and soft, faded denim covered long, lean legs. A stud in the making.
“Thanks.” Breathing hard, she adjusted the pack over her shoulder. The elevators were so slow, she’d have had to wait fifteen minutes for another one. She was not a fan of empty staircases.
“No problem. What floor?” the guy asked. He scanned her from top to bottom. It wasn’t anything Abbey hadn’t been through before, but his obvious interest as he met her gaze set her stomach into a little somersault. The boy-next-door face contradicted the man-body. As far as man candy went, this guy was the whole Hershey bar inside the s’more.
“Four,” she said.
He glanced at the button panel. “You’re in luck. It’s already been pressed. That’s where I’m going.” He lifted a dark eyebrow and gave her a killer grin. He couldn’t have been more than twenty-one. She ignored him.
The doors slid slowly closed with a groan and imparted less than a miniscule amount of hope that the car would actually get them to the fourth floor.
“Beautiful day today, don’t you think?” he asked.
She resisted the eye roll and gave a quick noncommittal nod. She wasn’t much for small talk with strange men. No matter how cute or sexy.
The car jerked up, then down, then back up again and they both grabbed onto the wall for support. It jolted again and he let fly a “what the fuck!” Her “shit on a stick,” came right on its heels. Another jolt knocked her off balance and Abbey fell forward. Her elevator buddy reached out an arm and caught her before she slammed into the closed elevator doors.
“You okay?” he asked as she straightened.
She nodded, adrenaline rushing through her veins. The car stood completely still. No sound, no movement. “Wow. That caught me by surprise.”
“Caught us both by surprise,” he admitted. They looked around the small car, silent and waiting for a very long minute. “This does not bode well,” he said, folding his arms across his chest.
She agreed with a nod. “Isn’t there supposed to be a phone in here? Or a button for emergencies?” She scanned the panel for any kind of guide, and dropped her pack on the floor.
“You’d think so.” He looked at the roof and she followed his gaze.
She didn’t see a panel someone might crawl through. Duh. She whipped out her cell phone from her pocket and held it up. “Good thing we’ve got phones.”
His smile leveled her. It didn’t just knock her back, it nearly knocked her out. When he flashed his amazing straight white grin, she felt another shot of flutters in her stomach, but she was used to pretty faces so she remained immune to this one. There were worse things than being stuck in an elevator with a gorgeous guy. He was probably harmless.
Abbey called 911, explained the situation, gave the dispatcher her number and disconnected the call. “We may be here awhile.”
He checked his watch and sighed. “Great. Guess I need to make a phone call too.” He plucked his phone from his back pocket and scrolled for the number he wanted. “Hey. It’s me. I’m here, but I’m stuck in the elevator. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He listened. “Okay.” He ended the call and put the phone back.
They stood there for a minute, but it felt more like ten. It seemed stupid to be stuck and not say anything to each other. What if they spent the next hour here together? Or ten? She looked around the small space and swallowed. No way could she handle that many hours in this little box.
“Uh... I’m Blake.” He stuck his hand out.
Taking a steadying breath, Abbey took his hand. “Abbey. Hi.” It was big and warm and nearly engulfed hers. “Ever been stuck in an elevator before?”
He shook his head. “Can’t say as I have. First time for everything, I guess. You?”
“Nope. First time.” But she had been locked in a dark closet for half a day. Abbey took another breath and concentrated on calm. No need to panic. She’d probably be out of here in no
“Thanks.” Breathing hard, she adjusted the pack over her shoulder. The elevators were so slow, she’d have had to wait fifteen minutes for another one. She was not a fan of empty staircases.
“No problem. What floor?” the guy asked. He scanned her from top to bottom. It wasn’t anything Abbey hadn’t been through before, but his obvious interest as he met her gaze set her stomach into a little somersault. The boy-next-door face contradicted the man-body. As far as man candy went, this guy was the whole Hershey bar inside the s’more.
“Four,” she said.
He glanced at the button panel. “You’re in luck. It’s already been pressed. That’s where I’m going.” He lifted a dark eyebrow and gave her a killer grin. He couldn’t have been more than twenty-one. She ignored him.
The doors slid slowly closed with a groan and imparted less than a miniscule amount of hope that the car would actually get them to the fourth floor.
“Beautiful day today, don’t you think?” he asked.
She resisted the eye roll and gave a quick noncommittal nod. She wasn’t much for small talk with strange men. No matter how cute or sexy.
The car jerked up, then down, then back up again and they both grabbed onto the wall for support. It jolted again and he let fly a “what the fuck!” Her “shit on a stick,” came right on its heels. Another jolt knocked her off balance and Abbey fell forward. Her elevator buddy reached out an arm and caught her before she slammed into the closed elevator doors.
“You okay?” he asked as she straightened.
She nodded, adrenaline rushing through her veins. The car stood completely still. No sound, no movement. “Wow. That caught me by surprise.”
“Caught us both by surprise,” he admitted. They looked around the small car, silent and waiting for a very long minute. “This does not bode well,” he said, folding his arms across his chest.
She agreed with a nod. “Isn’t there supposed to be a phone in here? Or a button for emergencies?” She scanned the panel for any kind of guide, and dropped her pack on the floor.
“You’d think so.” He looked at the roof and she followed his gaze.
She didn’t see a panel someone might crawl through. Duh. She whipped out her cell phone from her pocket and held it up. “Good thing we’ve got phones.”
His smile leveled her. It didn’t just knock her back, it nearly knocked her out. When he flashed his amazing straight white grin, she felt another shot of flutters in her stomach, but she was used to pretty faces so she remained immune to this one. There were worse things than being stuck in an elevator with a gorgeous guy. He was probably harmless.
Abbey called 911, explained the situation, gave the dispatcher her number and disconnected the call. “We may be here awhile.”
He checked his watch and sighed. “Great. Guess I need to make a phone call too.” He plucked his phone from his back pocket and scrolled for the number he wanted. “Hey. It’s me. I’m here, but I’m stuck in the elevator. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He listened. “Okay.” He ended the call and put the phone back.
They stood there for a minute, but it felt more like ten. It seemed stupid to be stuck and not say anything to each other. What if they spent the next hour here together? Or ten? She looked around the small space and swallowed. No way could she handle that many hours in this little box.
“Uh... I’m Blake.” He stuck his hand out.
Taking a steadying breath, Abbey took his hand. “Abbey. Hi.” It was big and warm and nearly engulfed hers. “Ever been stuck in an elevator before?”
He shook his head. “Can’t say as I have. First time for everything, I guess. You?”
“Nope. First time.” But she had been locked in a dark closet for half a day. Abbey took another breath and concentrated on calm. No need to panic. She’d probably be out of here in no
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