Cannon is rich. That makes me nervous all over again. I’ve never been anywhere this nice.
“Come, Little one. Let me show you to the guest room. I’ll warn you, it’s very youthful. I hope you don’t hate it. If you do, we’ll change it.”
I follow him. I still have a death grip on my backpack. He hasn’t tried to take it from me again. When I step into a room behind him, I stop in my tracks.
The room has white furniture. It’s very youthful, like he said. The bed is against one wall. It’s odd, almost like a couch. There’s a dresser, a desk, and a bookshelf. The bookshelf is long. It extends almost an entire wall, and it’s filled with books and toys. Every kind of toy imaginable. Dolls, stuffed animals, puzzles, games, coloring books.
“Do you have a daughter?” I ask.
“No. No kids.” He doesn’t elaborate. “What do you think?”
“It’s so pretty. I’m afraid to touch anything.”
“Well, toys are meant to be enjoyed, Little one. You may touch anything you’d like. Nothing is off limits.” He moves toward a partially open door and pushes it wider. “The bathroom is attached. You can lock either or both doors. Whatever makes you feel safe.”
I follow him as he enters the bathroom. My eyes widen. It’s also large. And so incredibly clean and pretty. The vanity and flooring are white, like the bedroom. Soft pink towels hang from the racks. The bathtub is so clean it gleams. It has a clear curtain with pink flowers scattered on it.
Cannon clears his throat. “While we were driving, someone shopped for you. I don’t know what your style is, but I think there are clothes to get you by until you can shop for more.” He spins me to reenter the bedroom and heads toward the dresser. He opens a few drawers and then turns around. “Yep. There are clothes in here. And I see there is girly soap and shampoo in the bathroom. Would you like to take a shower or bath?”
“Yes, please.” I haven’t had a bath since I was a child. I’ve never lived anywhere where I would dare touch the bottom of the tub with any part off my body. Gross. I finally loosen my grip on my bag and set it on the floor.
“Eloise, if there’s anything I can get you, please just ask. How about if I go see what’s in the fridge and make something for dinner? I know we ate a few hours ago, but I bet by the time you’ve had a bath, you’ll be hungry again.”
“Thank you.” I suddenly lurch forward and wrap my arms around him. It’s the oddest thing for me to do. I’ve never done something like this before.
He hugs me close and rubs my back. “You’re safe, Eloise,” he repeats.
I hold him tighter. I don’t want to let go. I like how safe being in his arms feels. He was the first person to touch me after he rescued me. He picked me up and carried me out of that hellhole. He held me in his lap for a while before I found my wits and scrambled off him.
Cannon has touched me several times. My face, my shoulder, my hand. He’s kind and affectionate. I don’t think he intends to turn on me and make me wish I’d never accepted his help. I think I trust him.
He doesn’t pull back until I do. It’s like he’s letting me decide what I need, and he never rushes me. I’m overcome with emotions, though, so I turn and rush into the bathroom and close the door.
It’s weird to be in this pristine space with all these pretty things. I stare at the door for a minute and consider locking it. But I don’t. I don’t really like the idea of locking it. I’m glad there’s a small window in the shower. It will keep me from feeling claustrophobic.
I turn toward the tub and reach down to turn on the water. It heats fast, so I adjust the temperature and put the plug in the bottom. While it fills, I remove my clothes. They’re disgusting. Not only were they not clean this morning, but I’ve since spent time tied to a fucking chair in them. I don’t think I want to see these jeans, shirt, or any other part of this outfit again. Much like everything that was in my car.
I still feel bad about leaving everything behind. That was rude of me. It meant Cannon felt obligated to buy me clothes. I’m not fond of the idea of owing him for anything, but I’ll never be able to pay him back.
When I sink into the water, I sigh deeply. I can’t remember when I’ve experienced anything this luxurious. While the water continues to rise, I look at the bottles lined up on the edge of the tub. They’re so pretty. The bottles themselves. They’re pink with flowers on them. I turn them all to face me to see what they are. Shampoo, conditioner, body soap, and bubble bath.
Bubble bath… I’ve never had bubble bath. I quickly open the bottle and pour some into the stream of water still filling the tub. A few bubbles come to life, so I add more.
I’m giddy and smiling as I lie back and close my eyes. I just want to enjoy this moment. My hair is hanging into the water and swirling around me. When it’s wet and heavy and the curls pull down, it’s much longer than when it’s dry. I’ll deal with it later.
I’m still grinning when I suddenly realize bubbles are rising up my neck. I open my eyes and yelp. “Shit. Fuck.” The bubbles keep rising. They’re multiplying.
Suddenly, the door to the bathroom flies open.
I cry out again, startled.
Cannon stands right inside the room. His brows are furrowed. “Are you okay?”
I swallow hard and look down at my body. I’m so submerged in bubbles he can’t see more than my head. I realize I probably screamed and scared him into running to see what was wrong. “I’m so sorry. I guess I put too much bubble bath in.”
Panic crawls up my spine as the bubbles reach the top of the tub.
Cannon blows out a breath, closes the distance, and turns off the water.
