Beautiful Stranger (Completed)

CH 4

Xavier

I needed to chill out and relax. But, it was hard being in my cabin with just Charlie. With each passing day I was wanting her more and more.

Two weeks had passed since she woke up, and three weeks since I found her. We spent every day of every minute together.

I was getting to know her, even if she was still lying about some things. The odd thing was that, she had told me her name. She was clearly on the run from someone or something.

Why would she tell me the truth about her name if she was running from something? I couldn't figure her out.

"Dinner was delicious." She said after I had finished cleaning the dishes.

She was sitting in the chair she spent most of the day in. Henry's head was in her lap, as she rubbed his fur.

"Thank you." I dried my hands before walking over to her. "Down, Henry."

He whimpered but got down. He walked to me, moving his head underneath my hand. "I just want to spend some time with Charlie, boy." I rubbed his fur saying.

"We spend every day together." She said.

"I know and I enjoy it." I looked back up at her.

I watched something I couldn't read cross her eyes. "Chess?" She asked.

"You read my mind." I rubbed his fur some more. "I put some treats in your bowl, Henry."

He barked, wagging his tail excitedly causing us both to laugh.

After a few games of chess, I could tell she was ready for bed. "Let me clean your wounds before bed, Charlie."

"I can help." She offered.

I knew it was bothering her to just sit around all day. But she needed to heal. "It's fine. Just relax, okay?"

She nodded.

I went to get the first aide kit. At the rate her body was healing, she wouldn't need the hospital for much.

"Charlie, how old are you?" She flinched when I asked that question.

"Will you tell me your age first?"

"I have no reason to hide it."

She just held my gaze. I chuckled, "I'm thirty-four."

"Really? You look younger."

"Thank you." I said, waiting for her.

"You know it's bad form to ask a lady her age."

"Since, I'm your doctor in this scenario, I think it's okay if I know." I finished with the wounds on her arms and legs before moving to her feet.

She had a lot of bruising from being beaten. It looked like with someone's fists. Her feet were the worst off, but they were doing a lot better.

With the rate they were healing, she should be able to walk on them in another week or so.

She smiled, "Maybe."

We both were silent while I cleaned her feet before wrapping them again.

"What's that stuff you keep putting on it?" She asked.

I looked up, smiling at her. "It's been two weeks and you're just now asking me this."

She rolled her eyes, "Yes, I am. Care to enlighten me."

"It's Chinese traditional medicine. My dad practices both, traditional and western medicine."

"Which one do you prefer?"

"Both. It depends on what I'm treating it for. But, for wounds like yours, I feel like this mix works the best. My dad used it on me when I was a kid. I was riding my bike and I had an accident. I couldn't stop quick enough and I ran into a glass door."

"Ouch...I'm sorry."

I shrugged, "Yeah, it hurt like crazy but my dad fixed me up. I don't even have any scars from it."

"He must be quite the doctor."

"He is." I smiled, thinking about him.

"You don't talk about your mom." She said.

"You don't talk about any of your family."

"I know."

I laughed before getting up. "Let me go wash up and I'll get you in bed."

"Okay...thank you."

"You're welcome." I held her eyes.

I wanted to kiss her. I wanted to do more than that, but kissing her was a start. She was so beautiful and I just wanted to hold her close, keep her safe.

Henry interrupted us, coming over and whimpering. "I think he's getting lonely again." Charlie started rubbing his fur.

"He's just spoiled."

My dog turned to look at me, wagging his tail happily. I laughed, "All right, be right back."

I checked outside before locking up my cabin. The snow was almost all gone and we'd be able to leave pretty soon.

"Henry, down!" I told him, walking over to my bed.

I was glad my generator was working again. That meant the heat was working. I didn't need to sleep with Charlie anymore but I wasn't going to tell her that. I liked sleeping next to her and waking up next to her.

"Goodnight, Henry." Charlie kissed his head before he jumped down.

I rubbed his fur before he went to his dog bed next to the bed. "We can go into town tomorrow. The roads will be cleared."

"All right, uh..." she was nervous about going into town.

"You don't have to worry. I'm taking you to see my doctor. He's a good guy. He's just going to look you over, okay?"

She nodded. "Once I'm healed, I'll need to go back home."

"Wouldn't that be dangerous?"

"No, it'll be fine. I have friends who'll look after me."

"Okay." I turned on my side and she laid on her back.

"I'm twenty-nine." She said, holding my eyes.

"You look younger. Like, early twenties."

She smiled, "Yeah, I get that a lot."

I moved to stroke her face. "You can stay with me, for however long you need, Charlie. You don't have to leave right away." I moved closer to her. "I don't want you to leave right away. It's been nice having you here with me."

"You never told me why you're even out here."

"Self-reflection."

"You aren't like a serial killer or anything?"

"Why would I tell you if I was?" I said.

She thought on that before saying, "Good point."

"Do I act like a serial killer?"

"No." She answered rather quickly.

"You said that like you have experience."

"No, just experience with narcissistic men. You aren't one."

I caressed her cheek, having to pull myself back. I needed to calm down and chill out. But, that was proving to be harder and harder.

"Go to sleep, Charlie." I forced myself to say.

I pulled away, laying on my back.

She surprised me by moving to lay on top of me. "Good night, Xavier." She settled her face in my neck.

I moved my arms around her body, holding her close. "Goodnight, Charlie."