“No, I don’t. There’s more going on here than you know.”
“Then tell me!” She raised her voice in exasperation. “I can’t understand if you won’t tell me!”
“Honestly, it’s better for you if you don’t know. This is about my past. And I'm sorry you had the misfortune of being in the wrong place when it caught up with me. For now, you’ll have to be patient while I deal with this.”
“What’s going on? You saving me got me into more trouble than I was in already? If this involves me, then tell me! Or I’ll leave whether you like it or not.”
“Good luck with that. We’re hours from anywhere. You’ll get lost.” His jaw tightened. “You’re not going anywhere.”
For the first time, Emma was a bit frightened. She worried she’d made a mistake trusting him. He was right. She had no idea where she was other than in the mountains. They were kind of hard to miss with them looming above her. She had no idea how long she’d been unconscious. It could have been hours or longer. They could be anywhere. He’d effectively cut her off from the world.
“If you think I’ll sit back and let you to make decisions for me you’re frickin’ delusional. I swore that once I got out of the system, I’d call the shots in my own life.” She slapped her palm against her chest. Frustrated tears threatened and she balled her hands into fists by her side. “Please understand. I’m truly grateful for all your help. But I won’t let you take control of my life. I just can’t.”
“I’m sorry. I am. I knew you’d be upset, but I had to do it. I had no idea it would affect you this badly and I admit, even if I had—I don’t think I’d have done it differently.”
“You had no idea? You don’t understand women at all, do you?”
“No I don’t. What man does? But I promise you from here on out, I’ll try. I’ll do my best to hear you and will consult you on any major decisions. I don’t want you to go.” Her anger was losing steam.
“Can you try to forgive me and stay? For one, I didn’t lie. You’ll get lost in the woods. I couldn’t bear the thought of something worse happening. And two, I still think you’re in danger if you go back to the city.”
“Why?”
“I told you I have enemies. Trust me it’s enough.”
Emma considered her answer. “I’m not sure I’m ready to forgive you for what you’ve done.” When he looked like he was about to interrupt, she held up a hand to stall him. “Not yet. But I’m willing to concede that even though you were way out of line, you thought you were doing the right thing. You were worried about me.” That much she’d give him, but she knew in her bones if she gave in too easily, he’d take complete control of her. Not because he was greedy but because he didn’t know how to not be in charge. She had no intention of promising meek, obedience to anyone. “But make no mistake.” She poked his chest for emphasis. “I don’t appreciate your methods. I’m not saying I condone your drugging and kidnapping me. I’m having trouble getting past that. I believed you’d never hurt me, but you did. Not physically, but you hurt me all the same. You have to trust me too. Trust that I know what is best for me. I make my own decisions.”
“I know I violated your trust.” How did he do that? How did he diffuse her anger so easily?
“You’re damn right you did.” Better to remind him he wasn’t out of the woods yet, metaphorically speaking.
“If I promise to never do it again, can you find a way to forgive me and stay?”
“How do I know you won’t renege?”
“I won’t,” he swore solemnly. “Please, I want you to stay.”
“I’ll stay for now. I’ll probably forgive you…but it’s gonna take some time.”
“I understand. Seeing as we’re already here and you’re still healing, try to give this place a chance? It’s peaceful and quiet. The fresh air will do you a world of good.”
She’d been alone a long time now with no one caring if she lived or died. For some reason this man cared. He wanted to be sure she was safe. She’d never realized how meaningful human connection was. She liked it and she didn’t want to let go of that feeling just yet.
He was right, it was peaceful and quiet here in this secluded clearing. She’d never had a vacation. She might regret it if she never got another chance for a mountain vacation. And with a gorgeous guy, no less, even if he was a giant Neanderthal. Yeah, it all sounded pretty good if you took away the kidnapping part. “I said I’d stay for now but I still need some time and space from you. I’m still angry.” He nodded, accepting her terms. “I guess I could use the R and R. But if you try anything like this again, I’m outta here.” She meant business.
“I won’t.” He sounded relieved, it didn’t mesh with the confidence he usually exuded. Could he be worried about her response? It hardly seemed possible. “I’ll earn your trust again.”
Emma gave him the benefit of the doubt and returned to the cabin. She’d set him straight. Her stomach rumbled. It had been far too long since her last meal. Kai had been hard at work splitting wood so she guessed he’d be getting hungry, too. She might as well make lunch. At least she thought it was lunch time. She was still irritated with him but it seemed petty to make something for herself and leave him to fend for his own meal, particularly after all he had done to take care of her.
Emma looked around the rustic kitchen. She’d never used a wood burning stove before, but she could light a fire, and she knew how to cook. She’d figure the rest out. She retrieved the necessary supplies from the wood box and got a fire started. Once she had a steady blaze roaring, she rummaged through the cupboards and found canned soup, a pot and an old can opener. It took her a few minutes to master the old-fashioned can opener, but she managed.
She set the pot of hearty vegetable soup on the stove over the crackling flames to simmer then walked around the cabin opening windows to air out the place. The cabin was dusty. It could be therapeutic to spruce the place up a bit. She might as well make the best of her situation. The rustic cabin was nice enough despite the signs of neglect. Humming to herself, Emma removed dustcovers of the furniture and took cushions onto the porch to pound the remaining dust from them.
Chapter 11
Kai entered the cabin with an armload of wood. The first thing he noticed was the fresh woodsy scent. The main floor gleamed. A layer of dust no longer covered every surface. The big armchair by the fireplace, stripped of its dusty shroud, looked plump and welcoming. Emma had been busy. Kai dumped the wood into the wood box and stoked the fire he’d started earlier. “Emma, I’m back.”
Her head poked over the edge of the loft and she looked down at him. “Just a second, I was looking for something clean to wear. I’ll be right down.” Kai hoped the relaxed, friendly tone meant she planned on honoring their truce and giving him a second chance.
Kai grabbed his bag and went into the washroom to wash up and change his shirt. Emma had put a lot of effort into cleaning the place up and the least he could do was clean himself up, too.
She was setting the table when Kai re-entered the room. Two steaming bowls sat across from one another on the small wooden table with everyday, serviceable cutlery arranged neatly on either side. Emma poured water into tall glasses and placed them on the table. She smiled at him. More than he deserved at the moment. Charmed, Kai held out a chair for her and gestured for her to sit before taking the seat across from her. This must be what it felt like to come home to someone special. The thought came out of the blue. Kai was used to staff paid to accommodate and cater to him. He hadn’t felt the warmth of welcome in eons. It felt nice.
“Soup was the only thing I found in the cupboards. There were some crackers too, but I didn’t trust the look of them.” Apologetic, she smiled at him.
Her smile was radiant, stunning. Her beauty was effortless. Kai suspected inside as much as out. “Soup is fine,” his voice gruff. He bent his head and scooped a spoonful of the savory soup.
She never ceased to amaze him. One minute she was angry and spit
ting nails, the next she’d cleaned his cabin and cooked for him.
Even though it was plain old canned soup, it was good. It was a thoughtful gesture to prepare lunch while he worked outside. “This is nice. Thank you. Were there enough canned goods on hand to last us a few days? If we get sick of canned, I can go to the nearest town and get fresh supplies.” Kai was never very good at small talk. Food seemed a safe topic.
“Yeah. There were a few cans of soups and vegetables. Our fresh supplies are limited. I found some fruit. You must have bought it on the trip here. There wasn’t much else. I don’t usually have anyone to cook for but myself. Not that the soup required much in the way of ‘cooking.’” She rambled. Her gaze dropped to her busy fingers twisting the napkin in her lap. “I wondered…if maybe when you go to town you could pick up some extra ingredients for baking. I usually enjoy cooking and I’d like to try my skills on you if you don’t mind. I have to warn you though; I’ve never baked with a wood stove before. I’ll figure it out though.”
“That’s a very generous offer. I’d be happy to be your guinea pig. It beats the hell out of my cooking. Unless you like scrambled eggs, I’m pretty good at those. Why don’t you make me a list of everything you’ll need?”
“Wouldn’t it be easier if I just came shopping with you?”
“It would. I just thought if you stayed here, you’d get extra rest.” Kai didn’t tell her he wasn’t about to chance taking her out in public yet. She might still run. He was on thin ice as it was today.
“I’d like to pick up a few things for myself. I only packed bare essentials because I thought I’d be going home.”
“I’m sorry. I know that’s my fault. We can go to town in a day or two. Do you have enough stuff to last for a few days?”
“Yes. I can manage with the clothes I have for now. The food is another issue. There’s only so much canned soup I can stand.”
“How’s the eyesight?”
“It’s better. Still some blurriness but I’ve been having headaches and dizziness. It’s probably from that.”
“There should be some aspirin somewhere or we can pick up something when we go to town. Will you let me know if anything changes?”
“Sure. But you’ll understand if I wait until we go into town before I take any pills.” She shoots…she scores!
They were hours away from the city. It shouldn’t be a problem to go to the nearest town. He was sure no one had followed them. He was still uneasy about taking her out. It occurred to him Emma might be buttering him up so she could escape back to the city. She didn’t understand the dangers of the situation she’d gotten embroiled in. He could tell her but didn’t think she was ready to believe him. Not yet.
After they finished lunch, Emma put together a shopping list while Kai cleaned up the remains of their meal and began cleaning the dishes. Emma joined him and picked up a towel to dry the dishes and put them away. It was an odd feeling for him to stand side by side with Emma, performing domestic chores.
When they were finished cleaning the tiny kitchen, Kai checked the fire. How were they going to fill the rest of the day? It was only early evening. The cabin had nothing for entertainment other than a few books and magazines. Kai had chopped and stacked enough firewood to last two or three days. What else was there? He was damn sure he couldn’t stay in closed quarters with her. She appealed to him too much. Standing at the sink with her nearly drove him crazy.
He’d glanced at her several times while she helped him clean the kitchen. She’d nibbled on the pouty curve of her lower lip, the fleshy bottom corner caught between her teeth while she concentrated on the task. She was adorable and utterly unaware of what her nearness did to him. And she smelled so good. The fruity scent from her bath mingled with her natural scent. Not one who usually appreciated perfumes, her scent somehow appealed to him like a potent aphrodisiac. Nope, he definitely shouldn’t stay alone in the cabin with her. They definitely needed more to entertain them other than each other. The temptation might kill him.
“I'm gonna go check the roof. It’s been a long time since I've been out here. Gotta make sure there’re no leaks. I bet there’s plenty of maintenance around her needing my attention.” They’d gone from super comfortable to super awkward with each other in minutes.
“That's fine. There's enough cleaning in here to keep me occupied for days. If I run out of things to clean, I found a couple of magazines earlier that I could read.”
The next few days continued in a similar fashion. Emma cleaned the cabin, prepared the meals, and when Kai wasn't eating or sleeping, he kept himself busy outside. He tended the long overdue upkeep of the property. Kai could only chop and stack so much wood before he thinned the forest near the road to the point it no longer provided privacy. It took two days for him to repair every last loose board, shingle and every crooked nail. There was nothing left to do. He’d even cleaned bats out of the eaves.
Emma had also been busy. She’d cleaned and scrubbed every square inch inside the cabin and read every scrap of paper she’d found. She hadn't complained, but he could see she was bored.
The nights were the worst for Kai. He came in after dark except for meals. Every night he stretched out on the floor near the fire and listened to the rustling and thrashing coming from the loft as she tossed around in her sleep. He stopped himself numerous times from climbing the stairs and offering comfort from her nightmares. He imagined the scenario would take a much different turn than he intended. Instead, he stayed on his hard, lonely pallet by the fire with a pillow covering his head, blocking the sound. He promised himself if she cried out, he’d go to her, but she never did. She tossed, she turned, she whimpered but never once did she cry out. Resisting was getting harder by the night. It was time to do something different. It was time to take that trip into town.
The next day, as Emma cleared away the remains of their lunch, Kai suggested, “Why don’t we run into town today? It’s early enough. We could do our shopping and still be back by dark.”
“Oh hell yeah! I thought you’d never ask. I’ll grab my list. Do not change your mind while I’m gone!” She tossed the dishes into the sink and scrambled up the stairs to the loft.
Chapter 12
Emma was delighted with her first glimpse of the quaint little town. From the signs and merchandise displayed, tourism played an essential role in the small mountain community. Touristy shops also traditionally came with hefty price tags. There was little hope of finding any clothing reasonably priced. Emma’s purse was gone and with it, her tip money and her bank cards. It serves him right that he has to pay for my stuff. It was his idea to kidnap me and drag me into the middle of nowhere with nothing. It’s the least he could do.
“What do you think? We do your shopping first then the grocery store to pick up food before we leave?” Kai asked.
“Sounds good. I don’t need much. Just a few things.”
“It’s fine. Get what you need,” he offered.
They entered a store with a modest window display. Practical everyday wear appeared to be the central theme. Emma pulled a couple pairs of jeans off neat, organized shelves and added various articles of clothing from around the store to her pile before approaching a tall, elegant woman dressed in the same casual style found in the store. She offered her assistance. “Can I help you?”
“I’d like to try these on please.”
“Of course. Right this way.” The woman tried to engage Emma in polite conversation as she led her to the dressing rooms. “Are you staying in town or in the mountains?”
“Yes, for a short while,” Emma didn’t specify. The woman eyed Emma’s thin t-shirt.
“Then you’re going to need some warmer tops. The air up here gets much colder at night. You go ahead and start trying on the clothes. I’ll select some warmer items for the cool weather. Do you have any preferences?”
“No, not really. Just use your judgment,” Emma told the saleswoman her size.
Emma disappeared into the ch
ange room and stripped. She pulled on the first pair of jeans. A perfect fit. She paired it with a soft, mauve colored cashmere top. She turned this way and that, checking the outfit from all angles. Happy with the fit and style she tried on another outfit and another.
“How’d they fit?”
“They fit fine. Although, I don’t think I need all of them.”
“If you hand them to me, I can put them aside while you try on these sweaters. Then you can decide what you want to keep after.”
Emma finished trying on the tops. There was a vibrant red sweater with blue undertones she couldn’t resist. The style wrapped around her body and could tie it either in front or back. The wrap around effect plunged into a deep v-neck while the fabric hugged her curves, perfectly accenting her figure. Emma flipped the price tag over and grimaced. There’s no way I can afford this. It’s way too expensive. She usually checked prices before trying anything on. I should’ve known they’d be too much. It’s too high end for a casual boutique. Emma hugged the soft red one close to her chest as she left the change room. She really wanted it. Reluctantly she put the sweater along with the other items on the counter. They’d have to find another store.
Kai stood at the counter watching Emma approach while the saleswoman chatted away. She’d wrapped all of the items Emma had tried on. He smiled. Wow, those dimples are really gorgeous. I didn't imagine them.
“Did you find everything you needed?”
“And then some. Unfortunately, I can’t buy any of these,” Emma leaned over and whispered. Emma handed back the sweaters. The saleswoman’s beaming smile faltered. The woman’s reaction struck Emma as comical even though she understood the disappointment having worked for tips herself.
“Yes, you can.” Kai turned to the woman and said, “Ring all of this up and add the sweaters, these boots and this jacket.” He handed her a pair of lined, brown hiking boots and a simple black, down-filled coat. The form fitting jacket had a fluffy fur trim adorning the hood. The saleswoman’s smile blazed once again, no doubt re-calculating the generous commission she would likely receive. The clothing cost a small fortune.
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