Welcome To The Pack

Chapter 2 - Eden

The next morning I wake all disorientated. Its’s too bright, too warm and there appears to be a foot on the pillow next to my face.

Of course it had been too much to ask for my kids to sleep in their own beds last night after a late nap and arriving at a strange place.

My youngest daughter, Elodie, had woken multiple times and I’d eventually given up on trying to settle her back into her new room. And as soon as Imogen had stirred and realised that Elodie was missing from their room, she had come to join the party too.

I untangle myself from the mess of blankets and limbs and plod down the stairs. A cup of tea, or six, is definitely required if I have any chance of getting stuff organised today.

Imogen would be starting at her new school tomorrow and Elodie at a local childcare facility, and I had a lot of work to do to get the house in a more liveable state before I had to get back to work mid-week.

I couldn’t afford to take more than a couple of days off So the 2 days at home while the girls were out was pretty much my only window to get things done.

I wonder around the ground floor of the house, clutching my favourite mug and survey my surroundings.

Everything needs a good lick of paint, and I mean everything. Walls, ceilings, I’ve seen pictures of people who have painted their kitchen cupboards and I plan on doing that. The kitchen tiles will need to get done as well.

I’m even planning on seeing if I can upcycle as much of the furniture as possible.

I’m going to need a trip to a DIY store – and soon.

But first things first, I need to get dressed and finish unpacking the car. I pop upstairs and, checking that the girls are still fast asleep in my bed, I throw on some leggings and a jumper and pop out to the car.

I’m pulling the 3rd of 4th box out of the car when the bottom of the box falls out and the contents spill on the driveway. s**t I think. Thank goodness it was mostly paperwork stuff in this one and nothing breakable. As I bend over to grab up some papers that are starting to drift away in the wind, a shadow appears above me.

“Let me help” says a deep masculine voice. I jump in shock and in my haste to turn round, I fall landing on my bottom.

The deep voice chuckles and a hand extends in an offer of help. As I reach out to grab the offered hand, I look up to meet the darkest chocolate brown eyes staring down at me. The edges of his eyes are still crinkled from his chuckle.

I am momentarily lost in the depth of the strangers eyes and I stare into them for what feels like minutes but in reality could only be seconds at the most.

I’m still staring into his eyes when ours hand connect and a shot of electricity rushes up my arm. I jerk my hand back quickly and look up at the stranger in shock. His deep chocolatey eyes are now wide with surprise, all hint of the earlier mirth they held, vanished.

I jump off the ground and wipe my hands down my legs to clear the bits of dirt and gravel off them.

“Sorry about that” I say quickly, “Must have been static or something”

The stranger is still looking at me in shock and I start to get concerned.

“Sorry, I didn’t hurt you did I?”

This seems to get him out of his daze and he half laughs and he runs his hand through his thick brown hair.

“No, I doubt you could ever physically hurt me” he states.

I look at him confused, tilting my head to the side as I take him in. He’s tall, I have to look up at him and at 5’ 8” I’m not short. Thick brown hair, that seems to fall into a perfectly unstyled look from where he just ran his hand through it. And those big, masculine, hands…. I feel myself starting to get hot just thinking of how big his hands are. Can you be turned on by someones hands? Previously, I would have laughed and said no. But now, I’m pretty sure you can be. Well, more importantly, I can be.

He bends back down and starts picking up my papers off the ground and I just stare at him for a second before jumping into action to help.

He stands up and hands me everything he has collected. As I take everything from him, our eyes lock and I am once again sucked into his deep dark brown eyes… And I forget to breathe… But then the front door swings open and a chorus of ‘Mummy’ gets yelled.

The stranger jumps back from me and mumbles something about having to go.

The girls have come running out the house and are now wrapped around my legs demanding attention.

I look down at them and tell them to shoosht for a minute but when I look up to thank the stranger, he is gone.