Page 6 of Stalwart Ridge Security: Murray
Without blinking he jerks his chin in the direction of the kitchen.“The veggies are on the counter, start chopping, woman.”
I hear their voices, but I ignore them.Making dinner is a task easy to complete, and it doesn’t entail feelings.Chopping beef, potatoes, celery, carrots, onions, garlic, all ending up in a big pan to make beef stew.It’s a good thing the stew will need hours to be ready, because I’m not hungry at all.
“They’re gone.”Murray steps closer and turns to lean back against the counter.
Great.We’ve been living alongside one another for weeks and now the man wants to get social?Nope.Not freaking happening.
“Go away,” I grumble.
“I wanted to tell you,” he starts.
Keeping my eyes on the celery I’m cutting, I ramble out the words, “Sure you did, but let me guess, you couldn’t find the right time.Well, we drove right over the little speedbump of dumping the body instead of making it disappear, all for the greater good.So, like I said...go away.”
“Kinda hard to do when it’s my cabin, little rebel.”
I glare while he smirks.Little?My ass and thighs are huge and they’re filled with imperfections.It’s similar to the road up the mountain, filled with freaking potholes.Then there are my arms, flappy like a flag on a pole swinging back and forth while the man in front of me doesn’t have an ounce of fat on his body.
Seriously.Bulging muscles, abs, huge shoulders, a large back, and I’ve seen him naked from the waist up while splitting logs.He’s a sight to behold with his beard and nicely groomed hair.All while I have days where I don’t even comb my hair but put it in a bun and be done.
Ugh.Life is unfair.I’m the ugly duckling lusting after a Greek god.Okay, totally exaggerating, but it’s a close enough comparison.Murray is the type of man who would have women lined up to be with him.The mere thought of him with another woman makes me see red.
A jolt vibrates through my body and I hiss at the familiar feel of a knife slicing through my skin.The knife in question clatters to the counter and bounces off, making me jump back and kick my leg back to prevent the thing from landing on my foot.Murray curses and before I can utter a single word, the man has a hold of my hand and is squeezing my finger.Hard.
He reaches for a clean cloth and wraps it around my hand to stop the blood from seeping out.“I’m going to grab the first aid kit from under the sink, and you’re going to move with me.”
There’s nothing else to do than let him lead because the man still has a firm grip on my hand.Once he has the kit open he lays out some bandages, strips, antibiotic ointment, and a pair of gloves.
“Hold your finger with your other hand.Squeeze it tight.I’m going to glove up and have a look, okay?”
“If I say no, you’d still do it,” I mutter.
Murray chuckles and lets go of my hand.I instantly grab a hold of the cloth around my finger; the blood is already seeping through.Unwanted memories assault me; the metallic scent, the crimson spreading.My ears start to ring, and I can’t catch my breath.
My throat is suddenly gripped and when my eyes fly open, I’m staring into Murray’s dark depths.
His forehead is pressing against mine when he says, “Breathe, Elodie.You’re safe.I’m right here with you.Just fill your lungs, hold it, and gently let that shit go.That’s it, baby.Breathe for me.”
I hate feeling weak.If my freaking emotions weren’t fried earlier, then this wouldn’t have happened.
“There we go.Come on, let’s take a look.Not too bad.Okay, first we’re gonna clean this cut.”Murray rambles some more, but I tune him out.
Going through the motions and compartmentalizing is something I’ve mastered early on in life.
“Elodie.”My name is a harsh snap, making my gaze collide with Murray’s when he adds, “You can look.”
I glance at my finger and see the strips he’s put on the cut, making it seamless and without a trace of blood.
He covers it with a bandage.“There, all done.Take the bandage off later today, let the air heal the wound instead of covering it.Want me to help with the stew?”
I bob my head.“Yeah.It was your turn to make dinner.”
The corner of his mouth twitches.“I know.”
Yet, he gave me the excuse to walk away from Jaxie earlier to make it seem it was my turn.My life was thrown into a tailspin a few weeks ago, allowing Murray to enter my life.Yet, I might have met him at some point with his property being near Jaxie’s.Although, we would have a different connection instead of being thrown together due to a deadly threat hanging above my head.
A casual meeting is totally different than forced proximity.Spending time in the same room with a man like Murray spikes sexual desires in any woman.Especially when his fierce protective side comes out to play.
