My Protector

I had decided to go and explore my new home, after the interesting interview I had, and the woman who I wanted to smack, calling me slow. I have never been to an interview with someone who was that openly rude like that. And to think that she was teaching preschoolers and being that grumpy?

I huffed at the thought and grabbed a shopping cart, pulling it from the cart corral and started making my way inside the only grocery store in the small town. My exploring the town and area, had taken me here and I decided that after seeing my empty fridge, I would have to go shopping. Even though I wanted to hold off for a few days, I knew I couldn't.

"You're very slow and there is really nothing about you that is special and your grades are mediocre." I snorted and waked briskly down one aisle and the other, ignoring the looks people were giving me.

I didn't care how strange I sounded, mocking Amelia who was mocking me. I was mad; furious. I needed to blow off steam and It was too cold and cloudy out to go for a jog and I was feeling particularly lazy today.

"Well I can't believe that you were a preschool teacher you big fat cow." I stopped and searched the aisle I was in, and found what I was looking for. I looked up at the shelf it was sitting on and stepped closer, stepping on my tippy toes. I reached up, spreading out my fingers, hoping to just graze the can and maybe knock it down.

"Stupid height." I squeaked when I felt someone's arm brush against mine, and I recoiled and stepped away, flushing. I was taken by surprise and I was slightly afraid at the image of a big, hulking native man grabbing the can I was reaching for.

He had muscles upon muscles and he completely towered over my 5'5" frame. He looked like he was 6'6" or 6'7" and he looked like he could snap me in two and toss me into a river where I would never be found. He had dark brown, borderline black hair that was cropped short, but suited him.

"Was that the one he needed?" I squeaked in surprise at his deep, low voice, and my eye widened, half in fear and half in shock at how attractive his voice sounded.

"I...ummm...thank you." I reached out and grabbed the can from him, almost dropping it when I felt how much heat was radiating from him. I quickly tossed the can in my cart, not noticing when it made a clanging noise. All I wanted to do was get away from this tall, towering, strange man who scared me.

"You're welcome." I kept my eyes away from him, thinking of how to escape without making any strange wounded animal noises that I was trying to hold in.

"Are you new here?" I nodded but still didn't look at him. I didn't want to die young and I didn't want to say the wrong thing and offend him.

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Sam." I took a deep breath and turned my face, looking up at him and into his eyes.

He had intense brown eyes, and they were focused on me, but there were emotions passing over and in his eyes that confused me and left me feeling clueless. He had looked like he had taken a breath of fresh air or had seen light for the first time. The intense way he was looking at me, or past me...

I turned around and looked down the aisle for another person, seeing if maybe he was looking at another person, having those emotions for someone else. The thought of that, made me feel sick; the thought of him looking for someone else.

'Get a grip Natalie. You just met the man. You should not be having thoughts about him or how big he looks or how he could snap your neck.' I flushed and pulled my jacket closer, clearing my head of all the thoughts in my head, especially the ones I didn't want to admit I had.

"What's your name?" I snapped my eyes back to Sam, who was standing there tall as ever, staring at me with a look of interest and another intense look that I couldn't make out.

"Natalie Jones." I mumbled and grabbed my cart, pushing it down the aisle, not quite running, away from Sam.

'Way to be awkward.' Frowning, I made my way down the next aisle, still feeling confused at the way he looked at me. I didn't understand why he looked at me like that, and I couldn't understand why I liked the feeling so much.

"That really is a nice name." I jumped and screamed, swinging my hand around and smacking him in the chest with my hand. I had wild eyes and I had to take a few deep breaths to calm myself down.

"You scared the crap out of me. Jesus." I heard Sam chuckle deeply behind me and I turned and glared at him.

If he wanted to laugh at me and scare me, then I wouldn't give him a moment of my time. I was just going to focus on shopping and getting everything I needed.I was going to ignore him, ignore his presence and everything about him.

"I'm sorry. You really are jumpy." I rolled my eyes and reached up to brush my hair behind my ears, but stopped and put my hands down, again. I kept forgetting that my hair was up in a bun and that I had no hair to move.

"I'm not jumpy. It's a natural reaction to be scared by a stalker." I spoke to him, keeping my distance and put random things in my cart, not really paying attention to what I was grabbing.

"I'm not a stalker. I just met you. I can't be stalking you."

"Then why are you following me?" I turned on my heel, jabbing a cucumber into his chest, my eyes narrowing accusingly.

Sam didn't say anything at first, he just stared at me and then he looked down at the cucumber I was holding, raising an eyebrow. His eyes held a playful look, which I thought was actually quite cute and endearing.

"You're going to defend yourself with a cucumber?" His chuckle sent a shiver down my spine which I hoped he hadn't seen.

"Yes. Cucumbers are very good defensive tools."

"Sure they are. So is a carrot." I groaned and put the cucumber in my cart, having enough of this awkward encounter. I needed to pay and get out and go home and get ready for my first day at work.

"Well this has been awkward and creepy. I need to go now so..." I trailed off and shuffled my feet, leaving an open invitation for him to leave and start walking away.

"I guess I'll stalk you later." I shot Sam a look, confused, until he had held up a stalk of celery. I rolled my eyes and grabbed it from him, shoving it in my cart.

"You're so funny." I spoke dryly and this time I did start walking away, leaving him in the produce section by himself.

"Goodbye Natalie." His voice filtered through the store, and I inwardly cursed when I felt yet another shiver go down my spine.

-.-.-.

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