She slowed down when her stomach began to feel full. Ellora realized that she was hovering over her bowl, as if protecting it from being taken away. Finally remembering her manners, she sat up straight. That's when she noticed that Behr wasn’t talking animatedly with his hands and laughing with the others, but sat turned toward Ellora on the stool. One arm rested on his lap, his thumb tapped a rhythm only he could hear, while the other arm leaned on the bar by his elbow. He ran his hand through his hair repeatedly, staring straight at her, and making no move to hide it, when she looked back at him.
“Umm, sorry,” Ellora mumbled low enough that no one else heard her.
“Why the apology, love?” Behr asked in a deep husky voice, just above a whisper. His eyes searched hers, then all around her face, which made her blush.
“For my disgusting manners… I was just so hungry. Umm, that is why you are staring at me, right?”
He tilted his head slightly and slowly shook his head no.
“Okaaay,” Ellora remarked, dragging out the syllables. His mom should’ve taught him that it was bad manners to stare, she thought to herself.
“Why you runnin', love?” he questioned curiously, a serious look plastered across his face.
Whaaaaat! She almost spit out the stew. His comment threw her completely off guard.
“What do you mean, Behr?” She could feel the blood drain from her face.
Behr leaned forward, getting uncomfortably close. Their knees touched as he confessed his suspicions. “I mean, you flew all the way out ’ere, to a place you've never been before, from America, without even booking accommodations to stay in ahead of time. All your hopes rested on a building your mother worked at twenty or more years ago. You hoped it would still be vacant or abandoned so you could sleep there. You've nae money for your visit, and it's clear you ’avenae eaten in a long while. Besides, you mentioned you ’avin’ to start looking for a job in the morn’. These are things people plan in advance, so they are settled when they get to where they're goin’. It seems to me, you up’d yourself and left in a big hurry. The way you've been holding on to that luggage o’ yours with a death grip, I'd venture a guess that it holds all the belongings you ’ave.”
He’d caught on. Ellora was relieved that he said this in hushed tones so that no one else heard his presumption, which was spot on, and that he was the only one who noticed. Yet this was a story she couldn’t tell. She took a deep breath and did her best to fake nonchalance.
“What are you, a cop?” she forced a snicker.
“Nae, lass, I'm no copper.”
Still very wary, and a little paranoid after all she’d been through, Ellora decided to choose her words carefully. These people automatically gained a bit of her respect, because her father had always trusted them, but she still struggled with trust. Ellora decided she’d only give a sugar-coated version of this story, especially to this man who kept catching her off guard. She’d definitely have to watch herself around him.
Ellora gave a non-committal shrug and sighed. “I was just sick of where I was living, and all the people there. With my parents gone, there was no reason good enough to keep me there. I felt overwhelmed with all the reminders I was getting on a constant basis, still living in that house. It was emotional torture for me. So I made a rash, spontaneous decision to leave and start over. Just as they did, when they left here.”
Behr’s face said it all; he didn’t like the idea of Ellora being all alone. She could read his expressions as easily as she could read a book. This man held nothing back. “Is there nae man in your life, love, that cares for you?” She just scrunched her eyebrows together at that question, and he continued. “A husband? Boyfriend?”
She snorted out a laugh at that question, then responded. “No, neither.” Not if she could help it anyways.
Behr nodded his head and chewed on his lip for a moment, as if considering Ellora’s answer. He looked up at her and asked, “Did they nae leave their only daughter anything at all to live on?”
Ellora’s stomach tied itself in knots from the direction their conversation was going. Nothing seemed to get past this guy, and some of the others were looking their way, curious of their private conversation.
“I... I get my inheritance when I turn twenty-five. My father set this up in the hopes of me finishing college by then,” Ellora stammered out, worried the others would join in on the interrogation.
“Is that the way o’ it? Hmmm, and how old are you, love, if you don't mind my asking?”
“Well, it hasn't stopped you yet,” Ellora bit out, irritation clear in her tone. “I'm twenty-three.” She shook like a leaf at his line of questions. Talking about herself was completely out of her comfort zone.
Behr nodded once more. He looked around the bar, then back at Ellora, and winked. “Aye, we better find you a job then, eh, love?”
She sighed a breath of relief as Behr let the subject drop. The tension in her shoulders eased a little.
Kristy slapped her hand on the bar top and yelled out at them, “Hey, dunnae you go scaring off our girl, Behr. I dunnae know what you’re telling her, but she's got the look o’ a ghost on her face. She's so pale. Aye, she said she's stayin’, so she isnae gonna disappear on us this night.”
“Aye, Grizzly, you can flirt with her in the morn’,” Gavin teased his friend. “C'mon, you big grizzly bear, let’s be off.”
“Nuh uh, oooooh, no ya don’t. And just where do the two o’ you think you’re goin’?” Kristy commanded.
Behr and Gavin shot each other a sideways glance and looked back at the authority in the room.
“Where's your manners, lads? You're gonna help Miss Ellora to the second floor with that heavy luggage. And you, pretty boy…” She swiveled, causing her curly hair to whip behind her as she gestured to Gavin. “You will bring the food I set aside for Ellora, and bring it up to stock her fridge. I’ll bring up clean linens and other items she'll be needin’ straight away.”
Ellora took a few more bites of her food and wiped her mouth. As she got ready to stand, Gavin and Behr walked up behind her. Both reached out for her luggage to help. They stopped short, and the stand-off began.
“Nay, brother, I've got it covered. You and Ellora go on ahead. You can show her the way,” Gavin insisted with an arrogant lopsided grin.
“And sprain that delicate wrist o’ yours, pretty boy? I'd think better o’ it if I were in your spot. You've got all that hard back-breaking labor awaiting you t'morrow at the terminal. Aye, n' a hard job o’ typing and answering phones you'd have with such an injury.”
Towering over him with mock challenge, a smile tugging at Behr’s lips as he arched an eyebrow. Behr grabbed the heavy luggage and tossed it over his shoulder like it weighed no more than a bar towel.
“Aye, smartass, that be the plan I had all along. Come, Ellora, I will show you the way.”
Gavin dropped both hands on Ellora’s delicate shoulders, and the unexpected contact made her jump up and flinch away. Gasping, she sucked in a quick breath then blew it out forcefully. She silently cursed herself when a whimper escaped her lips. She was still so skittish, not ready for any kind of contact yet. Especially from a man -- no matter how kind the gesture. But she also wasn’t ready to explain why she felt that way either, so in the meantime, she was going to have to school her emotional reactions and remain guarded. Hopefully they would get the hint.
A growl-like sound came out of Behr's throat. He shot Gavin a hard look. Gavin held up both hands in surrender. “Sorry, Ellora, I didn't mean to give you a start.”
Gavin and Behr shared a look. “Is everything all right, love?” Behr probed in a gentle voice.
“Yes, I'm sorry. It's just been a long crazy day. I just need some sleep, that's all.”
Behr walked over to Ellora, carefully watching her every move. “All right, love, this way.” He shifted the luggage onto his shoulder, and lowered his other arm to the small of her back. This large imposing man gently led her to the back
right corner of the bar. They walked down a narrow hallway that led to an old set of stairs.
“I'll go with Kristy and gather up the food,” Gavin shouted out to them as he made his way around the bar into the back.
The steps were steep, narrow, and dark. She couldn’t see Behr behind her, and she couldn’t imagine how he was even able to fit in there, let alone handle the luggage. They made their way to the landing. To her left, there was a long hallway with an old carpeted runner and two doors, one on either side of the hall. Straight ahead of the landing was another set of stairs that led to the third floor. She walked down the hall and stopped in between both doors.
“Oh, I forgot to ask Grady which room I could use.” Behr stopped directly behind her and set the luggage down.
“You have your pick, love.” He smiled. Leaning down to her ear, he acted like he was telling her a big secret, saying softly, “I'd take the one through this door.” He motioned toward the one on the left. “It has the best view o’ the Harbor, and has newer furnishings.” His breath tickled her ear, raising goosebumps on her skin.
“SOLD!” She clapped her hands excitedly. Reaching up above the door jam, Behr grabbed an old dusty key. Ellora wondered how long it'd been since anyone had used this room.
Behr unlocked and swung open the door. They both stepped inside, and Ellora walked past him to stand in the center of the room. Turning in a wide circle, she looked at him and laughed. She quickly covered her mouth with her hand to stop herself. “I thought you said it had new furniture.”
He laughed, too. “I knew you'd say that. Aye, it does. The room 'cross the way has furnishings far older than this, and no view at all.”
The furniture and décor was old, worn, and dated. But the flat had a warm, cozy, lived-in feeling to it. Ellora beamed with excitement. “I love it!”
Turning her back to Behr, she looked out the three large windows. They were evenly separated, with frilly, pale yellow curtains that cascaded down to the floor. Underneath each window was a padded window seat. On the opposite side of the room, floral wallpaper with yellow daisies covered the wall. In the center was an antique queen-sized bed, facing the spectacular view. The frame was a rich dark wood. Thick, ornately carved posts stood guard on all four corners. Two side tables, small looking in comparison to the bed, were placed on either side. Tall, skinny lamps sat on top. Above the bed was an oil painting of the colorful pier houses and the harbor at sunset.
Ellora slowly walked in a circle, taking in every detail of the room. The hardwood floors were in desperate need of sanding and resealing. They were cracked, splintered, and dry with thick matted-down throw rugs draped over them. When facing the windows, a door to the wash room was to the right. It housed a tiny stand-up shower, toilet, and a pedestal sink. A kitchenette consisting of a tiny fridge, sink, and cooktop was located to the right of the washroom.
This was home. A burst of excitement tingled through her for the first time in a long while. Ellora turned, remembering that she left Behr standing in the entryway with her luggage. He stood watching her with a warm, genuine smile on his face. She smiled back at him, and slowly looked away when she realized he wouldn’t.
“You look pleased with this room. There's a bright, beautiful twinkle in your eye, love.” Ellora’s stomach turned with unease from his attention. Before she could comment on his compliment, he quickly added, “Where would you like me to set your stuff down?”
“Anywhere is fine, Behr. Don't trouble yourself. And thank you.”
Ellora skipped over and knelt down to unzip her large luggage. Reaching in, she felt around for what she was searching for. After a moment, she yanked out her neon pink tool belt. Placing it on the nightstand, she shot a devilish grin up at Behr.
“Aye, you werenae kiddin’ ‘round when you said it was pink, were ya?” Chuckling, he ran his large hands through his hair.
Ellora shook her head side to side playfully. “Nope! I plan on getting right to work tomorrow.”
Behr rubbed his stubble with his thumb and forefinger, deep in thought. “Why'd you bring a tool belt with you on your travels, Lor?”
Ellora took a moment to appreciate the nickname he used and how much she enjoyed hearing it fall from his lips. Her father used to call her that, too.
“I plan on staying. This is my home now. I wasn't kidding when I said I'd be looking for a job, so I'll need this. I plan on fixing up this place first, since it desperately needs it.” Boy, wasn’t that the understatement of the year!
Behr stood silent for a few more moments, analyzing her, trying hard to figure her out. He proudly wore his expressions out in the open. He clearly had no fear of holding them back. Ellora suddenly felt naked under his intense inspection. She trembled as time seemed to stand still. A heavy foreboding weighed her down as she finally realized that they were all alone up there. After everything that'd happened, she didn't know what was worse -- being there all alone with him, or just being all alone. Those feelings warred inside of her, because on one hand, she liked the feeling of having another person around her. It made her feel safe. But on the other hand, she also felt very anxious and apprehensive when alone with someone else. The last time she was in a room alone with someone, she barely made it out alive.
Reading Ellora’s growing fear, Behr released her from his paralyzing glare. He blinked several times, snapping himself out of whatever thought was in that head of his.
He sucked in a deep breath, letting it out in a big huff. Slowly, he walked toward her. Warily, Ellora stepped back. Her eyes grew wide, silently begging him to keep his distance. Not to be detoured by her reaction, Behr cautiously inched closer. The look in his eyes was assuring and careful, promising her that he meant no harm. Her retreat halted when her calves hit the back of the bed. Panic grew slowly inside of her as he continued forward. She did not like the feeling of being trapped or cornered. She had to keep reminding herself over and over that that’s not what he was doing. Ellora’s breathing rapidly increased, making her dizzy. Feeling the presence of a man this close caused her stomach to churn. Her fear took over as she became increasingly lightheaded and nauseous; she was getting very close to passing out. Noticing her distress and growing discomfort, Behr held both his hands up in a peaceful manner. Ellora fought to gain control of herself, breaking out into cold sweats with the effort, mentally repeating to herself , keep calm… don’t freak out, as Behr approached in her personal space.
Tilting his head to the side, Behr gave her an assertive nod. She had to crane her neck back to look up at him. Behr was unnervingly close, so close she could smell his rustic cologne waft all around her like a warm blanket. The scent was sensual and somehow familiar, comforting in a way. It soothed her frantic nerves and helped her get herself together, because deep down, she knew this man was of no threat to her. She didn’t know how she knew this -- she simply did -- but her body's natural reaction to this situation was a different story. She steadied her breathing by taking several large gulps of air and forcing it in and out slowly. Her heart was pounding hard and fast, like a bass drum, and she was sure Behr could see it hammering inside her chest.
He placed his hand on her shoulder. The moment of contact had Ellora instinctively holding her breath. She froze on the spot, like a deer in headlights. Behr softly ran his hand down the length of her arm. “I dinnae know what's got you runnin’ in a scared panic, love, but you’ll be safe here. We take care o’ our own, and just as your parents were, you are one o’ us.” His concerned statement thawed a piece of ice off of her heart. It was exactly what she needed to hear in that very tense moment.
It took all of her willpower not to shake his hand off of her. Oddly enough, she didn’t want to pull away from him. She was confused. He searched her eyes, unwillingly sucking Ellora into his soulful gaze. The tension between them switched from frightened apprehension to something else… something completely foreign to her. Longing maybe? Behr softly ran his thumb in lazy circles on the inside of her elbow. Her hear
t skipped a beat at his tender touch, and fluttered away inside her chest. She felt heat spread across her cheeks as she blushed. She never blushed. This had been such a weird day.
Behr leaned into her. “Ellora, I…”
Just then, Gavin and Kristy burst through the door noisily, with supplies in hand.
She quickly stepped to the side, breaking the physical contact she shared with Behr, and ran over to help Kristy with the linens.
“Are we interruptin' you, Behr? Dinnae stop on my account,” Gavin teased, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
Ellora’s face had now turned crimson; she could feel it brighten like a beacon. Behr grit his teeth and stalked out the door without another word. Gavin walked over and set down the food on her small kitchen counter. Turning to go after Behr, Gavin stopped short and turned around to face the girls. “Dinnae let the Grizzly confuse you, lass. He's nae used to being ’round a pretty sort like you. He's nae the datin’ kind.”
Shrugging her shoulders, Ellora told him that it was really none of her business.
“Kristy, darlin', I'll see you t’morrow, and a g'night to you, Ellora.” Gavin stepped backwards out the door, saluting.
“Out with ya, Boyle,” Kristy shouted at him. She finished putting fresh sheets and pillowcases on Ellora’s bed like a doting mother. Once the boys were out of the room, Kristy walked around the bed, grabbing her hand. “You know, after that skinny dipping fiasco, your mother n’ I were grounded for a couple weeks.” She turned her head as her eyes started to water. Looking out the window, a small smile crept across her face. “I used to sneak over to her house next door, when it was her father’s B&B anyway. Bonni would throw knotted sheets out the window so I could climb up on, just like in the movies, so I could spend the night. We did this almost every night while we were supposed to stay locked up in our rooms.” She paused for a moment to wipe away a tear. “She was m’best friend, her and Catie both. I'm so glad you're here with us now.”
Kristy gave Ellora a brief, tight hug and kissed her on the cheek before high-tailing it out of the room. Her motherly hug and kiss didn’t bother her so much. She realized that these people didn’t believe in personal boundaries, and they were all testing her patience by continuously invading her space. Maybe their overly-friendly ways would force her to get over her fears. Making her way into the washroom with her sleep shorts and cami, all Ellora could think about was getting some sleep.
Forever Marked (Marked Series Book 1) Page 3