“You don’t need me to do that,” Drake said. He chuckled dryly. “You do that all by yourself.” He couldn’t contain the grin that tugged on his lips. He’d never been malicious, but it was getting to be quite entertaining. “I’m being honest. Please don’t crucify me for that,” he told her, his tone softening around his words. “This is really for the best. You’ll thank me later.”
“Fuck off,” Nina seethed. She spun and grabbed her purse off the bar and stormed past him, asphyxiating him with one last gust of her pricy perfume.
Chapter Nine
The hot water rejuvenated her as it ran in torrents down her body. Kelly lathered her hair until the suds stuck out of her head like meringue. Steve was washing their clothes. Aside from a much-needed shower and clean clothes, it’d been an uneventful day.
The air held an unfamiliar daytime chill, the sky a clear, iridescent blue. Last night still plagued her thoughts. Steve’s words kept swimming around her brain.
What would a man like him want with me?
It was all absurd.
Kelly reluctantly turned off the taps and toweled off. She could’ve stayed in the steamy stall all day. After tugging her clothes back on over moist skin, Kelly was just finishing drying her hair over the hand dryer when she heard Steve whistle for her. She combed her fingers through strands of hair that felt deliciously clean and then tied it back into a high ponytail.
Rounding the corner out of the communal bathroom, Kelly saw Steve sitting on a bench with their sack of laundry between his feet. His blond hair was wet and slicked back. The sun’s rays hit his smoothly shaven cheeks. Steve had that glamorous edge to his looks. With the right hair products and clothes, he’d look great on the runway alongside Kate Moss.
“Felt great, didn’t it?” Steve asked, grinning.
“Oh yeah,” Kelly laughed. “I was tempted to tell you to just leave me here.” She elbowed him playfully.
“Not a chance. We gotta get down to the consignment store. I saw a two-man tent there a few days ago,” Steve said, his eyes lowering to hers. “Amy told me if she didn’t sell it, she’d give to me. You’re gonna need some type of shelter soon.”
“What about you? How do you prepare for the winter?” Kelly halted her footsteps, needing to see his eyes. Steve rubbed his silken cheek, avoiding her probing stare.
“Don’t worry about me.” Steve waved a hand. “This is old hat for me.” He smiled.
“No.” Kelly’s voice grew loud. “I’m tired of all this vague crap. Stop making me your project,” she shot back.
Steve’s hand rested on her shoulder, his tone soft. “Kel, I got places I can go, places with heat, but it’s like the arrangement that you and Sam have…I can’t bring anybody else in,” Steve explained. “Now we’re getting you that damn tent, so knock it off with all the independent, womanly heroics, will ya?” He frowned.
“I think if it gets really cold, I may have to sleep in the restroom on the floor,” Kelly admitted, her tone lowered.
“At least you’ll have heat,” Steve told her, staring straight ahead.
* * * *
“This is a North Face, one of the best,” Steve said, tying the twine into the stakes. He pushed the stakes into the damp ground and then stood, shoving them into the earth with his foot. Once the tent was spread and staked, Steve directed her to the opposite end. They raised the nylon structure, pulling it tight.
“This is cool. Amy hooked us up,” Steve said as his eyes roved over the tent, pleased with himself.
They set up the tent further away from the tree line. With the leaves ready to fall, Steve wanted to make sure that Kelly’s presence was concealed. Steve walked deeper into the woods, looking for additional firewood.
Kelly opened two cans of stewed tomatoes and beans with Steve’s small can opener that hung on his keychain. There were two keys on the ring. Kelly wasn’t sure if he was hanging onto something from his old life or if they were actually linked to something he had access to. Kelly didn’t like to pry too much.
You had to be a survivor to make it on the streets. It was like becoming part of a jungle. There were lots of predators, and if you appeared weak for one second, you were prey—chased, hunted down, and consumed.
Steve had shared that a lot of women got into drugs and prostitution just to survive. He’d seen many women used and abused. “That’s not happening to you,” he told her more than once. A shiver moved over her, recalling how she’d scolded him for making her his project. She was fortunate to have him. Steve didn’t deserve that, and the fact that he’d asked her for nothing in return was beyond noble.
Kelly had thought at first that he may make a physical overture, but Steve had never laid a hand on her, with the exception of gestures of general affection—a hug, a gentle pat on the back. The thought of him being gay flitted through her mind more than once, but he’d been married.
That doesn’t mean anything.
The sound of Steve’s boots moving through the underbrush directed Kelly’s attention back. His arms were full of thick, broken branches and kindling. Steve dropped the wood on the ground near the fire pit. He wiped his hands down the front of his jeans. He faced her, jerking stands of hair out of his eyes.
“That ought to hold you. I gotta get going. I wanna check the dumpster behind the Panda Bear. They always throw a lot of stuff out at the end of the week,” he told her. “You gonna be okay?” Kelly nodded, feeling a wave of emotion roll through her. Steve bent down and lifted his backpack, feeding his arms through the straps. He smiled, his eyes darting between hers.
“Thanks.” Her voice was thick. Kelly leaned into him, kissing his cheek. Faint whiskers were already pushing through his skin despite the fact that he’d shaved while they were at the truck stop. “I was going to heat some stuff up, will you stay?” she asked, suddenly not wanting him to leave.
“Nah, you go ahead, and you’re welcome.” His mouth tipped with a subtle smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow. If I find anything good, I’ll come back before sunup and drop it off.”
Steve directed his footsteps toward the graveled lot of Union Gas and Propane. Kelly watched his figure recede into a charcoal dusk that began to coat the sky. The faint line of the day’s sun still sat on the edge of the horizon, shooting an autumn-orange glow into the clouds.
Kelly started her fire, nestling the cans between two rocks. When the contents began to bubble, she put on her gloves and removed the cans from the fire. Rummaging in her backpack, she found a plastic fork and stirred the tomatoes and beans.
After eating, she trekked to the restroom to wash up and brush her teeth. It was one thing not to have clean clothes every day, but Kelly was religious about washing and taking care of her teeth. Who knew if she’d ever sit in a dentist’s chair again?
Thoughts like this always resulted in a panic attack. How long could she do this? She should try and look for a job. It couldn’t be anything like the one she had. It would have to be some kind of service work until she got on her feet. A homeless woman couldn’t primp for any type of clerical job. She needed to start somewhere so she could work her way out of this hole.
Kelly often wondered whether Steve wanted to try and dig his way out. He’d been doing this for much longer than she. Maybe he was content. He’d told her once that after a while, the things you thought you couldn’t live without were eventually forgotten. He said the less you owned, the less you had to clean and take care of.
Kelly was still in mourning, missing the warmth of home, the smells, and the safety that a solid four walls provided. Two things that topped her list were a hot bubble bath and clean, crisp linens. The way a silk slip slides over your skin when getting dressed for a respectable job, the luxury of makeup. Lipstick and powder were her favorite cosmetics. Kelly could almost feel the softness of the translucent face powder she used to use daily. She could really use a pair of tweezers right about now, she mused.
The air transitioned, pushing the night temperature through the trees. Kelly sat huddled in front of the fire, warming herself before she had to sprinkle dirt over the flames and get into the tent. A set of headlights had her quickly rising to her feet.
Who’s here now!
She quickly scooped up handfuls of dirt and pebbles that Steve had collected for her and threw it on the fire. The flames died. Red coals glimmered inside the ring of stones.
“Jesus Christ,” she hissed, annoyed that she had to prematurely smother a healthy fire. Kelly slowly walked toward the edge of the woods. A car door slammed. Footsteps crunched over gravel. Movement triggered the sensor lights, illuminating the parking lot. Her jaw dropped. It was him again. This time he had two large cups of coffee in a cardboard carrier with a small paper bag wedged in between
. What the hell does he want?
Noting the change of his wardrobe had her heart pounding into the back of her throat. There was no suit this time. His long legs were sheathed in denim. A heavy, red knitted sweater pulled across his broad chest. As her gaze journeyed down to his feet, she was greeted with a pair of rugged boots. The fact that he was dressed for the elements told her that he’d planned this excursion, and quite carefully.
Chapter Ten
Frustrated he’d tripped the lights, Drake quickly darted into the woods, stopping as soon as the trees enveloped him. He could see her. Kelly was on her feet, on full alert. He felt her stare. It burned through him, making his head spin with questions. He knew nothing about her, yet needed to see her again, stand close to her and really look at her. The faint, twinkling light of her fire had disappeared, like flipping off a light switch.
She lives here.
All thoughts of Nina storming out of his condo were forgotten like a bad dream.
Drake bit down on his lower lip. Unease prickled through him. Dealing with Kelly wouldn’t be the same as other women he’d dealt with. He was a businessman, fully capable of selling. Drake latched onto that idea, confident that he’d be able to make the modifications that were needed with this type of pitch.
Her lovely image took shape as he moved through the foliage. Kelly was tiny, bundled up in a fleece pullover. Her hair was pulled back again, her face hidden by shadows. He took a few more cautious steps before her voice echoed through the trees, her tone assertive.
“What do you want?”
Drake noted the hint of hysteria she tried to bury. He didn’t want to scare her. He stopped and answered her back.
“I’m here to see you, not hurt you. I’d like for us to have coffee. I also have a pint of brandy and a few cookies. Is it safe to approach?” Drake added a trace of sarcasm, hoping to win her over. It never worked with Nina, but this woman was of a different breed, a breed Drake wanted to experience more of.
His insides cooled as he sucked more oxygen into his flaming body. The draw was maddening.
What the hell is it?
He continued to move toward her. Words resounded through the air as the outline of her shadow became sharper. Drake stopped, standing within three feet of her.
“You don’t owe me anything.” Her tone of voice was jarring, but Drake pressed on.
“Who said anything about owing?” Drake answered. He could see her shifting her feet, her body language restless and confused.
“Thank you for the hamburger, by the way,” her voice softer.
“You’re welcome, Kelly. Now, this coffee’s getting cold,” Drake said, hungering for her consent after speaking her name.
“Okay,” her reply huffed. Drake smiled, happy with himself. She turned her back as he followed her, excited to be visiting her as well as her campsite.
A tent came into view. Smoke from the residual fire hung in the air. The woodsy burn tickled his nasal passages. Drake waited, their smoky breaths filling the silence. She faced him. Her eyes were skittish. She licked her lips, making his stomach flutter. Drake spoke, choosing his words carefully. He handed her one of the coffee cups.
“I’m sorry I made you put out your fire,” he said. Her hand reached for the coffee, quickly recoiling back into her own space after grabbing the cup. “Why don’t you let me restart it for you,” Drake offered.
“Sure,” Kelly said, stepping back and waving him toward the woodpile. “Um…” her voice wavered. “Your name, I’m sorry, I forget.”
“Drake.” He glanced at her, giving her his best smile.
Drake pushed the fresh, damp soil to the side with the toe of his boot, clearing the fire pit of debris. He walked toward the woodpile and picked up a log and some twigs. Without having to ask, Kelly handed him a lighter. The flames resurrected themselves, darting into the night sky. Her meek voice drifted through the quiet.
“Thanks. Take a seat.” She gestured to a nearby rock.
Drake sat down, feeling the chilled granite seep through his jeans. He handed her the small paper bag parcel. Drake set the cardboard carrier down on the ground and sipped his coffee, watching her sift through the contents.
“Brandy,” she said, relief in her voice, her lids lowering. Her eyes were almond-shaped and sleepy. Her gaze melted through him, a beautiful green like beach grass.
“It’ll keep you warm,” Drake whispered.