Page 28 of Falling for the Beast

She turned off the faucet and crawled back into bed and glanced at the clock. Four-thirty. She tried to go back to sleep, but the vision of him in her dream wouldn’t go away.

She finally got up around five and made some coffee. She needed to stop thinking about Thaddeus. About his powers. About everything.

The hot liquid burned her tongue and she set it down to cool. Maybe he was right. Maybe she needed to stay away from Thaddeus. If she started looking for other work, she could forget about her growing feelings for a man who didn’t return them. A man who didn’t even think of himself as a man. But the thought of working somewhere else—of not seeing Thaddeus again—soured her stomach.

The sun lit the windows and she decided she’d better get ready before Thaddeus showed up. She showered and dressed in leggings and a tunic top, finishing off the look with a belt and her black boots. The knock on her door sent her heart into her throat.

She rushed to open it and let Thaddeus in. He looked like he belonged on the pages of a biker magazine — if she ignored the scars on his face. His leather jacket hung open, revealing a clean white T-shirt.

“How are you?” she asked, glancing at his middle.

“Almost new.” He stepped inside and shut the door.

Her heart beat in her ears. “Mind if I…?” She pointed to his abdomen.

He lifted his shirt to reveal a scar where the wound had been. Last night she hadn’t taken the time to look at the other scars there, but today, she couldn’t help but notice. His skin was covered with them. She also couldn’t help noticing the sculpted abs he sported. She gently fingered the scar from last night. He got a pained look on his face and she dropped her hand, trying to ignore the zaps of electricity flowing into her fingertips.

“Did you go home last night, or did you go roaming the streets?” she asked.

“I rode for a while to let off steam. Then I went home and fell asleep.”

“Good,” she said, a little too quickly, and she blushed. She didn’t mean to be selfish. Healing others was noble, but she hated to see him hurt. “I mean, I’m glad you got some sleep.”

He stepped closer to her. “I know what you meant.” The silence stretched between them before he motioned to the door. “You ready to go?”

“Yes.”

She grabbed her jacket and followed him out the door. Riding on the back of his motorcycle was like an amusement park ride, only more dangerous and exciting. He surprised her by not turning toward Carson. Instead, he headed up into the northern hills of the national forest.

“Where are we going?” she yelled over the roar of the bike.

“You’ll see,” he called back.

They rode for about an hour before he pulled off the paved road and headed onto a dirt path. He drove for another ten minutes before coming to a clearing where he stopped and dismounted. A few logs lay in a row, indicating places you could park. A small path led into the woods, and he motioned for her to join him.

The trees in this area were mostly tall evergreens, which shaded the path more than the ones near his home. As soon as they entered the wooded area, the sun was blocked off and it felt like they were walking at dusk. The path was littered with pine needles and an occasional pine cone. She walked alongside him, wondering why he’d brought her there.

“My friends and I would come up here sometimes when we were in high school.” He stepped over a tree root and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

“It’s beautiful.”

“Secluded,” he said.

For some reason, the word sounded sad and she glanced up at him. “A good place to hide from people.”

“Yes.”

She wondered what it was like for him, thinking he couldn’t be seen. Couldn’t go out and even do his own grocery shopping. How sad it must be for him.

He led her down the path, the hill turning steeper. She stumbled a little and he reached out his hand to steady her. “Watch your step.”

He didn’t let go, and they continued to walk, hand in hand. She liked the feel of it. His skin was warm, his muscles strong. She felt secure. Safe.

As they walked, she noticed the sound of rushing water. “Are we near a river?”

“Quite close, yes.” His eyes smiled at her.

They rounded a tree and the view opened up. They were on the side of a hill. The river cascaded down in a waterfall, crashing into the ravine below. The blue sky stretched above them. It looked like a scene from one of her father’s puzzles, and she gasped. “Incredible.”

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