Winters Best - Book 1 of Winter Holdings

Chapter 7 ~ Strange Reactions

~Katie

The work day went by quickly. I was ready by 5:00 to get home, change and head to my martial arts classes. I take Krav Maga, Tai Chi, Yoga, and Kick Boxing classes at the gym across from our building. I changed into my sweat shorts, put on my sports bra and sneakers, tossed a ripped up crop top over my sports bra, and headed downstairs. I always, rain or shine, jog over to the gym as my pre-warm up. I got outside, put my earbuds in and stretched my arms, did a few lunges, squats and quad stretches. Jogged in place for a few seconds and then headed off down the street. As Garth Brooks blasted in my ears I focused on my feet hitting the pavement. I loved the high from jogging. I felt on top of the world. Everything my life was perfect. It couldn’t be better, Nothing could go wro-BAM! I hit a wall. Not a wall, a man. Hands on my shoulders steadied me. Big hands. Hands that made my skin tingle. I haven’t felt that tingle in probably ever. I took out one earbud as my eyes slowly moved up the hard body and looked up into dark sunglasses. So dark, I couldn’t see his eyes, only my reflection staring back at me. He wore a black ball cap and he had a very bushy beard. Normally someone that looks like him would terrify me. It almost seemed like he was hiding himself. He felt familiar to me though, if that makes sense, but I couldn’t quite figure out how. I followed the bare forearms up to the bare biceps when we’re bulging. I wonder if he has other bulging body parts. Wait stop, what?! I closed my eyes tight and shook my head, getting control of myself, finally I opened my eyes again and looked up into my reflection on his glasses “Oh my gosh I’m so sorry. I was completely in my own world and not watching where I was going!” He looked at me for longer then should probably be comfortable before finally letting go of my shoulders and walking past me. I almost want to say that he let go reluctantly. “It’s fine” he grumbled quietly and stepped to the side of me and around. I watched him walk away. I couldn’t understand the reaction I had to him. I’m usually not attracted to scruffy men. He turned his head back, and I think was suprised to see me still watching him because he stopped and stared back at me. It felt like time stood still. It was like one of those movie montages where two people are standing apart in a crowd, everyone is moving in a slow yet fast motion around us but we only see eachother. I couldn’t figure out why I had such this strong feeling towards him. My heart was beating so hard and I felt heat all through my body. The kind of heat that needs satisfying. Finally I snapped out of it, shook my head and turned and jogged the rest of the way to the gym. I refused to look back. I tried not to think about the stranger during my mat work, or my heavy bag work and cooldown time. I tried not to look for him as I jogged back home. I definitely tried not to think about him in the shower or while I got dressed to head to Damien’s for dinner.

Monday nights 7:00 sharp, no excuses, we all show our faces. I decided on a long, red turtleneck sweater with black leggings. I decided shoes were optional. I’d been in heels all day, so socked feet it was!

I knocked on the door and Ben opened it straight away. It was almost as if he was standing at the door waiting for my knock. He quickly handed me a glass of wine. “Oh. Thanks?!” We usually indulge in drinks after dinner, so it was weird to start off with drinks instead. Ben nodded to me “Trust me, you are going to be glad you had this now.” Huh. Really weird. “Where is the big brother at?!” Ben jutted his chin down the hall “In his room, probably hiding out, the big ball sack” I giggled, not because Damien was for some reason hiding in his room, but because a few years ago, during one of our dinners, we had the discussion about how men call eachother words like “p***y and v****a” to mean they are weak. I put up a good debate on how ball sacks are actually the most weak, and v*****s are strong because they can literally squeeze watermelon sized humans through them, and bleed every month. The guys agreed and from then on if someone was weak, it was because they were a ‘ball sack’.

I headed to Damien’s door and knocked “I’ll be out after everyone gets here” he said through the door. “ Damien, are you okay?!” I asked concerned. I jiggled the door knob, thinking I’d peek in on him and make sure he was okay, but it was locked. He never locks his door. Something was going on. “Yeah I’m okay for now. Remember we have that new CSO coming tonight, okay?!” He said nervously. “Yeah, I remember. I’ll let you know when they get here I guess.” I shrug my shoulders at the door and sip on my wine as I head to the black leather chairs wrapped around the fire place in the living room. I sit down and swirl the red liquid around my glass. “Hey Benji, have you ever felt strongly about a stranger?!” Ben came over and sat down next to me, sipping his own glass of wine “strongly how?!” I shrugged “I don’t know. I accidentally ran into a man today jogging to the gym, and I had a really strong reaction to him. It was almost electric is the only way to describe it” Ben raised an eyebrow at me “What did he look like?!” I stared into the fire as I described him. “A baseball cap so I didn’t get a good look at his hair, but his beard was dark and he had sunglasses on so I could hardly even see his face. The reaction I had to him was so strange, yet strong. He actually felt familiar” Ben choked on his drink and I slapped him on the back as he tried clearing his throat “are you okay?!” I asked him. “Yeah, I’m totally fine. About your stranger, maybe the reaction you had was because he wasn’t really a stranger..maybe you actually knew him..a long time ago.. maybe” I shook my head and stood up as a knock on the door came “No, I don’t think so. Teddy is here, I’ll get the door!” I ran to the door as Ben stood up and said “Hey, finish that glass of wine first will ya?!” I didn’t register what he was saying as I flung the door open and spread my arms out “TEDDY BEAR!” But it wasn’t Teddy. Actually, Teddy was there, but someone else was standing just behind him. Someone with a baseball cap and a dark beard. Someone who slowly removed his sunglasses and looked straight into my soul.

“Hello Cathrine”

My mouth hung open, my arms still stretched out, standing there wide eyed and frozen.

William Cavenaugh was back.