Hide My Memories: A Romantic Suspense Thriller Series (Hide Me Series Book 1) Read Online Free Page B

real first name and then that’s what you start calling me."
    West nodded. “Fair enough. What’s your name?”
    “Katerina.”
    “Katerina,”  West repeated to himself, a thoughtful look on his face. West fixed the full force of his gaze on her, and once again she was struck by his handsomeness. “That’s a beautiful name.”
    “Thank you,” Katerina breathed, her heart beating quickly.
    "Would you like to dance?" West asked, his eyes flicking to the dance floor and back.
    Katerina didn't even have to consider. Anything to keep this conversation from ending. Again she was struck by the fact that she felt the best she had all day. Thank goodness for beer and conversation. She took his hand and let him lead her onto the dance floor, not even looking for Jordan. She was having a good time finally and she was glad Jordan had brought her.
    The song playing was a slow country ballad that Katerina didn't recognize. West stopped at an open space on the dance floor and pulled her around to face him. She stepped willingly into the circle of his arms and allowed herself to melt into him. She liked him. And she had just met him. This never happened to her but she was so glad it was happening tonight. He smelled good. Like strong soap and pleasant spice. Their bodies fit together nicely, even though she only came up to his chest. She hated being short, usually. Right now she didn't mind. She could feel his corded muscles under her hand and pressed against her stomach. She leaned into him, not bothering to wonder why and how this felt so right, so quickly.
    "You're here with your friend?" he asked.
    "Yeah, she wanted to take me out tonight. I don't get out much."
    "How come?"
    She shrugged in his arms. "I work too much I guess."
    He laughed. "I know that story. I'm here with my friend too. He talked me into coming tonight because he says I work too much."
    She grinned up into his face, about to ask him what he did, when the song ended. A boot-kicker came on and the people on the dance floor jostled them, trying to get into place to line dance.
    "I don't know how to line dance," Katerina told him.
    "Okay, let's sit this one out if you want to." He led her off the dance floor and back to her table. Katerina took the last swallow of her beer and realized she needed to head to the ladies room.
    "I need to go to the restroom," she said shyly, pointing aimlessly. He smiled and pointed in the opposite direction. "It's that way"
    "Oh, thanks."
    "Before you go, could I…" He looked down and a slightly sheepish grin surfaced on his face. "Can I get your number? You know, just in case the bar catches on fire and we have to evacuate and we get lost and don't see each other again?"
    Katerina noticed a slight reddening on his cheeks and thought it was adorable. He was shy? Embarrassed? She wouldn't have imagined it. She would've thought he was a smooth operator all the way around. A lady-killer. But unless the blush was nothing more than a stellar act, he wasn't very good at this.
    She hadn’t given her number out in years. When the plan was pre-med, and then medical school, she had steadfastly refused to date, knowing men could only distract her. But hadn’t she just admitted to Jordan that medical school was no longer a guarantee? That it was almost an impossibility? So what was stopping her from dating? From giving out her number? Nothing.
    "Sure." She pulled a pen out of her purse and dug out a piece of scratch paper, quickly jotting down her cell phone number and handing it to him.
    He took it with a smile and held out a card to her. "Just in case you want mine."
    She took it and thrust it in her purse without looking at it. "Thanks. Don't go anywhere. I'll be right back." She hurried to the bathroom, cursing her small bladder.

Chapter 6
     
    Katerina hurried to the bathroom, trying to be as quick as possible. After only a moment, she realized she was feeling poorly again. As quickly as the weights of the images had seemed to lift