The rest of my shift seems to go by pretty quickly and, before I know it, I am giving my end-of-shift report. All in all, today was a good first day. It isn’t until I shrug into my coat that I realize how tired I am. All I want right now is to go home, soak in my tub, and then have a glass of wine as I curl up with a good book. I walk out of the building mentally planning my evening and head down the street to where my I parked my car this morning. Only…it’s not there. Did I walk in the wrong direction?
“What the…?” I mutter out loud to myself.
I walk back up the street toward Hillcrest and continue in the opposite direction. Could it be stolen? Who would steal my beat-up Taurus, especially in a neighborhood like this where there are cars that cost more than I’d make in ten years? I backtrack again until I am once again in front of the Hillcrest building. I slump down on the steps and rest my face in my hands.
“Ugh, this is not happening!” I groan.
“That doesn’t sound good. Was your first day that bad?”
My head snaps up to where the sound of the voice came from. My eyes land on Mika Kingsley. Shit.
“Oh no sir! It was… I really loved… really… I… um… my car... ”
My voice trails off. God, why does this man turn me into a bumbling idiot? He studies me for a moment. In what I assume to be an attempt to calm me down, he places his hand on my shoulder.
“Is everything okay, Ms. Ray? You look quite upset. Is there anything I can do to help?”
His hand on me, resting so innocently on my shoulder, is doing ridiculous things to me. I open my mouth to speak but words just don’t want to come out so I snap my mouth shut and bite my lip as I shake head. He removes his hand from my shoulder and holds it out for me.
“Let me walk you to your car, it is getting dark.”
I immediately take his offered hand without thinking. He guides me until I’m fully erect. He must be at least six foot two judging from the way he towers over me and I’m a pretty average five foot six. It takes a moment for me to be coherent enough to string together my sentences like the intelligent person I’m supposed to be.
“Thanks for the offer Mr. Kingsley, but it seems that my car is missing. I’ll call a cab.”
I manage to smile.
“Your car is missing? Where did you park?”
I gesture in the general direction and he starts walking toward where I parked my now missing vehicle. I trail behind him.
“I parked right around here I think. I mean, I’m pretty sure.” I feel the heat rush to my face so I quickly add, “I was running late this morning and I honestly wasn’t paying much attention.”
Mika looks at me, seemingly amused.
“That must be why you missed the fire hydrant.” he says as he nods his head toward the darn thing.
“It got towed,” I say breathlessly as I realize my dumb mistake and, not for the first time today, I feel utterly embarrassed.
I don’t know where to look, all I know is that I don’t want to meet his gaze. Good lord the man must think I am a total idiot. He pulls his cell phone out of his pocket.
“Could you pull around out front please? Thank you,” I hear him say.
He hangs up and places his hand on the small of my back while leading us back to Hillcrest.
“Please allow me to take you home. We will take care of your car.”
I start to protest but he holds up his right hand to stop me.
“Please Ms. Ray, I insist,” he says as a silver Lexus pulls up.
This effectively silences me and I give him a slight nod. Mika leads me to the car and opens the door for me. I climb into the back-passenger seat and scoot over so I can turn to thank him but he surprises me by climbing in as well; I just assumed he was not coming.
“Where do you live, Ms. Ray?” I tell him my address and he leans in toward the handsome driver. “Did you hear that, Sean?” he asks.
Sean turns his head to face us and flashes a grin when he responds.
“Yes sir, I sure did.”
Sean starts to punch in my address in the GPS. Mika smiles and takes a seat next to me. Being in such close proximity to this man is intoxicating to the point that judging from my physical reactions—elevated heart rate and general aching for him—my body is making erroneous assumptions. I should not be feeling this way about a married man. I fumble with my seat belt and Mika’s hand covers mine as he helps me snap it into place. I swallow hard. Why am I acting like I have never seen an attractive man before? Maybe because this is not a mere man; he’s spectacular, godlike even. My eyes are drawn to his hand as it lingers on mine just a little longer than necessary. I need to get out of my own head so I tell myself to say something. I look up at him and the dashing, sexy as hell smile he flashes at me ruffles my feathers so that I can barely remember my own name. Say something, I tell myself. Anything at all!
“Mr. Kingsley, I, uh,r-really appreciate your, uh, h-help,” I stutter.
He buckles himself in and then our eyes lock. Holy shit… those eyes… wow. I bite my lip to stifle the gasp that threatens to escape my lips.
“Please, call me Mika. There is no need to be so formal.”
I find myself mulling his name over in my head and quickly push away the voice inside that tells me I’d love nothing more than to scream his name as he takes over the edge.
“Okay. I really appreciate your help…Mika.”
I flash him a smile.
“Oh and please feel free to call me Raeva or Rae. My friends call me Rae.”
His eyes still have not left mine and it’s as if neither of us can pull away.
“I actually prefer to call you by your given name. Raeva. It is a beautiful name. “Very... ” he pauses as he searches for the right word, “fitting.”
Sean pulls out into traffic and the sudden movement breaks our intense eye contact. I remind myself that he is off limits and is probably just being nice. Wait…did he just call me beautiful? I shake my head. Off limits, Rae. We make small talk and I can tell he is trying to make me feel comfortable. We are almost at my house when I finally start to feel at ease. The sound of a ringtone startles me. Mika fishes his phone out of his pocket and looks at the screen. He mutters an apology before he answers.
“Kingsley,” he says curtly.
I try my best not to listen to the conversation but, seeing as I’m only half a foot away from him, it’s virtually impossible.
“I want those annulment papers served by tomorrow morning. I don’t care. She is in a coma, not dead.”
Wait…what? Is this seriously happening right now?
“Take care of it,” he snaps as he ends the call.
Quite deliberately I keep my gaze out the window. Well damn, if that wasn’t more effective than an arctic shower. How can someone be so cold? I cannot believe that I thought this man was a nice guy. All I want is to get out of this car as soon as possible. Poor Mikaela, what kind of man serves a woman in a coma with annulment papers? I am actually starting to get angry on her behalf. I hear him suck in a deep breath and I know he’s trying to collect himself. Neither of us speaks and I shift uncomfortably in my seat as the silence in the car thickens the air. I am more than grateful when Sean pulls into my driveway and am unbuckled before he has even come to a full stop.
“Thank you very much for the ride Mi…um... Mr. Kingsley,” I say as I scramble to exit the vehicle.
I think I am going to make a clean exit but then he gently, but firmly, grabs my arm. “Raeva,” he breathes, my name sounding like a soft plea as it falls from his incredible lips.
“I’m sorry about—”
I pull my arm from his grasp and hold up both hands.
“Please Mr. Kingsley, it is absolutely none of my business. Again, thank you for the ride home. Goodnight.”
I walk off, genuinely surprised by how even and clipped my tone was as I spoke those words to him, my stomach tied in knots. I don’t break my stride until I reach my front door. I find my keys mercifully fast and manage to unlock it without fumbling. I cannot help but turn before I enter my house. I see Mika shove his hand through his hair and I wonder why it appears as if he too is affected by my swift departure. I step inside and lock the door behind me.
* * *
When my alarm went off this morning I felt like it was too soon. I had barely slept a wink, despite the fact that I went to bed very early last night. It took me a while to collect myself and I ended up pouring myself two glasses of wine before hitting the shower and going to bed. I laid there, thinking about all the events of the day and what I had overheard. I just cannot wrap my head around it. Remembering how kind he has been to me, or the look on his face when I had practically run out of the car, doesn’t seem to fit with his cold words.
“I want those annulment papers served by tomorrow morning. I don’t care. She is in a coma, not dead.” I sigh as I put on my scrubs.
I jolt when I hear a curt knock on my front door. I look up at the clock—it’s 5:45 a.m.—who would possibly show up at my house at this ungodly hour? I look out the peephole and am taken by surprise when I see Sean on the other side of the door. I take the chain off and unlock the deadbolt. I open the door and cock my head as I regard the handsome man on my doorstep. His dark hair is almost as black as night and is slightly too long. His emerald green eyes are sparkling brightly at me. Sean smiles at me as he tips his hat and tells me good morning. I smile back politely as I return his morning greeting. “I’m here to take you to work and collect your keys so I can fetch your car for you.” He must see the look of confusion on my face because he answers my unspoken question in a matter-of-fact tone.
“Mr. Kingsley sent me.”
As if that should explain everything.
“Mr. Kingsley? Why? This isn’t necessary,” I mutter.
Sean frowns at me for a moment.
“You didn’t pick your car up yet. I checked so you’ll need a ride and, since you will be at work all day, it just makes more sense if I pick up your vehicle for you, Ms. Ray. Please just accept my help. It will make my life easier since Mr. Kingsley really insists,” he says with an awkward smile.
I know I should send him on his way and be highly annoyed by the fact that somehow he knows I have yet to collect my vehicle. I don’t want to cause the man any trouble and the last thing I need is to piss off the husband of my patient—even if he is filing for an annulment. Plus, it really does make more sense as I do want my car back as soon as possible.
“Alright then, I will need just a bit longer. Would you like some tea? Or I can make some coffee?”
Sean looks relieved but he refuses my offer and insists on waiting outside in the car. I suspect that he wants privacy when he calls his employer to tell him that I have accepted the ride. It takes me another fifteen minutes to get ready and Sean politely holds the door open for me when I walk up to the car after locking up. I climb in the car and buckle myself in but before Sean closes the door he hands me a cell phone. There is a note attached to it that says ‘Please read and reply’. I swipe my finger over the screen and see that there is a text message.
Mika - Good morning, Raeva. I trust you slept well?
Seriously? I glance over at Sean who has slipped into the driver’s seat with a stoic expression on his face. I can’t help the smile that curls my lips as I reply.
Raeva - Good morning, Mr. Kingsley. I have had better nights. Thanks for the ride this morning.
His reply is almost instantaneous.
Mika - Please, call me Mika…you’re welcome for the ride. Thank you for accepting it. Anything I can do to help you sleep better?
I can’t help it. My face breaks out in a full-blown grin.
Raeva - I hardly think that’s appropriate, Mr. Kingsley.
Again, the reply is instant.
Mika - I don’t think anything I said was inappropriate. Call me Mika, PLEASE.
I chuckle out loud as I send my reply.
Raeva - Please refer to my previous message, Mr. Kingsley.
Mika - Are you always this difficult?
Raeva - Yes.
Mika - Duly noted.
Raeva - I am about to arrive at work. Have a good day, Mr. Kingsley. Thank you again.
Mika - Have a good day, Raeva.