Safe Haven

21. Too Quiet

Hazard
Three weeks had gone by without a sign of Vega. Patience wasn't an attribute I had been blessed with. Frustration clawed at me. Staring at the Red head behind the bar I knew exactly why. Haven had started to help out behind the bar on the nights that we were busier. I didn't like it but I knew it would help in the long run. The more the boys got to know her the more they would be willing to take my side in the matter to protect her. Hog had been adamant that we should reach out to Vega and strike a deal but I wouldn't hand Haven over and no one else would either. It was sick to think about what she'd be subjected to. I watched her laugh with some of the boys at the bar as she opened and bottle of beer and slid it to a prospect. I wanted to beat the smile he gave her off his face. I'd kept my distance these last few weeks. Most nights I crashed in one of the spare rooms downstairs. But the last few nights I camped out on the couch. Cade and Melody and I had sprawled out watching some cartoon about cars. I had really taken to the two of them. Cade was a mini me. He loved anything with wheels. And Melody had slowly dropped her icy outside around me. She was a quite kid, kinda haunted but that didn't mean she wasn't one of the fiercest kids I knew. She nearly tackled one of the boys who had caught Cade in the sweets for punishing him. When Haven came in she threw blankets over all of us and curled up on the other couch. Not exactly where I wanted her but close enough. Close enough to continue torching me, to say the least. "Looks like someone's making friends," Dante said from beside me. I just growled back. Too many beers to respond with any good response. "She still ignoring you?" "Yeah. As much as possible. God I feel like such a fucking woman." "Nah. You just know what you want. She does too though she doesn't want to admit it." "What do you mean?" "Well just about every three and a half minutes she glances over here. And I can assure you it isn't me she's looking at." "Hmph." Sure enough I caught her quick glance my way this time. "The way I see it there's only one way to solve your little problem." "And what's that?" "Those little glances? That's her challenging you. she's waiting to see if you're going to sit here or if you're finally going to put you both out of your Misery and take her upstairs." Fuck it. Three weeks was long enough and Dante was right. If I wanted her I had to go get her. "Catch ya later," I called as I exited the table and made my way to the bar.

"You really believe all that shit Dante?" Tank asked. "Hell No! But every man and women in this bar is waiting for one of them to make a move...and I betted a 20 he'd do it first."

Haven
I watched him stalk to the bar from his table with Dante and Tank. Something was different tonight. The one thing I'd learned from watching him these past few weeks is Hazard rarely had more than 4 drinks. Tonight he was past his limit but he still looked sober as hell. I debated letting the other barkeep help him but the way his eyes bore into me I knew he didn't come up just for a beer. "Hazard." I said hands on my hips. I was probably playing with fire challenging him but he wasn't the only one with pent up anxiety. There had been no sign of Vega and the longer the wait the worse I got. "Haven." "What can I get you?" I tried for polite but that was too hard. I'd just have to go with being neutral. "You." My eyes went wide. It was then I realized practically the whole bar was listening in, although they tried not to show it. "Not up for sale. Now What do you want to drink?" He didn't hesitate. In fact his action was so quick I didn't even have time to react. He leapt over the bar snatched me up and threw me over his shoulder. "Damn it Hazard put me down!" I yelled dropping the towel I held in my hand. "No can do sweets. I'm cranky, halfway to drunk, and I'm tired. No more running. You've ignored me long enough." "Hazard! You put me down right now!" "Not happening cupcake. I'm tired and I'm sick of sleeping by myself dreaming about you in my bed every night." From my position upside down I could hear the hoots and clapping and whistling as Hazard stalked up the stairs. Cade and Melody were with Lucy. She was keeping them for the weekend so Cade could play with Zax while he was here. "I swear Hazard the minute you put me down Im going to detach your balls from your body!!" "Ugh. Don't tease me sweets. I just want to go to bed and sleep. You start talking about touching me and we're going to have some real trouble."
We reached his room, the one I'd been staying in, quicker than I anticipated. None to gently Hazard dropped me down onto the bed I forgot to make this morning. "What the hell do you think you're doing? You promised..." "I said you'd have your own room and you do. Now like I said I'm tired and I'm cranky and I would like to actually get some sleep tonight. Which for some reason has been damn near impossible lately!" I couldn't help but watch as he toed his shoes off and tore his shirt off over his head and down to the floor. Reality set in when he unbuckled his belt and slid his jeans down his boxer covered legs. Damn it. No matter how much my brain didn't want to admit it my body was eager and ready just from the sight of him. "Just sleep," He whispered roughly as he came closer to where I sat on the bed. "Let me hold you and we'll figure out the rest tomorrow baby doll." I should fight, I should argue, but instead I just nodded my head in agreement. His whole body relaxed and my Hazard was there. Not the big bad macho President he displayed downstairs. He looked tired and if I would admit it I was too. The stress was waning on me. "Just for tonight then. But nothing frisky. Keep your hands to yourself." Slowly I tugged my jeans off, realizing my shoes must have slid off somewhere on the way. In just my tank top and panties I slid under the covers next to him and willed myself to relax. This didn't have to mean anything. Hazard snaked his legs and arms around me pulling me closer into his body and engulfing me with his scent. Shit. I tried not to moan. "I said no hands," I grumbled like I was upset although my body was practically jumping with excitement, ready to push him down and straddle him. "No hands sweets. Just arms..." He tensed his arms around me tighter. "And legs....and maybe my mouth." I drew in a sharpe breath when his lips hit the sweet spot on the side of my neck and bit down. This time I did moan. "Shhh...just sleep baby doll. I promised remember? Sleep." And surprisingly I did just that.