Page 41 of Prelude To You

“It means regularly. Like at least once every twenty minutes.”

“Okay, sure.”

I sighed. The chances of running into Stranger were really slim, and I was starting to question myself for being so silly about all of this. It was just a damn kiss. And Stranger’s physical reaction was natural. What man wouldn’t be flattered by a strange woman swooning like a lovesick puppy?

In my own defense I’d been fired from my job an hour before, which probably made me feel more vulnerable and easily swayed. And maybe, just maybe I was swept up in the moment because he was my knight in shining armor, coming to rescue me from that little troll Rick.

The only thing I was hoping for was that seeing Stranger again would probably prove it was all just a psychological glitch, and he was a personality-free beast I wouldn’t want to touch again with a ten-foot pole.

Then I could safely restore my inner balance. And like Meg said, if I didn’t take the chance now, I’d always regret it. Better to know disappointment than pine over illusions.

My phone dinged with a text. It was Meg.

Meg:How are you feeling!!??

Me:Fine, maybe the drugs are duds!

Meg:No buzz?

Me:Nope.

Meg:OR maybe the pizza makes them work slower.

Me:We shall see.

We hit bumper-tapping traffic and became mired in a sea of brake lights that stretched to and beyond the entry to the Belmont Hotel. Felix cursed under his breath.

Meg:If the drugs hit, just find a quiet spot and let it work itself out. 10-15 minutes.

Me:They sound useless. Not that I’m an expert on drugs.

Meg:It’s a little booster for during sex.

Me:Oh.

Meg:You asked.

Me:Actually I didn’t.

Meg:Have fun. Repeat after me: I’m hot, I’m smart, and I deserve to be loved.

Me:Please don’t.

Meg:All I’m saying is, don't piss off the Goddess of Fate when she knocks on your door.

I threw my head back and laughed.

Me:Fine. I’ll do my best.

My skin prickled with a faint current of awareness. Someone was watching me.

For some reason my gaze was drawn to the black Range Rover beside us. I couldn’t see anything through the tinted windows. At the same time, I realized everything about this wasso surreal that I might be starting to imagine things that didn’t exist.

I was on the verge of telling Felix to turn down the nearest alley and head back home, but the memory of that kiss crumpled my last dwindling fiber of resistance.

The Belmont Hotel’s driveway was close by. If I was dropped off there, it was only a few yards to the sidewalk. Then I could easily reach the sloping manicured lawn that led to the hotel’s imposing entrance. Crossing the lawn would be a cakewalk if I just took my heels off. It seemed like a solid plan.

“You know the hotel is right over there,” I said. “I can just get out here.”

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