BROKEN ROAD - One Man's Journey

CHAPTER THREE - What He Did Not Know He Wanted

  He hadn't planned it. He had no idea of what he was going to say. The rain had ended and the sun was coming out from behind the clouds as he walked up the wooden steps of her porch. He was about to knock when the door opened and she stepped out stopping in her tracks when she saw him. It was not so much him being there that took her by surprise. It was the look in his eyes. He reminded her of a wounded animal or a man running for his life but somehow she doubted, without knowing why, that this man ran from anything. He had no words. What was he supposed to say? Hi, remember me? I am in the middle of a breakdown. Could you help me out? It was a standoff.

He stood there for a full two minutes saying nothing. It was she who broke the long silence. "I am kind of at a loss here. Did you need something?" Yes, Ben thought. I need to not feel the way I do now. She gave him a small smile when he did not answer. Say something damn it! "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be here." "Then why are you?" Patiently. Quietly. She waited through his awkward pause. Here goes. He spoke in a voice that did not sound like his own. "I need to talk to someone and God only knows why but I chose you." She considered that statement. She looked up into eyes so black, like Onyx that held her there. That compelled her to listen. There was something behind them that she had never seen before. What was it? He was not the same confident man she had met last night. This man was...haunted? Again she waited for him to continue. What the hell am I doing? His head was beginning to ache again. She does not even know me beyond my name and by now she must think I'm a lunatic. "I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I have no right to be here." He turned to go but it was then that he felt the lightest pressure of her hand on his arm. "You said you needed to talk."

She had met him only briefly last night but he had done her a huge favor and he looked like a man who was in need of one himself right now. She let go of his arm and crossed over to one of the high backed cane chairs that she used for entertaining or merely reading when it was too hot to stay inside the house. The covered porch sheltered most of the sun and she liked the space. They were old but comfortable and she asked him to join her. She still couldn't imagine where this was going but something inside of her wanted to find out. He took a seat next to her not knowing where to begin or if he should just excuse himself despite her generous hospitality and get out while he still could. She waited while he stared at the planks of the porch that were peeling and in dire need of painting. He was good looking. No, that did not even come close to it. He was but it was more than that. She couldn't quite put her finger on it but there was something about him. His dark brooding eyes. The hard set of his jaw line. The five o' clock shadow of stubble. His tall but noticeably powerful frame. Everything about him said danger but she was not afraid of him.

The minutes ticked away. The sun was out in full force now. He wished he had not put on the hoodie this morning. He was sweltering but not much could be done about that. "It's hot." The weather? Good lord, yep he had plumb lost his mind. He came here uninvited looking like death warmed over, invading her personal space and all he could come up with is....it's hot? Wordlessly she rose and went into the house. He heard the screen door close. She was back within seconds handing him a large indigo blue sleeveless shirt. She spoke quietly, kindly. "Put this on," "It will be a little snug but you will be a lot cooler." That voice. Silky, sexy but soft, oh so soft like a Siren beckoning her sailor from the depths of the ocean. It brought him out of his maniacal inner ramblings. It called to him. He accepted the shirt gladly and heedless to her standing there he pulled off the rain and sweat soaked material exposing rock hard abs and chest. He exchanged it for the thin cotton one she had given him. Her breath caught in her throat. His body was sculptured. He was put together like an athlete or professional trainer. She spoke again and he had to strain to hear her. "I apologize for it not fitting as well as it could." Ben regarded her as she talked. Calm soothing tones that said without words you can talk to me. Eyes inviting him to trust in that. There it was again. The aura he had felt surrounding her yesterday. He found his own voice. "Your son's?" "No, my brother's."