3. Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Tessa
F lames licked behind my eyelids as I lazily slid back into consciousness. My skull throbbed, a quiet moan slipping past my lips while I took inventory of the way my entire body ached.
I cracked one eye open and took in the room around me. I was laying on a couch beneath the thickest blanket I had ever encountered. Several feet away, the fire crackled and cast shadows across the room. Built-in bookshelves covered the far wall of the room as one thought ran through my mind on repeat: Where. The hell. Was I?
A small huff drew my attention toward the side of the couch where an ink black nose twitched and sniffed in my direction. A snout the color of cotton led up to warm, russet-brown eyes. The dog whined and wagged a fluffy white tail, begging for pets I eagerly provided.
“I was starting to think you’d sleep through the night.”
I emitted a slight screech as my pulse raced. My head snapped up toward the doorway behind the dog, throbbing at the sharp movement before I raised my hand to hold it still.
My eyesight came back into focus only to discover a large man leaning against an oversized doorframe.
Gently tapping my hands along my body, I verified I was in fact still wearing all my clothing. Huh . If I wasn’t mistaken, I was wearing more clothing than when I left L.A.
The man held a book in one hand and a steaming mug in the other. He cleared his throat and repeated himself. “I thought you’d sleep through the night, but I can reheat some food if you’re hungry.”
Despite some slight nausea, my stomach emitted an embarrassingly loud growl. My cheeks heated, and I prayed the noise hadn’t been loud enough to hear on the other side of the room.
Refusing to admit I was starving, I demanded, “Where the hell am I? And who the hell are you?”
His body remained relaxed against the mahogany door frame. “My name is Finn Remington. You’re in the mountains outside Absolution, Montana.”
Memories crept into my consciousness. The snowy road I was driving on when I crashed; the non-stop driving I was in the process of after fleeing L.A.; the fight with Daniel. I shivered at the memory of him but forced my mind back to the present.
Finn’s guarded brown eyes roved over me. “How do you feel?”
I inventoried my body, ignoring the waning adrenaline from finding myself in a stranger’s home. My head felt like someone took a baseball bat to it, I was slightly dizzy, and the urge to vomit had yet to dissipate.
“I’ve definitely been better,” I replied.
He nodded. “You hit your head pretty good when you crashed. I was able to stitch up the wound when we got back, but I’d bet my life savings you’ve got a concussion. I’d also wager you’re likely experiencing a bit of altitude sickness.”
My eyes widened, and I continued to stare at the stranger in front of me. “ You stitched me up?” I asked, my handing flying to my forehead. A burst of pain raced along my skin as my fingers touched a bandage.
He nodded once before shrugging one of his large shoulders. “It wasn’t a big deal. I have some medical training.” His eyes moved around the room before landing back on mine. “I cleaned up your injuries the best I could, but I’m guessing you’d probably feel better after a shower. You’ll want to be careful of the stiches when you wash your hair since they’re so close to your hairline, and I’ll leave you dry bandages for after. I have some spare clothes you can change into as well. If there’s anything else you need, you’re welcome to anything I have while you’re here.”
My stomach growled its protest again, but the only thing I could think about in that moment was washing away the past couple days.
“That’s very kind of you, but I think it’d be best if I found a hotel for the night.”
Finn studied me from his spot in the doorway. “What’s the last thing you remember?”
Confused about what that had to do with my leaving, I wracked my foggy brain as I recalled the way the tiny sedan spun out before crashing in the ditch. The blood drained from my face at the realization that my car was likely buried by several feet of snow by now. Along with my purse and all the money I had. My eyes closed. “I’m guessing wherever we are, we’re snowed in?”
“That would be correct,” he replied, confirming my suspicion.
My shoulders sagged, and my eyes filled with tears as I realized I had nowhere else to go. And even if I did, I had no money to pay for it. Deciding that was a problem for another day, I accepted being stuck here for the foreseeable future. Determined to make the best of it, I gradually pushed myself to a sitting position and swung my legs to the floor.
“A shower sounds amazing actually,” I said and tried to push myself to stand. Exhaustion clawed at my muscles, and pain shot through every nerve in my body. The world began to spin, and I fell back on the couch.
Finn rushed toward me as I landed back on the cushions. My body stiffened and curled in on itself when he approached.
Sensing my discomfort, Finn froze midway across the room, softening his posture as though approaching a spooked horse. He slowly made his way to the coffee table in front of me.
I relaxed slightly as he set his book and drink down before raising both hands in front of himself.
His haunted brown eyes met my own, and I saw his sincerity when he murmured, “You have nothing to be afraid of while you’re here. I’d die before I ever hurt a woman.”
I searched his expression, looking for any signs of deceit. It wouldn’t be the first time I’d fallen for lies spewed from a pretty face wrapped in apparent sincerity. I stared at him for several moments, surprised when I found none in Finn’s face. No, when I looked into his eyes, I saw someone who understood pain. Yet for some inexplicable reason, I knew deep in my soul this man was not a threat.
Uncomfortable with the intense connection, I blinked several times before looking back down at the floor and moving to get up again. I choked back the nausea battling its way up my throat when I began to push off the couch. His large hand eased into my peripheral to offer me support, my stare landing on roughened skin that had clearly seen years of hard labor.
Determined not to rely on another man, I pushed myself up and stood, only for the room to spin once again. A slight zing raced through me when rough, calloused skin met my own, Finn’s hands latching onto me and preventing me from falling.
“Easy,” he murmured. I closed my eyes and focused on breathing through the dizziness. When I finally felt stable enough, I opened my eyes. Every muscle in Finn’s body was pulled taut, his eyebrows furrowed while his stare moved over my face.
Realizing we were still holding each other, I quickly released my grip on him and pulled back. The loss of his touch caused my stomach to sink for reasons I didn’t understand.
A soft whining emitted from the dog who had yet to leave my side. Finn snapped his fingers before pointing to a dog bed in the corner. With a mournful look, he dutifully followed his master’s commands.
Taking a couple steps away, Finn cleared his throat. “I’ll show you where the guest room is.” I took the deepest breath my ribs would allow and stepped forward. When I was convinced I wouldn’t pass out, I gingerly moved to follow him. My nerves got the best of me, and my hands clasped the hem of my shirt while I fidgeted with the material.
The nervous habit was something I’d done since childhood, but thought I’d broken after Daniel went off on me about how childish it made me look.
Finn’s eyes latched onto the move but remained silent before he turned toward the hallway. Shame heated my cheeks once more, but I followed him before stopping at the second door on the right.
He opened the door and allowed me to enter. Dark hardwood covered the length of the floor, covered only by a rug in soft cream. A large window sat on the far side of the room while an empty fireplace framed the wall furthest from the door. Off to the side sat a king-sized bed covered in a faux fur comforter.
My hands shook and I pressed them against my lips, noting the familiar bag on the bed. He grabbed my purse. Immense gratitude filled me for the man who had not only saved my life but unknowingly prevented me from being completely destitute.
Unaware of the turmoil in my head, Finn cleared his throat. I turned to face him in the doorway, but he waved back toward the bed. “I left some spare clothes for you just in case. They’ll likely be too big on you, but the sweatpants have a drawstring in the waist so you can tie them. There are more bandages under the sink to cover up the sutures when you’re done showering.”
Completely overwhelmed by the last forty-eight hours and at a total loss for words, I mustered a quiet, “Thank you.”
He gave me a quick perusal and then a curt nod of his head.
“I’ll leave you to it. Come on out when you’re done. I’ll have food waiting for you in the kitchen and we can put some ice on your injuries.”
Rather than repeat my gratitude, I nodded and reached for the clothing before heading for the door I assumed led to the bathroom.
Just before I stepped inside, he asked, “One more thing. What’s your name?”
I hesitated, wondering if honesty really was the best policy, given my current circumstances. After mulling it over for several long moments, I concluded the odds of Daniel tracking me down because of this man were minimal at best. “Tessa. Tessa Devereaux,” I answered.
“Tessa,” he repeated in a low rumble, causing something in my belly to clench.
He gave me one more curt nod and left me to shower.