Seth brought Amaya back to her house and is now attempting to get her warmed up and pieced back together. Will she let him? Or will her past be too much for her to handle?
Seth moved away from the couch after handing her a blanket. She had been trying to avoid looking at him all day, but now Amaya took the opportunity to study him.
He was very well muscled. Lean and dark skinned, like Sue. His hair was raven-wing black and hung in shaggy waves around his face. His chocolate eyes were flecked with copper fire. Dark sweat pants hung low on his hips, hugging even more well-toned thighs. There was a tribal tattoo high on his right arm.
The heat kicked on and she pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders. His coat dwarfed her. His attire still troubled her. He'd said he was cold but then he hadn't put on a shirt? And why does a grown man keep clothes at his mother's house? Because those definitely weren't Charlie's clothes.
Was he barefoot? She couldn't remember him taking off his shoes and they weren't by the door.
She knew he was hiding something. So was she. However, as prying would bring them inevitably closer, Amaya decided they could each keep their own secrets. She did not want to encourage his attention.
He was watching her. She watched him. He stood there like a breathing statue. That's when she realized she was practically climbing off the back of the couch. He was trying not to frighten her.
"I'm fine now. You can leave." "Are you warm enough?" "Yes." "Where's your first aid kit?" "Thank you for bringing me back here. Lock the door on your way out." She tried to look stubborn and fierce. It came off as tired and was completely ruined when she shivered violently. "I'll look through the entire house until I find it. Or I could just go get my mom..." "Under the bathroom sink."
Seth smiled as he walked through the small house to the bathroom. Right where she said it would be was a large, professional grade medical kit. He brought it out to the living room where he settled it on the floor.
He knelt in front of the couch and rifled through the box until Anne had grown accustomed to his proximity.
She was glaring at him with a gleam of defiance. Strength.
Man she's beautiful.
"Let me see that ankle." "I can manage it myself." "We can do this the easy way or the hard way Anne." Her name slipped from his lips like honey. "The hard way ends with my mother dragging you to the hospital for an x-ray. The choice is yours."
She stuck her foot in his direction without saying a word. Seth couldn't help the smile on his face. Her eyes didn't leave him as he carefully undid the laces on her tennis shoe and worked it off her foot. She never even flinched as he pulled off her sock and rolled up her jeans.
Her ankle was black and swollen. It looked painful. "I'm going to try and determine if the bone is broken. This is probably going to hurt."
She tensed and pulled back. "I'm sorry and I promise to be gentle." "Just give me a second here." He'd been focused on her foot and so he hadn't noticed how big her eyes had gotten. They were huge and now that he was paying attention he could see she was hyperventilating. "Why didn't you say I was hurting you?" "You didn't." "It obviously hurts now!" She flinched.
Shit. He was yelling at her. OH...
Anne hadn't made a sound as he worked her shoe and sock off her busted foot. She hadn't been afraid of the wolf. Seth sniffed the air and the sour scent of fear permeated the room.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell. I was trying not to hurt you. I would never hurt you, Anne. Never." "I'm fine. I'm not a child." "But you are hurt. Just let me take care of you. Please, Anne."