Short Stories - Romance

#5 - The Stranger

“Linda? Wake up.”

"Go away Chad." If that cheating jerk thought I was going to fall for his sweet manipulative self again, he had another thing coming. I turned away from his caress that I could admit felt damn good, but yelped the next second when I straight away fell off my bed. Damn him for taking up all the space!

My landing on the worn carpet was a surprise though when it felt way softer than I expected. "Wait. You are not Chad." Still in a sleepy daze, I frowned at an unexpected pair of beautiful amber eyes that were definitely not those of my ex.

"Right."

"This is not my bedroom and you are not my carpet either?"

"Right again." Amber eyes answered, looking a little confused. Or was that amusement? I didn’t care for either.

“So…then where the hell am I and who are you?” I should have probably been more alarmed, but for all the brilliance I boasted of, my transition from dreamland to wakefulness had always been something I had never been proud of. Not even waking up in the arms of a stranger could have changed that apparently.

“Ethan Easton and you are in my car.”

"Ethan E-” Holy crap! The damn name slapped me back to reality quicker than any explanantion would have. Scrambling to get off of him, however, I hit a snag as strong arms kept me from moving even an inch. “Let me go.” I squeaked.

“Not yet.” His chest rumbled, making my affection deprived self terribly aware of the man under me and the current awkward position I had placed us in. Somehow I had flown out of my seat and landed on top of him, leaving him holding onto me and keeping me from falling flat on my face. How the hell that had happened, I could not tell.

“And why the hell not?” I demanded, albeit breathlessly.

“Just, give yourself a moment or you'll get a headache.”

A headache– was he being serious or was it just an excuse? My cheeks heated up when I realized he was actually being serious. “How long?” I huffed, defeated.

“A couple of minutes and it should be safe.”

Minutes?! “I'll take the headache thank you very much.” I wiggled in his arms and he thankfully let go before my movements made me even more aware of his warm manly body. Sitting back though had me hissing as my head throbbed.

“I hate to say I told you so," Ethan said sitting up straighter while genuine concern clouded those amber things that suddenly decided to haunt me with their beauty. How had they become a focal point all of a sudden?

“Yeah, right.” Avoiding his intense gaze while desperately clinging to the reason I was making this trip in the first place, I gave my temple a squeeze and turned to stare out of the car’s open window. “Where are we?” The car was still moving and the lush green views going by made me know that we were miles away from the old and run down part of town I had called home for longer than I would have liked.

"Are you okay?" Instead of answering me, the concern in his voice only seemed to thicken and I hated how it affected me. I was supposed to hate the jerk, not getting butterflies in my stomach just because he seemed to care if I got a stupid headache.

“This is about the kid. He’s bound to play nice.” I reminded myself.

“Linda?”

"Never better. Is this it?" Ignoring the little flutter in my belly at how my name sounded from his mouth, I stared at the mansion that came into view once the car slowed.

"It is." His gaze remained on me. I could feel it even while I looked away.

“It’s beautiful.” The imposing structure was more than beautiful. More than a dream house actually. Simply put, it was a dream, but I couldn’t very well say all that because with his gaze heavy on me, my tongue simply malfunctioned. So unlike me.

“Welcome to the Easton estate, ma’am.”

“Linda is just fine, Craig.” I smiled at the big guy as I mentally thanked him for being so quick at opening my side of the door once the car stopped. I would have done it myself if he hadn’t, but I was pretty sure my exit would have looked a lot like an escape instead of the more dignified one I potrayed as I took his hand. “Uh, lead the way?” Was I being too forward? Yes. But only because I needed to get away from that heavy gaze that kept boring into me. I also needed to be done with this so that I could go back to the simple life I was used to. I had agreed to consider a possibility of an extension, but the moment I’d stepped out of my apartment and laid my eyes on the luxurious car that waited for us outside, I had changed my mind instantly. No way I was going to stomach being part of this luxurious world even if the job paid more than I could ever dream to be paid.

“I’ll take it from here.” Those amber eyes fell on mine and Craig’s connected hands and before I knew it, the big guy let go and took a step away, leaving me exposed. At least that is how I felt when I found myself under that heated gaze again. I wanted to protest and actually ask for Craig to escort me instead, but I got the feeling that that would not be happening.

“After you then, sir.” Even without knowing which way to go, I quickly gestured for him to lead the way before I was offered a hand to take. My action earned me a raised brow that for the life of me tingled something inside that shouldn’t have.

“I meant what I said…” He began walking, thankfully, even though his long strides left me practically running after him. I wasn’t complaining though because it was so much better than being bathed in his gaze.

“About what exactly, sir?”

“Call me Ethan.” He suddenly stopped and swung around to face me and only the fact that for once I was paying attention kept me from finding myself in his arms a second time.

“I prefer Mr. Easton actually.” One brow shot up at my answer, making something tingle in me again which only proved why getting on a first name basis with him would be a terrible idea too. Not that I had even considered it. “If you don’t mind that is.” I quickly added, but if that mattered to him, he didn’t bother saying anything.

“...What I said about Liam. He doesn’t see things as we all do. I hope you’ll take that into consideration with your decision.” He resumed his walk without warning, leaving me to run after him again.

“I’ll do what I can.” I nodded even when I didn’t know why he kept on insisting on that. I hadn’t noticed anything wrong with the kid, except that he was too smart for his own good. Besides, my decision was already made.

The inside of the mansion was just as breathtaking as the outside, but maybe the most striking thing was the warm feel it radiated. Definitely something I had not expected of someone who could be as cold as him. The entry way was littered with warm family pictures on its walls that made me smile. It led to a massive living area that even with its high ceilings equally reflected that warm feel. The quietness of the place made me frown though.

“Where is everybody else?” I couldn’t help but ask. I mean for a mansion this size I expected to see atleast a butler or a couple of maids or the owner of that beautiful feminine smile displayed in the family pictures.

“It’s just me and Liam.” I didn’t miss the hard set of his jaw while he said that, but before I could think more of it, he got us moving towards a winding staircase that I assumed would eventually lead to Liam’s room. More picture frames lined the walls we passed, but I barely got a glimpse as I struggled to keep up while the sound of our footsteps got swallowed up by the carpeted floor. “Hannah will be here later to get you settled in.”

Settled in? “Oh, I haven’t yet decided to st–” My protests were cut off by the desperate knocks that suddenly filled the hallway we had entered.

“Liam, buddy, Linda is here. Will you come out?” When the beat of silence stretched out, the knocks got louder and more desperate. “Liam?!”

“Let me.” I said to the stranger who a moment ago was Ethan Easton. I had never seen anyone transform so completely and neither had my heart ever gone out to anyone as it did him in the moment. How the hell had I not seen it before? My own hands shook at the memories everything unearthed. “L-Liam, its me, Linda.”

“Linda!” The happiness in the kid’s voice drew a smile out of me and melted some of that heartache. I turned to his father hoping to offer some comfort, but apart from relief on his face, nothing else of the stranger I thought needed it remained. Nothing left of that desperation that spoke of deeply buried grief. I could understand that.

“You really came.” A pair of tiny eyes peeped from a partially open door before a piece of paper made it's way out.

"I was told you asked for me. What is this?" I asked as I took the neatly folded piece of paper.

"Read it and if you agree with it, you can sign it."

I, Linda Bryson, do hereby promise to be Liam Easton’s nanny– Another contract? It was written in a kid’s handwriting, but it was clear enough. "What's with you people and contracts?" The words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them.

“You can’t get a job without it.” The kid shrugged his shoulders, but that was not the thing that sent my throat closing up and tears filling in my eyes. Or me turning away from the door and grabbing hold of his father’s hand and dragging him away a few doors down so that we were out of earshot.

"I thought you said he doesn't see things as we do."

"You are the exception." The man said calmly and I would have cursed or something if only he wasn't staring at me so intensely yet again.

“I swear I did not talk him into forcing you to hire me.” I shouldn’t have cared about that, but somehow I felt the need to clear the air after how the kid had tricked us both.

“I never said you did.” Regret flickered on his face before a pen materialised from somewhere. “But you could humour him, just for the sake of–”

"I– I– fine." I let go of the hand I shouldn’t have kept holding on, but it was his turn to hold mine. "What?!" I whisper yelled, half afraid he’d hear how my heart hammered in my chest at his touch.

"Thank you.”

"It’s for Liam.” I quickly answered, before escaping. After what I'd witnessed a moment ago, whatever I was about to do wasn't just for the kid, but I would leave it at that. "Now wait a minute." I said when I came back to the slightly open door. "How do I know that you'll hold up your end of the deal?" The whole thing should have felt stupid, but somehow it didn't.

"Here's the key, we can swap with the paper." Smart kid!

I put pen to paper and signed it at the space left at the bottom. “It's done."

"You first." I slipped the paper in at the kid's instruction, but when I saw no key coming out while the door closed, I knocked, almost desperately.

"Liam? We had a deal."

"Sorry, I had to make sure it was the right signature." The kid said before opening the door and ramming into me. The hug, caught me off guard.

"Well, is it?" I swallowed the lump in my throat. How could one kid and a stupid hug turn me into a mushy mess?

"It matches." He held up a phone with a picture of my own signature, a grin on his lips.

"Wait, how do you have that?" My mouth fell open as I realized that my decision to stay may have just been made for me.