suddenly throws me a helluva punch to the shoulder, causing me to lose my grip on the wheel.
"Ouch! Damn, woman. You almost had me go in the ditch."
I quickly pull around Emma's bungalow and up to the small guesthouse they had built months ago for when Kara, Emma's daughter, or one of the GFI crew, would need a place to crash. The bungalow itself has no spare bedrooms and the space they added on is solely used as offices for GFI. The guesthouse was fully wheelchair accessible, which was one of Emma's requests since she has some mobility issues of her own. That, and the fact that Katie would be close to caring people, had all been taken into consideration when Gus and I discussed where best to take her. Neither of us had stopped to think it might be awkward for her, or had bothered to include her in the discussions. Damn.
When I turn off the ignition and turn to her, I take her in. Katie at full strength was a sight to behold; but her once sharply cut muscles have made way for softer, rounder curves now her mobility is challenged, and I like the softer look on her. You won't hear me complain about the added roundness. The defensive posture she has taken, with her arms crossed over chest and her full pink lips pursed in her angry face is cute, and almost makes me chuckle, but I'd be in even hotter water if I let it escape. I've scrapped with this woman before in friendly bouts, and even without the use of her legs, I know she can still be quite lethal with her hands. Not gonna poke that bear. Instead, I take her face in my palms and turn it to me, fully expecting the instant snap of her hands grabbing onto my wrists. She won't budge me though, not even the fire shooting from her eyes will sway me.
"I'm sorry, little one. I'm a dick. I messed up all over the place, starting with not discussing any of this with you beforehand. That was not cool."
Katie is doing her best to avoid my eyes and won't stop yanking on my wrists.
"Hey. Look at me. I'm trying to apologize to you. Would you stop for a minute?"
When she drops her hands, I can feel the resistance going out of her, but she still won't lift her eyes, so I dip my head low and am shocked to find tears pooling in her eyes. I can count the times I’ve seen Katie cry on one hand easily, and the thought that I’m responsible for her tears makes me feel like crap.
"Ahh fuck, sweetie. Come on." I unclip her seatbelt and my own. "We're going to continue this inside."
It doesn't take long for me to have Katie in her chair and inside where she has a look around while I grab our bags. When I walk down the short hall to the bedroom to drop off the bags, Katie is in the doorway looking at the large, king-sized bed. She hears me walk up behind her and turns around, one eyebrow raised.
"One bedroom?"
Yes, there is that. Not something I allowed myself to think of too much, only because I was already having a hard time controlling my baser urges.
"Yes," I say as casually as I can, passing by her into the room and placing the bags on the bed, "where you will sleep. There’s a perfectly comfortable couch out there where I’ll crash." I cringe when I think of the couch, which is at least a foot too short for my six foot five frame.
"I'll sleep on the couch. You're way too big."
And there it is, the combative side of Katie I’d been expecting much earlier. I rub my hands over my face before answering.
"I'll be fine on the couch, Katie," I sigh. I'm tired. It's been a long day and I've spent most of it in a car and on pins and needles, and I'm sure Katie hasn't fared any better. I can feel her eyes on me and turn to face her.
"I just don't like the feeling of putting you out. Don't like the feeling of putting anyone out, that's why I didn't want to come here in the first place. Do you know how absolutely demeaning it is to have to come back here for my safekeeping? To this place?" Obviously frustrated at the blank look on my face, she rolls her eyes.
"Jesus. I know that you
"Ouch! Damn, woman. You almost had me go in the ditch."
I quickly pull around Emma's bungalow and up to the small guesthouse they had built months ago for when Kara, Emma's daughter, or one of the GFI crew, would need a place to crash. The bungalow itself has no spare bedrooms and the space they added on is solely used as offices for GFI. The guesthouse was fully wheelchair accessible, which was one of Emma's requests since she has some mobility issues of her own. That, and the fact that Katie would be close to caring people, had all been taken into consideration when Gus and I discussed where best to take her. Neither of us had stopped to think it might be awkward for her, or had bothered to include her in the discussions. Damn.
When I turn off the ignition and turn to her, I take her in. Katie at full strength was a sight to behold; but her once sharply cut muscles have made way for softer, rounder curves now her mobility is challenged, and I like the softer look on her. You won't hear me complain about the added roundness. The defensive posture she has taken, with her arms crossed over chest and her full pink lips pursed in her angry face is cute, and almost makes me chuckle, but I'd be in even hotter water if I let it escape. I've scrapped with this woman before in friendly bouts, and even without the use of her legs, I know she can still be quite lethal with her hands. Not gonna poke that bear. Instead, I take her face in my palms and turn it to me, fully expecting the instant snap of her hands grabbing onto my wrists. She won't budge me though, not even the fire shooting from her eyes will sway me.
"I'm sorry, little one. I'm a dick. I messed up all over the place, starting with not discussing any of this with you beforehand. That was not cool."
Katie is doing her best to avoid my eyes and won't stop yanking on my wrists.
"Hey. Look at me. I'm trying to apologize to you. Would you stop for a minute?"
When she drops her hands, I can feel the resistance going out of her, but she still won't lift her eyes, so I dip my head low and am shocked to find tears pooling in her eyes. I can count the times I’ve seen Katie cry on one hand easily, and the thought that I’m responsible for her tears makes me feel like crap.
"Ahh fuck, sweetie. Come on." I unclip her seatbelt and my own. "We're going to continue this inside."
It doesn't take long for me to have Katie in her chair and inside where she has a look around while I grab our bags. When I walk down the short hall to the bedroom to drop off the bags, Katie is in the doorway looking at the large, king-sized bed. She hears me walk up behind her and turns around, one eyebrow raised.
"One bedroom?"
Yes, there is that. Not something I allowed myself to think of too much, only because I was already having a hard time controlling my baser urges.
"Yes," I say as casually as I can, passing by her into the room and placing the bags on the bed, "where you will sleep. There’s a perfectly comfortable couch out there where I’ll crash." I cringe when I think of the couch, which is at least a foot too short for my six foot five frame.
"I'll sleep on the couch. You're way too big."
And there it is, the combative side of Katie I’d been expecting much earlier. I rub my hands over my face before answering.
"I'll be fine on the couch, Katie," I sigh. I'm tired. It's been a long day and I've spent most of it in a car and on pins and needles, and I'm sure Katie hasn't fared any better. I can feel her eyes on me and turn to face her.
"I just don't like the feeling of putting you out. Don't like the feeling of putting anyone out, that's why I didn't want to come here in the first place. Do you know how absolutely demeaning it is to have to come back here for my safekeeping? To this place?" Obviously frustrated at the blank look on my face, she rolls her eyes.
"Jesus. I know that you
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