Doctor Abbott

By Michelle Laverdure

Doctor Benjamin Abbott started off his career as surgeon, working in all parts of the world with one goal...to bring medicine to people who would never see it otherwise. With a brilliant mind and determined drive he quickly found himself working for pharmaceutical companies, research labs and governments across the globe.
Working with so many people from so many parts of the world he should have been prepared for any place his career could take him. He could never be more wrong about that....
Ben's Last mission left him freezing and alone on a desolate island in the North Atlantic, or so he thought until he was captured and at the mercy of of an entire warrior race. An undiscovered breed of humanoids with a thirst for battle and no regard for human life.
He is quickly duped into marrying a woman who had become infatuated with him, and soon learns the price of such a mistake. The only way to keep himself and her alive is to use his healing powers to barter not just for his freedom but for his protection.
As word spreads of his skills he finds he is little more than a trophy and commodity to the Joutone, kidnapped, bartered for, traded, fought over, but never to return home. Ben's only hope for survival becomes the one beast who seems to want nothing more than to see him dead.
It is at his mercy that he learns there is no hope of ever seeing home again, and that the rest of his life will be a struggle for survival.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michelle Laverdure
• Release date: Dec 7, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310721731

Michelle Laverdure

I love writing, and getting sucked back into my imaginary world. Adventure is fun.

Book preview

Two months ago

Ben fumbled with the keys in his hand looking for the one that opened the door to his flat. The frail, drunk woman that had accompanied him home stood slumped against the wall. He didn’t really want to have sex tonight but after months in the jungles of Africa his friends and colleagues decided a night out on the town was just what he needed.

He had barely made it off the boat when he was greeted with limo and champagne. All he wanted to do was go home and crawl into bed but instead he was whisked away by his longtime friends to celebrate his return.

Finally getting the door ajar, he stood looking at the woman that had been more than willing to make herself at home with him for the night. She was tall and slender with jet-black hair that contrasted sharply with her creamy white skin, and a set of perfect, perky, little breasts. His eyes followed the red dress she wore down to her pencil like torso and her matching slender hips.

She had no ass to speak of but tonight it didn’t really bother him. Getting her home and getting this over with was the first thing on his mind. That is, unless he wanted to look like a fool at his board meeting tomorrow. He put his arm around her waist and helped the leggy creature to her feet, shoving past the door and stopping to punch out the code on the alarm.

A few minutes later she was curled up on his black Italian leather sofa, prematurely passed out. He laughed inwardly as he sat trying to figure out the buttons on the TV remote. A lot of good it did to bring her home. She might have fared better in a taxi to her own flat.

Now he realized he was already being made a fool in his own home by the damned remote; this one worked the fireplace. Flicking it on and off a few times, he finally gave up and chucked it across the coffee table before flopping back on the couch and looking over the crumpled mess of a woman passed out there.

He reached over and rubbed her hip to see if there was any life left in her for the possibility of ending the evening with at least a lay, even if it wasn’t a decent one. Seeing that she had no clue he was even in the room, he tugged a throw off the ottoman and slung it over her before peeling himself off the couch and making his way over to the kitchen.

He opened the fridge to find it perfectly stocked with all the selections in neat rows. It was as if the fridge had its own librarian. Water was on the top shelf to the left, seated next to it was a fantastic imported lager. Directly below that shelf was his yogurt, and some fresh fruits cut and covered in a fanciful way. Underneath that was what he was looking for-a tray of eggs and wedge of cheddar. He plucked out a couple of the eggs and the cheese along with the bottle of high-end water before closing the door.

The stovetop blended almost seamlessly into white marble counter top. He pushed a single solitary button and the light blue flames whipped up, beckoning for the pan. A few minutes later, he sat on the stool looking over a newspaper the maid had left for him, and eating his late night breakfast.

On the front page was a photo of the medical research team he had just returned with the night before. They were all dressed in suits and smiling, arm in arm. He chuckled at the thought that this team was more like a college fraternity than a bunch of professionals. That very picture he was looking at was taken nearly three months ago, before he left for the last mission.

The group spent that entire evening in the VIP section of London’s trendiest nightclub and ended with a morning in jail for at least one of them. None of that was mentioned in the article, however. The story was about the research they had done in Africa and how the work was going to revolutionize medicine in third world countries across the globe.

He had originally started in this field to help children. He did very well with that work, until the opportunity to start working on research to prevent the very illness he was combatting presented itself. Now he was nothing less than a pioneer in his field, sought after by both the military and pharmaceutical companies alike. Each offer topping the last in salary and benefits.

As exciting as the work was, it was also lonely and exhausting. Each and every assignment brought him to a different part of the world. He had to prepare extensively for the customs and laws of the people he encountered. Keeping a relationship was impossible. He keep contact with women he had met along the way, only to find it was useless. His assignments were far too frequent and long for anyone to remain interested in him. He tried having a girlfriend here in the UK only to come home to his flat and find her in his bed with some other guy.

His life seemed naturally relegated to women who would just have him for the night. While most men would jump at a life style like this Ben found it lacking in every way. His lifetime of hard work seemed to hold little reward until he was knee deep in fascinated, eager to learn, poor children and he missed that kind of work…deeply.

Finishing the last of his eggs, he left the plate and fork on the table for the maid to take care of in the morning. He picked up the paper one last time and tapped it on the counter, thinking to himself that his next assignment would be his last. From now on he would just go back to the roots of why he got into medicine: To help people, to save lives…to live, not just work.

~~~~~~

The next morning, he stood looking in the mirror of his loo, as he shaved. His thick, black stubbly beard never took long to grow. He then ran a comb through his curls before finishing the ringlets off with some gel to keep them in place. His dark brown eyes staring back at him as he brushed his teeth. He pumped some lotion from the high-end lotion warmer he had received as a gift last year from his brother. He gave himself a quick rub down and threw on his newest Armani shirt before turning the light off.

When he came out of the bathroom, he found all traces of last night gone. The woman-whose name he didn’t even know-had already left. His late night breakfast had been cleaned up, and there was a new paper on the counter with a piping hot travel mug next to it, all work done by a maid he had never even met. He plucked the keys to his Mercedes off the paper and snatched the paper itself up with his other hand to tuck it under his arm. Slipping his feet into his Versace shoes, he picked up the travel cup and headed out the door.

The board meeting lasted most of the day. It ended with a few of the members gathering outside the door planning the evening entertainment. Ben packed up his brief case and tried to head back home unnoticed. It was useless as a few of the guys saw him trying to zoom past them. Come on Ben, we’ve been cooped up on that boat for the past week, you must be aching to get out and have some fun. His friend grabbed his shoulder and tried to coax him back over to the frat pack to join them.

He laughed it off and backed away, Go on without me, I’m still wiped from that lovely young thing that wore me out last night. His friend hemmed and hawed for a few minutes but Ben was finally able to make a clean getaway.

He stopped by a local pub for a quick bite to eat and a drink before finally making his way home. The flat was empty and there was a stack of mail where his paper had been left this morning. A bottle of water stood tall next to it and he grabbed both as he loosened his necktie and kicked off his shoes.

Combing through the mail he found nothing of interest until he got to his telltale, government green envelope. He sat on the bed and tossed the rest of the mail onto the nightstand so he could open this one up and see what his next assignment would be. He flopped backwards on the bed and wiped his face in frustration thinking the next six months would be spent freezing his balls off in Iceland.

Chapter 1

Ben had left his lifeboat on the beach several days ago and had been trekking the frozen ground inland. These woods were like nothing he had ever seen before. Massive tangles of ancient black trees did not even sway in the bitter wind. Despite their monstrous size, they sported no leaves, so they offered no shelter from the relentless fall of snow. He had no clue where he was, only that this was not Iceland.

He had no food or water left, his hands were nearly frostbitten and exhaustion was taking over. The snow was so blinding that he couldn’t even see the figures moving toward him in the distance. He just knew that something out there was tracking him and had been for the past few days.

He suspected it was the wolves he could hear throughout the nights, but he never saw any of them. At one point he could hear the wolves tearing something apart, or being torn apart by something else. He wasn’t even sure which it was as the cries sounded the same.

After days of fighting for survival, he collapsed to his knees in the snow and just gave up. The sound of snow crunching behind him brought fear but he was in so much agony that crying out wasn’t even worth it at this point. He just sat back on his heels and prayed that whatever it was would make the kill quick. He heard the thud of his own skull being hit and everything went black.

As night fell, he found himself waking in a bed of fur. He was completely naked and the smell of hot food immediately sent his stomach into frenzy. He reached up to rub the back of his head only to find a warm rag draped across it.

A hand appeared in front of him with a rustic mug in it. His eyes widened at the appearance of the hand in front of him. Long, polished black claws and a thin layer of strawberry blond fur adorned human-like fingers. He noticed the wrist was wrapped several bracelets and trinkets as he followed the arm all the way up to its owner.

Are you thirsty? The creature looking down at him was decidedly female. She had large human-like eyes, beautifully pouty lips, and a long mane of rich, bronze hair. Her face was completely covered in a thin layer of fur that matched her hands. She motioned again to the mug. Come on now, you will need your strength. Her smile was warm and friendly but Ben was completely dumbstruck.

He sat up slowly and rubbed his face with both hands. Am I dreaming? he said, looking directly at her as he spoke.

She giggled and shoved his legs aside, taking a seat on the bed and trying to coax the cup to his lips. Now realizing how thirsty he was, he started gulping its contents greedily. She took the mug back slowly. You want some more? Her eyes twinkled as she reached for the rag on his head. She tossed it into a bucket on the floor and touched the nasty bump her brother had left. He flinched in fear and she retracted her hand for second. It is all right, I will not hurt you, I swear. He swallowed hard and lowered his hand allowing her to touch him as she continued talking. We found you fending for yourself in the woods. We were on a hunt and thought the wolves were tracking a deer. It seems they were tracking a human instead. I am surprised you are even alive because you were in rough shape.

She stood and reached for a bowl, over the fireplace filling it with some sort of stew. Then she settled down next to him and placed the bowl on his lap. She picked up a large wooden spoon and offered to feed him. He was so hungry he snatched it from her and sat more upright to shovel it in, burning his mouth a bit on the heat of the contents. He wasn’t even sure what he was tasting but it didn’t matter at this point, he wasn’t about to put it down.

When he was satisfied enough to slow down a little bit, a feeling of shame set in and he looked back at her apologetically, I’m so sorry, I don’t know what came over me.

She grabbed the bowl and stood to add more to it. Do not worry, I made plenty. But you should get your fill before my brothers get home or there will be nothing left, no matter how much I made.

He looked around the room trying to assess where he was. The fire did a lot to light the place. He was not truly sure what time of day it was as the sun barley rose even in the day this time of year. The would be dark recess of the cottage were lit with lanterns and candles. The room was round, crafted of stone and mortar and the roof above him was thatched. The makeshift bed he was on abutted a stack of shelves the held various bowls and pots for cooking. Books lined the top shelf and a tapestry acted as a curtain offering a back drop for the shelf and some privacy from the tiny dining area.

Both sides of the fireplace were flanked with rooms. The design making use of the warmth provided by the chimney. The woman placed the bowl in his lap again and sat next to him to watch him eat.

This time he made a much slower go of it, keeping his eyes trained on her the entire time. A few bites in he decided to try some questions, still convinced he was delusional. Am I medicated? I mean I see you and hear you, but my eyes are deceiving me. I’m sure of it.

The woman reached out and drew the tips of her fingers and claws across his chest. She was absolutely fascinated with how he looked. Lean with well-chiseled pecks and arms. He wasn’t nearly as tall as her island men were but she didn’t care, he was beautiful. His hair was black and curly and his skin was completely bare. There was a faint trace of hair on his chest she wasn’t even sure was really there. We are different, I know. You have no hair and your skin is so soft, like a woman’s.

He choked for a second, still eying her in utter shock as he grasped for the spot on his chest she had just stroked, and feeling as sheepish as that comment insinuated. I beg your pardon!?

His scoff drew another giggle from her. I am sorry my brothers were so hard on you. I begged them not to hit you but they can be overly cautious at times. My name is Lúta.

Well, Lúta, do your brothers look like you? he said as he rubbed his eyes, still in disbelief.

She stood and took the bowl from him after seeing he was no longer interested in the food. They look like their father, big and brawny. They act more like him too. I think I resemble my mother more, she was smaller and had hair that was fair like mine.

Oh, well then, I’m sure she’s a lovely woman if she resembles you in the slightest. He was being sarcastic but it was lost on her.

She responded with a bashful smirk instead. My parents both died a few years ago. My brothers care for me now.

He attempted to stand up but remembered he was not dressed. I’m sorry to hear that. Please forgive me. Are my clothes near? I need to attend to some personal matters.

Oh, of course, I am sorry. I had to clean your clothes. I tried to mend them but the material is a bit delicate. Honestly, I do not know how you stay warm in them. She handed him some pants that somewhat resembled his own. They now had some leather patches roughly sewn all over, and a well-crafted leather belt ran through the loops, complete with a buckle made out of a chain link. She turned her back to give him some privacy and he threw them on a fast as he could, nearly stumbling from the pain in his head.

These are fantastic. Much better than before. His compliment drew her back around to him quickly, her eyes twinkled as she smiled, revealing four fangs where her canine teeth should be. He swallowed hard at the sight. It was not something he had noticed until she smiled. She stood just a few inches shorter than him, was full figured, and wore old world style clothing. Her long dress swept the floor as she moved. The neckline revealed a very busty chest, and her fur faded into smooth skin where her cleavage started. Her physique brought to mind the plus sized models from magazines back home and he assumed she was young, possibly in her early twenties.

No sooner had he managed to buckle his belt, than the sound of a door bursting open drew both their attention. Lúta spoke to the beasts coming in. Oh good, you guys are home. The human is awake.

There were a couple of men stomping snow off their boots at the door before peeling off their armor. They both were enormous, dwarfing Ben’s six foot two stance immensely; they were covered in muscle and dark brown fur. Their leather tunics hung open at the chest and their pants hung loosely on their legs. Both men had long hair that draped their shoulders and one had a matching goatee that cascaded down his chest. Excellent! Look at him Avery, he is a good size. He will make a fine slave. As they spoke, he could see their teeth, their canines even more impressive than their sister’s. These creatures were born meat eaters, whatever they were; there was no doubt about it. Watching carefully as the beasts addressed each other, Ben determined that the creatures had to be mid-twenties as well.

I still think we should have just killed him, this is foolish, Avery responded as he sat down and accepted a bowl of stew from his sister.

Lúta turned back to him and picked up some garments to fold as she introduced her brothers. The tall one is Avery, and Bjorn is actually my eldest brother. Pay them no mind. I will be sure you are well before they put you to work. Of course you will have to earn your keep here. Do you have a name?

Yes, I’m Benjamin, but you may call me Ben. Ben had a ton of questions to ask but opted for silence and listening instead. He was dying to know where he was and who or what these people were. However, asking too many questions, especially about being a slave; can make one look defensive and at the moment, he found himself quite defenseless. Observation would clearly lead to more understanding at this point. He put on his shirt and turned to Lúta, Which way to the facilities?

Her expression was a bit blank, as his question clearly confused her, I am sorry?

When you relieve yourself where do you go? He replied.

That comment won a better response from her. Oh yes, sorry, Bjorn could you show Ben to the outhouse?

A growl rolled off the tongue of the creature with the goatee, who had just sat down. Perhaps you are right, he is already a lot of work. His comment was directed to his brother. He reluctantly stood up and threw on his armor again before gesturing to Ben to head out the door.

The moment they stepped outside Ben was dumbstruck. They were in some sort of village and every single person there looked exactly like his captors. The house he was in, was situated practically in the middle of a bustling square. Just like Bjorn and Avery, all the males were incredibly enormous. Lúta was rather short for her species as most of the women even were his size or taller, but nothing still, in comparison to their giant male counterparts.

Bjorn came up behind Ben and shoved him on his way. Come on now, I want to finish my dinner and return to work. I do not have all evening.

They rounded the building to a large outhouse and he went in, thanking the heavens that it was winter and that the smells were somewhat restricted by the temperature. Dear God, now I know I’m awake!

A few moments later, he found himself back in the cottage shaking off the cold and returning to the bed he had just gotten out of. He sat on it and pawed through the backpack he had taken from the boat to assess his supplies. A small first aid kit and a Swiss army knife were in there as well as his medical field journal and an empty canteen.

Finally he came across what he really wanted, a flask. He opened the container and took a swig. Leaning back against the wall, he enjoyed a couple more while listening to the beasts’ converse at the table. For the most part they spoke English, with only an occasional foreign tongue thrown in. Whatever language it was he could not make out. Clearly, they were having a discussion about him, but he was not meant to be part of it. It wasn’t long before one of them noticed what he was doing. What you got there, human?

Liquor. Do you drink? Ben cursed himself silently fearing that if they didn’t, that they may find the strong tasting liquid offensive.

What do you mean do I drink? Avery eyed him suspiciously.

Benjamin stood up and crossed the room offering the flask to the creature for examination. It’s alcohol.

Avery reached for the container and gave it a sniff then took a swig off it and smacked his lips. He let off a low growl before standing up and grabbing a jug off the fireplace mantle. Here, human, try that. Should warm you up a bit more than this water you are drinking.

He took a sniff of the jug and decided it smelled like vodka before taking a quick swig. He found himself clearing his throat over the heat of it and sat down to get his wind back. Both of the warriors erupted in hearty laughter. Hey, Bjorn, I think I like him after all. We will keep him.

Bjorn stood up and bent down, getting into Ben’s face with the intent of intimidating him. The predatory warning growl that vibrated the beast’s chest did just that, Yeah, human, you are safe as long as you can earn your keep. Can we trust you not to do anything stupid?

Instinctively he held the creature’s gaze, knowing full well that his life would end now should he even flinch wrong. He responded humbly, It appears I’m at a strong disadvantage in that I have no clue where I am or whose company I keep. You have my word that my only intention is to ensure I earn your respect.

Bjorn straightened up chuckling and rubbed Ben’s hair, That is good human, rest up. You start earning your keep tomorrow. The two brothers packed themselves back into their armor and each grabbed a roll of bread off the table.

As soon as they left, he got up and quietly went over to the washbasin where Lúta was scrubbing pans. If he had any hope of figuring out where he was or finding his way home it would be with her. He reached for the rag she was holding and she snatched it back and paused to look at him, confused by his action. What are you doing?

He replied, I’m sorry, Madam, I prefer to earn my keep now. Why don’t you go relax while I take care of this for you? He tugged the rag from her hand and reached into the soapy water for the pot she had just dropped. Her jaw hung open. In all her years not one time had her brothers ever washed a single dish.

Lúta retorted, That is nonsense, you should be resting. They will not be kind to you tomorrow, I promise. She put her hand on her hip and watched him work for a little while before grabbing a dry rag and going after the dishes as he finished each one. Within a few minutes, they had finished all the evening chores together and were starting on a few tasks for the next morning. He didn’t stop until she finally sat and relaxed declaring there was nothing else to do. He sat on the makeshift bed and gave the flask a final swig before pulling the covers over his head and dozing off.

Chapter 2

The next morning he was awakened by a mug of water was tossed in his face. Get up human! Bjorn laughed heartily at Ben’s expense. We have much to do today and you are going to have to prove you can pull your own weight.

He sat up, throwing on his shirt. Oh great, I thought yesterday was a complete dream. Luckily it wasn’t. He was mumbling to himself but both of the male beasts turned to him with a quizzical look. Clearly, his sarcasm was lost on them. He reminded himself that he needed to dial back that kind of behavior until he was sure what sort of temperament these creatures really had.

The first part of the day was splitting and stacking wood, something he was familiar with as he had done it as a child. The quaint farm he had grown up on in England was always in need of wood. Admittedly, he was quite out of practice and his head was still throbbing from the blow he had taken the day before. The frigid weather and excessive amounts of snow making the work all that much harder. However, he told himself it was all for the good and muscled through it.

As the day went on, he found himself cleaning out goat and sheep stalls as well as gutting a few chickens for dinner. He was dragged to the next chore, with the chickens he had just finished, still in hand. May I bring these to your sister for dinner?

Avery nodded and smiled. Of course, we need to eat tonight.

He went inside, carefully shaking off as much snow as he could and kicking off his boots to prevent any extra work for the woman he was trying to befriend. She was sitting at the table humming softly while peeling potatoes by hand. He smiled as he addressed her. Where would you like me to put these? She responded by motioning towards the kettle hanging over the fireplace. He dropped them in and turned to offer her a warm smile as he asked conversationally, How has your day been?

She was surprised by his question and paused from her work to answer it, Very unusual so far. Why does it matter?

He pulled one of the potatoes off the table and flicked out his pocketknife. In a few quick turns, he left a long coiled peeling on the table and a clean potato. Because you matter. Don’t you?

His reply caught her completely off guard, she had never mattered before, not to anyone else. Why did she matter to him? Such a curious creature, she thought to herself.

He went to the door throwing on his boots and coat again before selecting a second potato and taking a bite of it on his way out. The rest of the day, he spent skinning the hides of the animals the men had gathered on their hunt. Both of the beasts stood for several minutes admiring the work he had done on the carcasses. The blood was drained properly and when he gutted the carcasses, the work was clean and neat. His medical back ground came in handy for this type of chore.

By the time, Ben and the two warriors made it back home he was thoroughly exhausted and the food smelled so good. He was grateful to know this time he was eating chicken, especially after discovering his last meal was wolf meat. This was not something he was comfortable eating and the thought of having to make another go of it was not a welcoming one.

This time the food was served with warm ale, after the day he had he was grateful for it. As soon as they finished eating he popped up off his seat, fetched the bowls off the table, and quickly started washing them. Both of the brothers looked at each other and burst out laughing. Avery stood up and slapped Benjamin on the back, This is woman’s work human. We have plenty more for you to do outside.

He finished scrubbing the bowl he had in hand, Well since I’m here now, I might as well do what I can. When you are ready for me to go back out I will do so.

Bjorn walked over gulping the last of his ale and dropping the mug into the water basin. I say we let him finish while you and I meet the guys at Olaf’s tavern. The comment won a grunt from Avery. Bjorn slapped Ben on the back again, Have fun human.

A few minutes after they left Lúta rounded the table and pulled out her rag to dry the dishes, Are you not tired from your day of labor?

He looked over his shoulder at her casually while his hands worked rag in the washbasin. His weariness hung in his warm eyes. Of course I’m tired, but you too have been working hard all day. My work won’t end till yours does. Her response was only a curious smile as Ben feverishly finished the dishes and followed her to the next chore.

When they finished he was ready to collapse on the bed again and pulled out his field journal to add some notes about his day. Lúta poured him a shot off the jug over the fireplace and sat next to him to look over his shoulder, Tell me what it is, please?

Having taken the time to acclimatize with his surroundings as he did chores earlier he found himself a bit bewildered at the large amount of books the cottage sported. Some in English, some in other languages, most of which Ben knew. One language he had never seen before. It stood out against the others because the writing was all symbolic and from what he could tell ran backwards across the page. There were also scrolls of various nature, everything from letters to news posts around the house. All stuff he made a point not to linger on too much. Lúta seemed to watch over everything he did and he was not ready to ask her too many probing questions.

Despite her fascination with him, her trust was not earned yet, and to earn it would take some work. Ben took a sip off the shot and sat up a bit to make room for her. Can you read? he asked. She responded by shaking her head no. Well where I’m from I’m a doctor and this is a medical field journal. I have it for my work in the camp I was supposed to meet up with earlier this month.

You never met up with them? They were your people? Humans?

He folded the book and answered her. Yes they were. Unfortunately when I got out to the camp they were already gone. The group left without ever being able to communicate to me they were moving. I meant to return to my home to take a new assignment but the boat I was on sank. Some of us made the lifeboat in time but I was knocked out and when I came to, I was the only one left in the boat. I believe I left it on a beach near here.

She perked up, That explains a lot. There was a boat on the north face of the island. The warriors were fighting over some of the contents. It must have been yours.

Yeah, that was probably it. Amazingly, I was out there for days and never saw anyone. I came inland looking for help. I honestly thought I was going to die when you saved me.

Lúta pulled her claws through her hair and fluffed it up leaning forward, she was absolutely fascinated with his story, and with him. This creature came from a world where he learned to respect women. He was beautiful and so alien at the same time. While she had heard stories about human men, she had never actually seen one. Now here he was, and he was her slave. So tell me what is a doctor?

Well, we help sick people. In my homeland, I’m a very valued member of society. Doctors are both wealthy and educated. I hope to continue my work someday, because I love helping people. The comment was intentionally thought out to plant the seed in her head that he actually belonged somewhere else.

I think that is wonderful. We have sick people all the time, it would be nice to have someone to help with them. She either dismissed his insinuation or just didn’t catch it. Ben couldn’t tell which and it took a few seconds for him to realize that the proximity between them had closed dramatically.

She smelled of jasmine and he found the scent intoxicating. Her long lashes had her big brown eyes looking utterly amazing. His jaw dropped for a moment at the thought that he might be attracted to her, but as quickly