Page 2 of Protecting Anna
Anna took in a deep, fortifying breath before making her way to the front of the bar where an incredibly handsome man stood, watching her approach. She took in his light hair, day old scruff, and piercing blue eyes that seemed to see straight into her soul. He was temptation personified, but Anna knew she had to keep a low profile and figure her life out before she could consider allowing someone new into her life. It had been a long day traveling up from California, with the weather becoming wetter and colder the farther north she went.
Safe in her coat pocket was a house key for her Aunt Theresa’s house, the same house Anna had grown up in before moving to California. It was a miracle that she still had the key to the house after all this time. Perhaps a small, hopeful part of her had known that someday she would return.
When Anna had left the Portland bus depot and entered the snowstorm, she knew she needed to find a warm place with a phone and something to eat. She had eaten the granola bars she had managed to sneak into her pack hours ago, and her stomach was growling. The closest establishment to the depot that appeared to be open was this pub, The Lucky Strike. The warm, inviting atmosphere, even with barely any patrons, was comforting in the face of her emotional and physical exhaustion. But that brief feeling of comfort turned into something inexplicable, when Anna laid eyes on the bartender. She felt herself instantly attracted to him, with an intensity she had never felt before. He was pure sex on two legs, and while a small part of her longed to feel what it would be like to be in his arms, safe and secure, the other part was terrified by her emotional reaction. The last time Anna had been this intensely drawn to someone was Tim, and that had turned into a nightmare.
* * *
Ryan was captivated by the beauty in front of him. Her nervousness was palpable as she approached the bar, and when she got close, he could see the exhaustion in her face. That didn’t stop her from being the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Long brown hair fell down her back in silky waves, her eyes were a curious shade that he couldn’t quite make out in the dim light of the bar, but they seemed golden with flecks of green. Long lashes swept her cheeks, and the frame of her body was small, almost delicate with a hidden vulnerability. His desire to protect this woman, crazy as it seemed, only intensified as she got closer.
When she reached the bar and spoke, in a soft musical voice, Ryan felt it like a gut punch.
“I know it’s kind of a weird thing to ask for in a bar, but do you have any coffee? I wasn’t sure where else would be open.” She looked up at his face briefly before returning her eyes down to her hands which were folded in her lap.
“Yeah, I’ve got coffee. Can I get you anything to eat?” Ryan was embarrassed by the rough tone in his voice and hoped the mystery woman couldn’t tell how affected he was by her.
“Whatever is easy, thank you.”
He nodded and headed into the kitchen to pour her a steaming cup of coffee. While he was there, he fired up the grill to make a quick sandwich. Grabbing the carton of cream out of the fridge and some sugar, he returned to the bar, half expecting her to be gone.
He was relieved to find she was still sitting there. When she reached for the mug, with a small smile of thanks, the sleeve of her sweater pulled back just enough to reveal some partially faded bruises that looked suspiciously like someone had grabbed her and pulled her arm. Ryan noticed, and while his heart pounded with fierce anger that anyone would dare physically hurt this—or any—woman, he knew in his gut that drawing attention to it would likely make her flee. So, he pretended not to see anything, and tried to engage her in some light conversation.
Over the next ten minutes, as she devoured the grilled cheese sandwich he brought her, Ryan learned Anna’s name and that she had recently moved to Portland from California. When she dodged any questions about her life in California, he again pretended not to notice, recognizing that there was a lot she was not telling him. To try and make her more comfortable, Ryan regaled her with tales of renovating and opening the bar and shared some funny stories about some of the repeat customers. Slowly he could see her relax, as a smile came more easily to her face.
“So, Anna, if you’re planning on staying in Portland, have you figured out a job or a place to stay?” Ryan asked innocently, hoping the personal question didn’t spook her.
“Yeah, my aunt left me a house when she died. Finding a job might be a bit more difficult, I, ummm, haven’t been working much the last couple of years.” That was the first piece of somewhat personal information she had shared, and Ryan stowed it away in his mind carefully. Then he let out a small laugh, and adopted a teasing tone to reply, “Well if you have any experience waitressing or bartending, I’ll hire you in a heartbeat. We’re desperate to find someone to help out around here.”
“I worked at a café in high school, and worked as a waitress for a bit during my first year of college. Does that count?”
“Consider yourself hired,” Ryan answered with a wink and a grin. “Seriously, if you’re interested, come on by tomorrow afternoon. The storm should have died down by then and you can meet my buddy, Jake, he actually owns the place, and we’ll get you started.” He quickly wrote his name and number on a piece of paper and pushed it over to Anna. “Give me a call if you need anything. And if you change your mind it’s okay, no hard feelings. But Anna? I hope you come back.”
Anna stood, pulling on her jacket. “Thank you, Ryan, I’ll be here. Tonight has been more than I expected. Thanks for the coffee and the company.” She hesitated, and a blush covered her cheeks. “I’m sorry to ask you to do more for me, but can I use your phone to call a cab? I don’t have a cell phone.”
The flash of fear on her face stirred up the protective instinct in Ryan and made it even more obvious that Anna’s move to Portland had been a rushed decision. Ryan’s suspicions that something bad had happened to her only grew.
“No cab is going to be driving safely in this weather. Give me ten minutes to lock up, and I’ll drive you home okay? My truck has snow tires… and I promise I’m not a psycho,” he said, with what he hoped was a charming and teasing grin, to try and ease any fears she might have about getting in a car with a stranger.
Anna looked up at him with a mixture of wonder and relief on her face, before nodding in agreement. “Thank you, Ryan, that would be wonderful. Can I help you close up? It seems the least I could do since you’re giving me a ride and a job.”
“Nah, I’ve got this. We didn’t have many customers today so I can come in early tomorrow to finish most of it. Let me just put the dirty glasses in the dishwasher and turn it on. I’ll get my truck warming up out back as well.”
Ryan watched her sit back down at the bar and return to fidgeting with the edges of her coat. He was pleased to see she seemed much less nervous than when she had first arrived. A slight thrill ran though his body at the realization that this woman trusted him with her safety. Ryan had never let a woman get this close to him, so close that he felt responsible for them. It was a heady feeling to realize he was not running away from the responsibility. No, for once, he wanted to run straight toward it, toward Anna.
Chapter 2
The drive home was surprisingly comfortable. The instinctual trust she felt around Ryan was surprising, but Anna was doing her best to accept it. However, her nerves held her back from speaking, so Ryan kept the conversation flowing, without her needing to contribute too much. Before she knew it, Anna was looking out the window at a house she hadn’t seen in over two years.
Anna had always been close to her aunt, even more so after her parents died in a car accident when she was just a child. Aunt Theresa had raised her, in this very house. They had learned how to transition a friendly aunt–niece relationship into one where Anna respected Aunt Theresa in her role as guardian and caregiver. She had been there as Anna hit puberty, high school and all the corresponding drama, events that seemed so trivial now. Anna’s heart broke at the thought that her beloved aunt had died without Anna even knowing she was sick.
When Tim had changed her phone, Aunt Theresa’s number was the only one she could recall. He had allowed her to stay in contact, via phone calls, once a week, that he was always present for. In hindsight, Anna realized that was probably just so that her aunt didn’t get suspicious of their relationship.
In her passing, Aunt Theresa had provided a way out of the hell Anna had found herself in. Her childhood home was now in her name with the mortgage paid off in full. It was more than she could have dreamed of, and one final, poignant reminder of how her aunt would always love her.
Tonight, the house stood tall and dark, without a porch light on. The snow had piled up in the drive and the path to the front door was hidden. Still, Anna felt the familiarity of home, and knew she could find her way. She just hoped that the power had not been shut off. She turned to Ryan. “Thank you for the ride, Ryan, it was more than I expected tonight. Honestly, everything you’ve said and done has made my night so much better than it could have been.”
She held her breath as he reached out and gently tucked a piece of her hair behind her ears. He was looking right at her, but instead of fear, she felt peace from his touch.
“It’s no trouble. I’m glad you came into my bar, and I’m grateful you trusted me enough to see you home safe.” His voice rang with truth and strength, a strength Anna felt infusing her soul. “Everything is going to work out, Anna, you’ll see. I’ll make sure of it.”
