5. Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Tessa
T he soft flannel sheets grazed my skin as I woke the next morning. Burrowing down in the cocoon of softness, I replayed the events of the last couple of days in my head. The terror when I fled L.A., the resignation I experienced right before everything went black, and the weird combination of fear and safety I felt in Finn’s presence.
I should have been terrified upon waking up in a strange house to the sight of a man of his size. I wasn’t sure if it was the gentle way he kept me from falling or the way he literally saved my life, but I knew with every fiber of my being he would never hurt me. Despite being relative strangers, those sable brown eyes had watched me with concern from the second I woke up. As long as I was in his presence, I was safe.
Of course, that didn’t erase years of being conditioned to expect men to hurt me. His abrupt stop when he rushed to keep me from falling and his subsequent reassurance I was safe sent a fresh wave of humiliation thrumming through my veins.
I allowed myself to soak in the feeling of safety for the first time in what felt like forever. I hadn’t realized it before, but the last few years had taken its toll on my anxiety. Until the immediate threat was removed, I failed to realize how truly exhausting living in a perpetual state of fear had been. I closed my eyes as the sound of glass shattering and metal cookware landing on the ceramic floor echoed throughout my mind. If only I hadn’t been so blinded by a pretty smile and the idea that someone would actually want me.
I caught myself as the negative thoughts tried to take over. Beating myself up for decisions I could do nothing to alter wouldn’t help. What was done was done. I was no longer in that situation, nor would I ever allow myself to be again. I had no idea what I was going to do now that I escaped, but I’d figure it out. Just like I always did.
Sliding out of bed at my bladder’s insistence, I was pleasantly surprised to discover my head no longer throbbed as strongly as it did the day before. The cold from the hardwood floors seeped into the soles of my feet while I hurried to the bathroom.
After I was done, I made my way to the door and paused. What was I supposed to do? Just stroll out there like I belonged? Searching the room, I spotted a small clock radio on the dresser along the far wall, declaring it was just after nine o’clock in the morning. Was Finn even awake?
I cracked the bedroom door, and the smell of bacon pulled me toward the kitchen.
Peeking around the corner, my breath caught. Finn stood at the stove with his back to me. Plaid flannel pajama pants hung from his trim hips. But what truly caught me off guard and rendered me speechless was his shirtless torso. Muscles rippled as he moved a spatula across a frying pan, each movement displaying the truly remarkable definition across his entire physique. God, he really was a rare specimen . Tattoos decorated his skin, creating a vibrant tapestry. From where I stood, I observed what appeared to be the skeleton of an animal along his rib cage and a large eagle wrapped around several objects on his bicep. My eyes snagged on what appeared to be a large swath of marred skin on his left shoulder. Trying to figure out what could have happened to him and coming up short, I sighed internally at the perfection that was Finn Remington, even with the flaw in his skin.
In L.A., everyone was attractive to some degree or another, regardless of whether or not they came by their looks artificially, but very few people could be called truly beautiful.
Finn was one of the beautiful people.
I was so preoccupied when I woke the previous night I failed to take the time to appreciate Finn’s looks. But as we sat at the table after my shower, I stole a couple of glances when he wasn’t looking.
Wavy strands the color of dark chocolate stood in every direction, giving the impression he perpetually ran his hands through it. Thick eyebrows sat above whiskey-colored eyes framed by eyelashes women everywhere would kill for. A perfect Grecian nose tapered down to soft, full lips. His strong jaw was covered by a thick beard he kept clean and trimmed close. The only imperfection I found were the lines that appeared when he crinkled his eyes or furrowed his brows, but even those only made him more attractive.
Before I could avert my eyes, Finn swung around and caught me staring. I fought the instinct to flee at being caught but was temporarily stunned by the intense look he gave me.
“Good morning. Did you sleep okay?” he rumbled.
God, even his morning voice was sexy. So. Not. Fair.
My hands wrung together, and I looked everywhere but directly at him. “Yes, I slept wonderfully. That bed felt like I was sleeping on a cloud.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it. I’m sure you needed the rest.” He scanned me from head to toe. “How do you feel?”
I inventoried the pains and aches throughout my body. The swelling in my nose required I breathe through my mouth, but the pain wasn’t as bad as anticipated. The nausea that was present when I woke the night before was also pleasantly absent, and while my ribs still ached, I knew from experience that was something that would go away in time.
“Better than I deserve, all things considered,” I replied while I looked around his kitchen. Cinnamon brown cabinets ran the length of the wall, complimented by granite countertops containing a mixture of gray and cream tones. Stainless steel appliances rounded out the lavish kitchen.
“I hope you’re hungry. I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I made a bit of everything. We’ve got homemade waffles, bacon, scrambled eggs, toast, and of course coffee.”
Hunger pangs gripped my stomach while he described the feast he prepared. “That sounds incredible.”
“Go ahead and have a seat while I bring everything over to the table.”
“No, I can help,” I insisted and crossed the kitchen to pick up the waffles.
I startled when strong hands bumped mine. My body jolted back, only to bounce off the wall of solid muscle standing next to me at the counter. I spun toward him, my pulse increasing at the sight of a hard chest. A smattering of hair decorated sculpted chest muscles. My cheeks heated as my eyes roved across the front of his torso, snagging on a matching swatch of marred skin. Surveying the scar on his shoulder, I realized it extended from the mottled skin I saw on his back. Continuing north with my perusal, our gazes locked and I froze, caught in the intensity of his stare. Dark eyes studied me while they searched for something I didn’t want to share. Uncomfortable with an interaction that felt strangely intimate, I dropped my chin, severing the connection.
Sensing my discomfort, Finn backed away from me and cleared his throat. “Please, pick a seat at the table. The coffee’s already there, and I can bring all of this over in one trip,” he added, the gravelly tone of his voice deeper than usual.
I told myself to do as he asked, but for reasons I didn’t understand, I continued to gawk at the male specimen before me. Something low in my belly spasmed. Staring at the masterpiece before me, I wound my hands in the hem of my shirt, wringing the fabric so hard my fingers ached. Noticing my reaction, Finn looked down at himself and froze.
“I’m sorry,” he apologized. “I spilled bacon grease on my shirt when I went to dump out the pan. I completely forgot,” he said before he crossed over to the couch and grabbed a sweatshirt.
When he returned, his torso was covered, and a part of me I thought no longer existed sighed at the loss. However, I couldn’t deny I was more comfortable now that he was fully clothed again.
My eyes moved around the room, noting a particular absence. “Where’s your dog?”
“Luka’s curled up by the fireplace. He knows he’s not allowed in the kitchen when I’m cooking or during mealtime,” Finn explained.
I nodded while Finn brought the rest of the food to the table. I looked at the feast Finn prepared before pulling out a chair and sitting down.
“There’s plenty of food so please help yourself to whatever you want,” Finn said as he sat down across from me and scooped eggs onto his plate. I followed suit, and we ate while country music played low in the background.
My plate was almost empty when Finn broke the silence. “I checked the weather this morning. The storm is set to stick around for a few more days. They’re estimating at least four feet of snow by the time it’s done.
I blanched at the idea of waiting several days before putting more miles between myself and L.A. Seeming to misunderstand my reaction for fear, Finn reassured, “We have more than enough supplies to last us a few weeks if need be. I stocked up on food before the storm hit. The power lines are all underground up here, so we rarely loose power. But in the event we do, I have a generator with enough back up fuel to keep us going as long as we need.”
My heart rate slowed. Being trapped in the middle of nowhere wasn’t ideal, but if I couldn’t get out, that meant Daniel couldn’t get to me either. He had to know I was gone by now. My chest tightened when I thought about his anger upon discovering I left. A light sheen of cold sweat broke out across my skin as images of Daniel’s fury over the years flashed before my eyes. I took every precaution I could to ensure he couldn’t find me, but his wealth and status afforded him resources unlike anything I had ever known. And I knew. I knew that one day, he would eventually track me down.
The breakfast I ate churned in my stomach when I considered what Daniel would do to anyone he found me with. Looking at the man who rescued me, I acknowledged that for his own safety, I needed to make sure I was far away from Finn by the time Daniel found me.
Seemingly oblivious to the dark turn my thoughts had taken, Finn continued, “I don’t have a ton of things around here to pass the time, but I do have a few bookshelves filled with a variety of books and DVDs. You’re welcome to read or watch anything you like. I left the ibuprofen on the counter and there are several ice packs in the freezer you can use on anything that hurts.”
My belly fluttered at the kindness of this stranger. “I’m sure I can find something to occupy my time.” I swallowed hard. “Thank you. Truly, thank you for everything you’ve done for me. You have gone so far beyond what anyone could ever expect of a stranger, and I am so incredibly grateful.” I choked out the last sentence, my eyes watering and forcing me to look away. I blinked rapidly to keep the liquid from spilling over.
“Tessa,” he said softly.
I refused to allow him to see my tears and continued to focus on my plate.
“Tessa,” he said more firmly. My head snapped up at the command in his voice. His usually guarded expression was now soft, the lines near his temples smooth, and he once again treated me like a spooked horse. "You don’t have to keep thanking me. I know you’re grateful. But, and please don’t take this the wrong way, I did what I would have done for anyone I found in your condition. You don’t owe me anything, so please don’t think you do.”
I sat stunned while I processed his words. Was it truly possible I stumbled upon the one decent guy left on the face of the planet? The odds seemed unlikely, but I couldn’t deny the way my gut told me everything he said was the truth.
“Okay?” he clarified when I continued to stare at him. Nodding, I managed to return his kindness with a small smile of my own.
He rose from the table and began clearing the food. I brought my dirty dishes to the counter while he turned on the sink and began rinsing them. After loading the dishwasher and putting away the leftovers, he turned toward me. “I have work I need to do in my office, but you’re welcome to roam the house. Feel free to toss your clothes in the washroom when you have a chance, and I’ll run a load later. You can help yourself to anything you find. If you get hungry, you’re welcome to any food in the fridge.”
Reigning in the urge to thank him once again, I simply nodded. He gave me a quick smile before heading out of the room.
I stood there, listening as his surprisingly light footsteps receded. I exhaled and looked around the kitchen once more. Everything was top of the line while managing to be nothing like the ostentatious penthouse I lived in back in L.A.
Wandering into the living room, I saw Luka curled up by the roaring fireplace. One eyelid cracked open when I entered his space before it closed again, the dog returning to his slumber. Remembering the built-in bookshelves from the night before, I padded into the living room. Floor to ceiling bookcases spanned the entire wall. Stained wood shelves held a vibrant array of books. This was what he considered a few bookshelves? Each shelf held tomes from different genres. As I perused the shelves, I found rows of military history books, biographies across the centuries, and science fiction adventures. A small bark of laughter escaped when I reached a section of romance novels. Finn certainly didn’t seem like the type to read them, but perhaps they belonged to an ex. My stomach dropped out beneath me as a notion I hadn’t considered dawned on me. Did Finn have a girlfriend? Or perhaps a wife? Just because she wasn’t here didn’t mean she didn’t exist.
I fought off unwarranted jealousy, a furl of possessiveness catching me by surprise. It shouldn’t make any difference to me if there was a woman in Finn’s life. I wasn’t anything to him other than the woman he rescued. In a few days’ time we would dig ourselves out of here, and I would likely never see him again.
I shook my head and tried to brush off the melancholy that overwhelmed me at the thought. I needed to make the most of my time here and figure out what my next move would be once the storm cleared. Although doing so without any way to research where I could go would be difficult. Resolving to ask Finn about borrowing a computer when I saw him next, I perused the romance novels again. My fingers landed upon a blue cover. I opened the book to the title page, discovering the author’s autograph scribbled across the paper. Huh. Whoever owned these books must really love the author.
I carried my find over to the cozy leather couch before curling up on the end and pulling a nearby blanket across my lap. Soft orange light filled the room as the flames danced in the fireplace. Sinking further into the comfort of the plush leather, the blanket and heat from the fireplace warmed my sore and weary body.
***
Jerking back to consciousness, I discovered the light in the room was significantly dimmed. Gusts of white still howled past the windowpane, the waning light outside indicating I slept the majority of the day.
Silence blanketed the air around me. Just when I convinced myself that I woke on my own, a frustrated voice in the distance broke the stillness.
Finn. His normally calm and gravelly tone was absent as I heard his volume increase.
I crept out from beneath my cocoon of blankets and tiptoed down the hallway toward the sound.
As I approached, the internal voice I came to know so well over the last several years began berating me.
What are you doing? He’s yelling and after everything you’ve been through you think it’s a good idea to move toward the angry man?
I shook my head lightly, careful not to aggravate my concussion while attempting to rid myself of the internal admonishment. Finn had been nothing but kind to me. I didn’t know how to explain it, but something in my soul told me that no matter what happened, this man would never hurt me.
Finn’s voice grew louder until I stood directly outside the room he occupied. The heavy wood door sat slightly ajar. Despite knowing I was invading Finn’s privacy, I peered through the small crack. He paced back and forth across the width of the room, a phone pressed to his ear while he listened to the person on the other end. More floor to ceiling bookshelves spanned the far wall while a television droned low in the background about something happening in the Middle East.
I jumped slightly when I Finn spoke again on the other side of the door. Despite being close enough to hear clearly, I still couldn’t understand what he was saying I tried to place the language he was speaking. Was that Arabic?
Huh. So, Finn spoke another language. I always wanted to learn a foreign language but never seemed to develop a good ear for them. I took enough Spanish in high school to satisfy the graduation requirement but hadn’t done particularly well in it.
Coming to a halt across the room, Finn’s eyes locked on my own. Instead of the rage I expected, his eyes warmed before he said something I didn’t understand and hung up the phone.
His light footsteps echoed in the large space as he crossed the room, his hand latching onto the door before swinging it wide.
“Are you alright, Tessa?” Gone was the anger and frustration from his previous conversation. The concern in his tone was evident, its presence warming something inside me.
“Yes. I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to be nosy. I heard you talking from the living room, and you sounded angry.”
He nodded before retreating from the door and waved me in. A large wood desk held three large computer monitors in the middle of the room. Behind his desk, dozens of televisions displayed various surveillance footage. What was this room?
Finn’s voice broke me out of my head. “I’m sorry if I scared you. I was talking to a contact regarding an op we’re working at the moment.” His expression hardened. “Things aren’t going well.”
I studied his face. His lips pinched together while he yanked on the back of his neck, trying to massage away the tension before a heavy sigh escaped.
“An op?” I questioned.
Finn’s brows furrowed when he looked at me before smoothing out again. “A special operation. My friend and I own a private security company. We do mostly domestic work now. A fair amount of bodyguard work for VIPs, security system installation and maintenance, and some investigation work here and there. But every once in a while, we get asked to aid the military with our resources.”
“The military?” I clarified.
“Yes. My business partner, Roman, and I both spent a little over ten years in the military. During that time, we developed a significant number of contacts overseas. Every once in a while, Uncle Sam asks us to aid our brothers in arms by making a few phone calls.”
I nodded in understanding despite suddenly feeling unsteady. It shouldn’t have been a big deal, and in all honesty it wasn’t. He served his country and was clearly an honorable man. Everything I learned about Finn to date fit with him being in the military. If less… unusual circumstances surrounded my arrival here, I likely would have seen it sooner.
Finn cleared his throat and changed the subject. “I was thinking about making dinner. Is there anything in particular you don’t eat or that I should avoid?”
Still slightly stunned by the information I just learned about my temporary roommate, I looked down before shaking my head.
“Alright. Give me an hour, and I’ll have dinner ready for us.”
I should have taken the out and left him alone. But if I was honest with myself, I didn’t want to. “Can I help?” I asked quietly. I knew better than to try my hand in the kitchen, but I couldn’t bring myself to allow him to do all the work.
Finn studied me for a long moment before agreeing. “Of course. Having help would be a nice change of pace.” He sounded sincere, even as my instincts caused me to doubt the authenticity in his expression.
Choosing to ignore the way my heart rate kicked up at his confidence in me, I turned and headed for the kitchen.