Chapter Six Ace
Ispent the entire night keeping to myself in the garden. In fact, I didn’t go back into the house until the sun had already set and the night chill began to creep in. By the time I got inside, I could feel the sting of the sun on my skin and I was looking a bit red. Of course, I knew I’d been out there for far too long without any protection. Hopefully my dick wasn’t sunburnt. That was always the worst.
Making my way into the bathroom, I started to draw a lukewarm bath for myself. I made one last trip outside, gathering two big handfuls of comfrey leaves before heading back to the bath. I twisted the leaves to tear them in half and tossed them into the water as the tub filled. A lot of people didn’t know that comfrey leaves could help relieve and heal sunburn. But knowing how to use the plants in my garden was my job. After all, I had to be able to sell them down at the market.
Even though the water wasn’t cold, when I finally lowered myself in, I let out a hiss as it enveloped my burnt skin. It felt like I was dipping myself in an ice bath. But, after a minute of getting used to it, I allowed myself to sink in further, the water nearing the lip of the tub dangerously.
I also liked to live dangerously by using my phone in the tub. Usually, I pulled up gardening videos to learn about new plants or read books on my reading app. However, when I opened up my phone this time, I saw I had several messages waiting for me from Sam.
Sam: What the hell is wrong with you? That kid nearly ran out on me today after what you said and he almost took half my stock of toothbrushes with him! What is going on?
Sam: You better not be ignoring me.
Sam: Just text me when you’re free.
After reading his messages, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to text him back. However, I knew the longer I waited, the more upset he’d be. Sam wasn’t the type to get truly angry, but he also protected those he brought in, like a mother bear fighting to protect her cubs. I didn’t want him to think that I’d caused a problem on purpose. Honestly, even I was still trying to figure it out.
Me: Sorry. Been out in the garden all afternoon.
Sam: Finally! I was starting to think you were avoiding me! What the hell happened today?
Me: I don’t know honestly…
Sam: You’re going to have to do better than that. I know you don’t like to talk, but that kid literally stabbed me because of you!
Me: Are you alright?!
Sam: I’m fine. It was a tiny pocket knife. The wound healed up the moment I pulled the knife out. But still. It’s the principle of the thing! You really freaked that kid out!
Me: He hates me doesn’t he?
Sam: He doesn’t like you, that’s for sure… So why did you do it? What was all that mate stuff about?
I sat there for a long moment, wondering if I should be honest with Sam or just sweep my emotions under the rug like I usually did. Being honest meant answering questions and trying to figure things out. Sweeping it away meant I had less socializing to do, but it also meant I wouldn’t have any help making it up to Matt. And if I didn’t make up with him… he might never talk to me again.
That thought alone made my heart sink.
Me: I felt something… It was strange but exciting. And now… well, I can’t stop thinking about him
Sam: Uh oh.
Me: What does that mean?
Sam: What did it feel like?
Me: Kind of like electricity, I guess, and an intense fluttering in my stomach. Then I caught his scent, and I felt the Alpha side of me take over. I wasn’t sure if I was gonna pass out or start drooling on him.
Sam: Yep. That’s what I was afraid of. Dammit, Ace. That makes things a lot more complicated.
Me: What is it?
Sam: You felt the mate bond. I’m sure of it. And honestly, I think Matt felt it, too, but he’s so mixed up, hurt, and confused right now that he doesn’t realize what’s happening. That and he’s not in a good headspace for this kind of thing. He just lost everything.
Me: What do I do?
Sam: Well, don’t call him ‘mate’ again, that’s for sure.
Me: I know that…
Sam: I guess you could try to prove to him you’re not a bad guy. If you want to pursue him that is
Me: I have no idea what I want. I’m just as confused as he is. Part of me wants to just ignore it and stay on the farm, but there’s another part of me that really wants to pursue him. But I don’t know what to do and it’s driving me crazy. If I go after him, it means I’ll have to give up all this peace and solitude that I’ve worked so hard to achieve. And I’m probably a bad person to date anyway. I haven’t been in a relationship for over a decade.
Sam: Now I know you’re upset. I don’t think you’ve ever sent me a text that long. Why don’t you just keep on with things as usual and I’ll figure something out.
Me: No. I don’t want to get you involved.
Sam: Too late :)
Me: Sam. Please don’t do anything weird…
Sam: Weird? When am I ever weird? Don’t answer that. Well, time for me to go to bed.
Me: Sam…
Sam: Goodnight!
It was incredible how I could feel Sam’s excitement through his texts. The guy had a bit of a reputation for trying to be a matchmaker. I wasn’t sure if he’d just watched Hello Dolly a few too many times, but he loved to try to hook people up. He’d been trying with me for years. But now that I’d foolishly given him a crumb trail to follow, he was off at top speed.
I tossed my phone to the side, sinking down into the warm water until I was completely submerged. The world was so much quieter there, nothing except the hum of the bathroom fan echoing through the water. For a brief moment, it helped quell the racing thoughts in my mind. Then, all that came to me were images of Matt. I could see those beautiful eyes of his and his short sandy-brown hair. I imagined what it would look like to see him smiling up at me.
My body reacted the instant I thought of him, my cock thickening under the water before rising above the surface. Blowing out a mouthful of bubbles, I rose back above the water, taking a deep breath. What I felt toward Matt was definitely sexual. That was easy to see. But there was something else there that I couldn’t quite put a finger on. I didn’t love him because, frankly, I didn’t fucking know him. But I had this urge to make him smile, to make him laugh, and to hold him in my arms and let him know that he’d never have to worry about anything again.
Sam called it the mate bond, but to me, it just felt like some weird infatuation. I wasn’t really the nurturing type, but there was something about Matt that made me want to take care of him and protect him from the world. He’d been through enough already. Ending up at Sam’s hotel meant it was bad.
But maybe, just maybe, if he gave me a chance, I could make things a little bit better for him. It would cost me that solitude I clung to, but the more I thought about him, the more I realized I didn’t have a choice in the matter. I was hooked, and there was no going back.
The only issue left was how I was going to win him over. I had no idea where to start with that. More than likely, he’d turn the other direction if I saw him and never give me a chance to explain myself. That’s what I would do if I was him. So, I had to come up with another method. Then again, if Sam had anything to do with it, I might get a chance sooner than later. I just hoped he didn’t go overboard and make things worse.
Either way, I needed some time to think, and that meant swimming. Tomorrow, I’d go to the beach to get my thoughts in order. For some weird reason, that always seemed to help. And this time, I’d remember the sunblock.
Why did life always have to be so complicated?