ROLEPLAY HQ - lake-house

Trigger Warning: smut, violence, bullying, intense argumentative scenes, TBD!

“Don’t worry mom, he can't find me here.” … “No mom, I also can't tell you where I am. I need peace to be able to write my novel. Please stop worrying I will be okay.”... “I will call you when I can.” … “Mom? … Mom?” Perfect. The service was gone. Melanie leaned back in the back seat of the cab. The car was moving between the trees and the road was stunningly beautiful. She leaned and opened the window allowing the fresh air to hit her face. It was refreshing. After around 15-20 minutes the cab stopped at the entrance of a path. Melanie Got off and grabbed her bags after paying the driver. “Thank you” she said and turned to face the path. This was her life for a few months now. She was sure this was gonna heal her. She needed to find herself again. The path ended in front of an amazing lake house. She could not help but smile against the view. Her heart almost stopped when she saw the envelope that was jammed at the door. Did he already find her?! She grabbed the envelope. The sound of her drumming heart was echoing in her ears. Her name was written over it but thankfully that was not his hand writing. She opened it and keys fell to the floor with a very short note. "Ms. Swain, Keys.

Graham Foster"

He was supposed to be waiting for her but it was fine. She was happy that she did not even need to talk to the landlord. At the end she was here to be alone. She grabbed the keys and walked inside. This was even prettier than its pictures. It was simple but very cozy. The left side, there was a little kitchen and a small fridge. On the other side a middle size bed with a thrown blanket over it. and a nice couch decorated with pillows and again with a blanket. She walked through the only door in the house and there was a small cozy bathroom with a tub that is just near a window with the lake and forest view.

12:38 AM

She walked out to the porch. It was laying over the lake with 3 layers. First two layers had a roof. At the top there was a small desk. Wooden table and iron feet. That was a perfect spot to write her novel. Second layer was a wooden table and the bottom layer had 2 comfy sun loungers. She spent the rest of the day settling in the house. When she was done the sun was going down. She made herself a tea and walked out getting settled on one of the loungers. The view was amazing at every hour of the day with a different kind of beauty. The house was surrounded by water lilies. When the sun laid its light from the opposite side the water was shining like a diamond. She planned to swim in the morning, she could even use the canoe that was tied to her porch. This was the heaven she needed to be reborn.

It was the intrusion of the car engine that finally broke his thoughts that morning. The porch of his lake house was under a number of pine trees that provided excellent shade from the rising sun. The east was behind him, the lake in front, so his side of things didn't get very sunny or even warm until the day was much further along. He liked it that way as it gave him more reason to sit on the porch in the morning nursing a number of cups of black coffee and try to calm his mind. He could stay in his usual uniform of a flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up and jeans until it became too hot to do so. The lake was the right place to calm a person, or at least Graham Foster had thought when he came there years prior. After retiring from the military with his 20th year and several tours of duty in both Iraq and Afghanistan tucked away, he'd managed to save enough to buy some land here - and some across the lake - spend some time fixing up the cabins they came with, and then begin to rent out the smaller, more picturesque one to long or short term tenants. That, he realized, might have been a mistake. There were drawbacks to both, you see. Short term rentals were often people on vacation, wanting to let loose, sometimes loud and partying. He'd had to clean up his fair share of party detritus over the months, especially when spring break and summer months rolled around. Long term rentals, on the other hand, were more likely to try and make friends, to intrude, to come nosing around. When you were out here in the wilderness like this, you only wanted to spend so much time alone, and that's when they'd try to come talk.

9:24 AM

Lucky for him, Graham was taciturn by nature, but he'd turned that up a few notches in order to make sure people mostly left him alone. He'd perfected the art of the terse note to minimize what needed to be communicated to his renters. One-word sentences were his paints; envelopes shoved into doorways for arriving guests his canvas. All of this gave him more time to think. Think about the country he'd served; to think about the wars he'd been a part of; to think about the people he'd seen die and suffer; the people he'd tried to help. Every sip of coffee each morning was one more drop to try and wash away the darker moments of those years, an attempt to reset the idealism he'd had once rather than the cynicism that had set in over time. So when the sound of the car engine came percolating over the trees, he knew his new guest was arriving: Melanie Swain, author. She hadn't introduced herself that way; Graham had done his homework. He did so often with his tenants before even approving them one way or another, especially for long term. He hadn't read anything beyond the fact that she was an author, but that was enough to satisfy him. She was likely to keep her distance. She was here on writing sabbatical no doubt, and would want her privacy. Which is why, as the car stopped on the far side of the lake to drop her off, Graham rose from the chair on the porch and strode directly inside of the cabin, shutting the door so as not to be even remotely seen.

Melanie slept like a baby as soon as the sun went down. After so long she did not see any nightmares that would keep her awake all night. The oxygen was already working. As she woke up with the sunrise, she wore her black bikini and a linen beach dress over it. It was a long dress with 2 deep slits on both sides. There were horizontal light colored stripes over the cream fabric which was making her look longer than she was. Melanie was not a very tall woman but long legs were making her look taller than she already was and the dress was a good choice. She walked over to the fridge to have breakfast. She was starving as she skipped dinner last night but the fridge was a huge disappointment. She did not pay that much money for some tomatoes, a couple peppers, one normal cheese and a couple olives. She needed her decent breakfast. And the meals were included in the price. She made sure of it as they were in nowhere. She walked to her luggage and first set out her laptop placing her notebooks next to it. She ripped of a piece of paper and grabbed her favorite neon pink pen. “Mr Foster, Goat Cheese Yellow Cheese Cherry Tomato Cucumber Green Olives Black Olives Organic Eggs Daily Milk Cocoa Green Tea with Jasmine Black Tea Marrow Eggplant Dried Beans Rice Lettuce Rucola Onion Potato Orange Apple Banana Olive Oil Red wine / Merlot - Cabernet Savignon Melanie Swain”

10:59 AM

She took one of the apples so as not to starve and wore her flip flops. Grabbed her straw hat and sunglasses, checked her keys and walked out. If that was how he wanted to communicate she was pretty cool with that. She had paid all 6 months in advance and she was not gonna take shit. She walked all the way around the lake towards his house. It was a pretty house but she liked hers better. She showed her note to the door and turned to check on her own house. Lights were not letting anyone see anything. She was very discreet there. Perfect! She walked back to her house. Put her sun cream and grabbed her book walking down to the lowest layer of her porch. The sun lounger was very comfortable, the view was amazing. Even with the house of her landlord. She loved to read novels as generally she was mused with any sentence in them if she could find any. She needed something to write and she needed it soon.

Graham had spent the rest of the day mostly reading and putting around inside his cabin and then a bit outside but to the rear, away from the lake. For the same reasons he'd gone inside when he'd heard the car, he was doing his best to avoid being seen for a bit by his new tenant. The day had been nice, and he'd kept himself busy enough to keep most thoughts at bay. Something had caused him to wake up a little later than normal and he saw the sun already fully up when he stirred out of bed, tossing the covers aside and walking to the kitchen in just a pair of black boxer briefs, his usual sleep attire when he detected motion outside of the house. He frowned as he walked over to the window and saw a woman in a dress or coverup of some variety walking away from his house. Melanie, he assumed. He watched her walk back around the like and into the covered path that wound around it. 'What was that about,' he wondered to himself as he walked over to start making coffee. That was when he saw something white in the doorway through the glass. He walked over and found a note on a piece of paper - neon pink ink - a similarly terse list of grocery items. His eyes narrowed somewhat. He instantly cursed himself for having included food in the cost of all of this as Melanie was now the first person who had seriously took him up on it. Most groups who came brought their own food, own preferences. He made sure some basic things were there, but he'd never been pushed for more. Most of the items on her list were innocuous enough - vegetables, fruit - but marrow? wine? He was going to have to re-write the terms of his rentals from now on. He sighed as he went about making his coffee. He guessed this meant he'd be going into town a day or two earlier than normal this week. He looked out across the lake while the coffee brewed and he saw faint movement on the dock where someone was sitting. How much was he going to regret this, he wondered.

11:42 AM

He vowed to be in no hurry to satisfy the whims of this woman, yet he still put himself into the shower while the coffee finished. He had installed an outdoor shower the previous year - a wooden slat three-sided wall enclosed where a shower head came out of the wall and gave him a somewhat warm shower in the lightly cool morning. It was a deep favorite of his in the warm months, even if it became useless in the winter. Though even then he would go outside and let the hot water and the freezing air compete against one another. It worked as a de facto sauna at times as well - he would skinny dip in the frigid waters and then get into the hot shower a few times back and forth. He wrapped a towel around himself after and walked back inside, pouring some coffee as he went to get dressed for the day.

Melanie closed her book and turned her gaze to the lake. Her past was taking over her mind. She had been through a lot last year. Chris took a lot from her. More than she noticed. He was a very handsome, charming man. How nice he was when they first met. He would take her above the stars… It was so easy to write a novel when he was making her feel so amazing. He asked her in no time to move in. They made love in every corner of his house. It was magical as they were so in love. The novel she wrote “Love-some” was a huge success. The world was turning for Melanie. She could see the envy in the eyes of other women… Until everything turned upside down. She came out of her thoughts with the sound of her alarm. It was reminding her to go for a swim. She would set an alarm for everything as she liked her day planned perfectly and sometimes she was losing time writing or reading. She got off the sun lounger and took her phone, opening some jazzy love songs moving the sound to her Bluetooth speakers. The music was very loud as she wanted to listen while she was swimming. Graham would not hear it as loud of course but for sure he would. She slid down her gown through her shoulders and let it fall on her feet. She slowly moved out of the pile and took her sunglasses off, throwing them over the sun-lounger. She walked to the edge off her porch and sank her toe in the water and it was nice. Not very cold but cold enough to be refreshing. Even though it was still spring, the weather was amazing as well as the water.

1:23 AM

She walked back inside and came out with a swim noodle. Yes! She was not fully comfortable with water. Yes she could swim, but she would prefer support to enjoy the water. She released it to sway on the water and sat to the edge of the porch and finally released herself in the beautiful green water. This was like heaven swimming around the water lilies. The music was also amazing. She smiled to herself, closing her eyes. That would be an amazing moment to write. Maybe she needed to write a love story in a lake house. It was bothering her that she still did not find anything to write. After what she had been through, she lost her faith in men, in love… This was like death for a romance writer. Wasn't it why she came here to find herself again? This time it was Nathan that appeared in front of her eyes. She felt like someone stabbed her in the heart. Her eyes opened directly. She grabbed her noodle as her breathing had changed. Her whole body reacted in fear. She closed her eyes and started to repeat… “You are safe here… You are safe…” she whispered.

Every thing that Graham did was designed to steer his mind to something productive. He spent enough of the day thinking back about his military career - about the way he second guessed what all he had done, let alone the reasons for it - so diving into projects like building that outdoor shower or setting up his rental were as much about escape as they were actual productivity. As he dressed in what would be a common uniform for these kind of warm days - fitted dark jeans and a similarly fitting black t-shirt with a pair of black work boots - he walked back down to get his coffee, standing at the kitchen window while he poured, suddenly aware of a sound disturbance in the morning air. It was music, rather loud, coming from across the lake. It wasn't the thumping beats of the kind of music he'd hear at night when he'd rented the space to party goers - it was softer and more gentle - but it was still loud and it drew his attention across the water again while he sipped. There in the sparkling water of the lake - which even at this time of year was still relatively cool - there was the obvious shape of a woman swimming, a combination of skin and some black bikini fabric, but also the neon green slash of a pool noodle. This concerned him a bit. Not because of the silliness of it - although it was obviously silly - but because it suggested that perhaps, Ms. Swain, writer-of-books, demander-of-groceries, couldn't swim as well or at all. And yet, there she was in the water on her lonesome in the woods. He sighed. That was going to stress him out somewhat. He walked out on to the porch to drink one cup of coffee before he began to think about what all he needed from town this week if she was going to be pushing him to go buy food this morning. He sat in one of the wooden chairs which were always aimed out over the water and sat there, his eyes drawn to the garish color of the pool noodle which stood out in the otherwise natural colors of the world around him.

7:42 AM

That color took him back to Afghanistan this morning, thinking of the kids outside of Kabal who he would sometimes play football with - their ball a wild combination of yellow and neon green in color. They were sweet kids, rambunctious and loud and alive, and those occasional games were wonderful moments of levity in a deeply uncertain world. No matter the IED he might have had to help dismantle the previous day, the times he and his patrol might have been shot at that night, those kids were the same. Who knows what their parents' opinions of him or the United States was - in fact, he didn't blame almost anyone who hated him - but they never said anything otherwise. His mind was there on that field while he sipped, looking out at Melanie, his eyes on her but actually looking well over her toward that time in the past.

Mel swam to her porch after managing to calm down a little at least to have enough strength to swim. She climbed the ladder and sat to the side of the porch putting her feet in water. Her breathing was still not coming back to normal. She had to breathe in and out a few times to cool down fully. She wanted to write a little after swimming but each time she sat on the laptop to write she was stuck and right now she had nothing to write. So she dried herself and put her dress back on. She had seen a basket inside and she was gonna go and gather some fresh flowers. They always put her mood up. Walking around the lake and sometimes moving in and out of the woods, she gathered some flowers. Some wild herbs that she would love to use in her recipes and of course she found some mushrooms. She loved mushrooms and if he did not get her any groceries for her, she was going to make herself some cheese mushrooms with wild thyme. To know that she was surrounded by beauties like squirrels, rabbits and amazing wild flowers made her forget all the nightmares she had. She was going to place some food for them out to pull them closer. She loved animals. She froze with a crack she heard behind her back. She looked back over her shoulder and there was nothing. Yes she was in the woods and she was surely not the only living thing in it and sounds were normal but she could not help it. The fear of being watched was there again. Her heart paced up and the feeling got stronger. She did not stop running till home without even looking back. The sun was going down. The timing was perfect but it was hard to deal with her fears alone especially in the middle of nowhere. When she was close to the door she turned and looked back. There was no one. She was just being paranoid. No one could find her here.

Graham watched her swim back to the dock rather suddenly. Not flailing or seemingly in a hurry, but it did belie the way she had been casually floating prior. He wondered if some fish or something had nipped at her toes. He watched her pull herself out and sit on the edge of the dock. He knew he was going to have to actually interact with her today, most likely, so he may as well get to it. He stood up and drained his coffee before walking inside. Graham gathered a list of what he needed in town - not just Melanie's long grocery list, but some things he needed for ongoing projects, food for himself, and other things. He threw on an old jean jacket over his t-shirt and climbed into the old and reliable pick-up truck that he had and went into town. The drive out to town wasn't one Graham took lightly. He tried as much as possible to limit these trips to once a week at most. He would buy his groceries for that week, any items he thought he might need, and would occasionally buy small bits of entertainment for himself: books to read or guitar strings for his oft-neglected but occasionally played guitar. He wasn't planning on going into town for another few days, so it forced him to rethink what groceries he needed himself. There was a two mile dirt and gravel road from the lake back out to the first paved road. From there, it was a few miles to a major highway, and then again a 10 or 15 minute drive into town. Fort Dixon barely qualified as a town in a lot of ways, but it had what he needed: groceries, a hardware store, and even a surprisingly robust book store that people frequented for some distance around. The hardware store would order things for him when he needed them, and the post office was there also.

9:32 AM

He stopped at the post office first to check his mailbox. Graham had elected not to have mail delivered to his house - he didn't want to walk or drive two miles every day just to pick up junk - so he saved it for his trips into town by renting a P.O. box. He acknowledged the postal clerk and opened his box, quickly and efficiently putting most of it into a nearby recycling bin. But there was something from the Army - probably pension related - and a letter hand addressed to him but without a return address. He frowned about that and tucked both away for later. His next stop was the hardware store for a few things. He was currently thinking about building an outdoor shower for the rental house as well, so he'd been stocking up on things for that. After talking briefly with the owner about some items he was still waiting on, he went next door to the grocery store. He grumbled to himself about Melanie's lengthy list, but managed to find everything, including, what he thought was a decent bottle of wine. Something compelled him to get a matching one for himself. He rarely if ever drank, and it surprised him when he realized he was putting it in his cart. He rounded out the purchase with some groceries he could use, and then went to put everything in the car.

9:32 AM

He hadn't intended on going into the bookstore today but Melanie Swain, writer, was obviously on his mind. He was curious and walked in. Beth, the owner, was behind the counter and looked up as the bell rang. "Well, hi, Graham," she said, smiling gently. Graham didn't buy a lot, but this also wasn't a big town, so regulars of any stripe were known on a first-name basis. "Didn't expect to see you again this soon. What can I help you with?" "Hey, Beth," Graham nodded. "Have you ever heard of a writer named Melanie Swain," he asked, cocking an eyebrow, and then almost immediately regretted asking as the warm laughter tumbled out of Beth's mouth. "I never took you for a romance reader, Graham," Beth teased. "But yes, I have heard of her. 'Love-Some' was a huge hit the other year. We've got copies if you want one," she said. This had not been the reaction Graham was hoping for, and he tried to cover it up. "No, I just....someone mentioned her and I didn't know who she was, and figured you might," he said, finding himself almost blushing as he pulled back a bit. The demure smirk on Beth's face continued to make him feel a bit embarrassed. "I appreciate the info, Beth. I'll see you soon, I'm sure," he said and waved shortly to her and turned and beat a hasty retreat back out into the car. The blush stayed on his cheeks for at least the first two miles home.

The day had taken longer than he'd expected and the sun was beginning its downward tilt behind the forest when he pulled on to the dirt road. He figured he would deliver the groceries in person and make sure there wasn't something else she needed. Also to kind of see what he was dealing with exactly. He eased the truck around the lake on the path that lead to the house, and pulled up and parked. He knocked politely at the door and waited, but it seemed no one was there. He tried the door and found it open, so he walked back to the truck and carried all of the groceries inside and sat them on the counter. He looked around for a pen and paper to write with, but didn't find any. Oh well, the groceries would speak for themselves, he presumed. He put the perishables into the refridgerator and stacked everything else on the counter before going outisde.

9:46 AM

He had left the door adjar and instead of walking out on to the porch, found a woman walking backwards, looking at the woods walking directly into him. She collided softly with him and seemed to react with a bit of shock. "Ms. Swain, I presume," Graham said, adding walking backwards to the list - along with swimming in a lake without possibly knowing how to swim - of ways that she seemed like someone determined to hurt themselves.

Melanie loved roses as much as she loved life. Till Chris turned her world upside down. She, now, always had to look at her back, and more than that, she had to fix her self confidence. She was unable to trust people and roses were unbearable. She had to move her house, she had to change her phone number and finally she even left the city to be alone. She was hoping that they would not be able to find her here yet the feeling was still there. She was looking back making sure no one would get out of the woods. She was panting as she ran all the way back to home and when she collided into someone she almost let out a scream and jumped. Her hand, by reflex, moved to her chest like she wanted to stop her heart from breaking out. Her eyes closed, relieved that it was not whom she feared he was. When she heard his voice she slowly opened her eyes and smiled, extending her hand looking into his eyes. “Yes. Melanie Swain, you should be my landlord…” she said. He was a big man, way bigger than her for sure as she almost felt like she was talking to a mountain. She was indeed very surprised as she was expecting an old man instead of that well built middle aged man. It was a brief but firm shake. She could feel how rough his hands were. It was expected as the man made those houses by himself. She appreciated him not holding her hand more than needed. She did not like to be touched… lately. The door was still open so she peaked in. She could see the groceries on the counter. She actually did not like the idea he had keys to her home and he walked in just like that. Her body language would easily give her away. “Thank you for the groceries. I will be giving you weekly lists depending on my diet that week.” she said.

11:40 AM

She slowly walked in the house and placed her basket on the counter. “I have to say, you did a great job with the place. I loved it here.” she said trying to start a conversation and also trying not to stare. He was handsome. She grabbed a big water glass and placed the flowers inside and added some water. She reached for a plate and placed some of her mushrooms in it, turning to face the man again. This time she extended the plate. “I gathered them.” she said proudly. She paused for a moment and added. “I know this is your house, Mr. Foster but I would be grateful if you would not use your keys unless in an emergency.” she said, trying to sound professional.

He inwardly groaned at her statement about the weekly grocery lists. It made sense. He'd never had someone stay this long, especially without transportation of their own. "That's fine with the groceries. Have me your list by the beginning of each week, and I'll head in to town each Tuesday, so you can plan based on that," he said replying. He watched her walk in and prepare the flowers in a glass while she complimented the house. He didn't really respond or acknowledge this. He was proud of the work he'd done on the houses, but didn't typically feel comfortable acknowledging compliments like that. Her next statement though rubbed him the wrong way initially. He owns the house, of course he could come in. But he understood. "Your door was unlocked and I was concerned about the items that needed cooling, but I'll make sure not to come in with your permission or heads up in the future," he said as he looked at the plate she held out before him. "What were you planning to do with those mushrooms? Not eat them, I hope," he said, immediately recognizing them as poisonous. "You would be so sick that you couldn't walk for days," he said, looking back up at her. "I would ask that you refrain from trying to eat things like this out of the woods. Unless you run it by me first. I don't want you endangering yourself," he said brusquely. "You're certainly welcome to pick all the wild flowers you want, but avoid eating anything." He turned and walked back towards the door and paused by it. "There's not a phone here in the cabin, but there is a small two-way phone that goes to my house if you need something in an emergency. If that's how you want to communicate the grocery list, feel free. I won't call you otherwise unless there's something important," he said as a way to re-assert the distance he wanted to keep between them.

4:28 PM

He looked at her rather cooly but he couldn't help but noticed that Melanie was, well, beautiful. She was very small compared to him height wise, and while the cover-up dress hid the salient features of her body, it was clear it was nice. "You're here to do some writing, is that correct," he asked as he lingered in the doorway looking back at her. "I do cursory checks on my potential tenants, so I saw you were an author," he confessed.

“Sure, I will leave the list by Monday evening…” she said, sensing his irritation about the topic. She was sure there was no one else as crazy as her to rent the cabin for 6 months and take everything seriously that was included in it. Melanie on the other hand was used to planning everything. That was what was keeping her sane in her messed up life style. When you didn’t work 9 to 5, it was hard to keep track of time. And she had a novel she had to finish which she did not even start yet. “I am sorry, I did not feel that I needed to lock the door as there is no one around but you and I.” she said and fear filled her eyes… “Do you think ı should lock everything? Robberies happen here? “ she gulped “Or worse?” She did not think anyone would bother to come this far considering there is nothing precious here. When she heard his words about the mushrooms, she frowned. Maybe it was a mistake to walk around and gather something to eat while she was so ignorant. She could see the titles of newspapers if something was to happen to her… ‘Young writer died in her writing retreat!’ She could not help but roll her eyes. She hated to ask permission, or ran things through others. That was why she quit her job as a journalist! She hated that her articles were criticized by her superiors. She took the plate back and swiped the plate into the bin. “I owe you a meal Mr Foster.” she said and turned back to face him. His words about the phone make her giggle. “With all due respect Mr Foster, you seem like you like to be alone but it is funny that the person who stays here has no one but you to communicate considering no cell phone service, no internet and a phone line that can reach you only…” she bit her lip going all serious. “I am sorry… I couldn't help it..”

8:57 AM

The cold gaze made her run her eyes from him. His distant way was making her feel comfortable around him considering she came here to run from a stalker. “We can say this yes…” she replied to his question and her eyes once more moved up to his. And that moment she was mused. Why was she trying to make her protagonist a female? Why not a man like him?! Her face lightened up trying to stay focused on their conversation. “I am actually hoping your home to help me to find my talents again Mr Foster.” she smiled kindly. She was a very outgoing woman and that was pushing her from inside however the shyness of fear was still there holding her back. She tried to stay away from people as she was so embarrassed feeling like everyone would look at her and know what had happened. No one was able to understand the break up with Chris. She wished they had known, but also she did not.

He listened to her comments about locking the door and realized he'd worried her a bit. "No, no, you're safe here except for very rare wildlife incidences," he said. "So if you want to leave your door unlocked, fine. I won't come in again like that either way. I just always assume people lock the doors." He felt bad for coming in, even if he had had innocuous reasons for doing so. Also Melanie was the first tenant he'd ever had stay here alone. He was used to larger groups for sure, or at least couples. He inwardly smirked at the small frown that followed his statement about the mushrooms. God, was he going to have some accident happen out here? The last thing he needed for his sense of privacy was some headline 'Young writer dies in remote cabin.' The meal offer caught him a bit off guard. He shook his head. "No need for a meal; just don't eat random things like that," he repeated. "I'll get whatever you need from the store." When she made the observation about the isolation, he grimaced. "I have a satellite phone for emergencies. But no, otherwise, I don't like there being a lot of modern technology out here. The phone really is for emergencies. Usually people aren't here alone so they don't use it, but I suppose you might be an exception," he said. He was hoping that this was just a matter of getting her settled into the cabin and soon she'd be just keeping to herself with the exception of the grocery communication. That was the hope at least. Her being here this long might put a longer timeline on his plan to build the outdoor shower, but so be it. He could work on the house later.

When she confessed to being a writer, he nodded. "Well, I hope the surroundings work for you," he said gently, still somewhat removed, but genuine. He felt a bit protective of her out here on her own like this, especially as clumsy as she seemed. He normally didn't give a single real care for his tenants, but something felt different here. Something he couldn't quite put his finger on. He was going to have to be somewhat more watchful of her. "Enjoy the food and I'll keep an ear out for the phone next week," he said and turned and walked out of the house.

“Wildlife incidents?” her eyes even went wider. Would she be found dead because of a bear attack? Or maybe a mountain lion? Snakes?! Ok there was no sleep tonight for her and she surely was gonna lock everywhere! “I will keep it locked Sir…” she said by reflex. Yes, she was scared. Melanie grew up in the city. And wildlife was only fun to walk around, gather flowers, see a couple rabbits and that was it. The worst thing that could happen was poisonous mushrooms but snakes? That was not wildlife… That was a disaster! Graham was very unlike the men she met back at home. He was silent, distant. And he was content alone. A small butterfly moved in Mel’s belly. She knew that feeling. That was the muse she was expecting. She surely could make a protagonist like Graham Foster and meanwhile she had to get to know him better! “I insist.” she said when he refused her meal offer. “I promise I am a good cook. And I am sure you would like to know more about your neighbor?” she batted her lashes with all her sweetness. “How about tomorrow?” she smiled. She had no intention to give up. “Six is good for you?” She watched him struggling about the phone and could not help but smile, biting her lower lip not to giggle. He was clearly offended. “No worries Mr Foster, I will not disturb you unless there is an emergency… “ she crossed her arms on her chest. She was indeed amused and while he kept his distance, she was getting more comfortable. “Though you will have to define an emergency.” she grinned playfully. When he wanted to take his leave, “Is there anything you would like to have for dinner tomorrow?” she asked. The sincere smile was on her face still and she had to admit, she was enjoying pushing him. He was a grumpy lone wolf and she was loving the idea of making her lead character just like him. She was observing and testing, pushing the limits to see how far he would let her.

He was a bit amused by how readily she acquiesced to the idea of locking the doors when he mentioned wildlife. Bears were a very occasional guest around here, but they were harmless unless you actually got up in their face. But she was clearly not a country girl, and that was okay. That was the reason for being out here. Still, he was amused. He was less amused, however, by her insistance on the dinner invite. "I really don't need the dinner as a thank you; and tomorrow probably will not work," he said, leaving it at that. He didn't have anywhere to be, obviously. When did he ever? He spent most nights either retiring early so that he could get up early, or reading or playing guitar some. The idea of a formal dinner with Melanie was not something he would ever do with tenants. She was also far too...excited, was it?..about the idea of having dinner. He wasn't sure what was behind that, but he wasn't sure he wanted it either. Did she bat her eyelashes at him? He felt almost a distant blush as he looked at her and kept as stoic a face as possible. "Emergencies are...your power being out or heat or water or some necessity not working. If you're completely out of food. Those types of things," he said. When she crossed her arms on her chest, he saw the vague outline of her a bit more under the cover-up. His eyes went back to hers and pondered about how she asked more questions than just about any tenant he'd ever had. Was this going to be a habit? He hoped not. "And no, he insisted one more time. Thank you, but no," he said about dinner. "Goodbye," he said and turned and walked out the door shutting it behind him. She had really tested him in some unexpected ways, he thought as he walked across the yard to the truck. He climbed inside and looked back at the house, seeing in through the glass in the door and seeing her still standing there looking out. He started up the truck and eased his way back on to the path that went around the lake.

10:30 AM

He couldn't help but acknowledge that he liked her. She had a warm personality. Her pushiness didn't come off as annoying - yet. He could see it coming to be otherwise if she kept this up for the next six months. He breathed a sigh of relief at the quiet in the truck as he drove at least. He pulled back in at his own house and parked, sitting in the truck for a second and glancing back across at her house. Was this going to be enough distance? Who knew. He sighed and got out, getting his own purchases from the truck and returning inside.

Mel was disappointed. This was the first time she was turned down by a man actually but she did not push more. If he was gonna close that door, she was gonna get in from the window. Melanie was not a woman who would give up in the first obstacle. And Graham was not gonna be able to stand on her path to her protagonist. “Have a great evening Mr. Foster.” she said and watched him leave. She was once again alone and actually she was okay with it. For now at least. She washed her veggies and placed them in the fridge. She made herself a light salad and got a glass of wine. She enjoyed her meal with the lake scene and read a book a little till her wine was over. After she cleaned up her kitchen she walked to the bath and light up some candles and incense she brought with her, placing the candles around the tub. Having a bath was a ritual for her. The lights were off but the candles were making it enough for her to see around. She filled the tub with hot water and slowly soaked in. She could clearly see his house from her bathroom. His lights were on but no matter he also did not have curtains, he was nowhere to be seen. She wondered how long he was living here alone, if there was a woman in his life… What kind of a woman would it be if there was? A country girl? She frowned. He was too distant to love a woman. She had to picture him differently if she wanted to blend him in one of her novels. She spent probably around an hour in the tub watching his house and thinking. He was a very attractive man behind his distant attitude. Or maybe it was exactly what made him attractive. She looked at her hands. She was getting wrinkles so she slowly raised from the tub and reached for her towel wrapping it around her body. When she moved from the bathroom to the main room, his lights were off. She laid on the bed with the towel and she passed out. All the oxygen and the excitement wore her out. She slept like a baby without even thinking of bears, snakes or Nathan.

That evening was about the same as any other as Graham worked around the outside and inside of the house. He made himself dinner but realized he had left the bottle of wine he'd somewhat randomly bought for himself over at Melanie's house. It didn't matter, as he really shouldn't be drinking. He had stayed away from drinking mostly because he was usually alone and also because it wasn't always the best for his own memories of his experiences in the military. So it was just as well. He went and read out on his front porch until the light was beginning to get to dark. He started to head inside, but instead he took a walk through the woods going the opposite way around the lake from where the driving path went. He had learned these woods rather well in the years since moving there, and he would often go for walks on peaceful, quiet and warm nights like this, just to commune with the wildnerness around him. He had a decently beaten footpath that would take him around the edge of the lake and down beside one of the creeks that fed into the lake. The moon was up when he got down to the creek and took a seat on a large rock just a bit in from where it emptied into the lake. He looked across at the lake, almost equidistant now between his house and Melanie's. He looked at her house and saw the flickering of candles coming from the window that was the bathroom. He worried for half a second that she was leaving candles burning without attending them, but assumed eventually that she was taking a bath most likely.

5:18 PM

Who was this woman, he wondered. A writer sojourning out here in the woods. Trying to write the follow up to a successful novel. A bit demanding compared to his previous tenants. But also cheerful, interested in this place. He shook his head thinking about the plate of mushrooms that she'd been so ready to serve up for him. And pushy - the insistance on him coming for dinner tomorrow night. It felt more than just friendly, like there was some other purpose behind inviting him. He knew, from his years of operating how to work with people for information, that something was going on. But he couldn't quite put his finger on it. The candles flickered and hovered for awhile there in her window and he rose to go back to the house. He made his way along the lake,unable not to look over at the house from time to time. He'd never spent this much time looking at the house when someone was there. He felt a bit guilty, but also hadn't seen her really so didn't feel too bad. As he started to emerge from the woods though, he stood at the edge of the lake and looked and caught movement. In the flickering light of the candles he caught the vague outline of someone rising out of the tub slowly. He was far enough away that there was no real detail, but he knew it must be her, and immediately he couldn't help but wonder what she looked like in the moment. He felt a deep blush go over him as he thought about that and walked into the house and turned off the lights, knowing he needed to go to bed. He paused one more time, looking out from his darkened house and caught a glimpse of her in the main room. He blushed a bit, realizing she had on just a towel. His eyes lingered on her for a second before he went to his own darkened bedroom.

5:18 PM

He went to the bathroom, still in the dark, stripping down to nothing and getting into a warm shower in the dark. He washed the day's dirt from his body and then got out, drying himself off and lying down on the bed naked. He felt the faintest stirring inside him somewhere as he thought of Melanie. He didn't understand it quite, so he pushed it away, got up and pulled on a pair of short black boxer briefs, and got under the covers, the night washing over him as he did.

Melanie woke up with the first light. She used to stay up till morning when she was in the city but here she was going to sleep on time and waking up with sunrise. It was very refreshing. She had breakfast with her jasmine green tea and enjoyed the morning of the lake. The sound of nature was relaxing. She sat on her laptop and started to write, for the first time since months. There was a smile on her face as she was enjoying her new character. After a couple hours she was done for the day. She was just gonna go for a walk and then she was gonna swim and rest. She wore some jean shorts and a shirt. She got her sneakers and tied her hair up to a tail. It was actually a big freedom to be without a cellphone. She was enjoying her solitude. She picked a couple flowers again and saw more rabbits and squirrels. That was surely heaven. At that moment she saw a tree with juicy peaches hanging over it. Yes Graham did not accept her dinner offer but maybe she could make some dessert for him and deliver it to his house. She walked closer to the tree and placed her hands on her hips looking up and down measuring the height. Did she ever climb a tree? Of course not. But that did not mean she could not do it now. Yes Graham said not to eat anything without going through him first but there were no poisonous peaches so it was cool. She placed the flowers to the root of the tree and walked around to find a way to start to climb. A rock was just there to help her. She first stepped over the rug and rabbed a branch and managed to pull herself up over it and sat. There was a thinner branch that was gonna make her move but she could not sit over it. She had to step and move up. She stood up on the branch and carefully faced the other one. She reached and grabbed another branch and placed her foot on the thinner one and when she was trying to pull herself up… CRACK..

9:12 PM

She knew what that sound was and all of a sudden her feet had no place to secure her. She slid down a little and the broken branch made a cut on her leg. She let out a scream with fear and pain but she did not let go of the branch she was holdinggo. Else she would fall down. No matter how badly she was in pain she managed to pull herself up and stay over the branch. tears were coming off her eyes as her leg was hurting and she was surely scared. She raised her eyes. She could see Graham’s house but she was not sure if he could hear her. She was not even sure if he would care actually after she irritated him that much the day before. “HEEELP!” she screamed with all her strength. She was not able to see any movement but she tried again. “HEEEELLLLPPPPP” The fear was growing inside as the time was passingç Her silent tears turned into loud sobs as she really did not wanna die here overa tree. She could not blive that she was gonna die because of a damn peach! She could just take one from the lower branches but no she wanted the one at the top. She sighed and leaned back to the tree… The anger was filling her up. This time she just screamed, almost hurting her throat hoping Graham would hear.

Waking up as the light came in his bedroom was always a goal for Graham. But this morning, he actually found himself awake when it was barely dusk, the gloom of the night still on him. That was okay though, and he rose from his bed and threw on a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt and walked barefoot out into the kitchen to go ahead and make some coffee. He started it brewing and walked out into the distantly chilly morning, seeing the faint pink hues of the sunrise behind his house hidden by the trees. He looked across at the other house, seeing no light or motion, which didn't surprise him. He sighed and stretched out on the porch, easing his muscles and body. Maybe today wouldn't be a terrible day to go for a run or work out in some way. He walked back inside and got the coffee and then sat back outside, watching the sunlight grow ever across the lake, letting the coffee warm him as he sat and watched, meditating on the day to come. After the first cup, and as the light truly began to illuminate the forest, he went back inside and put on a pair of socks and boots, going back out to begin some work on repairing part of the back part of the house where a tree had damaged it in a storm. He spent a couple of hours out there getting the edge of the roofing repaired and took a small break to get some water and eat something small. It was then he decided to go for a run. In the military, they'd run a lot. A lot, a lot. Fully dressed, in heavy packs, all up and down. So he'd never pictured himself as a runner in civillian life, but he enjoyed the meditative aspect of it. How it allowed him to commune with himself and the forest around him. Most of the foot path that wound its way around the lake was just that - a path worn by his feet in running over the years. He didn't tend to do it when he had tenants, but he wasn't going to hold off for 6 months, so he decided he might as well.

10:18 AM

He went back inside and stripped down, pulling on some black ankle socks, trail running shoes, and a pair of black running shorts. He didn't bother with a shirt, as he rarely did, preferring that the breeze on the trail take care of a lot of the sweat that he worked up. He took minutes to stretch out on the porch before beginning to walk and then run slowly in the foot path direction, careful to run the opposite way of the main path to Melanie's cabin. The sun glittered through the trees as he ran, the trunks of large and old trees intersecting the light at intervals, making it ripple across him and the path. Before long his mind was elsewhere, even as his feet were deftly placed on the path. His breathing settled into a constant thrum, a deep inhalation through his nose, out through his mouth, eyes ahead but also constantly scanning the surroundings for things. He'd settled into, in some ways, that hardest middle part of the run when he swore he heard something from the far side of the lake. It sounded like someone, but it came so suddenly, so sharply, that he wasn't sure. By this point he'd begun to turn around the edge of the lake and was considering turning around before he got too close to Melanie's place, but it was coming from that direction, so he kept going.

10:18 AM

He heard another cry and this time it was an unmistakable cry for help. A long, painful cry that was clearly someone. It couldn't be anyone but Melanie, and he began to run faster towards it. He really ran in a way that he hadn't in some time, putting his training to work for once and racing towards the calls that pleaded for help. He finally came up upon some of the random fruit trees and heard the last loud call and that was where he found Melanie, up in the peach tree that someone had planted long before he'd arrived. He caught his breath as he stared up into the tree, seeing her marooned on a branch far up in the tree. "What in the world are you doing up there," he asked, somewhat incredulous as he stood breathing deeply with his hands on his hips, looking up at her.

Melanie was leaning to the tree sitting over a branch. The cut on her leg was bleeding badly, making her fear even more as she had never seen that much blood before in her life. Considering she was not a doctor, that was normal. She was angry at herself. For loving Chris, for going through all the mess and finally running away here to the wilderness. Why in the world did she come here instead of sitting in her expensive loft and write her darn novel. Yes… Her novel… She was never gonna be able to finish it. She was gonna die here and no one was gonna find her. Her throat was hurting after the last scream. It was more getting the anger out of her chest than asking for help. But she heard some sound in the woods and turned to check in panic. Maybe it was a bear who took the scent of the blood. Her heart started to pound. She could not decide which one was worse, dying by the hand of a grizzly bear or blood loss over a tree. When she noticed it was Graham, her face enlightened. “Mr. Foster! I am here! Over here!”. Tears were sliding through her cheeks which she did not know if for pain or joy. She looked down at him. He was just wearing some shorts and the revealed part of the body was… breathtaking. He was painted by the hands of a gifted painter. She came back to herself , getting out of her improper thoughts with his question. “I…” she was not sure how to explain it especially after he made it clear that she should not eat anything. “I wanted to get some peaches…” she managed to say and added real quick. “To make a dessert for you!” Her hand pointed to the branch on the floor. “That one failed me…” she said shyly and then showed him her leg… “And I am not sure if I am gonna live…” she started to cry as she was in too many emotions right now.

10:48 AM

Of course she was overreacting but the situation was a mess no matter what point of view you are looking from. She was busted over a peach tree after being told NO, wounded with lots of blood, embarrassed as hell as she was stuck there… and he was standing there like a greek god…almost naked. “I think you should call the fire station and ambulance!”

Graham noticed that Melanie seemed almost out of it somehow when her eyes locked on him finally down at the base of the tree. He listened to her explanation - the climb to get peaches - peaches which were clearly available from ground-level branches, mind you - and the intention of cooking him a dessert despite his refusal. Also her bleeding leg which was visible from where he stood. It wasn't nearly as bad as it looked, he could tell, but also he didn't blame her for overreacting. He also felt a semi-blush come to his face as he noticed how nice her legs were in general in those shorts. "We don't need to call anyone. Are you okay waiting for me to go get what we need? Ten minutes and I'll be back," he said, reassuring her as he looked and got her general ascension and then took off running at a swift pace back the way he came towards his own house. He couldn't help but grumble to himself as he pumped hard, running through the forest and trying to not be too mad at her. He got back around to his house with a pretty heavy sweat and breath count, and went around to the back and grabbed his extension ladder which he was pretty sure was tall enough. He loaded it carefully into the back of his truck and without pausing for anything else, drove back around the lake along the road until he parked at her house. He got off and got the ladder, carrying it through the woods along the side of the lake to where she was stranded.

5:04 PM

He arrived under the tree and began to try and position the ladder so that it was stable. "Just be calm and sit back against the tree," he said as he got it into a stable place and then slowly began to climb up, making sure with each step that the ladder was stable. He had placed its top on a branch near Melanie's branch and soon he was up there with her, looking at her with a mix of sterness and frustration. He looked at her thigh where the branch had cut. "Your leg isn't too bad. But if you're concerned about climbing down, you could hold on to my back," he said, not really believing the offer he was making in some ways.

Mel was indeed so happy to see him but she could see his frustration. She was really scared as she was on a high branch and she was not fond of height really. She nodded, shivering, hating the idea of letting him go when he told her that he will be back in 10. She was scared to stay there alone. The blood scared her double but now he was in control and she was safe. She slowly leaned back and started to wait. Her eyes were closed as she was trying to stay calm and the blood and height was not helping. She inhaled in and out. After a few minutes she heard the trusk and he was back back with a ladder. She watched him making the ladder stable and climb up next to her. She was unable too keep her tears as she was terrified. She looked in his eyes as he explained the situation. He was still not wearing a shirt and she could not help but blush lightly just before leaning forward and wrap herarms around his neck hugging him tightly. “Thank you for not leaving me here!” she sobbed and pulled back to wipe her tears off… “I think Ican try to come down myself but I am not sure if I can setp on my leg.” she explianed back. She tried to throw her other leg to the same side as the other but she was so scared. She paused one mor time and closed her eyes trying to calm herself and tried again but this time managed losing her balance for a short moment though.

When she leaned in and hugged him, it took him by surprise. It honestly had been a very long time since someone had embraced him like that. Graham hadn't been in a relationship in years; not since his wife had left him during one of his deployments. Not since he'd come back home to the emptiest house he could've imagined. That had made a stark difference in the way he interacted with others. He wasn't rude. But he wasn't warm or open. He was economical with words and actions. So when she pressed her body against his in a grateful embrace, he almost felt his arms go back automatically around her. But they were holding the ladder, so it was easy to ignore the urge. "I wouldn't leave you here, clearly," he said somewhat softly, though also with a bit of irritation at her phrasing. He listened to her explanation of not being sure she could step on her leg. "I really don't think that it's..." he began to say before having to let go of the ladder and grabbing her waist with his hands as she seemed to be on the verge of falling. His fingers dug into her hips firmly as he looked with a bit of wide eyes as she stabilized. "Are you okay," he asked, checking before continuing. "Look, we can do a fireman's carry. But you'll have to climb on to my back. You can put your arms around my neck from behind the same way you did from the front," he said. He realized he was sweaty, slick, somewhat half dressed, but if she were panicking this much, he really needed to get her down.

6:58 AM

He turned his back to her just a bit so that she could try and move her way on to him and he felt her arms slip around his neck, hands interlock, and the next thing he knew, the weight of her body was against his on his back. "Pull your legs up around my waist as well," he instructed as he put himself in position to begin climbing down. He felt her cheek against his shoulder, her hair falling across his bare back, and felt a deep stirring he hadn't felt in awhile. Melanie was really attractive, and this wasn't helping the odd feelings he'd had when he saw her through the window last night.

She did not care how sweaty or naked he was when she hugged him. She was sincere and that was actually a lot for her as she never felt the need to touch anyone lately. She slowly pulled back and nodded to him when he offered to carry her down. She could fall and break somewhere additionally if she tried by herself. She froze when he caught her not fall. She was feeling his arm wrapped around her to keep her safe and he was too close. Her heart started to pace up. Her gaze once more ran from him as she blushed and nodded. “Yes I am okay…” she managed to say. She wrapped her arms around his neck and then her legs. The wound was hurting when she moved. She placed her cheek on his shoulder and silently waited for him to take her down. He was surprisingly smelling nice. She closed her eyes for a moment trying to understand what was going on. Her leg was bleeding, she was stuck over a tree like a cat and being rescued by an irritated man but still, she was mesmerized by his scent. When he finally reached the ground, she placed her healthy foot on the ground and when she was sure she was balanced enough she loosened her arms no matter she did not want to. Her leg was still bleeding and hurting. She was sure she was gonna need a couple stitches but she was not sure if she could handle it. She tried to step on that leg but the pain was not pleasant. “I think I will need a doctor..” she told him. “I am really sorry that I became a burden.” She was sure that Graham would prefer to be doing his exercise instead of dealing with her right now. “Those peaches really looked delicious.” she whispered looking up to the ones at the top.

"I can take you back to my house where I have some first aid," he said as he thought about her wound. "We can figure out there if you actually need stitches," he offered as he looked at her. He offered his arm to escort her over to the truck. He knew it was likely that she wouldn't need stitches, but it was worth looking, especially since the closest emergency doctor was about 30 minutes away. "You're not being a burden...well except when I literally had to carry you down just now," he said, letting an odd joke slide through in his normally removed demeanor. He drove around the lake slowly, trying not to make the truck jostle her at all as they then pulled into the driveway. He walked around and opened the door, offering to help her out again and get to the door. As they went in, he directed her to the bathroom. "Best to go in there, sit on the side of the tub and I'll get my first aid equipment and check it out," he said as he walked to the closet down the hallway. He had never had one of his tenants in his house before and it felt odd and disorienting. But this was an exceptional situation, obviously. He rummaged through the closet and considered putting on a shirt but didn't take the time, as obviously she was distraught by all that had happened. He walked back into the bathroom and sat down on a stool so that he was a bit lower and closer to her leg on display there with the gash. "This might sting, obviously, but we'll need to clean it first," he said. "We could use the shower if you want. It has a detachable head that could come down."

She hesitated a moment but she was not in a position to say no. She looked down to her leg and then back up to him and nodded. She was not crying any more at least. She placed her hand on his forearm and limped till the truck and then sat in with his help. She appreciated that he was driving slow so as not to hurt her. She paused for a moment when he made the joke about her being a burden, her eyes filled again. She was overly emotional as she was so scared and hurt already. “I am sorry…” she whispered, turning her gaze to the road from his naked top. She jumped down from the truck once again with his help and this time pulled her hand back and started to limp alone as she really did not want to be a burden more than she already was. When she walked in the house her eyes roamed around curiously for a second but when he directed her to the bathroom she immediately moved her eyes away and walked to the tub placing herself to the edge. She was trying to see the condition of the scar but it was hard with all the blood. When he placed himself in front of her, on a stool she felt uneasy. He was still not wearing a shirt and the uncomfortable part was, she was loving it. She abruptly jumped to her feet… “Yes I think the shower will be much better.” she said, trying not to look at him and walked in the shower. She reached to open the water and she regretted the moment because the top part was active and she was under it. She let out a scream and immediately closed the water. Cold water shock was actually perfect for her condition. The lord was telling her to cool down. She looked up protesting and then wiped the water off her face. Her shirt was now wet and sticky showing off every curve of her body even going semi transparent. “or maybe it was not a good idea…” she murmured and moved aside for him to arrange his own shower.

He could tell that she hadn't taken his attempt at a joke very well, and he felt bad considering how upset she was with the situation. He decided to not say much else unless necessary, but her quick jump to turn the water on surprised him. It surprised him enough that he wasn't quick enough to tell her not to do it, and the water came streaming down on to her in a cold rain. As she dripped and moved off to the side, he couldn't help but see how the now soaked shirt clung to her. The previous day with the cover-up he hadn't seen much of anything, and now it was a lot. Her smallish breasts were a huge turn-on for him, which was the exact thought that he had despite not wanting to think of his tenant in that way, and he tried to focus more on the task at hand. "Here," he said, pulling down the shower head on the flexible hose and turning the water on, aiming the head into the tub so that the cold water could stream there until it warmed up. He nodded towards the tub side again. "Sit back down and I'll run the water over it while you wash it, if you feel up to it," he said, handing her a bar of soap. He felt the water warm up and he tempered it a bit, making it not too hot, before letting it run over her thigh and begin to wash the blood off. It ran down her leg, dripping with the water into the tub and he began to get a better look at the cut. It was fairly deep, but he still wasn't sure about the stitches. He also was unable not to get a clearer look at her thigh in general. As she sat on the tub, her shorts rode higher showing off more of her leg and he felt a distant desire to touch. He blushed with his face down so she wouldn't see.

She was standing there like a wet kitten, her clothes clung over her. She was really about to cry as she was feeling embarrassed. She started with the tree mess and now the shower. He was probably thinking she was an idiot already. She slowly sat to the edge of the tub and watched him warming up the water. It was kind of him to think that the cold water would bother her. She smiled wryly. She was feeling safe around him. It was clearly not surprising as this was the second time he saved her. Her eyes moved over his body. Every muscle was shaped perfectly. His sweat was already dried but left a nice shine on his skin. She could not help but think how he made all those muscles. She could see those only in gyms in the city. “Are you a sports trainer?” she blurted out and was puzzled about saying it out loud. She slightly blushed and moved her eyes off to her leg. When he moved the water to his leg she grimaced. The scar was burning but she did not care. She slowly cleaned around first, approaching slowly closer to the scar. She took the soap from his hand, her fingers lightly brushing his. She soaped her hands and cleaned the leg around the scar. When the blood was cleaned the scar was not that scary any more yet still not simple. “Do you think it will leave a scar?” she asked, frowning. She hated to think that she was gonna walk around scarred. When her eyes raised to him trying to look elsewhere but her. So it was not just herself that was uncomfortable. She was enjoying it but she could know his case. The man was so introvert and distant. “I can try to do it myself if you don't feel comfortable, or you can take me to a hospital.” she said calmly. She was watching his face carefully trying to understand what was in her mind. Why she cared was beyond her but she did. “I am really sorry, I will try not to leave the house often.”

When she blurted out her question about him being a sports trainer, he was surprised. But there was a part of him that felt very flattered. As much as his physique was very much part of his career in the military, he'd done his best to keep it up over the ensuing years since his retirement as well. "No, former military," he said by way of a response, wondering exactly how much she'd been looking at his shirtless form over the last little bit. "I think it'll heal over time and maybe there will be a scar, but it'll disappear eventually. Nothing too bad," he said. He made sure that all of the soap was washed away from around the scar and he began to think about bandging. He pulled a bottle of alcohol from his kit and looked at her. "No, I'm fine doing this. You don't need the hospital. Hopefully this doesn't sting too much, but clearly it's necessary," he said and after making sure she was prepared, he poured it gently over the wound. He couldn't help but laugh a bit when she said she wouldn't leave the house. "You should get outside every day. Just be more careful with what you choose to do," he said as he found a clean cloth and gently dried the wound where the alcohol was, patting her thigh gently through it, trying not to think about what her skin felt like. He prepared some butterfly bandages that would help pull the skin together where the branch had pulled it open and he placed them across there, then fixed up some gauze and tape to cover the wound completely. "You're going to want to change this every day, obviously, at least. I can give you enough to last as long as you probably need," he said as he finished putting the dressing on.

Military! She had a different way of looking at armies. To her, they were legal killers. But that was explaining his perfect shape. He was trained to kill or to rescue. It was up to her to look from either point of view. She came back to her reality when he spoke again about her scar. Of course he would know what a scar is and how bad it was. God knew what he had been through and she was perfectly sure after the mess she created for a tiny scar he was now thinking that she was a spoiled princess. Yes, considering his past, her deadly wound was now a small scratch. When she saw the alcohol she pulled the leg by reflex but then slowly moved it back forward. She had to stand strong. She never thought of him as a military person, in her book he was a woodsman but she could of course make it a disguise… It would even make the premise more exciting. When the alcohol burned her scar once more she came out of her thoughts. “Auch!” she protested but did not pull her leg back this time. “That hurt..” she pouted playfully. “She then watched him cleaning her wound and talking about her leaving the house more often… “Would you take me camping? I never camped before.” she asked and immediately added. “I will pay extra…” She silently watched him finishing her bandages. He was very good at it. She could not help but think how many dead men he saw, or maybe women … kids… her heart sizzled. “I dont think I can manage that as good as you do…” she said and when he turned to look at her… I can write my name on them with a calligraphy pen though… and I bet I can do it better than you…” she grinned.

He noticed that she seemed to be playfully reacting to some of the things. The slight pout at the sting of the alcohol, for instance. The request for him to take her camping, though, came out of nowhere. "I...have camping equipment, but just one tent," he said as he kept his eyes on where he was working on her leg instead of looking at her while he talked. He did enjoy taking off into the woods every so often. He knew a long trail nearby that would take you down near a waterfall and it was a great place to camp. But he didn't know how much he wanted to drag here out there. "I'd be okay with you borrowing it. You wouldn't need me to take you," he finally said. Was this camping thing some part of her research for writing? Was this come camp-fire love story she was going to pen? He found himself again wondering about what her writing was like and he made a mental note to himself to find some way to order a copy of her book without going through Beth at the store. He figured there were ways. As he finished and she commented that he might be better, he looked at her. "You're not implying that you should come to me every day to change this, are you," he said with a bit of an eyebrow raise. This felt a bit much. He wasn't being paid to be nursemaid to a very lightly injured woman. This was supposed to be just an emergency thing. He finished with the bandage and sat looking at her, the damp fabric still clinging to her body. She really did look good like this, minus the bandage. He found himself wondering how she looked in the bikini she undoubtedly had on under the coverup the day before. "Would you like a ride back around to your house or I can walk with you if you prefer," he offered as he stood up, his height putting his waist about at her head height as he loomed above her. "I can get changed really quick."

She was excited to hear that he had camp equipment. Thankfully before showing it off she listened to him to finish his words for another turn down. She did not know why but she felt hurt. She did not know if because she could not be camping with him or just because she would not be camping at all. She watched him silently wondering what was passing his mind. He was clearly not fond of her, or maybe of anyone and there was no point of pushing and annoying him more. His following words were proof and this was the last drop. She raised her legs, threw them off the tub and slowly raised to her feet. She was limping and it was hurting but she really did not care as she started to move towards the door. “Actually not…” she replied to him. “I need someone to come to me every day instead as clearly I should not be walking with this…” she paused and looked at him. Her disappointment was very clear on her gaze. “So I would be grateful if you could arrange a nurse for me, the money is not an issue, so I can stop being your burden. “ she said without any protest in her tone. She opened the door. “Thank you for your help and your time. I can go by myself…” she closed the door behind her. She probably has never felt that belittled. Not because he did anything wrong but for some reason she pushed too hard. And he, by every right, did not let her in his personal area. She was so desperate to write her novel. She was not able to write a word for months and finally after meeting him she was mused. But that door was closed already. Maybe she was just gonna go and write the misery of a lonely woman who was trying to gather herself back up. That was what she could describe best right now…

He realized in turning her down that he was essentially saying that she couldn't go camping. H knew that if she didn't have a lot of experience, she would be far less likely to go camping on her own. It might even be unsafe for her to do so, especially since she was a clumsy as she could be at times. He wouldn't have recommended she go off on her own like he'd just said; would it really be that big a deal to take her? But he'd already said what he said. When she limped across his bathroom floor, insisting that he arrange for a nurse for her then if he was unwilling, he knew that he'd crossed a line. He hadn't said anything wrong to her. He was within his rights with his comfort, but also, where they were, who they were around, it only made sense for him to help. But he was trying too hard to keep his distance. He'd never really had tenants be this forward with him, this eager to try and interact with him. So it wasn't what he was used to at all. But that didn't mean he had to be so stand-offish. She stood there at the door, looking back at him over her shoulder. He felt the cold separation of her words, but also he got a long look at her - her shorts and shirt clinging to her, still damp; her legs; her eyes and beautiful face. Yes, beautiful. He could admit that to himself, couldn't he? It made him feel a bit worse. But of course, after immediately stating that she shouldn't be walking on it - probably best in the short term at least - she hobbled out the door insisting she could walk back to her cabin on her own. That wasn't going to do. He sighed. He stood and dried his hands, sorting his first aid equipment and putting it back away before going after her. He caught up with her just a little outside the door as she hadn't made that much progress.

9:12 AM

"You said yourself you shouldn't walk on it, so I'm giving you a ride back to the cabin," he said and walked to the passenger door of his truck and opened it. "We can discuss the nurse on the way," he said. He looked at her, hoping she could sense the bit of softening that had taken place inside him. He was genuinely sorry for the way he had brushed her off.

She has been mumuring as she started to walk back to her house. With that pace she had a long way to go for sure. How could he be so heartless? So harsh with her while she did nothing but being nice! She paused for a short moment to deal with her tears. No she was not gonna cry. She batted her lashes and dried her eyes before starting to limp again. Maybe he had some problems. She heard about some old military people having ptsd and that kind of stuff. And maybe he was trying to deal with this and all she did was to interfere. She knew well everyone had their own demons to deal with. She had some too. His voice once again brought her back from her thoughts. He was still not wearing a shirt and that was very unfair! Her cheeks slightly blushed. She paused and watched that handsome man who was standing next to his truck holding the door for her. What was this now? After making her feel like a burden. Her eyes were locked on his eyes trying to understand why he was doing this? Pity? Regret? He had very sharp lines on his face and that was making him look even more serious than he already is. Her eyes fell on his lips for a short moment and her heart leaped. The ideas passing through her mind were … unacceptable. She said nothing and walked to the truck and threw herself to the seat without a word. She was not sure what to say anyways. He was right, that she should not be walking with that wound she had. She also did not know what was there to talk about a nurse. He did not wanna tend to her wound and she asked for a nurse… so what?

She didn't answer him as he opened the door, but at least she put herself in the truck. He couldn't tell quite what she was feeling: rejection, humiliation, anger, some combination? She was definitely clamming up in a way she hadn't been before. She was very talkative to this point, so he knew he had caused her some emotional discomfort. He shut the door after he made sure she was inside. He realized he was still in his running attire and considered going inside to change, but also figured he didn't want to make her wait longer, so he walked around and got in on the driver's side. This was insane to say but it'd been a very long time since he'd dealt with a woman like this. Not since Julie left him while he was abroad on his last tour. Since then, aside from people like Beth at the book store, he just didn't interact with women. And certainly not in his day-to-day life here at his lake, his house. Melanie was something he couldn't put his finger on. He knew he was somewhat obtuse - he didn't think she was flirting though. He really suspected something else, or that it was just her natural state of being - friendly and forward. He got in and started the truck up and started gently driving. "Listen, I don't know that it's possible to have a nurse come in for the kind of small need that you have. I can take care of what you need like you asked. I didn't consider the situation properly. I'm sorry about that," he said, his eyes forward on the dirt and gravel road as it wound around the lake slowly. "I want you to be able to be in comfort and get what you wanted out of being here," he said and looked over to see if he could read her reaction briefly.

9:50 AM

The drive around the lake seemed to be much longer this time. There was a feeling in the air in the truck that wasn't there the first time, and he didn't love it. But as they approached her side and her house, he knew this was going to be a very different 6 months than he anticipated somehow. "I hope you'll let me help you in," he said. "And let me know what you need for the rest of today."

She tried not to look at his naked body as he moved around the car and took the driver seat. She was directly looking at the road. She was deadly silent. No matter she felt safe around him, she hated the idea she disturbed him and after he made it very clear… he was here again. She listened to his words about the nurse and then his offer. Maybe he had a heart after all she thought till he made the explanation. Was that all business? He wanted her to be happy to write a good review or what? “Mr Foster.” she said. “I appreciate your kindness but no you don't have to do this. I mean this was not written in the included part when I agreed to the terms.” she was trying to keep the speech formal so as not to burst into tears. “You already saved my life twice. I wanted to at least pay you back by a gesture, but you turned me down. And today you made it very clear that I passed some boundaries. I apologize for that.” and there her voice started to shiver. She cleared her throat to gather herself back. “I offered a camping trip, and this time I was ready to pay instead of showing my gratitude with a gesture but once more you refused.” she paused for a moment trying to find the right words. “I do not like favors. I would want to return the favor one way or the other. And right now, you taking care of my wound is a big favor.” she did not know what else to say really. It was getting harder to talk as the feeling she had, like a burden, was too much for her.

10:20 AM

The truck stopped and her eyes turned to him again. His naked body was really making her job harder. “And I would be grateful if you wear a shirt because this is making it hard for me to talk…” she wanted to just think but the words got out of her lips. Her embarrassment was growing every moment. She slowly closed her eyes trying to calm down and think how to fix it… “I mean.. I am not very used to talking naked… I mean half naked… men…” she cleared her throat and opened her door to get out.“I think I can fix an easy dinner. Thank you for asking.”

As she talked about the offers, he inwardly blanched a bit. The offer to go camping - let's be honest, for him to take her camping and also look out for her - was meant to be a repayment of what he'd done today? The peach dessert he understood, but asking him to take her camping was work. But he decided not to press that point as she was clearly emotionally a bit fragile in the moment. He could see her heavier breathing, her pauses to collect herself between statements. He did his best not to respond until he was sure she'd finished and said her piece. "I know it's not part of what the contract says, but I'm not doing it as a favor. Think of it like the grocery delivery service. It is a need that you have that I haven't made available to you, and so I'm providing it," he said. He wasn't sure that he was right, talking himself into this daily check up on her, but something made him feel like he wouldn't mind it as much. They could set a time to do it and it wouldn't be that bad. The statement about him being shirtless instantly made him blush however. He wished he had listened to his instincts back at the house. "Of course. It was just the situation. I should've put one on when we got to the house. I'm sorry," he said, genuinely feeling he'd offended her or made her feel awkward with his lack of dress. "I'll make sure I wear one when I run," he said. He watched her open the door. He wasn't sure where this was going anymore. But he knew he saw more in her than he expected. She wasn't an annoying, nosey tenant. She was a genuine person, and he felt bad for misreading her. "Please use the phone if you find you do need something you don't anticipate tonight," he said.

Mel nodded. “Okay, providing service.” she repeated after him trying to process it in her mind. She thought it was okay. “Okay then, I will see you tomorrow.” she said and turned to leave but paused for a moment before she turned back to him. “I would be grateful if you could bring the camping equipment when you can.” she said. “I will do it myself.” she said. Yes the idea in her mind was hilarious but it was also camping. She wanted to experience it and she was gonna do it. When she turned to walk back home, the world slipped under her feet. Hunger, blood loss, and all the fear she had mixed with the emotional situation that happened with Graham got to her. She tried to reach and hold on to the truck but it was too late. All went dark and she fell to the ground unconscious.

He couldn't believe that at this juncture she was still focused on the camping, but he nodded and made a mental note to do that - bring the camping equipment and talk her out of doing it on her own later. Maybe he would consent to taking her later in the summer. What happened next took him completely by surprise. She seemed to waver in the air, and his brow furrowed, but then she collapsed to the ground and he called out "Melanie!" in sudden shock. He threw the truck into park and turned it off, racing around to see her crumpled on the ground. He knelt down and called her name several times. "Melanie. Melanie, wake up," he said, checking to see her reaction. He got nothing out of her, so he lowered his ear to her mouth and listened and felt for breath while he watched her chest to see if it was rising and falling. Even in the shock of the moment, he noticed exactly how nice her chest was, seeing down the open top of the shirt and felt a bit ashamed for noticing in the moment. Her breathing was there if shallow, and he saw her chest rising and falling at a regular rate. He picked up her wrist in his hand and checked her pulse, feeling a steady pace to it. This was good - she hadn't had a heart attack or cadiac arrest at least it seemed. He went into less of a panic and seeing how she was, he gently slid his arms under her and picked her up, carrying her towards her cabin. He eased the door open and carried her inside, finding his way back to the bedroom and gently setting her on the bed there. He removed her shoes and then noticed the damp shirt she still had on. It would be best to change her into something dry, but he hesitated there for obvious reasons. He looked down at her and began to plan what needed to be done.

He knew enough to know she wasn't in any immediate danger, but she would need constant watch. He ran his hands through his still sweaty hair, thinking about what he needed to do, so he did it. He looked at the shirt she was wearing and realized the only reasonable way to get it off her was to cut it. He couldn't easily get it off while she was passed out like this. He walked into her kitchen knowing where a pair of shears were. He brought them back and cut down the middle of the shirt from the collar. He felt a bit bad for cutting up her shirt, but he felt even more bad when he revealed what was under. She had on a bra thankfully, but her breasts were clearly perfect. At least to his mind. He tried not to think about this as he got the shirt off of her, but it was true. He looked at the somewhat damp shorts and made a similar decision, reaching to unbutton and shimmy them down from her hips. This time he felt even worse about revealing her panties, but he just went with it. He put the cut shirt into the trash and the shorts in the bathroom to dry on the tub. He walked back in and realized that her bra was pretty soaked as well. He sighed and because the bra looked like one that didn't have hooks and had to be pulled off like a shirt, he made the decision to cut it as well. He sheared it in half up the front between the two cups and watched it fall off of her. He'd been absolutely correct about her breasts. And he couldn't help but look for a moment. He hadn't seen a woman's body like this in so long. He worked the bra remnants off of her and then covered her up with the blanket and then walked back into the kitchen to consider what to do. He decided to busy himself by making dinner in case she awakened at some point. She would need food.

Mel slept around 2 hours or so. The day was devastating for her in every way. She woke up and stretched under the blanket. The pain on her leg was her first reminder of the day. She groaned and slowly opened her eyes… the sun was slowly going down and she was… naked?! She directly looked to her side but she was alone in the bed. Her eyes moved around the room and spotted Graham sitting on her couch reading her book. She could smell the food and she surely was starving. He clearly took her clothes off as they were soaked and she was already vulnerable. There was no need to let her sleep wet. Yes he had worn a shirt but it was showing every detail that was under. She did not know which one was hotter than the other. She cleared her throat and raised a little in the bed. That moment she recalled what had happened. She fainted and probably he carried her inside. Was he topless when he did? She blushed with the thought.“Hey…” she whispered shyly. “How long have I been sleeping?” she asked first and then looked back down to herself. “Did you….?” she did not know how to end her sentence really.

After he finished making the stew, he let it simmer on low for awhile and looked around the cabin to see if there was anything else to do. He'd briefly run back to his own house to get some food that would help with the stew and also some clothes, putting on a fitted black t-shirt and dark jeans. But now he was without anything directly to do, though he knew he shouldn't leave Melanie alone. So as he looked around the room his eyes fell on a book he didn' t recognize as belonging to the cabin. It was Melanie's novel, "Love-some," the one he'd asked Beth about. Why would she have a copy with her? Probably just to make sure she wasn't repeating ideas as she worked on a new one, he thought. He picked it up and sat down in a chair on the opposite side of the room from the bed she was on. He began to read and the hour flew by as he found himself sucked into the drama of the characters. He was actually right in the midst of a rather intense, romantic sex scene when he heard her whisper from across the room. "Oh, hello," he said, a bit flush from the details of the scene, and surprised by her sudden wakefulness. He also hadn't realized he'd felt a stirring in his jeans from the details. She could definitely write a sex scene, that was for sure. He looked over at the clock on the stove. "About two hours," he said gently as he stood up, hoping his arousal wasn't obvious as he sat her book down and walked toward the bed. Her question was a bit unclear, though looking at the way she looked down at herself, he reckoned he knew what she intended. "I, uh, wanted to make sure you weren't sleeping in damp clothing. I'm really sorry, but it felt like the right thing, especially since I wasn't sure how long you'd be out," he said looking at her. He had a sudden memory of her bare breasts and how divine they'd looked and he felt himself blushing a bit over again.

Melanie watched him rising from the couch and placing her book down on the table. Was Graham Foster reading her erotic romance?! She blushed even harder. She wondered what he thought about her. He did not know her well and the first thing he learned was she was writing sex! Though considering the tightness in his pants he liked what he read. She bit her cheek so as not to smile and lowered her head down while her hand was keeping the blanket on her chest. If it was someone else who stripped her she would possibly create a mess but Graham? He was was safe. She was sure that he did not even look. Who knew maybe he was gay… That was the only explanation she could find for him running from her like she was a monster. “I think I keep stealing your time no matter how much I don't want to…” she said. “Thank you for…” she did not know what to say… stripping me?? hell no… “Taking care of me…” she said “May I have my shirt?” she pointed to the one that was carefully thrown over a chair. She was feeling awkward staying naked in bed. That shirt was at least long like a dress and would cover her enough. As he gave her the shirt she carefully put it on and walked off the bed. She was still feeling dizzy as she still did not eat anything. She reached and managed to lean to the wall with her hand… “I am okay… I just need to eat something I guess.” she smiled and when she gathered herself she walked towards the kitchen counter. The stew looked amazing. She looked for the plates to get the table ready. “Will you join me for dinner or is there anywhere else you need to be?” she asked. The pink shirt was long enough to cover her ass and like the other one he cut, the collar was too wide and one shoulder slid down to leave her shoulder revealed. As she did not have big breasts she really did not bother many times to wear bras but now as she was just out of bed, the coolness of the house hardened her nipples. Or maybe it was Graham.

"I don't think taking care of you in a medical emergency is stealing my time," he said, responding to her softly. He walked over and got the shirt from off the chair and handed it to her, he turned his back to give her privacy to dress. He thought of her pulling the covers down, revealing her in just her panties again, and blushed as he waited to hear her tell him it was okay to turn around. As she carefully picked her way over to the kitchen and asked him to stay, he nodded. "You sit down at the table," he said, going and pulling one of the chairs back. "I can serve you. You don't need to push yourself right now," he said, unable not to watch her walk past and wonder about her under the shirt. Why was he so lustful in this moment? Was it just the book? He'd been mid-coitus when she woke up, and it had admittedly really woken him up in ways he hadn't felt in a long time. He walked over to the cabinet where the dishes were and pulled out two bowls, gently ladeling stew into both of them and retreiving spoons. He set them at the table and then brought the bowls, turning to get some water for her as well. As he came back and sat the glass down, he noticed the hard shape of her nipples through the shirt and he remembered the way her main character had encouraged her lover's mouth on her own there. He was about to yell at himself to stop but managed to control it. As he sat down at the table, he looked over at her. "You gave me a bit of a scare. Hopefully it's just hunger or dehydration or something," he said. "And...honestly I think you ought to have an eye kept on you for the next day or two," he added as he looked down at the stew, not sure how she'd respond to that idea.

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hey there @Lilura , your RP partner for this RP has left the server. Would you like to keep it open to find another partner or could we archive it? All archived roleplays are eventually uploaded onto http://rphq.me/ and can be viewed there. If you wish to archive this roleplay, you can request this with the archiverequest command in #channel . If you want to keep this open to find another RP partner please can you respond to this message and ping me within 14 days, otherwise the channel may be archived. ))

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@👯 Bunny Dancing through Life 👯 - jump Please archive it Bunny. Thank you.