Perfect Stranger (Novella) Read Free

in-control doctor, capable of putting away her emotions and treating her unconscious friend.
    In the span of thirty minutes, Luke discovered Alexa wasnot just beautiful but multifaceted, and as a result, she’d captivated him completely. He couldn’t leave without finding out if her friend was okay and how she was doing after the night’s crazy events.
    Although, as he walked through the sliding ER doors, Luke had to ask himself if he wasn’t a little crazy himself, pursuing a perfect stranger he’d never really met.

CHAPTER TWO
    O nce Alexa checked Cara over and had tests run, she diagnosed her friend with a concussion and a bruised trachea. The abusive bastard who’d attacked Cara had done so because he’d blamed her for his wife leaving him, not only because Cara was a police officer but because she was a human being who’d cared enough to take the woman under her wing. Now he was behind bars and denied bail, so Cara was safe from the man. As for Mike, Alexa had stuck around to make sure his presence didn’t upset Cara, but with the sedative, she was out cold. And Mike had sat by her bedside all night, never leaving. Alexa snoozed in the on-call room, waking up to check on things before allowing herself more sleep time. By the time eight A.M. rolled around, she’d all but forgiven Mike, knowing he would do anything to repair his relationship with Cara. Alexa had no more reason to stay.
    She stopped by the nurses’ station and wrote down discharge instructions, then ran through them with the nurseassigned to Cara’s room. “And now, I’m leaving. Call me if something urgent comes up, otherwise I’m indisposed.”
    She stretched her arms over her head and yawned. “I need a good meal and a couple of solid hours of uninterrupted sleep.” Though at this point, she didn’t know which would happen first. She might fall facedown before she ever ate.
    Emily, an older nurse who’d been on staff when Alexa’s father was first starting out, shook her head. “Honey, you need more than that if you’re going to get a glow back in those cheeks. Do you even know what the word
vacation
means?”
    Alexa laughed. “Not really. The chief of staff here drives me pretty hard, you know.”
    Emily frowned. “That father of yours is going to work you into an early grave, and for what? To keep a Collins in charge of this hospital?” A buzzer sounded, distracting the older woman, and she glanced down. “That’ll be Mrs. Evans in two eleven. I swear she better need more than her pillow fluffed or I’m going to scream.”
    Alexa laughed as Emily walked away, but her words lingered. During these weeks of Alexa’s discontent, there had been many issues she couldn’t verbalize, even to herself. There were simple things in life that other people took for granted, things that Alexa just didn’t have time for, like a regular social life, dating, or even a relaxing night with a friend.
    She gathered her jacket and purse, and headed for the elevator. With her mind clear of worry about Cara, Alexa’s thoughts immediately strayed to the sexy stranger who’d danced with her last night. The man who’d given her more in thirty minutes of dancing than she’d had in years. Her body tightened at the reminder of that too short carefree moment. Serendipity didn’t get many strangers passing through, so chances were she’d never see him again. The sad fact was, even if they did cross paths, Alexa had no time for sex. But if their chemistry was any indication, he’d be so worth her making the time for.
    Which brought her thoughts full circle. No time for sex, no time for a future. That was what she’d been trying so hard not to dwell on. But the sad truth was, the longer she accepted her father’s mantra, that
a Collins puts work first always
, along with his plans for her future, the less likelihood there would be of her ever getting married. Having children, a family. And Emily was right about working herself to death, even if