting to him as a new playbook each season.

Speaking of plays, giving her time alone had been a strategic move designed to make her more comfortable. Yeah, she’d have time to think too much, but she’d also be able to pull herself together. And he sensed a woman like her needed to feel good about herself in order to get into bed with a man. He had sisters, and though he refused to think about them having sex, he still knew how nice girls thought. Alexa reminded him of his sisters, girls willing to take a walk on the wild side, but who didn’t do it often. Good girls.

The kind he’d want to see again.

And now he was getting ahead of himself. So with a last look around the house, which was pretty but was missing personal touches like family photos—which his mom filled both her house and his apartment with—he headed up to find her bedroom.

The sound of running water alerted him to the right room, and he stepped into an ultrafeminine area, draped white curtains, too many frilly pillows, and, of course, purple touches everywhere. He grinned at her consistency. When the shower water shut off, his groin immediately hardened. The next thing he heard was the sounds of her moving
around, picking things up, putting them down. He kicked off his shoes and settled onto her bed.

He didn’t have to wait long. She stepped out of the bathroom. A scent he didn’t recognize but would forever associate with this moment seeped out of the bathroom along with the humid air. One look at her and his breath literally fled. Her hair, which had been pulled back earlier, was now damp and fell around her face in tangled waves. When wet, the long strands appeared darker, her green eyes standing out against her pale skin even more. She wore a deep purple robe—no surprise—but the rich silk material clung to her curves and parted in a seductive vee that showed more than a generous hint of cleavage. It ended mid-thigh, and he realized she had long, toned legs. Sexy legs. And her pretty, makeup-free features gave him his first glimpse of the real woman beyond the seductress from the dance floor and the competent doctor who’d taken over in an emergency.

A woman he wanted beneath him immediately.

He extended his hand and she walked forward, no hesitation in her step, though he definitely saw nerves flickering in her eyes and she paused by the foot of the bed. “C’mere, darlin’.”

She eased herself onto the edge of the mattress. “Your Texas accent’s stronger when you turn on the charm.”

“I’m not turning on anything. I’m already there,” he said, hiding nothing in his words. And if she looked at his jeans, she’d have proof. Very hard proof.

Her lips parted on what sounded like an eager sigh. Taking that as his cue, he reached out, hooked an arm around her waist, and rolled her on top of him. She felt good and smelled better. He positioned her over him, her legs draped around his hips, her body above his, ripe and ready for taking. He wrapped his arms around her waist, which had the added bonus of her pressing her warm heat over his aching erection.