Big Red and the Little Wolf

Chapter 16

Kodi Pov

The water rushed against the walls as Echo showered in the bathroom. I closed the door of the room as well as I could with the lock being broken. What the hell happened in here?

I wanted to ask Echo about the lock, but while she was in the shower, knowing that she was alright was enough for me. Though it appeared that someone had broken in, it must've been an accident if she hadn't been harmed. Nothing in the room seemed out of place besides the unplugged lamp with a crooked lampshade.

As I stepped farther into the room, the lavender scent became suffocating. Why would she spray it before getting into the shower? Things didn't seem to be adding up. Perhaps Echo has trust issues because she's hiding a fair share of secrets herself.

"I'm just going to crack open a window!" I shouted to Echo right before falling into a series of coughs as I choked on the perfume. In a hoarse voice, I added, "It's a little stuffy in here."

As soon as I opened the window, I relished in the fresh air. Somehow I would have to convince Echo to get rid of that god awful perfume. I could hardly stand it with my heightened senses, and there should be nothing to distract me from how I felt when I was with her.

Ever since she began working at the pub, I couldn't get her out of my head. Her cute expression at the taste of beer, nose scrunched and lips puckered, was the most recent event to be set on replay. Maybe it's because hardly anyone new ever comes to this town, but something about her is different. I found myself wanting to spend more time with her, which led to this impromptu visit.

Last night, I found it easy to open up to her about my parents' death. It was even tempting to tell her what they were doing in the woods when they were killed by the alpha wolf, something I had only ever shared with Nathan and Brady when they decided to become hunters as well.

The water turned off abruptly, but I didn't move from my place by the window as I waited for her to emerge from the bathroom. The lavender scent still coated the room, but I looked forward to knowing Echo's more natural scent as the water would wash away any synthetic fragrances she used.

My head turned towards the bathroom as the door opened. I locked eyes with Echo as she stepped into the room. When I realized she was wearing nothing but a fluffy white towel provided by the inn, I cursed in my head. I must have appeared to be the most perverted lad for showing up with zero notice when she just so happened to be without any clothes.

It didn't help that I couldn't take my eyes off her. As much as I wanted to be respectful, Echo's appearance had me in a trance. Water droplets danced across her collarbones before falling into the towel that was knotted tightly across her chest. Echo's brown hair was draped over one shoulder, appearing much darker after having absorbed the water.

She held my gaze with a hint of shyness, but yet unashamed. Though she was over a head shorter than me, her presence filled the room and held my attention. The trance broke as Echo moved to the dresser. A small blush crept into her cheeks as she moved closer, only this time, she hid her eyes from my gaze.

"I can wait in the hall while you get changed," I offered. If anything, it would be good to have me guard the door while the lock was no longer intact.

"No, I'll just take these back to the bathroom and change in there," she suggested as formed a small pile of clothes. "A few more minutes and I'll be ready."

"There's no rush," I assured her.

I watched as she made her way back to the bathroom. When the door was closed again, I began to pace by the window. I wanted to hit myself for making that interaction so uncomfortable for her. Now there was an even lesser chance of her agreeing to go on a date with me.

The next time Echo came out of the bathroom, she wore jeans and a dark green flannel that brought out the specks of green in her eyes. I liked how her style was more laid back. Girls who wore frilly dresses likely wouldn't survive in this small town surrounded by nothing but miles of forest.

After a couple moments of silence under her expectant stare, I realized she was wondering what I was doing at the inn. Rather than ask her out like I planned to do, I panicked and asked instead, "What happened to the lock on the door?"

Echo turned her head to observe the way the chain near the top of the door dangled with the part that should've been on the doorframe still connected to it. The lock on the handle was more difficult to notice the damage because it was still closed, but I had felt that it was looser when I had come into the room.

She shrugged as she looked back at me. "The lock has been faulty ever since I got here. I've just left the chain like that this entire time, but last night I realized that I had forgotten my keys in here when I left for work. I didn't want to bother Harrison by calling him that late at night, so I jimmied the lock until it gave way and let me in."

Since the inn had been around in this town for nearly as long as the pub, it was completely plausible that the lock had issues prior to Echo's stay regardless of how well Harrison updated the property. If most guests at the inn were as easy going as Echo, Harrison wouldn't realize it needed to be fixed without receiving any complaints.

"Now that it's really broken, it isn't safe for you to be in here without getting it fixed," I told her. There was something primal within me that wouldn't allow her to stay here alone without a functioning lock. "Harrison is at the desk this afternoon. Let's go ask him to take a look at it for you and then I want to take you somewhere."

Echo nodded along as though she had barely processed the words. I opened the door for her and led her down the hall. Though she followed me, there was still no telling that she would actually leave with me when she realized I wanted to go on a date with her.