The Man You'll Marry Read Free Page A

she needed after her terrible day. But what did she expect on Friday, April thirteenth?
     

    Shelly overslept, then got stuck in a traffic jam on her way to meet Jill the following morning. She detested being late, although she often was. Rather than fight fora convenient parking spot in the vast lot that surrounded the mall, she took the first available space and rushed over to the nearest entrance. Patrick’s, a cozy, charming restaurant on the mall’s upper level, was deservedly popular for business lunches. Shelly had eaten there often and especially enjoyed the spinach-and-shrimp salad.
    A glance at her watch told her it was already after twelve, and not wanting to keep Jill waiting, she hurried toward the escalator, weaving her way through the crowd.
    Her mind must have been on the salad she intended to order instead of the escalator because the moment she placed her foot on the first tread, she lost her balance.
    “Oh…oh!” Swinging both arms out in a futile attempt to remain upright, she groped at thin air. She tried frantically to catch herself as she fell backward.
    Landing in someone’s arms shocked her as much as having lost her balance. Incredulous, she twisted around to thank her rescuer but this proved to be a mistake. Her action caught the man off guard, and before he could prevent it, they went crashing to the floor. Once again Shelly expected to experience pain. Instead, her waist was surrounded by arms that were surprisingly strong. His grip was firm but gentle, protective. As they fell, he maneuvered himself to take the brunt of the impact when they landed. Sprawled as she was above him, Shelly found herself staring down at the most attractive man she’d ever seen. Her heart thrummed. Her breath caught. Her body froze.
    For a moment neither of them spoke. A crowd hadgathered around them before Shelly managed to speak. When she did, her voice was weak and breathless. “Are you all right? I’m so sorry…”
    “I’m fine. What about you?”
    “Fine. I think.”
    She lay cushioned by his solid chest, their faces mere inches apart. Shelly’s long hair fell forward, framing his face. He smelled of mint and some clean-scented soap. Her gaze wandered curiously over his features; at such close range she could see the tiny lines that fanned out from the edges of his sapphire-blue eyes, as well as the grooves that bracketed his mouth. His nose was classically straight, his mouth full and sensuous. At least his lower lip was. It didn’t take her long to recognize that this man was uncompromisingly male. His eyes held hers reluctantly, as if he, too, was caught in the same powerful trance.
    Neither of them moved, and although Shelly was convinced the breathless sensation she felt was a result of the fall, she couldn’t seem to breathe properly even now.
    “Miss, are you hurt?”
    Reluctantly, Shelly looked up to find a security guard standing over her.
    “Um…I don’t think so.”
    “Sir?”
    “I’m fine.”
    The arms that were holding hers securely began to loosen.
    “If we could have you both sit over here for a moment,” the guard instructed, pointing at a bench. “We have an ambulance on the way.”
    “An ambulance? But I told you I’m okay,” she said.
    The guard helped Shelly to her feet. Her legs were shaky and her breathing still uncertain, but otherwise she was unhurt.
    “Officer, there’s really no need,” the man who’d fallen with her protested.
    “Mall policy,” the guard said. He hooked his thumbs into the wide leather belt and rocked back on his feet. “It’s standard procedure to have all accident victims checked immediately.”
    “If you’re worried about a lawsuit—”
    “I don’t make the rules,” the guard interrupted her rescuer. “I just see that they’re carried out. Now, if you’d sit over here, the medical team will arrive in a couple of minutes.”
    “I don’t have time to wait,” Shelly insisted. “I’m meeting someone.” She glanced