HER

Chapter 13

Catherine hadn't been able to move around the kitchen as well as she normally did with Ian filling up all her senses the entire day. He was everywhere she looked or rather, she looked at him every time; same difference. He seemed to be looking at her every time she looked at him and the smile he flashed right before he looked away made her cheeks turn a light shade of pink. She was grateful he was around because it had been a full house but with the number of giggling women watching Ian at the back, she knew he was the reason for the full house. She had been asked a couple of times than she cared to admit if Ian could come out and say hi; she had told Ian who had been happy to oblige. She felt sick when she heard and watched them flirt with him, she had turned away and gone to the back of the kitchen knowing what was wrong and knew she didn't have the right to feel jealous. She and Ian weren't together and even though there was a connection between them, it still didn't mean they'll get to a part where she would be allowed to feel jealous.

She had gotten through the day and when night fell and the customers left, leaving just a few of Ian's fangirls and some customers she knew. She had decided to close early because she had to make a trip to the supermarket but with Ian there and the last customers she had to stay back and help out. When the last person left, Ian helped her lock up.

"I'll walk you." He said

She turned to him and smiled.
"It's ok, I'm not going to bed just yet."

Ian raised his brow in question.
"I have to get somethings from the supermarket."

"Okay then, I'll take you."

"I can go on my own, Ian."

"I know. It would be better if you went with company. Besides, I can do some of my own shopping."

Catherine raised her brow, not believing him and he smiled.
"I've been putting it off for a while now. Better get it done now or else I wouldn't find the right time."

Catherine sighed and nodded.
"Ok."

"Good." They walked to his jeep and he helped her in before he got in and drove off to the nearest supermarket which was half an hour away from the B&B.

Ian followed behind Catherine as she walked into the supermarket, grabbed a basket and made a beeline for what she was there for. He smiled at how she knew what she wanted and went for it. Catherine reached for the cereal and took if off from the shelf, her eyes caught another flavour of the cereal and she frowned. She dropped the basket and took the other one down and looked at both of them. Ian, whom she hadn't known followed her, chuckled a few feet away from her. She looked at him and caught him grinning at her.

"What?"

"You're cute when you look confused."

She stopped herself from sighing and quickly looked away before he spotted the red dots on her cheeks.
"Shouldn't you be doing your own shopping?"

"Right." He frowned. "I'll meet you up front in twenty."

She nodded at him before she turned her attention back to the cereal that demanded her utmost focus. Ian left with a smile and went to get a cart, his fridge was empty, he hadn't done his shopping for over a month. He needed a lot of things; vegetables, carton of milk and juice, fruits, noodles, coffee and some other things he had to remember.

Catherine waited for Ian up front after she paid for her items. She was surprised when he stepped out of the supermarket with a couple of plastic bags.

"You weren't joking about not having time to shop."

Ian smiled.
"Good thing I came along."

She smiled at him and they walked to his jeep and placed their bags in the back before they got up front.

"So, I have to ask." He asked as he pulled out of the parking lot and drove off.

She turned to him.
"What?"

"Which flavour did you decide on?"

Catherine laughed and he joined.
"I didn't."

He frowned.
"You didn't get either?"

"No." She smiled. "I got both."

Ian laughed.
"Good choice, would have done the same."

"Glad you approve."

Ian parked in the parking lot back at the B&B and as he got out to help her with her bags.

"I'll help you inside."

"I can handle a few bags." She smiled.

He frowned at her.
"Carry your bag was just an excuse."

Her smile fell as a moment passed but she looked away quickly and collected her bags from him.
"Thank you Ian." She smiled again. "You were a huge help today."

"Glad I could be of service."

"I'm sure you say that to everyone."

He smiled because he did.
"Goodnight Catherine."

"Goodnight Ian." She walked away.

Ian watched her from outside the jeep as she made her way to the building that faced him and then up the stairs to her floor. The smile fell from his face when he saw a door open and the Parker guy stepped outside, he saw Catherine falter in her steps when she saw him. He watched the smile on Parker's face when he saw her, Catherine tried to get past him to her room but he wouldn't step aside.

Ian forced himself to wait a moment and see what happens and the second Parker grabbed her arm, he made a run for it. When he got to her floor, he run towards them as fast as he could but not fast enough because Parker already had Catherine against the wall, bags on the floor. When he got to them, he yanked Parker away from her and slammed him into the wall.

"What the hell?!" Parker winced loudly.

"I warned you, you piece of shit."

"She asked for it." He said "She's been begging me for it for a while now."

"I will take pleasure in bashing your face in..."

"Ian." Catherine placed a hand on his shoulder and tried to pull him back but he wouldn't budge. "I'm fine."

"No, you aren't." He said, eyes on the asshole in front of him. "If I ever see you anywhere near her again, you'll be sorry." He pulled away from Parker and the dude ran off like a little girl. He turned his attention to Catherine who was assembling the items and stuffing it into the bag. He took her and got her on her feet.
"Are you ok?" Hands on the sides of her face, he looked at her like she was the most precious thing.

"I'm fine." She said trying to smile but failed miserably.

"Don't lie to me Catherine."

She released a shaky breath and fell into him; his arms went around her mid riff and hers around his neck as she held herself from falling.
"A little shaken."

"I should have given him a beating."

"I'm glad you didn't or you'll have some explaining to do to the captain."

"And then nothing except the pleasure of knowing I bashed him up real good."

Catherine laughed but it came up as a sob instead. Ian pulled back and looked at her.
"Hey, don't cry; it breaks my heart to see you like this."

Catherine looked at him.
"I'm sorry."

"And definitely don't apologize for it." He smiled. "Let's get you inside."

He urged her to walk ahead of him and get her door unlocked while he got her things which she was happy to do.