Beauty & The Bear

5

Kaine

This woman has been put through the ringer. The fear in her eyes when I reached out to wipe that tear away, I’ve never seen anything like it. The way she screams in her sleep, like she is being hunted. I want to wrap her up and tell her it’s okay, that I will chase it all away for her.

Clearly this Jason is the root cause of it all, every time she whispers his name in her sleep it makes me want to rip out his heart with my teeth and put it in a box and give it to her…Maybe that will make her feel better. It would probably scare her more, push her away.

Can’t have that, I need her to stay right where she is. Here. Where I can protect her, keep her safe.

She fell asleep again after crying her sore little heart out. I don’t know how to make her feel better, she is hurting so deeply. I could Mark her right now and bury my c**k deep inside her, but she wouldn’t forgive me for it. Not with the trauma she clearly has. She has healing to do.

I walk over to my fish tank and hope the power comes on soon, they need their filters and pumps. It is a very expensive set up and I am pissed the generator is down. A three hundred gallon tank with no back up generator, not good for my pocket. But I own half the town and buildings in it, including the one she is renting for her shop, not that she knows it. I also built it.

Even if my tank goes down, I can afford to replace it, but I’d really rather not. I have some expensive fish. I have grown fond of them as well. I watch them in the dark.

Her cries are so gutting it makes me feel sick. If I could take away her pain I would. If she'd let me.

I wonder if I can help her at all, I walk over to where she sleeps and lay my hand very gently on the top of her head, my fingertips catching her hair.

“Shh… you're alright” my voice is low, coming from deep in my chest.

Her brows loosen slightly and her head tilts upwards, into my hand. A small smile spreads on my lips.

I stay like this for the next few hours, sitting on the floor, my head perched on my knees, my hand in her hair. I don't bother lying to myself, I do it because I'm a selfish man and I want to feel her, just a bit. And it seems to be keeping her bad dreams at bay, so it's a win win.

After a few hours the storm finally lets up, I can see the sun slowly seeping through the windows.

A new day.

I cast one last glance at her before getting up, I pull on my boots and coat and head outside to assess the storm's damage. It’s not nearly as bad as I thought it would be, one large tree branch fell over and hit the power line, not breaking it. I climb up and remove it with ease. The power company will still have to come out to get the power back on but at least the tree is out of their way. I walk down the driveway and see another tree has been uprooted from the storm and blown across the drive.

It’s big, almost as big as me. Almost. It takes a bit more effort but I move it out of the way, before heading back to the house to check on Hayley. She’s awake, the back up generator is on and she’s looking at the fish who thankfully are alive.

“Morning, how do you feel?” I ask as I come up behind her.

“Sore, tired.. Embarrassed” She winces. I take a look at her, a real look. Her long red hair, the color of spun gold seems to glow with the morning sun on it. Her freckles are sprinkled across her face in such a unique pattern, she has no need for makeup. Her dark eyelashes are wet from tears and her green eyes remind me of the forest I call home.

Home, this woman is now my home. Whether she knows it yet or not.

Glancing down I see my shirt comes down to her midthigh, goosebumps rise on her legs, her perfect porcelain skin.

“We should change your bandages” I blurt out. They need to be looked at, they have been wet and covered in sweat since I placed them, I don’t want her to get an infection.

“Alright” She eyes me carefully before sitting on the couch. I rush for the first aid kit and bring it back, she holds out her arm for me. Carefully I peel back the soiled dressing, cleaning the wound and placing a fresh bandage.

I watch as she lays back on the couch, her knee bent and slowly slides the t-shirt up enough for me to inspect her leg. I can see her panties, hiked up on her hip. My stomach tightens, my c**k feels like it’s about to explode but I focus.

I feel her intense gaze as she’s watching me, testing me. I keep my touches very minimal, she winces as I clean the long gash along the length of her leg.

“This might leave a scar” I say sadly.

“Another one for my collection” She says flatly, looking away from her leg. Her eyes burning on me. I finish my work and gently pull the t-shirt down, covering her back up. The action surprises her, her breathing changes. I can smell the change in the air, not quite sure what it is.

“I need to go into town today, would you like to join me? I want to keep an eye on you, make sure you don’t have a concussion… Plus I remember you saying you needed to get something from Costco, we could stop by on our way” I make my move.

She thinks for a moment, “I need to go home and shower an change, and check on my cat first”

“Deal”

We get to her house and I’m floored, this is the condition of the house. Wade Parks assured me he had fixed it up to meet codes. From what I’m seeing, this place should be condemned. Hayley invited me in while she went to find her cat, Jinxy, she called him.

After a minute she comes over to me with the furball curled up in her arms, he’s purring away. She has a huge grin on her face.

“Do me a favor? Hold him for a bit while I shower? He was probably so lonely last night without me” She hands him off to me.

Immediately, his mood changes. He senses what I am and is not happy about it. His fur goes straight up and his canines snarl at me, he scratches my arm, drawing blood before darting off and hiding somewhere in the house.

“I’m so sorry! He doesn’t meet many strangers. I didn’t expect him to react like that” She grabs me by the non scratched arm and rushes me over to the kitchen and turns on the tap.

“It’s fine, I’ve never been a huge cat person. I guess my size scares them” I shrug, playing it cool. I can’t blame the cat, it’s in the creatures nature. We both know what I am.

“Here, put your arm under the cold water”

“Hayley..” I look at her with amusement.

“Yeah?”

“It’s just a scratch.. I’m fine really. It didn’t even hurt”

It takes her a second to register but she eventually turns the tap off and nods.

“Do you have plastic wrap?” I ask, out of the blue.

“Yes?”

I smile, next thing you know, I have her leg and arm wrapped up for her to have a shower, so she doesn’t get them wet. She’s looking at me like I’m a genius. She scurries off upstairs, holding the t-shirt down as she climbs each step, as if she’s worried I’m going to look under the shirt.

I sit on the couch and wait, examining the room further. She doesn’t have anything to make it feel like home. No pictures, no kick knacks, nothing..

Twenty minutes later she climbs down the stairs, her hair is pulled into a loose bun, she has a long sundress on, probably so no fabric brushes against her bandages, and a pair of sandals. She slips a shawl over her shoulders and grabs her purse before giving me a shy nod.

I open the truck door for her, like the perfect gentleman that I am and help her inside.

“So what do you need to get in town?” She asks as I bring the truck to life.

"I had a big order come in and I need to get some wood”

“Makes sense”

“And what are you on the hunt for?” I ask from the corner of my eye.

She shifts in her seat, leaning towards the window, “coconut oil, olive oil, distilled water and lye”

“Making more soap?” She looks up at me as if surprised I know the common ingredients for soap. I did some research.

“Have you made soap before?” She asks

“No but I did look it up” I shrug, “when do you plan on opening?”

“In a few more weeks hopefully. Soaps take anywhere from four to six weeks to cure. So as soon as my first few batches are ready I'll be set. I have an assortment of candles already done. Just waiting on the soap”

We are both playing a waiting game, it seems.

The drive is three hours. She doesn't say much along the way and I don't push her. My stomach grumbles and I realize I haven't eaten since yesterday, meaning she hasn't either.

I pull over to a diner and park the truck, looking over at her. She's fallen asleep. I gently shake her shoulder. She shoots upright, nearly hitting her head on the roof of the truck.

“Didn't mean to scare you, I thought you might be hungry. I know I am” the strap of her dress has fallen down her shoulder, I glance at her as she yawns and stretches her arms out in front of her. The material of her dress gapes at the front from the motion and I see her breasts push together.

“Food sounds good” she nods, looking out the window.

She tries to pay but I'm a gentleman and very persuasive. She gives up, pouting slightly. Clearly she doesn’t like being pampered. Maybe she thinks there are strings attached to my generosity. I can’t say for certain that’s entirely untrue, I want her in my life. That’s a string.

I want to see more of her, another string.

I want to feel her under my skin, string.

I have so many strings I could hang myself with them. I need to slow things down in my head.

I might be feeling this stupid f*****g bond already but she doesn’t even know me yet, let alone trust me. I bet if I were to try and kiss her right now she’d deck me, and I wouldn’t blame her.

I park in the Costco lot and open her door, letting her slide out, her dress hikes up her legs as she does, exposing her creaming skin to me. It falls down around her in the next second, I swallow and shake my head clear.

“I have to go to the membership line, so if you have some things you need to shop for first go ahead. I’ll come find you after” She begins walking towards the entrance.

“Hold up.. I have a membership, you can just use mine” I say

She narrows her green eyes at me, crossing her arms over her chest. “Why would you do that?”

“Well, it would save you money and I have a business membership so anything I spend I will get more back at the end of the year. So it’s a win win”

She thinks hard for a minute before finally caving, “Alright”

We walk up and down the aisles until we find what she’s looking for along with a few random things. Eventually her cart is packed, enough oil to last an apocalypse but in reality it will probably only last her a few months.. When we hit the check out line I scan my membership card and she goes to dig in her purse for her debit but I’m quicker then she is and I swipe my MasterCard and pay before she can reach the machine. She narrows her eyes at me.

“I don’t know what you’re trying to pull Kaine..” She says in a low whisper so no one around us can hear. I chuckle and simply roll the cart to the exit with her trailing along, I can feel her glare burning into the back of my head.

Once I have everything packed away into the truck I make sure she is tucked away, seat belt on and bring the truck to life. She sets in on me.

“There was no need for you to do that. I have money, you know. It’s not like I need your help. Give me the bill and I will find a ATM and give you cash”

“Absolutely not” I ignore her and start driving us home, “I asked you out, remember? I mean, yes you are the most expensive date I’ve ever had but still. I asked for this” I wink at her but she is in no joking mood, she is seething.

I turn my attention back to the road.

“Pull over in here” She points to a hardware store parking lot as we are about to pass by. I do as instructed and give her a questionable glance. “I need lye” She explains, opening the truck door. She looks over to me as I turn off the truck and am about to get out to join her, “No, you wait here. I don’t need you paying for anymore of my s**t, thank you”

I chuckle and close my door, drumming my fingers on the open window panel, watching her walk into the store.