Chapter 1

*Sierra*

My gaze dropped from the road to the map beside me as I tried to figure out if I was actually on the right road. I'd been driving for almost eight hours and my new apartment was supposed to be five hours from my old one. I let my eyes take in my surroundings, wondering if there was anyone I could ask for directions.

Luckily, I spotted a coffee shop a few blocks down the road. I drove a little faster, suddenly wanting to get some food. I hadn't bothered with breakfast this morning, too anxious to leave. Turning into an empty parking space, I put the car to a stop.

I picked up my purse and car keys and then shut the door, locking the car. Taking a step towards the front door, I noticed that the gas station was actually bigger than I'd thought. I raised my head high, refusing to feel little for parking my old dingy car amongst others which looked way more expensive.

There was a tall blonde guy behind the counter. He looked up from his cleaning the second I walked in, the tiny bell hanging from the doorpost signalling him of my presence. He seemed to be in his early twenties, looking a little out of place for some reason.

I walked past the tables to where he stood, the noise from the room drowning out the clinking sounds from my ankle boots. I sat down on a stool by the bar, taking in my surroundings. "A cup of coffee please," I requested. "Cream, no sugar."

Barely a minute later, my coffee had been placed in front of me. My eyebrows were raised in surprise. I hadn't expected it to be ready so fast. "That was fast," I couldn't help complimenting.

"Not fast enough," was the reply I got from him. I lifted my eyelids, taking him in. The corner of his lips was lifted in a small smirk and he held my gaze even as he cleaned.

His eyes were a light shade of blue and he kept his blonde hair long enough that it fell in front of his face. He was cute, but sadly not my type. Not like anything would have changed anyway if he was. I was taking a break from men after catching my fiance in bed with one of my friends the night before our wedding.

It was why I'd needed a change of scenery, and quick too. I loved Mark, and I'd thought he loved me just as much. Turns out he lobed satisfying his dick a little more. Pushing all thoughts of him to the back of my mind before my mood changed, I smiled up at the bartender.

"Excuse me, but do you have any idea where Lakeside avenue is?" I asked halfway into my coffee. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion and my stomach dropped disappointedly, knowing he wouldn't be able to help me out from his expression.

He gave his head a shake, his hair shaking lightly with the movement. "I'm sorry, I just started here today and I don't where that is." He said rather politely. My face fell at his response but I still mustered a smile at him before turning my attention back to my coffee.

"Do you know anyone who might be of help?" I heard myself asking after a while. He stared at me for a few seconds, probably mulling my question around in his head. He gave his head another shake a few seconds later.

"No, I'm sorry."

I felt my heart drop. I wanted to ask him to please ask anyone who had worked longer in the shop but I felt suddenly numb after his response. Maybe numb wasn't the right word though.

I felt tired. I could literally feel the last bit of strength I had seeping away from me. How much was I going to take? It looked like it wasn't my week at all. I'd got my heart broken at the start after all and now I was having a hard time finding an apartment I should have moved into about four hours ago.

My chest constricted and my eyes stung. Paying for the coffee, I took the remainder left in the cup and practically bolted out of the room before I embarrassed myself and cried in front of him or anyone else.

Hearing the door click behind me, I pushed my legs forward and began running to close the short distance between myself and my out of place car. I'd barely gotten far when I bumped into someone.

Hard.

Two strong arms quickly darted out to break my fall and I watched in mild shock as my coffee slipped from my grip and spilled over his white shirt. Brown splotches were splashed around the front of his chest in no time and I almost prayed that the ground would just open and swallow my entire being.

"I'm so sorry," I quickly apologized, taking a few steps away from him. Could I be anymore dumb? I lifted my gaze to his face and felt my entire body flush an embarrassed shade of red. Trust me to humiliate myself in front of someone who was looking so cool and collected.

His eyebrows pinched briefly in irritation as he stared down at his ruined shirt. He tried to mask it though when he lifted his head to stare at me, and I felt a little surprise that he wouldn't want me to see his displeasure even though I'd clearly been in the wrong not watching were I was going.

"It's fine," He responded, his voice hoarse. He looked at me like he was trying to figure me out. His voice was silky and deep. He sounded like he may have crawled out of bed. The hairs at the back of my neck stood. "It was an accident."

My breath hitched when he locked gazes with me. Dark eyes stared back down at me, his gaze making me motionless. He had dark brown hair, short on the sides and longer in the front. The way they shook ever so slightly with the wind made me want to run my hands through them.

He was fucking hot. The true definition of tall, tanned and handsome. A strong jaw, high cheekbones and arms that I already knew were strong, he looked like he could be a model. Maybe he even was. I tried to say something but my throat wasn't working. I felt my pulse race.

His gaze ran the length of my body. I tried to remember what I looked like. I was wearing a tee, ripped jeans and black boots. I cursed myself silently for not bothering to put on make up before I left my former apartment. It had been really hard trying to figure out what my life would be without Will in it.

His fixed stare moved back up my body at an even slower pace than they had moved down. I felt hot everywhere. Good to know I wa still capable of being turned on. Guess it was just my heart in pain and nothing else.

My heart began beating again when he dropped his attention to his wrist watch. Now that I seemed to have come out from my trance, I took him in properly. He was dressed so formally I was willing to bet he had been headed for a meeting.

And I'd just ruined his shirt.

If his jacket hadn't been unbuttoned, I probably would have ruined that as well. Feeling different shades of foolish, I tried to sift my brain for a solution. My eyes picked up on the supermarket a few blocks down the coffee shop.

"I could try to get it cleaned," I heard myself saying. He snapped his gaze back to me, his eyebrows drawing together as he obviously wondered how I was going to get that to happen.

I pointed at the store down the road. He turned his head, following my finger. His expression was one of surprise, as though he was only just noticing that there was infact a supermarket down the road.

"Would you be quick?" He asked politely, string down at his wrist again. His next words confirmed what I'd already guessed. "I have to be in a meeting in about thirty minutes."

"Of course," I heard myself shaking. I offered him a small smile as I walked to my car, proud that I'd gotten myself together and wasn't the tongue-tied clumsy mess that I'd been earlier.

I forced myself to walk to my car with my head held high, once again refusing to be embarrassed. My car was more than ugly and it wasn't exactly in good condition either. I knew it, but I didn't have enough money to do a thing about it.

Unlocking the door, I leaned over the car seat and opened the trunk of the car. Closing the door and circling to the back, I reached inside the trunk and took out the pack of detergent that I'd packed in. Picking up my hair dryer, I carefully shut the trunk.

Tall, tanned and handsome was in front of my car, his gaze trailing my every move In a way that made me a little uncomfortable. Forcing myself to meet his eyes, I nodded in the direction of the supermarket, signalling that we could get going.

He gave me a small nod, falling into step beside me. I tried to walk a little hurriedly, not in the mood to make small talk with him. Luckily, he didn't seem to be in the mood to make small talk with me either. I could only feel his stare burning into the side of my face as I wondered when he was going to drift his attention to something else.

He didn't take his eyes off me the entire way to the store.

***

One of the workers had been kind enough to show us to the bathroom. I wasn't sure what I expected when I walked into the female bathroom but it was definitely not him also walking in and shutting the door.

It dawned on me when I heard the bolt drive home that I was locked in the bathroom with an absolute stranger whose name I didn't even know yet. He could be a murderer or a serial killer for all I know.

And I would have foolishly made myself his next victim.

"Relax," He said on a chuckle, noticing the look on my face. His dark eyes twinkled with a bit of humor just as he moved his hands to take off his jacket. "I just thought that we could use a little privacy."

This was dumb, I said to myself even as I waited for him to finish taking his shirt off. In my defense, I had never done this before. I've never found myself locked in a room with someone I'd met barely an hour ago. I eyed his form, still trying to decide whether or not I felt safe with him.

"Here," He said, handing me his jacket, pinning me with his stare. I bit the inside of my cheeks trying not to ogle him. Any more than I'd already had that it. From a corner of my eyes I took note of his bare chest and rock hard abs.

I collected the shirt from him, glad I was still somehow able to act cool despite my internal turmoil. Almost hurriedly, I began washing off the coffee stain. He made no move to start up a conversation or even introduce himself, choosing to watch me instead.

My face felt hot and for a second I wondered if he could hear my heart beat. This was a new record for. Standing alone Ina bathroom with a shirtless stranger.

A shirtless hot stranger who was yet to introduce himself. Then again I wasn't being forthcoming with the introductions either.

"Do you maybe know where Lakeside avenue is?" I finally asked to break the silence. Thankfully, he did. His voice semi-echoed in the bathroom as he tried to explain how I was going to be able to get there.

Something about a left turn and a huge signpost. I already knew I was going to still be lost for at least half an hour. My sense of direction was complete shit. Which was understandable since I didn't drive around that much.

In a few minutes, I'd washed and dried his shirt and handed it back to him. I tried to act natural as he got back dressed. We both stepped out of the stall, ignoring the disapproving look an old lady shot us. We walked the short distance back to the supermarket.

He thanked me then, entered into his car and drove off.I had only one thought in mind as I dumped the detergent and hair dryer in the passenger seat of my car.

I hadn't even gotten his name.