Page 6 of Savage Protector
“Or… you forget we ever figured that out and you put a girl out of her misery.”
A vehement yes screams from behind my zipper, but my brain is still shutting the whole idea down. No good ever comes from casual sex, but she’s not wrong. I’m not in town forever and her father doesn’t have to know. Hell, we barely see each other anymore.What would one night change?
“Sorry.” She scrubs her hand down over her face. “I’m a complete mess. I probably sound like such a loser throwing myself at you.”
“You’re not a loser. I get it. I just… what if you regret it? We should wait until morning and reassess when you’re sober.”
“How many people have you been with?” She pulls the question out of nowhere.
“Oh. I, ugh, I don’t know. A few. Not many.”
“Not many, like six, or not many, like forty?”
“Forty?No. Not forty. A handful, but it’s been a while. I told you, I don’t do the whole casual sex thing. And at this point, I’m looking for something real.”
“What doesrealmean? Like a family?”
“Yeah. The whole package, you know? I’ve fucked around my whole life. I thought I wanted to be alone, but now I realize I need more. Unfortunately, I probably realized all that too damn late.”
“This is my place.” She points to a little cabin set back in the woods with white lights twinkling on the front porch. Smoke billows from the chimney as snow continues to fall. When I’ve officially parked, I tell her to stay in place while I come help her out of the truck, but she doesn’t listen.
“Nope.” She pops open the truck door. “I’m not some‘open the door for me’kind of girl. I’m an Annie Oakley kind of girl. Guns blazing and shit, ya know?” She hops from the truck and goes down to the ground immediately.
Silence.
When I reach the other side, she’s on her back, staring up at the snow as it falls onto her face. My brothers are going to die when I tell them I’ve spent the night counseling the drunken game warden. “You alright?”
“Yeah.” She sits up and attempts to stand, but falls back again.
I reach out to help, but she pulls away in favor of the tire of the truck. “I’m fine. I can help myself up.”
“Right, well, you might want to do it sooner than later. You don’t need frost bite on top of everything.”
When she’s standing, she hobbles to the door, and lifts onto the porch with a limp like she’s hurt her ankle.
“Are you okay?”
She nods. “I’m fine.”
“You don’t seem fine. You’re walking like you’re hurt.”
“Well, I’m not hurt. I’m perfectly fine, so… we’re good. You can go now. Thank you for your help, and for the conversation.If you change your mind about helping me out inotherways, though, I’m ready and willing.” Her words are slurred.
“Yeah, I think I’m going to check your ankle before I leave.”
She glances toward me and unlocks the front door. Inside, the scent of cinnamon and vanilla fill the small cabin. There’s a gentle glow from the fireplace, and though small, the cabin is decorated and designed to make the best use of every bit of space.
“How long have you lived up here?”
“Two years. My dad built the place for me. Someday, I’m hoping to add to it or maybe expand the little ranch I’ve started. Right now, I only have a few chickens and a goat, but I’m hoping for horses. Anyway, I’m fine, really. You can go. Thank you for bringing me home. Do I owe you gas money, or do you take otherforms ofpayment?”She smiles a cute, mischievous grin, like she’s speaking in a code I may be able to figure out.
“Sit down and let me look at your ankle, please. I’d feel like an ass if I left and you broke it.”
“It’s not broken, but if you insist.” She grins. “Is this some kind of foreplay? If it is, I’m down. The doctor thing has always gotten me off a little.” She sits back on the couch and slides off her boot, giving way to the darkest shade of purple I’ve ever seen on human skin.
“Shit.”
“Well, that’s not what you want to hear from Dr. Feelgood.”