Damaged: An Erotic Romance Story by Laurie Mackenzie

A STRANGERS TOUCH
     
    Jessica gulped back the sob that formed a hard lump in her throat. Shoving her groceries into the bag, she repeated the mantra in her head:
    ‘Get to the car, Jess. Hold it together until you get to the car.’ Exhaling a ragged breath, she gave a tense, forced smile to the lady behind the checkout and dashed towards the exit of the store. Fumbling around in her handbag for her car keys, Jess stabbed the fob in the cars direction and yanked the door, collapsing into the seat and throwing the shopping into the back. She pulled down the sun visa and stared at her stern dark eyes in the small mirror.
    “When is this sadness gonna end?” She questioned herself aloud. As soon as the words had left her lips, she saw the pretty face reflecting back at her crumple into an ugly distortion of misery and turned away as the tears started to spill. Pressing her forehead onto the steering wheel, Jessica cried noisily in the sanctuary of her car, struggling to suck snatches of air between the mournful releases of despair.
    Suddenly, what felt like a large, invisible hand forced Jessica’s head into the hard wheel, accompanied by an ear shattering explosion. Jess tried to raise her head, eyes wide in horror and confusion. But as she did so, the bright parking lot ahead of her burst into black dots and she slumped, un-conscious and lifeless against the car door.
    As a fuzz of orange sunlight filtered through her eyelids, Jess felt as though she were swimming up from the bottom of a lake - muffled sounds and blurred shapes became slowly clearer. She could feel a hand on her arm. The car door was open and she was aware of the cool breeze on her bare legs. Focusing on the hand, her gaze followed up a tanned, muscular forearm to a broad shoulder, covered with a soft blue t-shirt. Vision clearing further, she noticed an intricate tattoo peeking out from the neckline of the shirt and then looked up into stunning grey eyes that were flecked with breathtaking green. As the tingling from coming round subsided, a new tingling in the pit of her stomach started as she stared into the face of the strange man. Jessica realised the stranger’s mouth was moving, that he was talking to her and that those beautiful eyes were filled with considerable concern.
    “Miss , are you ok? Can you talk?” Feeling startled as reality dawned on her, Jess attempted to get up from the seat.
    “Don’t try and move yet.” T he man stroked her hairline gently. “We’re just waiting on the paramedics to come check you over. How do you feel?”
    “I...what happened?” Jessica’s mouth was sticky and dry and a sense of alarm began to build as she noticed a sharp, throbbing pain in her head.
    “I’m so, so sorry.” Clasping her hand between both of his, the stranger knelt on the asphalt and began to explain in earnest: “I wasn’t looking....going too fast. I...I’m afraid I reversed into your vehicle. You must have hit your head, you passed out. I’m so sorry. The ambulance is coming. You’ll be ok. Does it hurt?”
    Despite herself, the circumstance and the crowd of twenty onlookers peering at her, Jess had to laugh at the extreme sincerity of this gorgeous man.
    “Ow!” She exclaimed, putting tentative fingers up to her lips and then examining the blood left on them.
    “You’ve got a bit of a cut on your lip I’m afraid, and your nose looks a little bruised.” He squeezed her hands and looked down. “I’m sorry.”
    This time, Jess laughed without stretching her lips. “Stop apologising, please.” She insisted. “My head feels a bit sore but otherwise I think I’m ok.” She wiggled her feet and the fingers on her free hand as if to prove it. “See!”
    “I’m so glad. I’m such an idiot.” The man shook his head. “I’m Nathan, by the way. But I’ll give you all my details for the insurance, of course.”
    “Okay.” Nodding, she added; “I’m Jess.” A burst of a siren made both of them jump, and Nathan