Chance Encounter Read online

  “I got it,” he shot back and headed to the stairs leading down to the pit. Maybe saving a damsel in distress, while roughing up these two douchebags, was just what he needed to make a decent night even better. He reached the stairs leading down onto the dance floor easily enough, but then had to shove his way through the throng, throwing a well-placed elbow here and there, to open a path. Angie and her gropers were in the middle of the floor, deep in the thick mass of people. He caught glimpses of her trying to push the guys away but they were double teaming her, and trying to lead her to towards the stairs on the opposite side of the floor.

  Kevin pushed a little harder, getting some nasty looks in return, but he didn’t care. Those guys were not getting Angie out of the crowd. He knew shit would get ugly quick for her if they did. He didn’t even want to think about what could happen. Sure they were skinny little weasels, but they were taller than her and two of them could definitely overpower her.

  Finally he reached the threesome. Angie’s hands were both in front of her, restrained by idiot one, while idiot two had reached around from behind her and was grinding his dick into her ass while pushing her closer to the stairs. One look at her panic stricken face told him all he needed to know about the situation and made Kevin’s blood boil. She was frantically searching the area around her, trying to find someone to help. Her eyes skimmed over his face then quickly returned, recognition dawning. He couldn’t believe she remembered him but the fact she did gave him a twinge of pleasure. And it would work to their advantage.

  “Kevin!” she cried loud enough to make the idiots look up, and when they say him approaching their pasty complexions paled even further. Idiot Two immediately backed up away from Angie, but idiot one didn’t seem to want to let go of his prize. Even though it looked like the working half of his brain told him to run, he didn’t drop her hands.

  “Let go of her,” Kevin growled an inch from idiot one’s face. “Now.”

  Still the jerk off persisted. “No man, she with us.”

  “No I’m not!” Angie shrieked, trying to wrest her arms free from his grip.

  “No she’s not with you,” Kevin replied, still up in the guys face. He felt movement at his back and knew his friends had followed him out here to help. Probably worried he’d start a brawl given his mood tonight, and they were right. If this guy didn’t let go of Angie in two point one seconds there absolutely would be someone going home in pain tonight. “She’s with me.”

  He knew the minute jerk off realized he and his friend were not only outnumbered, but outclassed. Fear etched his face and he dropped Angie’s wrists like he was holding a hot potato. Kevin went to grab her elbow and pull her in close, but he didn’t need to. The second she was free she dove into his chest, wrapped her arms around his waist and held on tight. He closed her into an embrace so naturally it felt like he’d held her a million times before.

  Her rushing to him for comfort, and protection, gave Kevin several more twinges. Enough, that he was able to fight back the desire to pound the guy now shaking in front of him into the ground. Enough that he turned around without another word and started back the way he came, Angie still attached to his chest. Derek and Chris were there, glowering at the idiots with murder in their eyes, but Kevin walked past them, intent on getting Angie out of this hellhole immediately.

  A small crowd had formed around them, but they parted for Kevin and Angie and the trek back out was accomplished much faster, and without any pushing or shoving. They reached the bar and Kevin went to order them beers, but Angie surprised him by stopping him mid sentence.

  “I’ll have a water please.”

  “That’s probably a good idea after that situation. More alcohol would be bad.” It would probably make her either depressed or angry, but either way he could see her freaking out if she ended up shitfaced.

  “I actually haven’t had anything to drink tonight,” she whispered, surprising him both with her words and her tone.

  He looked down at where she stood still under his arm, though she’d released his torso from the vice like grip she had on him. She appeared shaken by what happened, more so than Kevin would have thought with her party girl reputation. Not that she in any way deserved it, but he’d assumed it wasn’t the first time some guy had gotten handsy with her.

  “Are you okay?” he asked worry creeping over him. Had she been traumatized before and this brought up bad memories? He’d kill anyone who hurt her…whoa, where had that come from?

  Before she could answer, and he could dissect his weird reaction, a short blond ran up and threw her arms around Angie. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry I left you out there. I saw Ryan over at the bar and I thought you’d be fine. “

  “It’s okay Elise, it wasn’t your fault,” Angie consoled her friend.

  “But it’s your first night out in forever and I can’t believe this happened!” Elise seemed more distraught than Angie, and Kevin wondered just what kind of piece of work Ryan had found now. Speaking of, the man in question appeared behind Elise with two drinks in his hand, at least having the decency to look concerned.

  “Is she alright?” Ryan asked Kevin.

  “I don’t know. She looked shaken up at first but I think she’s coming around now that Elise is here.” Kevin said looking at the pair of women closely. Angie seemed to have stopped shaking and was sipping the water he’d gotten her. She looked fantastic tonight, even after the drama. Long dark hair hung past her shoulders in a silken sheet. Knee high lace up black leather boots, a denim skirt and black leather halter top left her showing plenty of skin, but not in an obscene way. Her body was petite but curvy, with ample breasts that weren’t too big or too small, and a rocking ass. Bottom line, Angie was hot.

  “Let’s go home Angie. I’ve had enough for tonight,” he heard Elise say while shaking off the effects of perusing Angie.

  “No, you can stay and hang out with Ryan, I’ll get a cab.”

  “No. We’re leaving. We came here to dance, we danced, let’s go.” Kevin watched Angie to see if she was going to be stubborn, but apparently the determined look on Elise’s face deterred her from that course of action. She nodded and turned to him.

  “Thanks so much for your help. I don’t know what I would have done if…”

  He cut her off before she finished that thought, “Don’t even think about that. It’s over. I’m happy to help out a beautiful woman.” What was with him tonight? He’d gone from miserable asshole to dropping compliments and being charming in fifteen minutes. “You go home and rest.”

  She searched his face, looking for what he didn’t know, but then she smiled and nodded, giving him one final giant twinge. In his upper chest region. Where he thought he’d never feel a twinge again.

  “Good night Kevin.”

  “Good night Angie,” he replied, then watched Elise drag her to the door and out into the night, trying to keep his face blank so his friends wouldn’t know just how much Angie had improved his mood.

  Chapter 2

  Hour eleven of her twelve-hour shift and Angie’s ass was dragging. Shit always hit the fan on the seven to seven rotation, and last night was no different. She’d walked into a delivery where the mother to be spoke no English and had every member of her family hovering in the waiting room…and the hall…and a few in the room. All demanding updates every time she walked by. She couldn’t imagine how difficult it must be to not be able to communicate with your caregivers during such an important event, and Angie did the best she could to keep them informed, but boy was she thankful once that baby popped out with no complications and mother and son could move on to the recovery room. And she could move on to the next patient.

  After only a half hour of calm a young couple arrived, thirty weeks along with her water already broken. Not impossibly early but not great either. The doctor on duty checked her out and declared there was nothing they could do to stop the labor and everyone flew into action. There was a good team on that night and everyone knew what needed t
o be done to welcome a ten-week premature baby into the world. Angie’s job was the mother. She’d attended quite a few pre-term births in the last four years and was known for her ability to keep the new parents calm while helping the doctor perform a successful delivery.

  Unfortunately this situation was not helped by the fact the mother clearly had not taken good care of herself, and really didn’t like the father all that much. He tried to be supportive but Angie could tell their relationship was strained at best. Not that the woman wanted his help. She yelled every time he got too close or tried to assist her, until he finally gave up and sat in the chair along the far wall. He seemed excited about the baby even though it didn’t look like a planned pregnancy, but worried about what might go wrong. The woman, on the other hand, just wanted the kid out, and made that loudly known. It didn’t matter that it was too soon. In fact she was happy her sentence of being fat and not being able to have fun was ending early.

  Angie tried to ignore the woman’s complaining, and seeming unconcern about the health of her baby, and focused on reassuring the father that they were equipped to handle any situation. That, and getting the woman to shut up long enough to push the baby out.

  For some reason the man looked strangely familiar, though she knew she’d never met him before. Keith was his name. Even though she had a reputation as being a bit easy she remembered every man she’d ever hit on. She thought. This guy she definitely would have remembered- he was too hot to forget. And he never gave any indication that he recognized her from anywhere, so Angie was pretty confident they were strangers. Though she couldn’t shake the feeling that he looked like someone she knew…

  Her thoughts were interrupted when she ran into someone running full tilt down the deserted hallway. It was six in the morning and she desperately needed a snack to get her through to the end. Her goal was the vending machine in the family waiting room and she hadn’t really been paying attention, but this guy stepped off the elevator and broke into a jog without a second glance in front of him.

  “Hey!” She stopped herself from hitting the floor by grabbing hold of his arm. His very large, muscular arm she noted a second before her face made contact with his elbow. “Ow!”

  “Shit, I’m sorry, but you should watch where you’re going.” How the man managed to accuse her of clumsiness when this was clearly all his fault boggled her mind.

  “Me! Maybe you shouldn’t be running down the hallway of a hospital.” She reprimanded him even as his voice caused a niggle of recognition, but her nose hurt too badly for her to pay attention.

  “I’m in hurry, and aren’t you hospital people used to frantic relatives running around?” She couldn’t tell if he was joking or being an ass so she looked up to get a read on him, and found herself staring at Kevin Lane. She hadn’t seen him since he’d come to her rescue three weeks ago, and he looked better than ever. Light brown hair still damp from the shower. Piercing blue eyes that she’d seen in her dreams several times lately.

  “Angie!”

  “Kevin, what are you doing here?”

  “What are you doing here?” he asked without answering her question. He looked tired, and confused by seeing her here. He quickly scanned her scrubs, but it still didn’t seem to click.

  “I work here.” She took pity on him and helped him out, thought it had to be obvious. In addition to her pink and grey scrubs, her hair was up in a messy ponytail and, big clue, a stethoscope hung around her neck.

  “What do you do?” He couldn’t seem to grasp the concept that she was actually standing in a hospital, claiming to be an employee. Angie would have been insulted if he hadn’t looked so stressed. She suspected he wasn’t firing on all cylinders.

  “I’m a labor and delivery nurse.”

  “Really?” His incredulous tone made her want to smack him upside the head, but she refrained, since assaulting visitors was most likely prohibited. Was it so hard to believe she had a job?

  “Yes Kevin, I’m a nurse.” She let go of where she still gripped his forearm and pushed around him. She needed a snack, and a bottle of water, and to get off her feet and do paperwork for the next sixty minutes. She did not need this guy treating her like some bar whore without a brain. Sure he’d probably never seen her act like anything else, but it still hurt.

  “Wait Angie,” he called, then followed after her when she didn’t stop. “I’m sorry. I’m half asleep and worried sick. I didn’t mean to insult you. I’m sure you’re a great nurse.”

  That comment really pissed her off. Could he be more patronizing? Maybe if he patted her on the head and called her ‘good girl’…though something about that thought twisted her insides a bit. She forced it away. He wouldn’t ever think of her as anything other than the slutty girl at the bar, and she wouldn’t want him calling her anything.

  “It’s okay. I’m just getting some breakfast so I can finish up my shift and get out of here. I’ve been working for almost twelve hours so I’m probably a little touchy too.” She made her selections out of the machine and turned to find him leaning against the machine and watching her.

  “You’re going to have a candy bar for breakfast?” he asked, disapproval clear both in his face and his tone.

  “Yes, I am.” What was this guy? Some kind of health nut wrapped up in a bad boy, tattooed package? The fact his words and look made her want to stuff the chocolate back into the machine and soaked her panties at the same time was something she pushed away to think about later.

  “That’s not good for you. You should eat something better than that if you’ve been working all night long.”

  “Yeah, well, I’m out of singles and change so this will have to do.” Angie turned to head back to the nurses’ station to get on with her life, but Kevin stopped her with a heavy hand on her arm.

  “Wait,” he commanded, and damn it all to hell, she couldn’t help but obey.

  Too confused by her reaction to him to speak, she watched as he fished a dollar bill out of his pocket, fed it into the machine and purchased a granola bar.

  “Here, give me that candy bar.” He held out his hand while extending the healthier option towards her. She wanted to refuse, take her candy and run, but one look at his face had her voluntarily turning over her breakfast of choice. She couldn’t argue with that chiseled jaw and determined gaze. There wasn’t any way he would let her eat her candy bar, that much was clear. His mind was made up and arguing with him would just waste time, time she could use to finish her work and get the hell out of there.

  “Fine, here.” She slapped the foil wrapped package in his hand and snatched his purchase. “I’ll eat the stupid granola bar. Does that make you happy?”

  He glanced down his hand, then back at her. “Yes, it does actually.”

  His smile made her stomach flip. It bore into her, made her feel like he knew a secret that he wasn’t ready to divulge. She wanted to ask, wanted to know what was going on in that gorgeous head of his, but she’d just wasted ten minutes on this little situation and she needed to finish her shift. Angie opened her mouth to tell him just that but he beat her to it.

  “Go back to work Angie,” he ordered, much more gently than before. “And eat your granola bar.”

  “Okay,” she breathed. She couldn’t manage any other words. The way he looked at her, almost inspecting her, made her want to run into the nearest shower and get decent, but only because she wanted to look nice for him. He didn’t seem bothered by her bedraggled appearance at all. In fact, it felt like he was devouring her with his eyes, eating up every inch of her, and savoring her taste.

  “I have to go see my brother now, but I’m sure I’ll see you soon,” he said, then turned and walked away. She took a minute to enjoy the sight of his tight ass moving beneath worn jeans as he made his way down the hall, before she shook herself out of the testosterone induced haze and made her way in the opposite direction to write up her notes from the night and eat her damn granola bar.

  * * * * *

 
Kevin rolled out of bed at five in the afternoon four days later, wishing he hadn’t gone out for breakfast with some guys from work after his overnight shift. Every day since his nephew had been born almost ten weeks early he’d spent the evening at the hospital with his brother, then gone to work, coming home only to sleep then head back to the hospital to do it all over. His brother needed him and he was determined to be there for Keith. Their father popped in and out, but he wasn’t the type of man who dealt with emotions well, preferring to be out on the back of his motorcycle rather than actually supporting his family when they needed him. Their mother had passed away from breast cancer when Keith was only ten. Dad had pretty much checked out for a few years, unable to deal with the reality of raising two sons without his wife at his side. Now he participated as much as he could, but Kevin knew it was hard for him.

  But fuck, was he tired. Falling into bed at noon and getting up six hours later was getting old. Fast. Plus he hadn’t seen Angie at the hospital since that first night when he was frantically trying to get to Keith after getting fourteen voicemails, none of which he heard until the end of his shift when he retrieved his phone out of his locker. He didn’t normally keep it on him when he was working, too much dust and grime in the air at the factory, but once the delivery date was closer he’d planned to.

  Unfortunately that bitch Keith had knocked up after a long night at the bar had plans of her own. She wouldn’t admit that she’d intentionally not taken care of herself, but Kevin had a strong suspicion that’s exactly what had happened. There was no medical reason the baby came early, other than poor health of the mother, according to the doctors. He could barely stand to look at her, and was just thankful she had no interest in actually taking care of little Carter. Keith was assuming full responsibility for his son and Molly had agreed to the deal early on. In fact, it was the only way Keith could get her to keep the baby. Kevin had worried that she’d change her mind and the situation would get ugly, quick, but that clearly wasn’t going to happen. The bitch had checked out of the hospital as soon as the doctor cleared her to leave and hadn’t been back since.