by Twyla Turner
An ear piercing scream rent the air through the house, scaring Sloan half to death. Adrenaline coursed through his blood as he jumped up from the mattress and ran full speed to Lexi’s bedroom door. Tank was already at the door whining and scratching at it just as urgent to get to Lexi as Sloan was.
Sloan burst through the door, prepared to take down an intruder. But all he found was Lexi in bed, tangled in her sheets, thrashing around in only a tank top and panties. Ignoring the beautiful full body that called to him on the deepest level, Sloan ran to the bed and gripped her shoulders, trying to shake her awake gently.
“Alexis, wake up! It’s just a dream. Lexi!” Sloan exclaimed in a loud whisper.
“Eric?!” Lexi screamed finally coming out of her nightmare and starting to struggle and fight against Sloan.
“It’s me, Sloan. It’s okay. It was only a dream.” Sloan crooned to her.
Lexi finally realized that the dream wasn’t real and stopped fighting Sloan, though she still shrunk away from his touch and quickly covered her scarred thighs with her sheet, before he could see them. The moonlight streamed in through the windows and glistened off the tears that ran down her face. Sloan’s heart broke seeing her pain.
“What did he do to you?” Sloan whispered into the darkness.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. No one did anything to me.” Lexi lied.
“Don’t do that. I’m not a fool, Alexis. I could see how upset you were with whoever you were on the phone with earlier today and you just screamed the name Eric. Not to mention the fact that you can’t stand to be touched. So don’t tell me it’s nothing. It’s fine if you don’t want to tell me the details now, but like I said before, I’m here, whenever you finally decide you can trust me.” Sloan said seriously.
Sloan started to rise from the bed, but stopped when she said his name softly and briefly touched his bare arm.
“Sloan.” She said again, and then hesitated for a moment. “I…I don’t want to be alone. But I…you’re right, I don’t like to be touched. So I…so I…” Lexi stopped not knowing how to articulate what she wanted.
“You want me to stay with you, but you’re not comfortable with me sleeping next to you?” Sloan asked, instinctively understanding what she wanted.
“Yes.” Lexi whispered shyly.
Sloan got up not saying a word and left the room. Lexi didn’t know if she had insulted him in some way, but before she could even finish the thought he walked back in with the small mattress and a sheet. He laid the mattress down on the left side of the bed and sat down pulling the sheet over his lap.
“How’s this?” Sloan asked looking up at Lexi’s astounded face.
“It’s okay.” She said softly.
“Good. I’ll be here all night if you need me.” Sloan said, reassuring her.
Lexi laid down on her right side facing Sloan.
“Thank you.” She whispered softly.
Sloan laid down on his left side, reaching up with his right hand he found hers and gently clasped her soft hand with his rough one.
“You’re welcome. Whatever you need, I’m here.” He whispered back.
They both drifted off almost immediately.
Chapter 6
“Fix You”
Lexi slowly opened her eyes to the soft light of the sunrise. She looked down at her hand still clasped tightly in Sloan’s. Sitting up slowly on her elbow, Lexi looked over the side of the bed down at the sleeping man and the big dog beside him.
His unfairly long dark eyelashes fanned the tops of his cheeks. His thick dark hair spilled over his arm that he used as a pillow. His arms were thick and corded from the years of training in the Marines. His defined chest was nearly hairless and his sculpted abs had a sexy trail of hair that disappeared into the low slung sweats around his hips.
Craning her neck a little, Lexi tried to take a peek at the tattoo on the left side of his chest, near where his dog tags rested. From what she could see it looked like it was the simple phrase ‘Semper Fi’ in a beautiful script with the eagle and the earth symbol for the Marines beneath it.
Looking at the side of his face that was unmarred with scars, Lexi could see that Sloan was probably a heartbreaker before he left for the war. His gorgeous almost pretty face more than likely made hearts and panties drop all around South Carolina.
The way he had acted last night, Lexi was sure that he was self-conscious of his scars. But what Sloan didn’t seem to realize was that the scars only enhanced his beauty, not took away from it. They gave his face another dimension. Instead of pretty it was rugged, dangerous and interesting.
Last night Sloan had been her dark angel. She had been reliving the last time Eric had beaten and raped her, trapped in a nightmare dredged up by the phone call she had received that day. Sloan staying by her side all night had given her comfort, making her feel safe enough to go back to sleep.
Gently sliding her hand out of his, Lexi got up quietly trying not to wake him. She grabbed her black pair of palazzo pants, a bra and panties, and a bright teal racer-back tank top. She jumped in the shower, threw on some quick lotion when she was done and crept into his temporary room. She picked up his old boots and checked the size and did the same with his worn pants. And then she quickly left the house for a quick shopping trip.
~~~
Sloan woke up to an empty room, except for Tank who was licking his face, ready to go outside to relieve himself. He felt well rested. The previous night was the best sleep he’d had since he left home to join the Marines.
Sloan stood up and stretched, wondering where Lexi had run off to so early. Picking up his mattress and sheet, he walked into his temporary room and put them back on the bedframe and walked downstairs following Tank.
He walked to the back of the house and let Tank out the back porch. He turned to head back towards the kitchen to get a bag to pick up Tank’s mess, but stopped short when he noticed what looked like an easel with a sheet covering it in the corner. Curiosity getting the best of him, wanting more clues to the woman that had become his angel, Sloan lifted the sheet just to get a peek at what was under it. His breath caught when he saw the painting underneath. Holy shit!
Sloan stared at himself through Lexi’s eyes. He saw himself detached from the world around him, a steady dark mysterious yet sad figure in contrast to all the light and life behind him. The beautiful painting made him realize just how much he had separated himself from everything around him. He hoped that the time he was going to spend with Lexi eased him into reconnecting to the country he called home.
Sloan was astounded by Lexi’s talent. Her natural earthy bohemian style now combined with the knowledge that she was an artist added a new piece to the puzzle that was the secretive woman. He was anxious to get to know more of her. He wanted her more than any other woman he’d ever encountered. But he knew his best bet was to play it safe and go in at the “friend” angle. Though I doubt many friends would look at her like a pork chop and walk around sporting massive erections in her presence.
Sloan shook his head at himself as he let go of the sheet, recovering the beautiful painting. He walked into the kitchen and found Lexi’s stash of plastic grocery bags. Sloan grabbed one and headed outside to pick up Tank’s poop, he preferred not to litter Lexi’s yard with a bunch of doggie landmines while they lived with her.
After Sloan cleaned up the backyard they walked back inside. Once inside he still didn’t hear any movement anywhere in the house, so he knew Lexi was still gone. Wanting to surprise her, he decided to make breakfast for her as a sort of ‘thank you’ for being so generous to him and Tank.
Finding a ton of fresh vegetables in the fridge and a carton of eggs, Sloan decided on making omelets. He washed his hands and started to cut up the veggies, whisked and seasoned the eggs and found some cheese to sprinkle in the concoction. Heating a pan and some olive oil, he poured the eggs into the pan. As he slid the first omelet on a plate he heard the front door open and close.
/> “Sloan?” He heard Lexi call out.
“I’m in the kitchen.” He called back.
He heard her footsteps and bags rustling as she headed towards the kitchen. Lexi rounded the corner and they both stood silently for a moment taking in the other.
Lexi again took in the low slung sweats, bare chest and feet and sexy sleep roughened long dark hair that fell in Sloan’s face as he made breakfast. She felt that if this was a cartoon, her eyes would’ve bugged about a foot out of their sockets at the scene in front of her. She stored the picture in her mind, itching to get it down on canvas.
Sloan also drank in Lexi’s appearance, his eyes devouring her as he looked her up and down. The pants hung loosely around her legs only accentuating the tight fit around her hips and ass. The teal tank top fit her smaller waist and her large breasts strained against the material. The color made her skin glow bronze in the sunlight streaming through the windows. Sloan had a feeling that he was going to enjoy her laid back dressed down style a bit little more than when she was dressed up.
Both were so absorbed in the other that it took them a minute to realize that the other was staring. They both looked away blushing, Sloan cleared his throat.
“So I thought I’d make you breakfast, as a thank you for taking us in.” Sloan said gruffly.
“Oh. Um, that was really sweet of you. Thank you, Sloan.” Lexi said shyly as she placed the bags she was carrying on the table.
“You’re welcome. It’s nothing, just something quick. So…you were up early today.” Sloan said looking at the bags on the table.
“Yeah, I…uh…got some things for you. You can’t go around in those sweats every day and smelling like flowery soap and deodorant.” Lexi said hesitantly as she started pulling out the clothes and other items she had purchased, hoping that he wouldn’t get offended by the gesture.
“Alexis-” Sloan started in a scolding tone.
“Don’t start. I wanted to do this. You’re selflessly helping your friend’s family, so what’s so wrong with me giving to you? I bought some stuff for Tank too. And speaking of, I got him some dog food, but I left it in the car. It was too heavy for me to carry in. As well as a dog bed, but my hands were too full with the bags to bring that in either.” Lexi informed him.
“Yes ma’am.” Sloan said, deepening his southern drawl and grinned at her grudgingly, deciding to pick his battles. “Why don’t you sit and start eating your breakfast and I’ll go get the rest of the stuff out of your car.” Sloan said placing Lexi’s plate in front of her as she sat down.
Not wanting to start without him, Lexi waited patiently. Sloan walked back into the house and walked into the kitchen carrying the fifty pound bag of dog food on his shoulder. Lexi watched his muscles bunch and strain as he lifted the bag off his shoulder and bent over to place it on the floor next to the cabinet.
In that moment she realized she was hungrier for him than food. She hadn’t had sex in the two years since the last brutal encounter with Eric. And it wasn’t like sex had ever been enjoyable for her. It was a bunch of sweating and panting and discomfort, if not pain. But no matter what her logic said to her, her body wanted his anyway.
“You haven’t touched your omelet yet.” Sloan said, bringing Lexi out of her reverie.
“I thought since you went through the trouble of making it, that I’d wait for you.” Lexi explained.
“Thanks. But it wasn’t trouble at all. I kinda like cooking, and doing it for someone is always better.” Sloan smiled at her.
Sloan quickly took the new dog bowl off of the table and opened the bag of dog food and poured it into the bowl for Tank. He then brought his plate over to the table and they started to eat in companionable silence.
“So I wanted to propose an idea.” Sloan started, breaking the silence.
“What idea?” Lexi asked curiously.
“I want to be the contractor for the renovation of the house.” Sloan said quietly.
“Really?” Lexi asked in surprise.
“Yes. I figure it’ll be the perfect solution for the both of us. You need a contractor and you’re opening your house to me. I can repay you by doing the work that you need anyway, so I won’t feel guilty or like a freeloader.” Sloan said logically.
“You would seriously do that for me?” Lexi asked in disbelief. “I mean, isn’t that a lot of work? I just don’t know if letting you stay here really amounts to what I would pay a contractor for such a big job.” Lexi tried to reason.
“Trust me. Helping someone when they’ve hit rock bottom can never be repaid fully.” Sloan said honestly.
“But what about your family? Have you tried to contact them since you left? Wouldn’t they want to help you?” Lexi asked perplexed that his family wouldn’t want to know how their son was doing.
“No I haven’t, and I don’t plan to. They never gave a shit about me and what I really wanted. All they wanted was a little minion to take over the business no matter how I felt. They didn’t have a kid to love and raise. They wanted to breed a fine upstanding thoroughbred to do their bidding. I didn’t conform so they basically disowned me, they can rot in that giant palace they call a house.” Sloan ranted with deep seated anger.
Lexi was taken aback by the near hatred he had for his family. But coming from a different kind of broken home, she guessed that she could understand where he was coming from. Personally she hoped her father was rotting the bowels of hell. So she couldn’t judge him on his anger and estrangement with his parents, it was a different kind of abuse, but abuse none-the-less.
“Understood.” Lexi said with a nod.
“Good.” Sloan took a deep breath. “So, what do ya say? Do we have a deal?” He asked with a raised brow, extending his hand across the table.
Lexi looked at his calloused hand for only a few seconds.
“Deal.” She said reaching out to clasp his hand in a warm handshake that raised the hairs on her arms from the electricity crackling between them.
This should be interesting, they both thought at the same time.
~~~
Lexi stood at the sink washing the dishes and Sloan stood next to her with the job of drying them and putting them way. Sloan felt they worked well together and thought it was a good sign for the work they’d have to do together for the renovation.
As he stood next to her Sloan tried not to stare at her like a freak, but try as he might, his eyes kept finding their way to her soft dark hair, the flawless bronzed skin of her neck and chest and the deep cleavage of her breasts. He wanted to touch her so badly that he had to twist the dry towel in his hands in a death grip. He realized he needed to distract himself and quick before he grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her the way he was dying to.
“Alexis, I hope you don’t get mad at me for snooping, but when I let Tank outside earlier I noticed your easel on the back porch. So curiosity got the best of me and I took a peek at your painting.” Sloan said as he watched her stop breathing and her hands stilled in the dishwater. “The painting is beautiful! I didn’t realize you were so talented.” Sloan quickly finished before she blew up at him.
“Thank you.” Lexi said softly, trying not to freak out, she figured with him living there he was going to eventually see her work, especially if she was in the process of painting something.
“You said that you were trying to figure out what you want to do with your life. I think you’ve already found it. You should be selling your work at a gallery somewhere.” Sloan suggested.
“You’re the second person to say that this week. My realtor saw the painting when it was partially done and said the same thing. But I don’t know. Like I told her, I’d feel naked showing my work and deepest feelings to strangers.” Lexi cringed.
“You can paint things that aren’t so personal, can’t you? And the ones that are, you can keep.” Sloan pushed further.
“Maybe. I’ll have to think about it.” Lexi said thoughtfully.
“I have to admit, the painting m
ade me realize how isolated I am from everything around me.” Sloan admitted.
“Well I can’t imagine that it’s easy to transition from over there to here, especially after all you saw and went through. Your family should have been there to help you.” Lexi consoled, touching his hand, which was the first time she had initiated physical contact with a man in years.
“Ha! Fat chance. They made it known that they thought it was stupid of me to enlist in the first place.” Sloan responded, noticing the light touch she gave him and realizing how big a step it was.
Lexi heard her phone go off in her purse. Her heart pounded in fear thinking that it might be Eric again, as she quickly walked over to her purse on the table, wiping her wet hands on her pants as she went. She blew out her breath in relief when she saw that it was only Dom.
“Hello, Dom. How are you?” Lexi said into the phone.
“Hey, Lexi! I’m good. How are you? How did the meetings with the contractors go? Did you decide on one?” Dom said brightly, getting right to the point.
“I’m good. The meetings didn’t go so well.” Lexi admitted.
“Really?!” Dom exclaimed in shock.
“Yeah. They either wanted to knock down the whole house and start fresh, wanting way more money to do it. Or they got excited over my budget and wanted to railroad me into their style and wanting to do a ton of expensive upgrades.” Lexi explained.
“Well that’s unfortunate. I honestly thought they’d be some great choices for you. But that’s okay, I have a few more names that I can give you from other nearby cities. I’m sure you can find someone elsewhere.” Dom offered.
“No that’s okay. I actually found someone else that’s going to do the work for me.” Lexi said, turning to look at Sloan, who had been listening in on the whole conversation, not even pretending otherwise.
“Really, who? Do I know him?” Dom asked curiously.