Free Of Royal Descent by Ember Shane Page A

consciousness.

 
    7
     
     
     
     
    "Sir, can you hear me?  Can you tell me your name?" 
    A feminine voice floated down to me, and although I registered the meaning of the words, my mouth wasn't cooperating with a response. 
    My eyes fluttered opened, and I was rewarded with a view of a hot girl leaning over me.
    "Sir!   Can you tell me your name?"
    I grimaced.  Why was she yelling at me?  Her face was only a few inches from mine, and my eardrums reverberated inside my skull.
    "Yes, it's Doyle.  Please stop shouting at me." 
    I started to sit up, and immediately she braced her hand against my back to keep me steady.  Once righted, I leaned back against the counter and made eye contact with the girl who was kneeling in front of me.  Good God, she was beautiful.  I began to smile.  She smiled in response.
    " Are you okay?  Did you hurt anything?"
    "Just my pride," I replied with a half-smile.  "I've never actually fainted before." 
    "Are you diabetic?  Epileptic?  Anemic?"
    I shook my head, "No, no, and no - at least not that I'm aware of."
    “You should probably go and get checked out.  You could have hit your head.”
    “No, I’m fine, really.”
    Now that my immediate well-being had been verified, business resumed in the restaurant , and the next in line began to order as I inched my way up off the floor.  The girl cupped my elbow and led me to the closest table.
    "Sit down a minute, until you feel like yourself.  I'll be right back."
    I watched her head toward the counter and grab my order before she returned to my table, placing the bag and drink in front of me.
    "I haven't even paid yet," I realized. 
    She smiled a blinding smile, and my breathing hitched.  "Don't worry, I paid," she said.
    "Oh, here, let me pay you back," I replied, leaning to my left and groping for my wallet in my right cargo pocket.
    "No.  Just pay me back by eating it," she stated firmly enough that I quit fishing for my wallet.
    "Well, okay.  Thanks .  That's very nice of you," I fumbled in way of expressing my gratitude.  "Hey, wait, I don't even know your name."
    "It's Adeline.  But everyone calls me Addy." 
    "Well, Addy, it's nice to meet you," I said, extending my right hand in a feeble excuse to touch her.
    "Likewise," she said, the corners of her mouth drawing up as if we shared some private joke. 
    She reached across the table, taking my hand in hers.  I lingered just a moment , feeling the warmth of her palm, before releasing her grasp.
    It could have been my imagination, but in the moment before I let go of her hand, I felt a tangible spark between us.  Her lashes lowered , and I wondered if she had felt it too.
    A restaurant employee approached the table and handed Addy a to-go cup of coffee.
    "This one's on the house.  It's the least we can do for looking after one of our customers."
    Addy smiled and thanked the girl before she turned and made her way back to the counter.  I took the opportunity to quickly look her over from head to waist, as that's as far down as the table between us would allow. 
    She had long , chestnut hair that formed soft waves, at least as far as I could tell.  It had been pulled back into a tight ponytail with only a few small wisps free to frame her face.  Her eyes were large and brown and framed by thick, dark lashes. 
    Her skin was smooth and pale but not in the sickly fashion.  Quite the opposite, as it seem to glow with health.  I had a brief vision of Addy slathering on moisturizing sunscreen with an SPF of 100 while drinking organic milk, and somehow I knew, from that moment forward, sunscreen and milk would forever turn me on.
    She wore a light blue top, which I had just realized was a scrub top, when she returned her attention to me. 
    "You should eat.  It ’ll make you feel better," she said, holding my gaze.
    "Right, " I answered, drawing one of the sandwiches from the bag. 
    The smell hit me again , and I wondered if I was going to faint twice in one