Chapter 1 - Accident

Zoe was driving home in the middle of the night, barely able to keep her eyes open.  She didn't know why she always tried to prove herself to people who couldn't care less.  Being the chief of cardiac surgery at the age of twenty-four was beginning to weigh on her.  It had always been her dream, but that didn't make it easy.

 

She had graduated high school at fifteen and had her choice of colleges to choose from.  Zoe had decided to go to Standford so she could move across the country far away from her parents.  They were more interested in when they were going to get their next drug fix than taking care of her.  When they did notice she was around, Zoe was their favorite punching bag.  In spite of their lack of parenting, she worked hard to ensure she didn't follow in their footsteps.  

 

With the help of her school advisor, Zoe moved to California and started over.  An older couple sponsored her so she didn't have to sleep in the dorms and would have guardians when needed, as she was under eighteen.  

 

Zoe excelled in college and finished medical school when she was twenty.  Men and women treated her like she was nothing more than a foolish teenager, even when she proved she was smarter and more successful.  She was made chief six months ago at one of the most prestigious hospitals in Los Angeles.  

 

Zoe looked in the mirror as she sat at a stoplight.  Her dark auburn hair was pulled back in a long ponytail with a few loose strands around her heart-shaped face.  Her dark blue eyes had dark circles under them that made her look older than she was.  She was only 5'5" but had an attitude that made her seem bigger than her petite size.  

 

Despite all the crap she'd dealt with her whole life, Zoe wasn't afraid of anything other than not finding love.  Even though she'd never felt love from anyone, she believed in it and hoped to experience it one day.   She often dreamt about the man that would come along and sweep her off her feet.  That didn't mean she wasn't cautious.  She did have a hard time trusting people and could usually read them pretty well after only a few minutes.  So whoever her knight in shining armor turned out to be, she knew he would have to be someone special.  

 

As she made her way through the streets of Torrence, she was only about five minutes from home when she noticed a couple of cars stopped on the side of the road.  Zoe slowed down and saw that it was an accident that appeared to have just happened.  There were no police or ambulances there yet.  She was exhausted, but she had to make sure no one needed help.  

 

When she exited the car, Zoe noticed two men standing beside the vehicle with the most damage.  They were talking to someone through the driver-side window.  From the damage to the car, the man still inside was lucky to be alive.

 

"I'm a doctor.  Is anyone injured?"  She asked, pulling on medical gloves as she approached the cars.  The two men standing outside turned to look at her.  One was around six feet stocky with muscles everywhere.  He had short black hair and brown eyes.  He studied her with interest while the other man openly gawked at her.

 

He was much taller, at least 6'5", maybe more.  He had wavy blonde hair, tanned skin, and grey eyes.  The muscles on him were so prominent Zoe briefly wondered if he was a bodybuilder.  Since neither of them seemed to want to speak, she turned toward the man in the car.

 

"I'm Zoe, and I'm a doctor.  Can I help you?"  She asked, looking him over quickly.  He had a large gash on his forehead that caused blood to flow over his face.  It also looked like his left arm might be broken.  There was no way to open the driver-side door with the damage to it, so she went to the passenger side and crawled in.  

 

"Did anyone call the paramedics?"  She asked, looking between the two men standing outside of the car.  The stocky one nodded.

 

"Yeah, we called right before you came."  He looked toward the taller one, who was still staring at Zoe as though he couldn't move.  

 

"Okay, can you get me a cloth to stop the bleeding on his head?  I could also use something firm to stabilize his arm."  While the men started trying to find what she asked for, she took off her scrub top and put it on the man's forehead.  Luckily, she had a t-shirt on underneath.  

 

"What's your name?"  She asked while holding her top to his head.

 

"Jim,"  He said softly.

 

"Alright, Jim.  I'm going to have one of them hold this on your head while I take care of your arm.  Are you having pain anywhere else?"  She asked, motioning the two men over.  

 

"No.  My head and arm are the worst, but my whole body aches."  Zoe nodded.

 

"That happens when you're hit by a car.  Can you two come here, please?  I need one of you to hold this on his head and the other to help me with his arm."  She looked at them and waited.  The stocky one handed her a book that looked like it came with the car and put his hand on Jim's head.

 

"Will this work for his arm?"  He asked.

 

"Yeah, it will be fine for now.  Thanks.  Do you have any cloth or anything I can use to tie it like a sling?"  She asked.  The tall one took off his black t-shirt handing it to her.  Zoe was momentarily distracted by seeing him without his shirt but brushed it off, handing the shirt back to him.

 

"Can you tear this into long strips so I can tie them?"  She asked, looking up into his grey eyes.  They reminded her of storm clouds from the Midwest.  He took the shirt and tore it as she asked.  Zoe was starting to wonder if he was mute.  He hadn't said anything since she arrived.  He handed the strips of fabric back to her while keeping his gaze on her face.  She almost forgot what she was doing with the intense way he stared at her.  

 

Just as she finished stabilizing Jim's arm, she heard the sirens approaching.  Zoe got out of the car as they pulled up.  She knew the paramedics and told them what she'd done.  She stood back while they went to work getting Jim out of the car.  

 

She walked over to where the other two men were standing.  Zoe couldn't explain it, but something was drawing her to the tall one.  She realized she didn't even know their names.

 

"I didn't get your names,"  She said, turning to look at them.

 

"I'm Chase,"  The stocky one said, holding his hand out to her.  After she shook Chase's hand, Zoe looked at the other one with her eyebrows raised.  

 

"I'm Ryder,"  He said softly.  His voice was deep and smooth; it made her feel like he'd wrapped her in a warm blanket.  That was nothing compared to what happened when she shook his hand.  

 

As soon as their palms touched, Zoe felt like someone had sent a jolt of electricity through her body.  She stared down at their hands and then looked up at his face.  Ryder was staring at her, but not with surprise.  It was as though he expected this reaction.  He was looking at her warily.  Almost as though he was scared of her.  A part of her wanted to lock her hand to his and tell him it was going to be okay.   Zoe wanted to say something, but she didn't know what.   However, he spoke before she had a chance to, but it was not something she expected to hear.

 

"Mate."