I've always been a sucker for brown eyes. I don't even know why, because usually it means the person is full of shit. I've had my fair share of guys full of shit. It's not a pleasant journey. It's the kind of feeling that makes you want to pull out your hair and scream out in frustration. Sadly, both of those things aren't exactly considered healthy. Or normal for that matter.

I spent the better part of my life looking for this perfect love story, only to be let down after a series of crappy ones. The moment I decided to stop looking, a story that just might be love literally collided with me.

My mind was elsewhere as I drove home. Instead of paying attention to the road, I was lost in thinking about how shitty of a hand I'd been dealt lately. My latest ex, Johnny, did a real number on me, leaving me untrusting of men and ready to be a crazy cat lady for the rest of my life. I'd given up on love. I'd given up on happiness. I'd even given up on myself.

I was currently in yoga pants and a crappy t-shirt, hair strung out all over the place, coming back home from my latest ice cream binge, when I heard a loud honk. Before I could look up and correct myself back into the proper lane, we hit. Metal crunching metal pounded in my ears, along with glass breaking as a series of clips of my entire life flashed before my eyes.

When the car came to a complete stop, I slammed my fists against the steering wheel, and started to cry.

"Fuck!" I screamed in frustration. "Could this day get any worse?"

I started cursing at no one, and a loud tapping noise caused me to jerk my head back to the only window that wasn't busted out.

"You okay?" A tall hunk of a man asked. All I could do was stare.

Jesus, get your shit together Lil. Stop ogling the man and answer him.

I couldn't seem to form words so I just nodded. The deep cut V was peeking out of his low hung jeans and sadly, it was currently right at my eye level.

Self-consciously, I wiped at my mouth, sure that there was drool there.

"Did you fall asleep or something?" He asked, his eyes staring at me so intensely I could literally feel it without having to look up.

I mean I didn't blame him, as I had yet to do anything but stare at his crotch and nod my head. Peeling my eyes up to his, I swallowed hard as I realized they were brown.

Fuck my life.

"No. I apologize, I wasn't paying attention." I finally said. "Let me just get my insurance card."

I reached in the passenger seat for my purse, but it was gone. Probably thrown somewhere in the commotion. I started to panic, as my purse held the only bit of money I had left since Johnny left me with an apartment I couldn't afford, and no job to sustain myself or my lifestyle.

"I uh, I can't seem to find my purse." I said, turning back to the guy.

He was smiling at me, in a weird way, that unnerved me completely. It was like he could see straight through me, to all the darkness I tried to keep at bay inside. Lately, it had gotten harder and harder to hide my hatred of myself and the world I lived in. As each day passed, I felt that mask slipping further and further out of reach.

"Why don't you get out of the car, and I can help you look?" He said, offering me a hand.

I looked down at his hand, imagining what it would feel like roaming across my body and bit down hard on my lip. The copper taste of blood was heavy on my tongue.

Don't take his hand. Just don't.

Instead, I reached for the door handle and tried in vain to open it. It seemed to be stuck. I reached for the seatbelt and started to panic all over again as it refused to let me go.

"I can't get out." I said, trying to keep the fear out of my voice.

I turned back to the man, but he was gone. A tear slipped out of my eye as I realized I was stuck here with no help.

Where the hell did he go? Did I imagine him?

A noise in the back had me twisting and trying to figure out what the hell was going on. I couldn't seem to even turn around though. My legs were pinned by the dash and I was just starting to feel the pain as shock quickly turned into something much worse. Fear.

"It's okay. I'm just trying to get into the car so I can get you out." The man said.

Instantly, I felt better. Just knowing someone was there helped immensely. Knowing I hadn't imagined him helped too.

I could smell him before I saw him again. He smelled like cigarettes and some kind of foreign cologne. It was intoxicating. I almost let out a soft moan, but at the last second I choked it back. I didn't need the man thinking I was crazy on top of everything else. Even though I might be.

"I'm just gonna reach around you and try to slide the seat back. Let me know if I hurt you." His voice was in my ear, and I jumped, not expecting him to be so close.

His smell invaded every sense as his calloused hands reached around my body and jerked at the lever. The seat didn't seem to want to budge.

"Okay, plan B." He said, chuckling like it was the funniest joke ever.

"Just get me out of here." I snapped.

He pulled another lever, and my seat flew back, putting me basically in his lap and staring up his nose.

What a view this is! Could his chin be anymore perfectly sculpted?

I laughed, throwing the crazy thing right out the window. I didn't even care anymore, I just wanted out of the car.

"Jeez, where are the paramedics?" He muttered, reaching for the seatbelt and trying to unjam it.

I froze as his calloused hands came in contact with the small piece of skin that was peeking out of my shirt. They were as rough as they looked.

"You okay?" He asked, noticing the sudden change in my demeanor.

"Yeah." I whispered, trying to ignore the burning sensation I could feel in my side.

I wasn't sure if it was from the wreck or from his hands on my skin. At this point, I wasn't sure if I was dreaming or hallucinating all of this. It just didn't seem real.

He yanked at the seat belt again, cursing quietly under his breath.

"Do you trust me?" He asked.

"Trust you? I don't even know you." I countered, staring up at him.

I didn't know him, but somehow, I did trust him. He hadn't left me here yet after all.

"I'm gonna have to cut you out."

I nodded and closed my eyes as he pulled out a knife and flipped it open. I tried to concentrate on the sound of polyester ripping and his soft labored breathing. Anything to keep my mind off the fact that I was stuck here and something bad could happen at any moment. Something like another car ramming into us, or this car catching fire.

My eyes flew open again as he gripped under my arms and started to pull. My legs burned, but I could feel them loosening and my body start to comply with the movements.

"It's working." I said, closing my eyes tightly again to distract me from the sudden sharp pain in my right knee.

"Almost." He grunted, leaning back against the back seat and giving me one last tug.

As I landed in his lap, I couldn't help myself but to turn and hug him tightly for rescuing me. His entire body went rigid and hard just like the look on his face. He didn't seem to like me touching him, but he made no move to push me away.

I let go, embarrassed, and stared at him wide-eyed, trying to come up with the words to apologize. He gave me a tight-lipped smile and started to climb back out of the car. I tried to follow, but the moment I put pressure on my knee, I doubled over in pain.

"I think my knee is broken." I cried out, gritting my teeth to try to ignore the pain.

Within seconds, his hands were back under my arms, pulling me the rest of the way out of the car. As my feet hit the pavement, and I started to buckle underneath my weight, his hand wrapped around my waist and hoisted me up into his arms and against his chest.

Suddenly, I was self-conscious about how heavy I might be, and whether this was causing him unnecessary pain. Or maybe it was the giant ice cream stain on my shirt he seemed to be staring intently at. I wiggled, trying to get free of his grip, but he just tightened it and cursed again under his breath. Then, he spoke something in what must be another language because I couldn't recognize the words.

It was aggravating, not knowing what he said. For all I knew he was whining about how he had to carry me, or plotting ways to kill me.

Okay, maybe that's a bit too extreme, but still. It was kind of rude.

"What's your name anyways?" He said, breaking me from my thoughts.

"Lily." I answered. "Lily Grace."

Geez, tell him where you live while you're at it.

His brown eyes held mine, staring through me again. Alarm bells started ringing in my head, telling me not to stare into his eyes for too long. I dropped my gaze and started trying to wiggle free again. He held me so tightly, I could barely even move.

This guy is freaking strong.

"I'm Jackson, but people call me Jax." He said, quickly flashing white teeth at me.

My gaze darted back to his, and I was held captivated there. The intensity in his deep brown eyes scared me. I was completely unnerved in a random stranger's arms. And it didn't help any that he was the most handsome man I had ever seen.

Before I could think of something to say to break the spell, the shrill sounds of sirens filled the air.

Better late than never I guess. I mean, I have to leave his arms sometime.

The ambulance pulled up right beside where Jax was standing and as the doors opened and the paramedics stepped out, he gently set me down on my feet and held me steady at my waist.

Pain was shooting up the right side of my body, but I didn't want to let this man go. I had known him maybe fifteen minutes, and yet already I was attracted to him. It scared the absolute shit out of me. I wanted to attribute it to the fact he saved me, but even I knew that was stupid. Stuff like that was for fairy tales, not real life.

Your life could be a fairly tale...

"Which one of you is hurt?" The paramedic asked.

"She is." Jax answered quickly.

I nodded as he looked to me. The other paramedic pulled a stretcher down and put it in front of me.

"Get on this." He mumbled.

I started to take a step forward, but Jax grasped my waist, picked me right up and set me down on the stretcher.

Fucking show off.

Childishly, I stuck my tongue out at him. He only smiled in response. Only this time, his smile did something to me. It felt like a million tiny fish were swimming around in my stomach and I didn't like it at all. I dropped my gaze down to the ground, and tried to send my thoughts elsewhere as the paramedic pressed around my knee.

Black shoes stepped into my view, and I started to look up. That was a colossal mistake.

His dirty wife beater had ridden up, exposing the fine curves of that defined V. Wrapped around his entire waist, was a tattoo I hadn't seen before. I couldn't make out what it said, before he pulled his shirt back down and covered it.

I was sure that I was drooling again. I didn't know what it was, but there was just something about that fit defined look on a man that had me shaking with anticipation. I didn't even know this man but I wanted him. For only one night, I wanted to feel him.

The paramedic whisked the stretcher away from Jax and into the back of the ambulance. He offered me another tight-lipped smile and a wave and then he turned to leave. I was sure that I would never see him again. Funny how fate seems to intervene sometimes.