Heart : Animal Senses Series Book 1

Chapter 32

Jolting ramrod straight, he quickly turned to face the cupboards and opened one, taking two mugs out. "I'm sorry if I came across as a bit of a jerk when you first got here."

She grinned at his back. "Don't worry about that. I more or less invaded your space." She glanced out the window. "Other than the horrible habit of it storming here, I don't blame you for protecting your territory. It's beautiful here."

He kept his back to her and was silent for too long for her to feel comfortable. "I, uh, I'm a little too used to having my own space."

"I came to find some space of my own." Rayne watched him pour the amazing-smelling coffee into the mugs. "I can go..."

"No. That's not necessary." He turned and set the mugs on the table before turning back to the counter. Opening another cupboard, he pulled out two bowls. "It's a big space, I'll share."

Rayne didn't know why, but it felt like she'd just been granted something that didn't happen often. She suspected this man in front of her didn't voluntarily share his space or time with many. "Thank you."

Devin moved back over to the table with cereal and the bowls and set them down before turning towards the fridge. "On one condition."

She paused in taking a sip.

"You stop thanking me and apologizing."

She lowered the cup and watched him walk over with the milk. His eyes held amusement. "I can do that," she said quietly before taking a sip of the coffee.

"Good." He sat down and picked up his own mug. "Can I ask why you did come here?"

Rayne lowered the cup again and looked down into the steaming dark liquid. "To get away. To start over." She couldn't talk to this man, a stranger about why, she couldn't even think about it completely just yet. She chanced a glance at him through her lowered eyelashes.

He sat there watching her. "Fair enough." That was all he said and then lifted his own cup and took a drink.

Thank you was on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed it down with another drink of the bold brew.

Several moments went by as they sat there silently just looking at each other and drinking. Rayne put my mug on the table and cupped it between my hands. "Was that your father that called? He knew?"

Devin nodded in thought for a second. "I called him before I went out to find you, just in case something happened."

"Oh." She was surprised, but not. Of course, he knew more about things like that and would think to call someone beforehand. She had no one to call, Rayne remembered. She flicked her eyes down to look at the floor, so he wouldn't be able to see what she was feeling. Lost and alone, it was as if it was sinking in just now. I have no one anymore. Rayne cleared her throat and pushed the cup further onto the table. She turned in the chair and was pulling her sore foot off the other when she heard him shove his back from the table. "Which way is the bathroom?" She couldn't sit here in front of this man and fall apart.

"I can take you." He was on his feet in front of her before she could object.

"I'd like to try on my own." She shifted and braced a hand on the table and pushed herself to her feet. Rayne couldn't help the sharp intake of breath when she put her weight onto her throbbing foot.

Grabbing her other hand, he gently squeezed it. "Just—wait, I'll be right back."

Rayne watched him dart out of the room, not sure what to do. She didn't have a choice but to wait, she had no idea where the bathroom was. He was back before she figured out what to do with a wooden cane in his hand.

"I carved it a few years ago, seemed like something new to do."

She sent him a puzzled look, but accepted it. "It's lovely." And it was. It was smooth across the handle with chips carved out of it in an organized pattern down the length of it. Rayne lowered it to the floor and moved to take another step. The cane was a bit tall, but then again, she was a bit short. After another step, she figured it out. Her foot still objected, but it was slightly more bearable now. "Thank you, it's much better."

He sent her an annoyed look, probably because she'd thanked him, again. "The bathroom is the second door on the left." He pointed.

Nodding to him so she wouldn't say thank you aloud, she slowly moved toward the door, not stopping even to look around. She just wanted to get there without wobbling awkwardly as she tried to focus on using the cane. It took synchronization to use one, and with the way she was feeling, a lot of concentration.

When she reached the bathroom, Rayne quickly went in and closed the door. Resting her head against it she shut her eyes and let out a sigh of relief. She knew she couldn't hide in here forever, she would have to go back out there, she just needed a few minutes alone to shake the pitiful-me feeling before she faced him again.

She slid down to the floor right where she'd been leaning. Rayne didn't need any soul searching or to take stock of her life. She knew her situation, what she didn't know was why it was bothering her more now than it had yesterday. She shook her head and looked down at her foot, blaming it on being tired and sore wasn't good enough for her. She picked at the robe that covered her legs thinking that she should ask for some clothes. Not that it wasn't a nice robe, she just wasn't sure she should be wearing a stranger's clothes. Lifting the collar Rayne buried her nose in it and inhaled. It smelled of Devin's deep musky scent, which made sense as it was his. Straightening up she frowned at the wall, what possessed her to sniff his clothes she couldn't know.

The peculiar idea of telling Devin everything popped into her head. How would I even begin? Where would I begin? Tell him about my parents dying and how the head of some sort of criminal ring took me in, only I didn't know? Explain to him how I took money and my ex's car and drove as far as I could to get away from him and now I was hiding? She let out a wistful breath, he'd probably tell her to leave then. Rayne glanced back down at her foot, not that she could drive until this was healed.

"Rayne? Are you all right?"

She slid away from the door. "Yes. Be out in a minute." She listened to make sure he moved away from the door. Hearing a few movements, but couldn't be sure, he moved very quietly for a man, she waited a little longer. Aiden wasn't as tall as Devin, but you could hear him coming from three rooms away. Rayne squeezed my eyes closed. She was not going to compare them. There was nothing to compare, nothing similar other than they both were male. She attempted to convince herself, but knew she was only fooling herself.

She stood up slowly, trying to stretch her sore muscles without putting too much weight on her foot. When she turned and looked in the mirror she almost shrieked. Her hair was all over the place, sticking out and clumped together. Well, what did you expect when you hang out in a storm? She shuffled over to the mirror and leaned in to take a closer look. Around her eyes the skin was shadowed, a long scratch covered one cheek. No wonder the man didn't want her to move, she looked like she was a zombie from some d-list movie.

Turning away from the mirror, she stared at the tub, a bath would feel wonderful, but the idea of having one while he stood outside the door felt all wrong. Sighing loudly, she decided to go back out.