The Sentinel

Chapter 14

I woke refreshed and stretched my body along the soft place I was laying. The sun coming in the window looked like it was fading. Wait where was I? I remember Donovan stopping for me and falling asleep in his SUV. But where was I now? I could hear voices from the other side of the door. Lots of them. I looked around the small room. One dresser, a nightstand next to the bed that I was on, a t.v. on the dresser and three doors. Two on the same wall, one on another wall furthest from me. The walls were plain white. No art or anything to give me any idea who's room I was in. Was this Donovan’s bedroom? His house? My little red suitcase was next to one of the doors.

One of the door handles rattled for a second before the door slowly creaked open.

“Donovan?” I whispered.

“Ahhh, Sweet Pea. I was just coming in to wake you. Dinner will be ready soon and I figured you would want a shower before meeting everyone.” He smiled at me and rested back against the door frame.

“Everyone?”

“Yeah, Sweet Pea. The pack house hosts breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. Most people eat here.” His silky voice, calm and cool helped ease my anxiety about meeting a bunch of people.

How bad could it really be? I've lived in group homes before.

“Bathroom is that door there. Towels are under the sink. I'll just watch some t.v. and wait for you okay?” He closed the door and moved further into the room. His room I guess.

I nodded and climbed out of bed. I dropped down by my suitcase and grabbed some clean clothes, shampoo, conditioner and body wash.

“Don't take too long, food goes kind of quick.” He sighed and laid down on his bed. He grabbed the remote to the t.v. and flicked it on.

I scurried to the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind me.

I showered faster than I ever have before. The steam barely had time to fill up the small bathroom before I was turning the water off to get out.

I quickly dried myself and put on clean shorts and a tank. Unfortunately I had packed for a week on the beach, not sitting down to a formal dinner.

I emerged from the bathroom to find Donovan watching baseball on the t.v.

“Ummm, Donovan?” His eyes drifted from the t.v. to me.  “Do you have like a more decent shirt I can borrow?”

“Damn Sweet Pea,” he bit his bottom lip looking at me up and down. He cleared his throat, “Yeah, second drawer take anything you want.”

I felt his eyes track me to the dresser. He watched as I pulled out a charcoal grey shirt. I slid it on over my tank top and tried to tuck  it in a little. It was huge on me. I would have been better off belting it around the waist and calling it a dress.

He chuckled behind me. He had moved so fast, so quickly I didn't hear him until he was a breath away from me.

“Mmmm, you look good in my shirt. Our scents mixed together smell heavenly.” His nose found the soft spot between my neck and shoulder.

“You always smell good.” I replied quietly.

“Come on let's go eat, you have to be starving.” He nipped my ear making my knees weak. He laughed lightly and pulled me towards the door by my wrist. “Later Sweet Pea. We can explore that later.”

He led me out of the room and down two flights of stairs. The lower we moved down the stairs the louder the voices became. We stopped by an arched doorway.

“Just stay by me okay, nobody will hurt you.” His hands ran up and down my arms twice bringing me some peace at his gesture.

I nodded and he grabbed my hand. Lightly pulling me into the room beside him.