Love and the White Wolf - Book 1

3. Revelation

       After a brief taxi ride in the dark we arrived at a former warehouse converted to loft condos.   James's condo was on the top floor.  He inserted a key card into a reader and the elevator went straight to his floor with no stops.  As we entered I couldn't help but be impressed at its size. I turned to him and he shrugged.

"I don't own it.  My ... employer provides it for me.  Great room, kitchen, dining area, 3 bedrooms, each with a private bath, and air conditioning.  It really is too big for just me."

As I stepped further into the great room my back pain flared and I flinched noticeably.  James was immediately at my side, put his arm around me, and guided me to a chair.  He quickly took off his jacket.  As he turned I noticed that his left arm was a prosthetic made of black metal.  I stared at it and something clicked in my mind.

"You're that guy who was the Winter Soldier," I stammered.  "You're Bucky Barnes!"  He winced.

"I'm not the Winter Soldier anymore," he replied solemnly and straightened up. "I'd rather you just think of me as James Barnes, Bucky is more my work name.  I'm with the Avengers now, trying to do something good with my life."

     I felt somewhat ashamed and embarrassed.  He looked straight at me with the saddest expression on his face as if daring me to hate him.  But I couldn't.  He had been nothing but wonderful in the few hours of our acquaintance.

     "I'm sorry.  That was incredibly rude of me, James," I carefully stood up and extended my hand to him. "My name is Gail Richards.  Thank you for all of your help this evening.  It was unexpected but very much appreciated."

He shook my hand, flashed a beautiful smile and his blue eyes lit up in pleasure. It warmed me up inside and I smiled back. While I sat back down James grabbed some sheets from a cupboard and changed out the sheets in a bedroom. He came back out for my suitcase, then returned and offered me his arm.

"It's late and you should get some rest. We can talk more in the morning.  Good night, Gail."

"Good night James. Thank you," I replied. He nodded and closed the door.

My suitcase was open on a chair. As I pulled out my toiletries and pyjamas I realized again that he had smelled amazing.  I couldn't put my finger on it but it was a clean, yet earthy like the smell in the air after a sun shower.  It was very appealing. He was also radiating some serious body heat even in the air conditioned condo.

       As I brushed my teeth in the bathroom I could hear the shower in his adjoining bathroom come on.  I envisioned James in there, naked and wet. Picturing him with soapy water running down his body was almost a cliché but I couldn't easily get the image out of my mind.  It had been a long time since I had thought of any man in that way and it was unnerving.  I finished brushing my teeth, put on my pyjamas and slipped under the covers.  Even though I was exhausted I found it hard to sleep as I went through the day's events in my mind.  The shower stopped and I thought of James towelling dry.  I tried to stop thinking about it but images of him persisted.  Grabbing my phone I opened my meditation app and chose my favourite actor reading a bedtime story.  Finally, I fell asleep.