Hello everybody! This is my first story of this kind and I would appreciate some constructive feedback after you're done reading! Let me know what you think. Now without further ado, let's start the story.
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I was looking at a batch of fresh apples from a stand at the market. My father wanted me to bring back about two pounds, so he could make some apple pie. He would sell it as a special tonight at the inn.
My father owns the only inn in our town and I help him out. I work as a barmaid. My mother passed away a few years ago and he needed someone to help him, since she couldn't any more. He almost broke after she passed away, but he knew he had to stay strong to give me the opportunity for a good life.
When he passes away, I will become the new owner of the inn. If he had stopped working after my mother died, he would have drowned in debts and would have lost everything he had worked for so far. And I would have had to provide for us, and the only way to make a decent living to provide for the both of us, would have been to work on the streets...
I'm happy he continued to run the inn, we're both content with what we do. He still misses my mother (and the love of his life) terribly, but now he knows his daughter and the product of their love is safe. He can keep an eye on my while I work and all our customers know not to try anything with me.
As I was inspecting the apples, I shivered. Someone was watching me, or at least that's what it felt like. I looked up and tried to look around in a discrete way. Our town was a pretty small one, but that didn't mean strangers didn't pass though it from time to time. Hence also the need for a tavern/inn.
My eyes met those of one of those strangers. A tall man, with grey hair and redbrown eyes. He was the one who I felt looking at me. I turned away as fast as I could, but in the corner of my eyes I still caught his smirk. He was handsome, I had to admit it, but he was also very intimidating.
I'm not small at all, I'm 185cm tall (about 6'1"), but I could tell, even from this distance, he would tower over me. Something I'm not used to at all. I tried to sneak a peak again, but he was already gone. I tried to get back to my day and bought the apples my father had asked for.
"Father, I'm back! I brought the apples, and I asked for a bit more, so we can make a small batch of apple cider. You know how the regulars love it when they can have a pint of cider with their stew," I yelled, walking through the door.
"You will be great owner, once I'm too old to continue this. You really think of everything," my father replied with a smile.
A started to blush with the complement. He praises me quite a bit, he's the best, but I still get flustered. I don't feel like I'm worthy of his praise. We took the apples and went to the kitchen. In silent unison, he started peeling the apples for the pie and I started working on the pastry for the crust.
Suddenly, we heard the bell from the tavern door. My father looked up from what he was doing and sighed.
"I'll go check. Can you finish the pies?"
I smiled and nodded. I knew that he loved to decorate the rims of the pies and now he couldn't do it because of the costumer. I finished filling the forms with the pastry and the apple filling. Then I put another layer of pastry on top, but I didn't go over the rims with a fork yet, to press the pastry layers together.
I left that for my father, since I wanted to give him the satisfaction of doing it. He's also the one who always puts the pies in the oven anyway, so there wasn't anything left for me to do.
Right when I went to the door, to go into the tavern myself to help, my father opened the door and I fell against him. We crashed to the ground, but luckily, we weren't injured. We looked at each other and bursted out laughing. Still laughing, I got up and helped him get up as well.
"You only need to decorate the pies and they're ready for the oven," I said with a small smile on my face.
"You know me too well. Thank you, sweetheart. Oh, a new costumer just checked in, he will be staying here for a week and he's already payed. He said he wanted to take a bath first, before going to his room, so I'm just going to heat up some water. Can you get his room ready? The one on the top floor? He said he wanted a good view." My father smiled a crooked smile. "Even if there's not really anything to see in this town," he added.
In the back of my mind I wondered if our new guest was the man from the market. But I didn't think too much of it, since I couldn't decide if I actually wanted to see him again. Sure, his handsome face had been flashing through my head every once in a while, since I got back. But still, he gave off some strange vibes.
"I'll go air the room and see if everything is set for him. Do you need me to do anything else?"
"Could you watch the bar for me, after you're done? Then I can start on dinner in peace and join you for the dinner rush once I'm done." He looked hopeful at me.
I usually was the one to cook and he watched the bar. But watching the bar is a lot of moving around to get costumers their drinks and he's getting older, so it's getting harder for him. I nodded, I would take the bar shift tonight until he was ready cooking. I was 20 now after all, old enough to demand the respect from the guests and keep them from wrecking the bar.
Going up the stairs, I was a bit preoccupied. I knew I could look after the bar and our usual clients would do nothing to me and protect me; but things sometimes got a bit rough if someone out of town tried to smack my ass in their drunk state. When I was younger, my father had to throw a few punches to protect me and I've had to smack some faces, but that doesn't mean I liked doing it.
I bumped into someone going down the stairs. I looked up and what do you know, it was the stranger from before. Only he wasn't wearing a shirt. I stuttered an apology, looking away, and started blushing furiously. I heard a rumbling laugh and I forced myself to look at him again.
I noticed his great body and my blush intensified. When i looked at his face, I could see his strong jawline and full lips. His eyes were framed with khol, which made them more piercing. He was studying me.
"Aaah, my mysterie beauty.. So, what are you doing here?"
I was caught completely off guard.
"What did you call me?" I asked incredulous, how dare he.. "My father owns this inn, I was just going to check on your room, to see if everything was alright."
He pulled me against him with one arm and put his other hand under my chin, so I was forced to meet his eyes.
"I've already put my bags in there and everything was fine, so no need to go in there. So, you're a feisty one.. A lot of blushing, but you still have fangs. I'll need to watch out."
He was looking at me intently, I couldn't stop thinking he looked like he was about to eat me. I pushed him away and started to go down the stairs again. I'd had enough.
"Hey, don't run away, I'm not done talking to you!"
"You might not be, but I'm done. Now, If you'll excuse me, I have a tavern to run."
He started to follow me, but I paused.
"Don't follow me, go take your bath, the water should be ready."
Standing behind the counter, I was putting my thoughts in order. He was a handsome devil, I had to give him that, but his attitude was putting me off. How can anyone be so confident? He really didn't pay any attention to his words at all, so blunt.
Luckily, I couldn't dwell on it too long, because people started to arrive for dinner and they were keeping me busy.
Okay, I had to admit, I was kinda attracted to him, but I didn't like him. A weird dilemma to have. It was well into the dinner rush, when he arrived in the tavern hall and chose a table near the wall and the fireplace. He signaled for me to bring him food and something to drink, so I took his order to him.
I placed it in front of him, without saying a word and purposefully not looking at him. He was smirking at me again, the bastard. Fuming, I made my way to the bar again.
At the same time, three men came inside and it looked like they had been drinking.
"Barkeep, three beers for us, and make that fast!"
I hurried to comply, I didn't want any trouble and they were really strong looking. My father came out the kitchen en took his place behind the bar, so he could keep an eye on things. He had heard them in the kitchen and was worried about me.
I was walking to their table with the beers and was about to put them down, when one of them pulled me on his lap. I was trying to get away from him, but he had already put his hand down the front of my dress and was kneading my breast.
"Let me go, you oaf!"
I was screaming, but he payed me no mind. I was about to punch him in the face, when one of his mates grabbed my arms, so I couldn't do anything.
My father looked horrified, he was rushing at me from behind the bar to help me, but before he arrived at the table, the mysterie man was already there.
He punched the one touching my breast in the face, so he fell over, with me on top of him. Before I knew what was happening, I heard groans all around me and he was helping me up.
"I suggest you guys get out of here and don't show your faces again," he said this with such a cold voice, even I was shivering again.
The men looked dumbstruck and started to hurry towards the door, but not before he called out again.
"You better leave a nice tip to make up for all the trouble you've caused."
I heard the clinking of a few coins and they were off. Everybody in the tavern was quiet.. They looked shocked at the stranger that saved me.
"Thank you..." I muttered.
I dared to take a look at him and he still looked furious. His eyes on the door, probably to make sure they were really gone. My father took me in his arms en hugged me tightly.
"I'm so glad you're safe, I would never want anything like that to happen to you again." He held me at arms length and was inspecting me.
He saw that I was feeling out of sorts. I felt disgusting, I wanted to wash that guy off me immediately.
"Go to your room and take the night off. I'll look after things here."
Gratefully I looked at him and nodded. The rest of the room was starting to fill with noise again and the my savior had returned to his table. I stared at him and he gave me a sorrowful smile. I was confused, how could he be so arrogant, but now he seemed sorry that this had happened to me..
After my bath, I was about ready to get in bed and go to sleep. I opened the door and redbrown eyes met mine.
He was sitting on my bed. I didn't know what to do, how did he know this was my room and how did he get in? He got up and prowled towards me. He stopped in front of me.
"What is your name, my beauty?"
I knew I should kick him out and be angry, but I was just too tired and I was grateful that he had saved me, so I just replied.
