Mr. Rothe - Lynn Hagen Page 0,1

like those three monkeys. Blind, deaf, and damn it, what was the other one? Oh yeah, mute.

The stranger was alive, unharmed, so I had done my duty as a human being. No further steps were needed. Mind your own and move along.

But I grabbed the card from Emerson’s pocket and looked it over. Sue me. I was wildly curious to know who this stud was. I needed a name to go along with the fantasies I would have later tonight.

Gabriel Rothe. He worked at Russo and Associates. It was a law firm that even I had heard of. The building was located in the downtown area, pretty sleek, which meant this lawyer was pricey and rich.

He was also gorgeous as hell. The kind of guy a gay man wouldn’t mind licking to an orgasm. My tongue was raring to go, but Emerson was the biggest damn cockblocker.

“Let’s go back inside.” Emerson tried to tug at me, and I let out a high-pitched cry. My freaking elbow.

Gabriel moved a step closer. “You should get that looked at.”

“I can’t. I don’t have insurance.” Fuck, it hurt, badly. I wanted to pull my arm off just to stop the pain. Too bad limbs weren’t detachable. I’d take my arm off and hand it over to the sexy stud and tell him to have it serviced and I’d pick it up later.

God, that saké really was going to my head.

“Since you saved me from a speeding car, I’ll take care of the hospital bill,” Gabe offered.

“You can’t trust him,” Emerson argued. “Just because he’s wearing a fancy suit doesn’t mean he has money. He’ll stick you with the bill that you can’t afford.”

Gabriel looked down at me, and god, I was a sucker for pretty eyes, especially ones that had thick lashes surrounding them. “Go to the hospital. Your bill will be taken care of. You have my word.”

He was a complete stranger, yet there was something in the way he looked at me, something in his deep, smooth voice that made me want to trust him. Maybe while I was at the hospital I’d have my head examined.

I suspected it was also the saké. But I couldn’t go home in this much pain. I wasn’t sure even ice would help. “If you stick me with the bill, I know where you work.”

With a dip of his head, Gabriel turned and walked away. God, even his walk was sexy. You see all those hot Hollywood stars on the big screen or on television, but how many good-looking guys does someone run into in real life?

For me, zero. All the hunks had to live in California, but there was one right here in Ridgeview, and I’d just saved his life. I wasn’t what one would consider sexy. I was an average Joe, a four on the looks scale. I had a little extra weight around my stomach, love handles as they were called, and unruly curly black hair.

So, when a ten on the looks scale paid me attention, and even talked to me, I was putty in his hands. Pathetic, right? Tell me you wouldn’t have been awestruck if some gorgeous guy had spoken to you.

“I know that dreamy look,” Emerson said. “Don’t even think about it. You know I love you, but I have to be honest, he’s way out of your league.”

“You think I don’t know that?” I still had my arm cradled to my chest, and it was still throbbing badly. “But a guy can fantasize.”

“Let’s get our meals boxed and then head over to the hospital.” Emerson walked back into the noodle place, but I lingered outside, looking down the street, although Gabe was no longer in sight.

I sighed heavily. “What a man.”

Gabe had left his card, and even after a doctor patched me up, I planned on using that card. I just had to think of a good enough excuse to call him.

* * * *

For two days since the incident outside the noodle restaurant and after I’d gone to the hospital—my arm was now in a sling because my elbow had been bruised, not broken, thank fuck—I felt as if I was being watched.

I hadn’t seen any suspicious-looking people, but the hairs on my neck were constantly on end. It was just that spooky feeling that came over someone, some kind of intuition.

Of course, I could be totally full of shit and just being paranoid after what had happened the other night. I have been known to be flaky