hand, as if this would help, and when it didn’t he kicked the bench.
“Damn it!” He fell back and landed with a thud. The bench was located near a small pond, the main centerpiece in the park. He tilted his face and basked in the rays of the sun.
The collar around his neck, binding him to his mistress, Demoness Olesha, seared his skin. The deal was complete and it would continue to burn him until he returned to his master. He grunted and got up. He wasn’t going back yet, if ever. He let out a bitter laugh. The thought of freedom was only a dream, and dreams were something he couldn’t afford.
The wind picked up, blowing Mackenzie’s long chestnut hair into her face, and the grocery bags in her arms partially obscured her view. She would find haven from the blustery fall weather in her apartment, a few blocks away. She dodged the people she could see, but bumped into several others.
She didn’t see him, but felt the impact, like a truck plowing her down. The bags flew from her hands and she fell backwards before landing on the concrete sidewalk. Wind rushed out of her lungs ,and she lay there, trying to force air back into her body.
“Are you okay?” a husky voice asked.
She tried to focus, but was dazed. Leaves and debris blew past. The quick movements made her stomach sick. She lay still for a few moments before attempting to sit.
“I must have run into a wall.”
The husky voice laughed. “That wasn’t a wall. I was in a hurry and didn’t see you. Sorry.”
Mackenzie tilted her head and found herself gazing into gray eyes. She searched his face, and noticed rugged features. Angular, strong cheekbones, and blonde hair secured at the nape of his neck. Handsome would have been an understatement, this man was gorgeous .
“Are you okay?” Worry lines creased his brow.
“Give me a minute.” She glanced around. Strangers enclosed her in a circle. Her cheeks flushed at all the attention. “I’m fine.”
He extended his hand. “Let me help you up.”
Unsure whether she would be able to stand alone, she accepted his hand and rose. Mackenzie wobbled before regaining her balance. She rubbed the back of her head, bringing her hand around to inspect for blood. There was none.
“I’m okay.”
People dispersed, talking amongst themselves.
“You look a little pale. Are you sure you’re alright?”
“Yeah.” She peered up at him. “You’re a big guy. I really thought I hit a wall.”
He laughed, pulling at the collar of his t-shirt.
“Is your neck okay?” she asked.
“Hmmm, what?”
“You’re rubbing your neck?”
He dropped his hands. “Yes, my neck is fine.”
“What happened to my bags?”
Drew pointed to her torn grocery bags about a foot away. A few boxes were open, but everything seemed to be there.
She reached down and grabbed them. “I better get going.”
“You still look a little shaken. Are you going to be home alone?”
There’s no way I’m telling this tank of a man that I live alone.
“No. I have a roommate.”
“Is your roommate home?”
“I’m not sure. Why?” She readjusted the bags.
“You hit your head pretty hard. I don’t think you should be alone. Do you live far from here?”
“No, a few blocks away.” The bags were heavy and her stomach tossed and turned.
“Here, I’ll help you carry them.” He reached for the bags, but her hands clasped them tighter.
“No, that’s okay, I’ve got them.”
He grunted. “I’m not going to hurt you.” He scanned the area before spotting a coffee shop across the street. “Why don’t you take your bags home, and meet me over there?” He pointed to the shop.
She hesitated before answering. “Alright, I’ll meet you there as soon as I’m done.”
Mackenzie ambled toward her apartment. There’s something about him. I should scry when I get home and see what my future with him looks like. She pursed her lips at the thought of her ex. After what I saw with that loser, I may be better off
“Damn it!” He fell back and landed with a thud. The bench was located near a small pond, the main centerpiece in the park. He tilted his face and basked in the rays of the sun.
The collar around his neck, binding him to his mistress, Demoness Olesha, seared his skin. The deal was complete and it would continue to burn him until he returned to his master. He grunted and got up. He wasn’t going back yet, if ever. He let out a bitter laugh. The thought of freedom was only a dream, and dreams were something he couldn’t afford.
The wind picked up, blowing Mackenzie’s long chestnut hair into her face, and the grocery bags in her arms partially obscured her view. She would find haven from the blustery fall weather in her apartment, a few blocks away. She dodged the people she could see, but bumped into several others.
She didn’t see him, but felt the impact, like a truck plowing her down. The bags flew from her hands and she fell backwards before landing on the concrete sidewalk. Wind rushed out of her lungs ,and she lay there, trying to force air back into her body.
“Are you okay?” a husky voice asked.
She tried to focus, but was dazed. Leaves and debris blew past. The quick movements made her stomach sick. She lay still for a few moments before attempting to sit.
“I must have run into a wall.”
The husky voice laughed. “That wasn’t a wall. I was in a hurry and didn’t see you. Sorry.”
Mackenzie tilted her head and found herself gazing into gray eyes. She searched his face, and noticed rugged features. Angular, strong cheekbones, and blonde hair secured at the nape of his neck. Handsome would have been an understatement, this man was gorgeous .
“Are you okay?” Worry lines creased his brow.
“Give me a minute.” She glanced around. Strangers enclosed her in a circle. Her cheeks flushed at all the attention. “I’m fine.”
He extended his hand. “Let me help you up.”
Unsure whether she would be able to stand alone, she accepted his hand and rose. Mackenzie wobbled before regaining her balance. She rubbed the back of her head, bringing her hand around to inspect for blood. There was none.
“I’m okay.”
People dispersed, talking amongst themselves.
“You look a little pale. Are you sure you’re alright?”
“Yeah.” She peered up at him. “You’re a big guy. I really thought I hit a wall.”
He laughed, pulling at the collar of his t-shirt.
“Is your neck okay?” she asked.
“Hmmm, what?”
“You’re rubbing your neck?”
He dropped his hands. “Yes, my neck is fine.”
“What happened to my bags?”
Drew pointed to her torn grocery bags about a foot away. A few boxes were open, but everything seemed to be there.
She reached down and grabbed them. “I better get going.”
“You still look a little shaken. Are you going to be home alone?”
There’s no way I’m telling this tank of a man that I live alone.
“No. I have a roommate.”
“Is your roommate home?”
“I’m not sure. Why?” She readjusted the bags.
“You hit your head pretty hard. I don’t think you should be alone. Do you live far from here?”
“No, a few blocks away.” The bags were heavy and her stomach tossed and turned.
“Here, I’ll help you carry them.” He reached for the bags, but her hands clasped them tighter.
“No, that’s okay, I’ve got them.”
He grunted. “I’m not going to hurt you.” He scanned the area before spotting a coffee shop across the street. “Why don’t you take your bags home, and meet me over there?” He pointed to the shop.
She hesitated before answering. “Alright, I’ll meet you there as soon as I’m done.”
Mackenzie ambled toward her apartment. There’s something about him. I should scry when I get home and see what my future with him looks like. She pursed her lips at the thought of her ex. After what I saw with that loser, I may be better off
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