Freed

III

Even as Darryn Steele sat by her side watching, he began to ruminate on who this angelic beauty was,where she was from, why it seems that she was going through a whole lot. What could have made her slump when he asked her those questions?, he didn't know.

He wanted to know everything, he wanted to protect her from whatever or whoever was after her.

He could remember vividly how he had held protectively, how she fitted perfectly in his arms, like his arms where made for her and no one else. The feeling he had felt then was one he had never felt before, it was like something he loved and Cherish so dear was about to be taken from him, like a child whose favourite toy was about to be taken.

He had felt like he could give anything, even his own life just to protect her, she had looked fragile and vulnerable.

Darryn took the wet towel he had put on her head to cool off her temperature and felt her temperature, it was normal. He began to see the color slowly creep back in to her face. Her cheeks took on a soft blush, a natural rose came on her lips. He touched her wrist and found that her pulse was much stronger than it had been. And the color coming back to her was definitely a good sign.

He let a shaky sigh of relief and touched her neck, and found that her temperature was now regular. She moved slightly, a frown flitting over her beautiful brow, then she was still again.

He pulled the comforter and tucked it warmly around her, he stood and stared down at her again, the purity of her beauty struck him , and he found himself sently smoothing the tendril from her brow, he wondered how long she would remain unconscious.

He turned away, he needed a hot shower and a goodnight rest. And yet even as he stripped off his clothes and stepped beneath the warmth of the shower, he felt a certain trembling within and a hard, hot and nearly blinding flash of pleasure and desire.

Even as he lay now on his bed, he was determined, resolved to find out all, find out more. Come day he was getting answers.

* * * *

Kristina awoke very slowly, at first she stirred and opened her eyes, she closed them immediately as the sun ray from the window blinded her eyes. She sat up and used her hand to shield her eyes from the sun ray. Her eyes adjusted to her surrounding as the happening of the previous came flowing.

She was still in the same room, the same bed, still naked. She looked around ,the room was enormous with a huge four poster bed taking up a section with a sunken hearth with throw pillows, where she currently was sitting. Willy rugs took up the right, a finely furnished double -door cupboard was by the wall.

This room alone was larger than her entire house,Kristina thought incredulously.

The only thing she knew about this stranger was that he was freakin wealthy and good looking.

She crawled out of the bed and wrapped the sheet around her naked body and walked to a door near the foot of the bed, it was a bathroom. Gosh, was she dying for a bathe.

The tub was a huge wooden one, but the faucets were copper, it responded to her touch immediately.

Kristina was really glad to bathe,she spent long in the tub in relaxation as the warm water sated her flesh. After a gratifying and lengthy bathe, she found a fllor length terry robe and slipped in to it, she tied the belt around her waist and rolled up the sleeves, and the wrapped her hair to dry with a grey cotton towel she found hung on an ornate lion's head rack. Her stomach gave an angry growl, she didn't have to be told.

Gosh, she couldn't remember the last she ate, she was ravenous and staying in this room was out of the question, she had to find the kitchen ,find food and of course the man.

Kristina walked out of the room to a long narrow hall, she took the first door she found and thanksfully it was the living room. This room was of course bigger than the room she stayed, there was a fireplace, a cowhide rug over heathen title at the center, and a couch in leather with complementing chairs beside it. The drapes were in black and grey, the coffee table was hewn from maple, as yet she hadn't seen the upstairs.

She found him coming from a room she guessed was the kitchen, he was shirtless and holding two cups of stemming coffee.

She couldn't help assessing all over again, she could now freely view parts and PACs she wasn't able to see, his hair was black, wet and ruffled, obviously he just got out of the shower too. He was perhaps six foot three, all muscled,well built with trimmed shoulders that moved as he brought the stemming coffee to stand before her.

"Are you done, miss Will?"

"Hmmm?"

"I mean are you done ogling?" She swallowed as a hot blush crept her cheeks, she couldn't believe he had just caught her staring.

She looked down and tightened her hold on the robe,she could feel his eyes on her, assessing her too, but could she do?,since he was the host.

"Good,good morning Mr......"

"Darryn Steele" he said pressing a cup of coffee into her fingers

"How did you......"

"Just drink up,will you?", His fingers grazed hers and she felt a shiver run down her spine, their eyes locked as they stared at each other.

She liked him already? How could she after all she had gone through and the via she had made never to trust , and knowing what people like him do, she should know better.

She broke the stare and walked to the leather couch to sit, sipping her coffee slowly,it burnt down her throat, she wished the stemming coffee could burn up the feelings, these strange feelings.

" How do you feel?" Darryn said walking to sit beside her on the couch.

"Fine" she said monotonously,awkwardly moving to the end of the couch.

"Are you afraid of me?"

"No?" She said shimmying even farther.

Even as she moved farther from him, she still felt his heat, the smell of his aftershave lingering in the air, making her senses go wild, she could bear this, she had to leave before things go the wrong way. One prominent lesson she had learnt was never to trust anyone at all, not even your own mother.

"Then why ate you moving away?"

"Nothing" it feltstrange, she could feel his gaze on her,again

"Anyway,we need to talk"

"About what??" She snapped

"About you, about last night" he said coolly

"Speaking of last night, why did I wake up with nothing on, why did I wake up nude, Mr Steele???".