Love Unexpected by Anne Leigh Read Free Book Online Page B

about.
     
    “Brennan, I have to go. Got some things to do today,” I hurriedly said on the phone and without waiting for his response, I said bye.
     
    I fell back in bed. The down pillow on my neck felt so good. For a few minutes, I breathed in and out. The gravitational laws of Physics running through my head, was helping me gain control of myself, of the situation. And I hated this feeling. Here’s what I get for sucking face with a guy I barely knew. This was so not me.
     
    Before I completely freaked out, I tried to banish all thoughts of Brennan, Zander, and of everyone else from my head. 
     
    My thoughts wandered to my dad’s house’s front porch in Santa Monica. A feeling of peace engulfed me as I created a mental image of the ocean waves slashing against the rocks and the clear blue skies reflecting on the waters. I missed this. The hectic school and work schedules, the break-up with Brennan, the drama of last night and today – it was all weighing me down now. I needed to get away from it all. I needed to gain back control and solitude. 
     
    I reached for my phone, looked at the screen, and pressed Off.
     
    Around 7:30 PM, I returned to my apartment. I spent the whole day shopping (more like window shopping), driving (more like cruising) around my favorite Bay Area spots, and walking around the beach while gorging on a hamburger, curly cheese fries, and Strawberry Sundae.
     
    In between the shopping, driving, and walking, I solved chemistry and physics equations at the beach. My dad gave me this book for Christmas a year ago. I’ve finished a lot of these books throughout the years. When things spun out of control, solving numerical problems calmed me down. Solving mathematical problems was easy; equations always gave me answers. Kieran used to ask me why I didn’t major in Physics or Math or Astrophysics and my answer always was, “Then, how will I be able to calm myself if that’s what I did every day?”
     
    I knew I probably had a borderline obsessive-compulsive disorder; I liked to control things that I could control. I found comfort in numbers. Literally. Normally, solving 5 problems calmed me down. Today, 15 tempered down my anxiety. My control was slipping. Not a good sign.
     
    Thoughts of Zander and his effect on my life lingered. When I reached my place, I figured Nalee and Tanya weren’t home yet because the apartment was double-locked from the outside. I felt relaxed as I sat on the couch after changing into my pink Hello Kitty T-shirt and matching shorts. This was a gift from Nalee. She loved the stuff and since she couldn’t hoard the stuff without looking crazy, she bought it for her friends too. She used Tanya and me as an excuse to buy more Hello Kitty stuff.
     
    I laid my legs atop the dark brown ottoman and turned on the TV. After scrolling through the channels, I settled on the Food Network.
     
    I was about to end my phone calls/phone text hiatus, when I heard the doorbell ring.
     
    It was probably Nalee. She always forgot her keys.
     
    I was wrong.
     
    Standing on the other side of the door was the guy who caused all the raucous this morning. In his low-rise dark blue jeans, off- white shirt, and slightly mussed hair, he reminded me of the strawberry sundae that I had this afternoon. Sweet, dripping with goodness, and lickable. And boy, when he looked at me those gorgeous eyes of his, coupled with a slight smile on his slightly reddened lips, my womb clenched.
     
    His eyes smoldered in heat as he took in my outfit.
     
    “Hey,” his voice husky. He scanned my face as if he was looking for something in my expression.
     
    I stared at him for what must have been like a few seconds, maybe a minute, mesmerized by his heated look.
     
    “Hi,” I said awkwardly.  I stepped aside to let him in.
     
    As he passed me by, I smelled the clean, masculine scent that was naturally his. My body was heating up and his nearness was sending my pheromones into overload.
     
    We