Free Bound For Me by Natalie Anderson Page A

thoughts.
    He stood. But hesitated.
    “Don’t worry,” Krista spoke. “I’ve got her.”
    He met the girl’s eyes. Saw she meant it. Realized for the first time that she was upset too. Savannah was more than her workmate? She was her friend.
    “Thanks,” he muttered, his voice croaking out on him. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
     
     

 
    Chapter Five
     
     
    Worst. Headache. Ever .
    Savannah’s eyes wouldn’t open. Good. She wanted to go back to sleep anyway. Anything to escape the totally crappy feeling swirling in her stomach and the ringing-and-thumping combo in her head.
    What on earth had she done last night?
    Her eyelids popped open. She stared at the wall. It was the palest blue, which meant it definitely wasn’t the wall in her bedroom in her undersized apartment. She blinked a couple of times, taking in the beautifully framed series of photographs, hanging in a perfect line along the wall. Definitely not her place. This was… somewhere else altogether.
    Where?
    Her pulse thundered in her ears. She winced, then froze. Because her pulse wasn’t the only rhythm ricocheting around her head. There was the sound of breathing too. Not her quickening breathing, but some one else’s deep, regular breathing.
    Holy shit. She wasn’t alone in this big bed?
    What the hell had she done last night? And with whom?
    But thinking hurt and all she could come up with was a confusing jumble of scenes. She remembered the bar being busy, noisy. Krista and Luca being as kissy as always. The usual crowd clamoring for more cocktails. The jerks irritatingly obnoxious…   All the images swirled in her head. Damn she felt seasick. But then they merged into the one picture.
    Passionate blue eyes. Ultra short hair. Strong, strong arms. She remembered a sensation of weightlessness.
    No. He couldn’t have been there, right? And if he had, if by some weird happening she’d come home with him… With one hand she carefully peeked under the covering down at herself—it seemed she was still wearing her shirt and black skirt from the bar. Yeah, she’d thought so. And if she had come home with him, wouldn’t she be naked ? Unless they’d done it clothed again? How could she not remember?
    Very slowly she turned her head, hoping not to wake him, hoping not to hurt her head more, hoping she’d at least recognize the person she was lying next to. That it was him.
    But she wasn’t lying next to anyone. The other occupant in the room was curled up in a gorgeously comfortable looking armchair. And Savannah totally recognized that sprawl of dark blond hair.
    “ Krista? ” she screeched, her voice total sandpaper.  
    “You’re awake.” Krista jerked upright. “Wow. Thank God. Great. You’re okay?”
    “Uh… I think so…” She read the concern in Krista’s eyes. “Am I?” She licked her hideously dry lips. “Should I be? What happened?”
    Krista unfolded herself from the chair. Savannah watched her wince as she straightened up. Why was her colleague clad top to toe in such obviously straight-from-the-packaging Summerhill sportswear?  
    “I’ve been with you all night and you’ve been tucked up here the whole time.” Krista came forward, speaking super-quick, as if she’d been saving up the small speech for hours. “You’re safe. You’re totally safe.”
    Safe? Why wouldn’t she be safe? And where was here?
    “Well that’s good. I guess.” Savannah muttered, wishing Krista would clarify things a little more.
    Why couldn’t she remember anything? What the hell had been going on? She pushed herself up, wincing at an unexpected pain in her hand. She glanced at it and paused—why did she have a needle inserted into the back of her hand and taped on?  
    Krista smiled and audibly sighed in relief. “Yep, you’re okay. But man, I’ve never seen the Icicle looking so emotional.” She moved to pour a couple of glasses of water from the pitcher on a tray beside the bed. “Frankly, he looked hot.” She