Chapter 10 - Hazel
I didn’t sleep at all last night. I thought after being up all night with Asher, I would sleep tonight, but sleep eluded me.
My mind kept traveling back to last night.
The fear I felt when he passed out and went limp.
I was terrified I would lose him, and I didn’t understand why I suddenly cared so much.
Maybe it was because I was seeing him vulnerable. I had him watching after me for days, and suddenly, he wasn’t even able to stand.
I managed to get him to his bed. I kept the rag cold on his forehead, making sure he slept peacefully and didn’t move. I was so tired, my eyes growing heavy as I stared at him.
I kept telling myself I couldn’t sleep. I needed to make sure that he stayed still and didn’t hurt his shoulder. I wanted him to heal properly.
I felt that tug deep in my chest as I stared at him. When did my emotions change? When did my hatred start to shift into something else? Did I care about him? Like him?
I turned the shower on and stripped down. But I could still smell him on me. He smelled of sandalwood. I inhaled his scent and quickly caught myself. I threw my clothes into the hamper and stepped under the water.
I turned the water as hot as I could, needing to relax. But the second I closed my eyes, I kept seeing him. The way he looked in pain, and then when he relaxed. I brushed his hair back, feeling my heart skip a beat when he fell into a deep sleep.
Asher had soft hair and a bit of an after-shave. He had thin lips and nicely shaped eyebrows.
I opened my eyes, knowing this was bad. I couldn’t let anything more happen. Asher was only married to me because he had to be, not because he wanted to be. I couldn’t let my mind think he cared more than being a responsibility. Because that’s what I was. I was a job and nothing more.
I finished my shower and got dressed. I headed downstairs and decided I needed to get out of the house for a while. A little fresh air was going to be a great way to clear my head.
I headed out, pulling a hat on, and went for a walk. I took a left turn near the park and walked downtown. I hummed as I walked, just letting my mind remain blank.
I stopped into a few shops and decided to have lunch at the bakery. I figured I would go home in an hour or so and take a nap. I didn’t want to sleep all day, and I’m not sleeping tonight.
After having lunch, I took a right and headed down Main Street. I got to a crosswalk and looked at the parking lot in front of the training ground. It was mostly empty, snow covering the lot. But I noticed one vehicle, and I knew whose it was.
I frowned. There was no way that Asher was out of the house right now. His stitches were just healing.
I crossed the street and headed toward the training ground. I froze when I spotted him just a few yards ahead of me. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, with long pants. His hands were up as he threw punches at the dummy in front of him.
I moved closer, ready to rip him a new one. He shouldn’t be training, not with how deep his gash was. He needed to rest for at least one more day. His muscles still needed to completely heal.
But I was mesmerized as I watched him move. His punches were quick, and he moved with ease. His shoulder seemed to be holding up just fine. Or at least, it wasn’t showing if he was in pain.
He rolled his shoulders back and took a fighting stance. He moved lightly on his feet, moving to the right before he threw a punch at the dummy. The dummy moved back a little before moving forward. He threw a kick up on his right leg, driving it into the stomach of the dummy.
I moved closer, watching his muscles roll on his back.
He arched down, touching his toes, and I felt it stir my stomach.
My entire body warmed at the sight of him so bare and exposed.
It was one thing to look at him half-naked while he was in pain, but another to look at him using his muscles covered in sweat.
Asher reached for the sky and rolled his shoulders back once more. He threw his fist forward, slamming it into the dummy. He did this over and over, punching the dummy repeatedly.
I swallowed, thinking of the stamina he had. I knew that all of them were built to fight, but seeing it was another thing. It just proved what they were capable of.
Asher rolled his neck and rubbed at his injured shoulder. He turned but froze when he spotted me. My eyes trailed over his chest, taking in the sweater and his six-pack abs.
Oh fuck me… Catching feelings was hard when the man looked like that.
“Hazel…I didn’t realize you were there.”
“I was out taking a walk when I noticed you were here. You should be resting.” I pointed toward his shoulder. “It’s still healing.”
“It’s healed. And if I don’t move, it will hurt even more.”
My eyes went down to his abs, memorizing just how perfectly he was made. Asher was every woman’s wet dream. I could imagine what was underneath.
I shook my head. “You’re punching stiff on that shoulder, which tells me you aren’t fine.”
I expected him to argue with me, but he didn’t. “Well, what do you think I should do?” he asked. “Because I don’t have time to rest.”
I sighed. “Massage it then,” I stated. “I can if you want.”
His eyebrows went up at the offer. “Really? You want to massage me?”
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t say it like that.
I’m offering to massage your shoulders and back because you’re stiff.
It’s good to work the muscles, but not entirely the way you are.
You don’t want to pull a muscle while you’re healing.
But since you’re a crappy patient, a massage will help ease the pain. ”
He pulled his gloves off. “Okay, then come massage me.” He said with such confidence that it made my stomach flip.
I moved over toward him, pointing toward the bench. He sat down and turned. I placed my hands on his back, feeling his muscles were stiff like a board. His shoulder was tight, and his muscles were rock hard.
“Wow.”
“What?” he turned his head, looking at me.
I shook my head. “I just… you’re very fit.”
He laughed, turning his head straight. “Thanks. Hours of practice.”
I moved my thumbs, rubbing them against his shoulder. I could feel a knot and tried to knead it out. I moved down his shoulder, moving his arm as I went. “Does this hurt at all? Do you have full rotation?”
“It hurts a little, but it’s not like I can’t handle it.”
I moved around him, moving toward the front.
He stared at me, his eyes watching me like I was a show.
I felt my body grow hot and swallowed. I needed a distraction from what I was doing.
“So, why are you out here? I understand wanting to move your muscles, but with how you’re hitting that dummy, I would say there is more to it. ”
He frowned. “Like what?”
“You’re angry.” I rubbed my fingers along his neck, feeling his tension. “So, why are you so angry?”
I watched his jaw clench together. “Because yesterday was a disaster, and things could have been a lot worse. If I had paid more attention, maybe we wouldn’t have been so surprised.”
I ran my thumb along his collarbone, looking at his stitches. Most of it had healed, but I could still see the lines from the gash. He hadn’t pulled a stitch, which was a blessing.
“I’m angry I didn’t see it coming. I should have.”
I looked into his eyes. “Mistakes happen.”
“Mistakes can’t happen out there. Someone could have died.”
My hands froze. “No one did, though, and that’s what’s important.” I offered him a smile. “You know for next time.”
He shook his head. “It was my area, Hazel, my responsibility to know what happens.”
“You said those tracks were fresh. So, that doesn’t mean you missed something, Asher. You guys are fighting against creatures that move fast. One moment they are east and suddenly the next, they are south.” I leaned back. “Don’t beat yourself up because you can’t read minds.”
He stared at me, and I felt my heart skip a beat. I quickly tried to shake the feeling off and looked back at his shoulder.