by T. Cobbin
“I’m not sure if it was a dream or something I remember. A man laughing at me, telling me I was to pay for my father’s crimes. He said no one would recognize my dead body. I was tied up and tried to kick out at him, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t move or cry out.” Her heart continued to race. It felt like the fear inside of her was going to stop her heart.
“Hey now.” Harris gently stroked her back, his hands constantly moving, while rocking her back and forth.
The t-shirt she had on was damp with sweat. As she slowly calmed down embarrassment filled her. “I’m so sorry. Really, I am. You should let me go and go back to sleep.” She began to realize that Harris was half-naked. Well, perhaps he was a little more than half. From what she could tell, all he had on was a pair of boxers. Her face heated when she realized she could feel his erection nudging her hip.
“I’ll tell you what, you stay here in my arms for a while more ’til you’ve properly calmed, and then we’ll put some bags over your bandages and cast and you can have a bath. How does that sound?”
Oh God yes, a bath. She couldn’t agree fast enough. “That would be wonderful. Thank you. I’m sorry I woke you.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll find a way you can make it up to me. Perhaps I’ll put you to work in the kitchen and let you wash all the dishes for a week.” She could hear the humor in his voice and knew he was kidding.
A little while later, she sat on the edge of the tub with bags wrapped around her feet and arm. It was a huge, triangle tub, big enough to fit three people in at least. Scented steam rose from the bubbled water, and she watched in fascination as Harris, in only his boxers, climbed into the tub. Was he expecting her to get in the water with him?
She couldn’t help but stare at his large, muscled body as it lowered into the water. He had muscles on muscles, with a very nice six-pack. He was huge. Was his entire body proportioned that way? Her gaze flickered to his crotch. Oh yes, that was some bulge he had there. Her gaze lifted back up to his face.
“Umm...are...umm...”
Before she could splutter anything else out he looked up at her and grinned from ear to ear. “Just making sure you don’t drown. It’s a big tub, Chick.”
Was she always going to feel embarrassed around this man? Heat suffused her cheeks when he reached out and pulled her down gently, lowering her into the warm water. As it got wetter the t-shirt she was wearing molded against her skin.
“Let’s get this off you,” Harris said, indicating her top, his fingers grabbing the bottom the hem.
“But…”
“Trust me. Lift your hands above your head.”
She followed his instructions, feeling unsure but wanting to do as he asked. Once the shirt was off she lowered her arms and crossed them over her chest, unsure what to do next.
Harris’s hands clasped the tops of her arms after she heard the sound of her wet t-shirt hitting the floor, and he gently pulled her back against him. When her back lay against his chest, the water lapping over her sweaty skin, she couldn’t help but relax and close her eyes, her unease forgotten.
* * * *
Something had woken Harris. A female cry, a sob, then a scream. He rushed from the room he was currently using while his was being used. He ran through the house, tracking scents and listening for sounds as he went. He found nothing out of the ordinary until he stood outside of his room. The scent of fear was strong, and it was coming from inside. Chick, his chick.
He opened the door, ready for trouble, but all he found was the woman in his bed trying to kick and punch her way out of the covers that had tied her down in her struggle. Another cry ripped through the air. He ran across the room and plucked her up and held her as she carried on struggling.
“Chick. Come on, sweetheart. It’s a dream.” He kept repeating the words, running his hands over her sweaty skin, until finally he seemed to reach her.
She opened her eyes with a start. Fearful ones met his. Realizing she was safe, she began to slowly relax against him. She apologized over and over, but it wasn’t necessary. Just having her in his arms and knowing she was safe was satisfaction. He’d do anything to keep her nightmares at bay. He stockpiled everything she revealed in her dream in his head so he could examine it in depth later. He knew a bath was always relaxing, so offered her the choice, and he was pleased when she accepted.
While the tub filled with water he sat her on the edge of it and placed bags around her cast and bandages, taping them to make sure they were secure. There was no way he was letting the chance to get even closer to her get away, so without saying a word, he stepped into the tub. Using a huge amount of self-restraint, he kept his boxers on. No need to frighten her more...he was already taking a risk. His cock was hard enough to hammer nails and tented his boxers, so he moved swiftly, sliding down into the water. She stared at his body and began to splutter and looked worried.
“Just making sure you don’t drown. It’s a big tub, Chick.” He reached out and grabbed her gently around her waist and pulled her in and under the water.
Raising her legs, he rested them on the end of the tub so her feet were out of the water, and she put her broken arm on the side of the tub. The borrowed t-shirt she wore, as it became wetter, stuck to her body like a second skin. He needed to feel her skin, not the material. He encouraged her to take it off, watching her cross her arms over her breasts once it was removed, but with a gentle pull she lay back against him and slowly relaxed.
Satisfaction thrummed through his veins. He was now honestly beginning to accept the fact that this woman was his mate. Everything inside of him pulled toward her, even though he knew nothing about her, not even her name. He didn’t think she was married or engaged, because she wasn’t wearing a ring. Besides, if she had a man in her life, he would have smelled his scent on her when he’d first come across her.
Picking up a sponge, he soaped it up and began carefully washing her. At first she stiffened, but after a few sweeps with the sponge she began to calm. He sponged over her creamy skin, letting his fingers graze it after. His erection swelled; by now she would realize it was there, trapped between them. She lifted and pushed her chest as he soaped over her breasts. He could scent, feel, and almost taste her arousal in the air. He drew the sponge over her collarbone and down between her breasts. Over her stomach and lower still, but stopped just short of her pubic bone. No reason to push it too far. He heard her small whimper as he rose again up her body. He lowered his head to the crook of her neck and breathed in her aroma.
“What’s happening here?” she asked in a breathless pant.
“Just a man helping his chick take a bath.” His own voice seemed lower, even he could hear the seductiveness of it. Oh yes, he wanted this woman. Past or no past. He wanted her bad. “Tell me to stop if you don’t want this.”
“There are so many wrongs about this, and yet it feels so...right.”
Unable to stop himself, he moved his hand lower down her body. He knew this was wrong in its own way. She was ill, and she couldn’t remember anything at all. But her soul called out to him. Letting the sponge drift off in the water, he moved his hands back over her body, slowly drifting lower and nudging his hand between her legs. She opened her thighs, her breathing coming in full pants. With his other hand he skimmed his fingers across her breast, tracing her areola. He gently pulled and tugged at her nipple while nibbling on her neck.
“You have such lovely tits,” he murmured.
His fingers moved and pushed through her folds and inside of her warm channel. Her vagina walls clenched at the invasion. She tilted her hips, giving him full access. Visions of him thrusting his cock inside her tight, warm pussy had him fighting not to come there and then. Another moan slipped from her lips.
“You can tell me to stop,” he whispered, giving her one last chance to end this.
Chapter 7
“Oh God, no, don’t stop now. Please. I don’t know what this is between us, but please...”
Harris pressed h
is thumb against her hard, little nub, and his fingers entered her hot pussy, curling a touch to find her hidden nerves. The scent of her arousal filled the room. Bringing his hand up from her breast, he grabbed hold of the nape of her neck and gently twisted her head so he could look into her light green eyes. They sparkled with lust. Lowering his head, he latched onto her plump lips and ravished them. His fingers constantly moving inside of her.
Her hips began moving to the beat he was pounding. Her arse ground against his cock, and he too was almost ready to pop his lid. He so badly wanted to be inside of her, but he knew he’d have to wait. Releasing her lips, he nudged her cheek, pushing her head to the side so he could bite down gently on her neck just over her pulse, careful not to break the skin.
He could feel her inner walls tighten and pulse against his fingers. A moan of delight left her mouth. Her body froze for a moment, her cunt tightening around his fingers in orgasm. Harris’s eyes rolled back in his head as pushed his cock against her back and shot his load with a tinge of embarrassment, feeling like a teenager having his first tryst, but that didn’t stop his shaft spurting its release into the water.
She relaxed once again. He could feel her heart and breathing slowing down as she melted against him. He pulled his fingers free of her twitching pussy, continuing to pepper small kisses along her neck and shoulders. He felt when she became more alert. Her body stiffened and her scent changed to worry.
“Oh God,” she whispered. “I don’t know what came over me. I don’t know you...oh shit, what if I’m always like this? What if...”
“Don’t,” he warned. “Don’t over-analyze this. As far as I’m concerned we did nothing wrong. We are two consenting adults who rolled with the moment.” He kissed the top of her head.
“But...”
“No buts. You liked it, right?” he asked, knowing full well she had.
“Yes, but...”
“What if this was meant to be?” he asked to see what her answer would be.
“Meant to be?”
“Yes. Something brought us together. Fate.”
“Oh.” She sat silent for a moment. He swore he could hear the little cogs inside her mind clicking around.
“Come on, let’s get you dried.” He had to remind himself that not everyone believed in fate like he did. He would have to wait for her answer, but he’d already decided to find a way to keep her. She was his mate. He believed that now, and he also believed fate had found a way to bring them together.
Standing up, he grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her body then sat her down on the loo. He wrapped a towel around his waist and slipped his wet boxers down his legs, leaving them to drop on the floor with an audible thump. Turning, he picked her up and carried her back into the bedroom, sitting her in the chair near the window.
Giving her a fresh t-shirt, he left her to put it on while he changed the bedsheets.
“There we go—fresh, clean, and waiting for you.”
“Handy, aren’t you?”
“I’ve had to be. I had two siblings to bring up. My mother and father were killed when I was twenty-five, leaving me a six and eleven year old to raise. The village helped a lot. The women would bring over meals and teach me shit I needed to know. As you can see, we made it this far.” He smiled. She had dried herself and taken the bags off her feet and arm and was now sitting in his t-shirt once again.
“I wish I could tell you a little about me but...”
“Yeah, I know—crappy memory, can’t remember jack shit,” he said, full of humor, trying to lighten the mood. “You will.” He bent down and picked her up as if she were a feather. He pressed a gentle kiss to her lips and carried her over to the bed.
“Now, just in case you decide to fight the bed again, I’m going to lie beside you. If I happen to fall asleep, you’ll just have to put up with my snoring. At least it will keep you awake enough not to have bad dreams.” Not giving her a chance to protest, he walked around the bed, pulled back the covers, and slid in beside her. He saw her shake her head, and he smiled to himself.
“Goodnight, Harris.”
“Night, Chick.” He was glad she didn’t put up a fight. Perhaps this would work out.
* * * *
“There you go, miss, but just because the bandages have come off doesn’t mean you can walk on those feet yet. Wait ’til the stitches are out,” Ben ordered.
“Thanks, Doc.” She smiled up at him from her spot on the couch.
With a nod and a wide smile he told her goodbye, then walked out of the house, followed by Harris.
It had been two days since her first nightmare, and every night Harris had climbed into bed and spooned with her. And each night she let him and relaxed into his arms. Each time a nightmare reared its head he held her close, whispering sweet nothings into her ear. She still didn’t know anything about herself apart from the fact that the same two men constantly appeared in her dreams, laughing or torturing her. Harris also found any reason to flirt with her during the day. Little innuendos that would have her flushing with embarrassment and filling her head with naughty thoughts.
Felix wasn’t around as often as Terrie. The young woman would sit and keep her company. The village gossip was the main topic of conversation. The women from the village came in streams during the day, bringing food, and helped her pass the time, telling her all the new gossip. They all called her Chick too.
Her feet didn’t hurt too badly now. The bruises on her wrists and ankles were beginning to fade. Her head was fine, but her memories were still missing. Although it would seem some of them plagued her dreams.
Lifting a foot, she looked at the bottom of it. Four strips of stitches in various sizes and shapes covered the sole. They looked red and angry. She must have run a fair distance to do such damage. She knew she was some place out in the sticks in Yorkshire. Terrie had told her the area around them was filled with hills and hollows.
Harris was standing by the back door. She quickly learned it was his usual spot to be found. Earlier today she had sat beside him, watching the sun heat and warm the earth. Light frost had skimmed the grass until the sun hit it and drops of water appeared. She wondered about the cat while sitting there. Was it really a huge leopard that had kept her warm for a while, or had she dreamed it? Yesterday she was sure she’d seen a large gray feline padding around in the distance.
“Hey.” Terrie bounced in from the kitchen. “We’re going to the village hall today to start making the Christmas deccies for the town square Christmas tree. Every year the villagers and their kits get together and make them. Want to join us?”
“Kits?” she asked, confused, thinking of villagers all turning up in footballs kits or something.
“Kids, I said kids,” Terrie said, although she seemed rather flustered about it.
“Umm, okay. That would be brilliant. Gets me out of the house. But...” She tugged at another of Harris’s t-shirts she was wearing.
“Oh, don’t worry. Your clothes are washed and dry, although...” Terrie rushed from the room and a minute later came back with a few wrapped parcels. “Look what Harris bought for you. They arrived this morning. He ordered some stuff and had them delivered overnight.”
Terrie dropped the bundles at her feet and began opening them. Underwear, sweatpants, t-shirts, a pair of jeans, and a few dresses.
“Sorry, I totally forgot about them ’til now,” Terrie apologized.
“Oh, wow. He did this?”
“Yeah, soft bastard, isn’t he?”
Terrie looked at her, and they both began laughing. The thought of that huge man, who looked like he could chew you up and spit out your bones, being a soft git was quite comical.
Needing a little help, Terrie helped her get dressed, ready for the day out.
“When I get my memory back I will find a way to repay you all for your kindness.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ve enjoyed having you around, and I know Harris has too. I also know he would do anything for you.
”
Chapter 8
Harris wrapped one of his coats around his chick’s shoulders and carried her toward the village hall. Before they reached the end of the drive, his chick looked up at him in confusion. “Why are you carrying me and not driving? Wouldn’t it be easier for you? I’m not exactly light.”
He could have told her that he loved having her in his arms, or he preferred to walk instead of being in a tin can, but he merely replied, “It isn’t far, and walking means less pollution, and you are far from heavy.”
To his relief she shrugged her shoulders, seeming satisfied with his answer.
He watched her take in everything around her. Yesterday he had received news that although the blood trail had gone cold, Chris, the tracker, had memorized the scent of two males that had been on the road. The men would have had to gotten out of their vehicle in order for him to do that. They couldn’t do much right now until something else happened. Harris had a feeling that something would. He’d told Felix to add a few more enforcers to the patrol so they could keep an eye out.
Over the last few days he had made sure to get to know his chick a bit more, trying to find out her likes and dislikes. She loved to sit with him in the morning watching the sunrise, which pleased him immensely.
He looked down at the woman in his arms, who was looking around with wide eyes. Although it had been pleasurable to sleep next to her, it had also been torture too, being he was rock hard all night long. Her scent was driving him nuts. How long must he wait until he or she felt comfortable together?
He knew he had to wait, because what if she did have someone in her life? If he slept with her, she would be the last woman he ever did sleep with, because he’d never be able to—let alone want to—get his cock fucking rock hard for anyone else but his chick. Something inside of him told him he had to hold out. He didn’t want to tie her down without her knowing something about her past. And if she never regained her memory? Well, that was another hurdle to jump over. He also had the hurdle of telling her about his kind.
