Page 4 of Hers to Call
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Steam followed Calita as she stepped out of the bathtub, onto the thick carpet, wrapping a fluffy towel around her chest tightly. She’d taken a break around two, after the lunch rush. That was to say, Selena had kicked her out of the kitchen a little while ago with instructions to rest. Not hardly. She caught a glimpse of herself in the bathroom mirror as she adjusted her towel and her heart skipped a beat. She dropped the towel, standing naked in front of the mirror, studying her body. Calita was tall, five ten in her bare feet. She wished she was a little smaller, skinnier, more like what David said he wanted. The only way she would be smaller was if she starved herself. It wouldn’t happen. Though the years after her attack had weened her down from the size she’d used to be. She traced a hand over her mahogany skin, gliding over the soft flesh, only stalling when she reached an area that was raised, smoother than all the other skin around it.
The scars were not as bad as she imagined they’d be. Not as jagged as her nightmares made them to be. He’d been precise when he cut into her skin, the small fillet knife leaving just enough of a scar to remind her of his sadism. Calita traced the small scars crisscrossing below her breasts. Hate for her ex-boyfriend bloomed, along with anger that she was still frightened of him. He’d been on the run from the police for the last three years and she was still having a hard time getting over it. She’d wasted away in Chicago, barely leaving her house, fear trapping her.
PTSD, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, they’d called it.
She sighed and turned away from her reflection, tightening her towel across her chest. She was doing well here. Selena had come to see her in Chicago and urged her to come down. Selena had said there was something healing about the town and she wasn’t lying. Last year before Calita had arrived at Bear Ridge, seeing her scars would’ve sent her to bed for the rest of the day.
Progress.
She was proud of herself. Looking at the clock, she got dressed. She still had time to take a little bit of a walk before she went back for the dinner shift. She quickly threw on a clean pair of jeans and a black V-neck t-shirt, her normal uniform for when she worked in the kitchen. A comfortable pair of trainers went on last and Calita took the stairs down three floors to the lobby.
She slowed as she spotted Simon chatting with the front desk clerk; she scrambled to remember the young girl’s name. Tessa, maybe? Calita had kept to herself in the year since she’d been in Bear Ridge, hardly speaking to anyone outside of the restaurant staff. She needed to be better about that. She put it out of her mind as Simon straightened and looked back at her. His gaze raked over Calita in a way that felt possessive, and yet protective…treasured even. He certainly hadn’t earned that level of familiarity. Why then did her body stir at the attention?
She gave him what she hoped looked like a smile.
“Hi,” he turned and greeted, waiting at the desk.
She patted her hair and lowered her gaze. “Hi. You’re not waiting around here for me, are you?” She narrowed her eyes. She should feel scared, but somehow, she couldn’t even work up alarm.
“Perhaps.” He walked over and held out his hand. “I’m Simon.”
She stared at his hand for a long moment. Lifting her eyes to meet his eyes, she found she couldn’t keep his gaze long. Her hand was trembling as she held it out. The calluses on his hand scraped across her skin, the warmth of his palm sent a thrill through her and she reveled in the strength in his hands.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Calita.”
He smiled again and she was struck by how beautiful the man was. Like really, he shouldn’t be able to send her heart soaring from a smile. She felt like she’d accomplished something just by getting him to smile. She cleared her throat and her traitorous thoughts.
“So…” she clasped her hands in front of her.
He shook his head and smiled. “I’m sorry, I had a whole host of clever and charming lines to say to you when I finally talked to you, but then you came down the stairs, and well…”
Okay, she was charmed by that. She ducked her head to hide her pleasure at his words.
“Can I join you on your break?”
“Well, I…” she looked around unable to find an excuse and quite frankly not wanting to. “Sure, I was just going to step outside for a little sun.”
He nodded and motioned for her to lead the way. They walked in silence along the sidewalk headed towards Bear Ridge’s downtown city proper. Squat brick buildings lined the sidewalk, their large windows showcasing each store’s wares. Small magnolia trees were spaced along the walk, providing them with shade, while the flowers scented the air around them. Cars moved along the street next to them at a sedate pace, no one seemingly in a rush.
She’d really fallen in love with the small town. It was time for her to come out of the shell she’d built around herself. She sneaked a look at Simon. Opening up to the townspeople was one thing, dating again was a whole other thing.
***
Simon walked along with Calita, happy to spend some time with his mate. He should’ve been working. There were guests aplenty at his dude ranch, and yet he’d barely gotten five miles outside of the city before he turned his truck around to get back closer to her. He’d called the ranch and told them he was running errands. Seeing right through the lie, his Beta had simply snorted and rattled off a list of supplies they needed. The back of his truck was full from his visit to the hardware and feed store, but it would keep until he was ready to leave.
Calita had him nervous. That was new. With every step he took with her, every notion he had about how his mating would go was tossed aside. Finally close to her, her sweet manner and soft voice had him reconsidering his carefully laid plans. How did the span of ten minutes in her presence shift his priorities so thoroughly?
“How do you like the city?” He finally broke their silence.
She smiled, and his bear purred, rolling over.
“City is a stretch.” A dimple appeared in her cheek. “But, it’s charming, much like its residents.”
He gave a small chuckle. “You’re an amazing chef, by the way.”
She touched her chest. “Thank you.”
