Amanda woke up feeling dizzy. Her head hurt and her eyes didn’t want to open. It was like being under water where everything is fuzzy.

Slowly, she heard noises, closer and closer, like she was surrounded. Panic gripped her hard, wondering why there were so many people in her apartment. Amanda took a deep breath and told herself it had to be the TV. The only possible explanation was she fell asleep with the TV on.

After a few calming deep breaths she forced her eyes open only to immediately clamp them shut. Not only did she fall asleep with the TV on but with all the lights on too. It was way too bright. She struggled to remember the night before, wondering if possibly she’d drunk herself stupid before passing out. Otherwise the light wouldn’t seem so bright and the sounds wouldn’t be so hazy.

A hand touched her shoulder and she screamed. Struggling to sit up, Amanda realized she couldn’t move. What the hell?

“Where am I?” she shouted, confused and suddenly terrified. Had she been drugged and kidnapped? What did they want with her?

“Miss, it’s okay. We’re getting you help,” a deep, rich voice said.

Amanda didn’t want to be attracted to her kidnapper, but something about his voice was so soothing. It was like a big bowl of mac n cheese with a side of warm bread. Was there such thing as a comfort voice like there was comfort food?

She settled again, not minding his touch, and pried her eyes open again. She squinted against the bright lights and found eyes that went with the voice. Eyes so blue they were almost silver. Eyes that made her forget everything. Including…

“Miss, can you tell me your name?”

“Uh, I’m… uh…”

The eyes glistened with concern and fear. He looked at someone else, someone near her feet, and flashed a look of panic.

“It’s okay, miss. They’ll be here soon.”

Who? Amanda wanted to ask, but she couldn’t get the words past her lips. All she could do was stare into the blue eyes above her and wonder why he was in her apartment and who was coming for her.

His hand glided over her cheek and into her hair in a loving caress. He whispered to her that she would be okay and that someone would be there soon. Amanda’s eyes slipped closed again before she heard commotion near her feet.

She tried to sit up but couldn’t. The comforting touch left and she was assaulted by the scent of latex and disinfectant. The combination made her nauseous and she groaned.

“Does anyone know her name?” shouted a voice near her left ear.

“Amanda,” she managed to groan. “My name is Amanda.”

“Okay, Amanda. We’re going to lift you now. Just hold still and we’ll get you out of here.”

She nodded then waited and four pairs of hands lifted her up a foot and set her down on something comfortable. She figured they moved her to her bed and was glad she would get to sleep again. She was still so tired.

“Can you open your eyes, Amanda?” someone asked off to her right.

She forced her eyes open and saw an EMT hovering over her. Panic set in again, trying to figure out what happened and what was going on.

“What’s wrong with me?”

“We’re not sure ma’am, but we’ll get you to the hospital and they’ll take care of you.”

“How did you get into my apartment?”

The EMT exchanged a glance with one on the other side of her bed and looked back down at her. “Ma’am, we’re not at your apartment. You passed out while grocery shopping at Nick’s. You’re in the frozen food section of Nick’s.”

Embarrassment washed over Amanda. She knew she’d been run down lately but she didn’t think she was quite that bad. Now she was on a gurney and headed to the hospital because she passed out in public.

The EMT’s rolled her out of the store and into the back of the waiting ambulance. Store clerks and customers watched in morbid fascination as she cruised past and Amanda knew she would have to find someplace new to shop. No way could she face these people again.

Especially blue eyes.

Damn, he was hot too. Rich brown hair with a hint of red, broad shoulders, and the most caring eyes she’d ever seen. Too bad she’d never see him again.

At the hospital Amanda went through a series of tests. She told the doctors she’d been sick and hadn’t eaten much lately and they finally deduced she passed out from extremely low blood sugar caused by a severe sinus infection. After a few hours of observation she was released with a prescription for antibiotics and doctor’s orders to get something to eat.

Amanda put her clothes back on and retrieved her purse, glad someone thought to put it on the gurney with her. It wasn’t until she was about to walk out of the ER that she realized she didn’t have her car. It was still parked outside Nick’s.

She turned to go back to the desk and ask for the name of a local cab company when she heard her name.

“Amanda?”

The voice sounded pained, scared. But she knew that voice. She knew she’d know that voice forever. It only took once for him to be imbedded into her brain and now she was stuck with him.

She turned slowly toward the waiting area and saw Blue Eyes approaching her.

“Amanda. Thank God you’re okay. Are they releasing you?”

She nodded. “Yeah, I have a sinus infection and hadn’t eaten enough. The doctor said I’ll be fine but I need to eat. Of course first I need to get back to my car.”

“That’s why I’m here. Go to dinner with me. Then we’ll go get your car.”

Amanda eyed him curiously. “Why?”

He shrugged and smiled at her. His smile was every bit as gorgeous as the rest of him. She knew all he had to do was smile and she’d be putty in his hands. “Because I prefer eating dinner with a beautiful woman instead of alone. And it’s doctor’s orders.”

Amanda smiled shyly and peeked up at him from under her lashes. “Okay.”

 

Who is the mystery man? Does he feel the same? Come back next week to find out!