Chapter Thirteen Flynn

T hor never came back that night. I stayed up for a long time, waiting for him to return. But when the late night drifted well into the early hours of the morning, I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. I fell asleep without realizing it.

But when I woke the next morning, my head was practically spinning before I was even aware of my surroundings. Had I done something wrong? Did I push Thor into something he wasn't ready to do? Was I so attractive that I'd run him off? And what was the deal with his eyes? I thought for sure I saw them turn gold for just a moment.

Considering Thor was open to going much further than we did, I figured I wasn't hideous to him. But that didn't stop me from thinking that maybe I didn't put out enough to please him. He came though, right? I mean, wasn't that the goal?

Since I couldn't make sense of that, his golden eyes were what I fixated on the most. Something about them made my skin tingle. I wasn't sure if it was a good or a bad feeling, but at the very least I found it fascinating. Logically I knew his eyes couldn't spontaneously change color. It was probably just a trick of the light. But at the same time, that brief flash of gold reminded me of the wolf I'd seen after my fall. They were exactly the same.

I'd dreamed the wolf up though, hadn't I? Pain had a funny way of making your brain misfire and I was definitely in a lot of pain that night. Still, I couldn't stop thinking about it. That and Nana's words echoing in my head about wolves on the mountain. Had I actually made it up or did I truly see what she'd been talking about? And why would I see that again in Thor's eyes? None of it made any sense.

For a long time, I laid there in Thor's bed, thinking myself into circles. No matter how much I tried to prove one thing or another, I always ended up back at the same place. Confused.

There was one thing I was sure of though. I was definitely attracted to Thor. That hadn't gone away even when he sort of ran out on me. Then again, he ran a resort, so I figured emergencies probably came up now and then that he had to see to. But the fact that he never returned sort of put me off. And yet, even with all that going on, I found myself wanting more from him than just the physical. I just didn't know why.

Was it wrong to say I felt a strange sort of pull toward him? It wasn't something I could explain. Again, I barely knew the guy. We'd chatted a little bit here and there and now I'd seen his freaking massive cock. But other than that, I only knew that he seemed kind. I didn't know anything about his family, his life, or what his dreams were. All those seemed like pretty important things to know about a person before you started getting butterflies in your stomach. And yet, the butterflies were already here. It made me feel silly and unbalanced, like I was some lovestruck teenager without reason.

I probably could have laid there all morning overthinking all of it, but I was starting to get a bit irritated with myself. So, instead of worrying, I got myself out of bed and took a shower. When I got out, I stole another t-shirt from Thor, found a pair of gym shorts I could live with, and headed out into the living room to get my bag so I could go sketch. Just as I was pulling it together, the front door opened and an exhausted-looking Thor stepped inside, his shoulders hanging limply at his sides.

"H-Hey," I said timidly. I gave him a good once over, noticing how beat up and dirty he looked. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"I'm fine," he grumbled, barely looking at me as he pulled the door closed behind him. He lifted a small box, holding it out to me. "Your new phone came in."

"Oh." I took it awkwardly, noticing he'd avoided my second question. "Thanks."

"No problem."

He started to walk away and I reached out, grabbing his shoulder to stop him.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah. Just tired. Long night."

"You didn't get any rest at all?"

He shook his head. "I'm gonna take a shower and go to bed." He gave me a quick glance, keeping his eyes low. "Call your Nana and have her send some clothes back with the maintenance guy today. I don't think we have anything here but staff shirts."

"Right," I nodded with a smile. "You probably want me to stop stealing your clothes."

I thought he'd tell me I looked good in them or maybe that he didn't mind. Instead, he just grunted and headed toward the hallway. "See you later."

"Okay…"

I watched him disappear into the bathroom, the water turning on a couple seconds later. Somehow, without hardly saying anything, he'd managed to take all the wind out of my sails. I felt totally deflated. That was the most depressing conversation I'd ever had with Thor. Granted, I didn't have a lot to compare it to, but still.

Shaking my head, I checked myself mentally. He was exhausted . Expecting him to come in after an all-nighter and be thrilled to see me was silly. The man needed his rest, and I was going to stay out of his way so he could get it. Hopefully, come dinner time, the pair of us could sit down and talk things through. That way I could figure out what was going on and Thor could let me know why he'd been acting so oddly.

Everything was going to be fine.

So, I packed my new phone into my bag, slung it over my shoulder, and kicked my scooter across the living room and out the front door. A quick elevator ride and some wicked fast scootin' brought me to the interior gardens. There was a giant glass dome covering the entire area and the moment I stepped inside, I felt the humidity spike. It was warm, damp, and absolutely drenched in tropical plants that lived inside year around. Butterflies, hummingbirds, and quite a few lizards had been planted there at some point, their tiny world managed to perfection by the resort staff. It was almost like a zoo except there were no cages.

In the center of the room was a large stone structure that had been formed into a six-foot waterfall. Opposite it was a small patio with tables and chairs. It was there that I finally found a place to sit. I unpacked my bag, ready to get some drawing done for the first time in a couple days. However, my new phone needed to be set up and calling Nana was priority number one. She'd probably chat my ear off, so better to get it done sooner than later.

The new phone was a million times better than my old one. It was the latest model with all the buttons and knobs included. It even had a nice case already packed inside the box. I spent ten minutes booting it up and logging into everything so I could re-download all my contacts. After that it was a quick flick of the finger and a swipe until I heard the familiar ringing of Nana's phone on the other end of the line.

"Hello?" I heard her say in a shaky voice.

"Hey Nana. It's Flynn."

"Flynn! I was starting to get worried! You shouldn't make your Nana worry like that! I'm too old for that shit!"

"I called you yesterday morning," I giggled. "How often do you want me to call?"

"Don't sass me. I'm worried about you being up there all alone!"

"I'm in a resort with dozens of other people," I replied. "I haven't even really gone outside except to soak in the hot spring. What could happen?"

"Well… just make sure you stay inside. There's wolves up there, you know. I heard them howling last night."

I opened my mouth to argue, but come to think of it, I'd heard something odd last night too. It was before Thor ran off. However, the moment he left I'd completely forgotten about it.

"Are you sure it wasn't just coyotes or something?"

"I know what I heard." She sounded kinda grumpy.

"Alright. I believe you." I took a quick pause before changing the subject. "Is the maintenance guy doing an okay job?"

"The goat nearly killed him yesterday. Poor guy turned his back on him when he was getting ready to charge."

I had to stifle a laugh. "Whoops."

"But all the animals are acting real odd around this guy. They all give him a wide berth. Except for the goat. The damn thing really is trying to take him out at the knees."

There was no way I could hold the laughing back. "Well, I was told to have you send some of my clothes back with him today. I've been borrowing some here, but mine are pretty torn up from my fall."

"I'll pack you a bag, don't you worry." She paused and I could almost hear her cup her hand over the mouthpiece. "And I'll slip in some cookies for you too. Lord only knows what they're feeding you up there."

"The food here is really good, actually."

"Bah. Don't let them fool you. The only good food is homemade food. That restaurant stuff is for people who've given up on life."

I shook my head even though she couldn't see me. That woman had such strong opinions about the silliest things.

"I look forward to the cookies then."

"So did you find him?" she asked out of the blue.

"Find who?"

"The man."

"What man?"

"The man you're going to find. You know, the rich one that's going to take care of you and make sure you have a wonderful life?"

"Have you been reading my diary?"

"No." I could hear the grin in her voice. "But I know your mother and I figured the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

"I can take care of myself, you know."

"You are perfectly capable," she agreed. "But a good-looking boy like you should have no trouble finding a husband to take care of you."

"That's a little old-fashioned, don't you think?"

"Not at all. I just want what's best for my grandbaby."

"Well, I'll keep my eyes open for some hot rich guy that wants to give me half his estate."

"I'll keep you in my prayers."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks, Nana. Now I'm gonna go draw for a bit and get some lunch, alright? Please pack my swim trunks for me."

"Of course. And be safe."

"I will. Love you, Nana."

"Love you too, baby."

The phone went dead, and I pulled it away from my ear, still shaking my head. That woman was something else. I loved her to death, but I could also see how she drove my mother crazy sometimes. She had a lot of thoughts about how people should live and while I loved her for them, it wasn't always the most practical advice. But I couldn't deny her point. A rich man would make my life a lot easier. Maybe I could keep my eyes open a bit. Or, if I was lucky, maybe Thor would want me. He was rich, hot, and I didn't have to find him. I just needed to get to know him better first.

For now, he needed to rest though. After that I could chat him up all I wanted to. We were sharing a room after all. Where was he going to go?

With a smile on my face, I pulled out my sketchbook, flipped it open, and began to draw the garden surrounding me.