Chapter 4
Owen
Five minutes with a stranger in my cabin and I have already exiled myself out into the cold. I stomp over to the wood pile and start collecting wood. I wonder if Cora will notice that we already have plenty inside.
I can't deny my attraction to the girl. She’s got a great curvy body and a pretty face.But I didn’t expect to react to her the way I did. When she touched my thigh, fuck me, if she had moved her hand a little further up and to the right she would have felt exactly how I felt about her. But the damn pain in my leg is a timely reminder of why I keep myself away from people. I have nothing to offer a young woman. She might have awakened something in me I thought was dormant, but that doesn't mean my circumstances have suddenly changed. Wounded, disfigured, haunted. I am no good for anyone.
And while Cora might not seem to see my scar, there are wounds that run even deeper that she should be frightened of. I'm stuck with her till the storm passes. I will just have to make sure I don't touch her, or let her touch me. Or look at her. Or smell the sweet perfume she wears that makes me think of green fields on a hot summer's day. The girl is not for me and I will keep my distance even if it kills me.
I am a trained professional. I pride myself on my strength of will. Haven't I endured the worst things on this earth. I have built walls and I'm not about to let little Miss. Cora take a sledge hammer to them.
Once I have cooled down I feel it is safe to be in the same room as Cora, I turn and make my way back into the cabin. Opening the door I immediately feel something is off. The air in here feels different. It's not just that. My armchair has been moved and next to it is a crate with a pillow on top and another with a cloth over it. A bloody jar in the middle with a candle in it like some sort of centerpiece. I look over to see Cora dusting the book shelf, humming a little song as she sways this way and back.
Watching her move I am hit once again with attraction and lust. Damn it. My fists ball at my sides as I fight the urge to pull her into my arms.
"What the hell is going on in here?"
She turns to me and grins. "I'm not great at doing nothing. Or sitting still. So I figured I would give this place a clean while I'm here. I used to work as a cleaner, you know?"
I didn't know. I thought she said she worked at the library.
"You moved the furniture?"
"I once worked for a Feng Shui consultant and they gave me some tips."
"Just how many jobs have you had?"
"Oh, too many to count. I just haven't found my place in the world, you know, that one thing that makes me happy."
I don't understand. I always knew I was going to be in the army. I didn't love it. I don't think you're meant to love every damn thing you do in this life. I don't love anything and I get along just fine.
"You can't just walk into a man's house and mess everything up."
Her shoulders drop as quickly as the friendly smile disappears from her face. "I'm sorry. I'm not very good at doing nothing. Or just sitting around. I sort of need to keep busy."
It feels like a horse has kicked me in the guts. "It's fine." I say with a grumble. "Just make sure everything goes back where it was."
The smile is back in seconds, her upset gone like a cloud passing in front of the sun.
For dinner I serve up the stew I have made. I give Cora the plate and the fork while I eat mine from the bowl with the spoon.
“I guess you don’t get many visitors up here?”
I give her a dark frown. “I like to keep to myself.”
“Is that something left over from being in the army?” She asks.
I raise a questioning eyebrow.
Her cheeks go pink as she puts her plate down on the makeshift table she made.
“If I’m honest, I have heard a bit about you. From working at the library, we are organising a fundraising event for the Smith family. When I heard that there was a reclusive billionaire living alone up here in the mountains I thought you might be like Batman.”
I let out a snort. “I don’t fight crime.”
“So you’re not denying that you could be Batman?”
“Batman’s not real. And you shouldn’t be out here walking around by yourself. There are some bad people up here in the mountains. And I haven’t seen any superheroes up here.”
She gives a little shrug. “I can look after myself.”
She sounds defensive. But after the weak punch she threw when I pulled her down from the tree, I know she doesn’t know the first thing about defending herself.
“I could teach you. I could teach you a few moves so you could defend yourself.”
What the hell am I suggesting? But a girl like Cora seems like she could get into trouble. And I don’t like the idea of anything bad happening to her. But, Hell, I am meant to be keeping my distance. Not suggesting I teach her self defence.