Chapter Four
1253 Words
Harper
“Come here”
I stiffened slightly , expecting him to touch me but he just motioned to the bench, it’s green paint peeling.
He patted next to him but wasn’t even looking at me as I settled myself gingerly next to him. And we just sat there side by side, staring out at the ocean.
It was so beautiful, so quiet it was almost like a different world from the one I was running from. I could almost relax.
Almost.
“Here”
I turned to the man at my side, he had been fairly chatty on our slow walk to find food and I had been surprised at how witty and charming he was. But now he was silent and I could feel the weight of his eyes on me.
Plucking a chip from the tray I bit in his half and a little sigh escaped my lips.
He smiled in the darkness. “You should have the rest of them”
“I thought you wanted to share?”
“I wanted you to eat and I wanted you alone” I heard rather than saw his shrug, the leather making the softest of noises.
“Alone….” I couldn’t help it my words were barely a squeak , what the hell was wrong with me? Why did I put myself in these dangerous situations? As if senses my discomfort he leant back .
“Not like that Harper. Eat” He fell into silence again but this time he didn’t bother to hide the fact he was staring at my face. His eyes glinting in the darkness.
I shivered.
“Are you cold?”
“No” But another shiver swept through me. And he chuckled , tapping his fingers on the tray of chips that I had left untouched in my lap.
“I don’t have…”
“It’s ok, I’m not that cold” If I had been Pinocchio my nose would be growing but I wasn’t about to admit to him that the cool sea breeze was biting against my already sore body.
“Come here” His arm slid along the back of the bench, His Invitation clear. I hesitated. “It’s just an arm around your shoulders Harper, you’re cold and I have enough body heat to share with you whilst you finish your food”
I settled against him , sighing heavily as his warmth surrounded me. He was warm. It radiates off him , warming me almost instantly. And I felt myself relaxing even when I didn’t want to.
His hand slipped from my shoulder, and I flinched as his fingers brushed against the bruises on my shoulder blade.
“The f**k…” He scooted away , turning to gave me fully. “How covered in bruises are you”
Embarrassment flooded me. I had barely moved , I was used to hiding my pain. Hell I had been doing it for years but he just saw straight through it all. All the bull s**t I wrapped around myself.
“I’m not, it’s fine, I just slept awkwardly…”
“Who was it?” He settled his weight back against my side but his arm stayed along the back of the bench. Not touching me. But giving me his body heat anyway.
I popped a now cold chip into my mouth. Anything was better than having to answer his questions plus even cold chips were better than no chips.
“Your parents? Family?” There was so much raw emotion in his voice I turned to him in shock.
“No” My voice was small and for a second we did nothing but stare at the inky horizon.
“Your boyfriend then” His voice was so soft it was almost blown away by the wind.
He was an enigma. The ultimate bad boy when you looked at him but sat here I could see something else in him. Something he tried to hide but was there anyway buried somewhere deep down.
I definitely wasn’t the only one with secrets.
“Is… was it serious?”
“We we’re engaged” I admitted finally and hugged myself. Why was I telling him this? I had only just met him and yet I found myself trusting him. “Were meant to get marr….” I froze as his eyes flashed .
Was he angry at me?
Disappointed ? Maybe he had been meaning to hit on me and some moral compass now stopped him?
“Let’s get you back to your hotel” He was on his feet.
Yep was definitely angry about something.
“Where are you staying?”
I muttered the name of the bed and breakfast I was staying in and he paused. “That’s just crappy”
I shrugged. What could I say , it was all I could afford and even that would be a struggle if I didn’t find a job soon.
We walked on in silence, and I didn’t even jump when his hand wrapped around mine. I didn’t even think he realised he had done it. Glancing up at him I gave him a small smile but he didn’t look down at me, didn’t even acknowledge he had done it.
The smallest of smiles lifted the corners of his mouth.
“Nice girl like you shouldn’t be in a dump like this Harper” He motioned with his hand at the place I now called home as it came into view at the top of the hill.
“I’m not that nice”
He chuckled. “Yeah you are, listen…”
Was he doing to ask me out? Maybe make a move?
What would I do if he tried to kiss me?
“It sounds like you need a friend in this town or you know maybe in general. If you need any help” He pressed a piece of paper into my hand and my fist closed around it. “If you feel unsafe you ring me ok or come to the bar. Just ask for me”
“What if you aren’t there?”
“Then they will get a message to me or one of my brothers will help you. One thing we don’t tolerate is violence against women and children. So if you need us then you call”
My heart sank, he wasn’t giving me his number because he liked me. And who could blame him, I was a total mess.
No he was just doing the right thing.
“Thank you” I pushed the piece of paper into my back pocket. I would never use it. Hell I didn’t even have a phone.
I made a vow to throw it out as soon as I got my to my room.
“Take care of yourself Harper” He gave a small wave and walked away leaving me staring after him as he made his way back down towards the waterfront with as much grace of a cat.
“Yeah you too” I whispered as I turned back to the door.
- Writer
