Dolby(6)
Author: Maryann Jordan

 

He’d quickly ascertained that asking her personal questions wouldn’t get him very far. She was private and locked up tight. He couldn’t blame her since that was not only her right but a smart move for a woman out alone. What he couldn’t figure out was why a woman who was so obviously nervous on her own was out in the middle of nowhere. She’d hiked but wasn’t an expert hiker, and she’d chosen a remote stretch of beach to walk. I sure as hell didn’t expect to see anyone. She probably didn’t either.

 

They chewed in silence, then she reached inside her pack and pulled out two water bottles. Grinning shyly, she lifted a brow as she held one out. He nodded, and his hand snapped out to catch the bottle she gently tossed to him. “Seems like we both came prepared.”

 

Her smile widened, and the expression was breathtaking. Unlike many women in California, her complexion was pale, almost translucent, as though she never spent time in the sun. In fact, the pink highlights on her cheeks probably came from her walk today and not from makeup. Her light-brown hair had soft streaks of gold, which matched her eyes. He wanted to see them in the sunlight, having a feeling that the golden highlights would create a halo while her eyes would draw him in further. The heavy sweater kept her figure from being admired, but her slender wrists, neck, and fitted jeans showed evidence of her slim body.

 

As she lifted her chin and turned the water bottle up, he saw thin scar lines on her wrist. His head jerked at the sight, but he quickly composed himself. He tried to catch another glimpse to discern the scars again, but she lowered her hand, and her long sleeves fell over her wrists, hiding them from view.

 

Another surge of protectiveness swarmed through him. Pressing his lips together, he fought the urge to stalk over to her side of the lighthouse and wrap his arms around her. While he couldn’t tell if the scars were self-inflicted, something had marred her perfect skin. But as skittish as she was, he knew she’d bolt out into the rain if he moved. The last thing he wanted was to frighten her. She’s been frightened before, and damn if it will happen again because of me.

 

“What had you taking a long hike today?” As soon as the question left his lips, he held his breath, hoping she’d reply and not shut down. A shy smile peeked out, and the air rushed from his lungs at her beauty.

 

“The weather was supposed to be nice.” Her gaze shifted to the pouring rain outside. “I’d read about this lighthouse and knew the area wouldn’t have a lot of visitors this time of year.”

 

A slight crease formed between her brows, and he hoped she wasn’t second-guessing her confession. Jumping in, he nodded with enthusiasm. “I know what you mean. I went camping and hiking out here during a few days off to places I knew would be mostly deserted. Sometimes you just want to have some time alone.”

 

The crease remained, but she nodded. “Because I work by myself, I suppose I can’t claim to need time alone, but I like open spaces. I thought this beach would be perfect for walking on today.”

 

“And here you are, stuck in the rain, with a mountain troll who’s intruding on your privacy.”

 

A giggle slipped out as she shook her head. “Well, at least we have these wide-open doorways and windows in the lighthouse. I don’t like feeling closed in, but we’re dry. Even if I am with a mountain troll.”

 

Chuckling, he thought about the difference in her initial opinion of him versus what most women think. The Dolby men were all big, and like his brothers, he worked out. He’d ended up with his mom’s blue eyes and her easygoing personality, but his size was all from his dad’s genes.

 

Most women took one look at him, and the flirting began. Hell, sometimes they don’t even flirt… They walk straight up to me in a bar and ask to fuck. Those offers no longer held any appeal. Sure, when he was younger and in the military, he’d loved the single life. Plenty of women hung around the bases. Mutual flirting and agreements to spend only a night together… that was all he needed or wanted.

 

But he never took the act of a one-night stand as a compliment. The words thrown at him, “You’re built. I love your tats. I can’t wait to see if you’re this big everywhere,” meant nothing. It was just a few hours of fun, and the women didn’t care about him as a person. To be fair, he felt the same way about them. It was a physical release. Just sex. But for the past several years, especially since becoming a Keeper at LSI, he’d kept the hookups to a minimum. And after seeing his boss and several coworkers find love, a longing had built inside to have the same kind of relationship as his parents.

 

His parents had been married for forty years and were college sweethearts before that. His dad had played college ball, and according to his mother, he’d been a player in more ways than just on the field. His dad would roll his eyes, blush, and remind his mother that his previous lifestyle had ended as soon as he’d seen her in the library one day. He was a true one-woman man, and Dolby wanted that, too. So far, no woman had captured that kind of attention.

 

Until today.

 

Looking over at Marcia, he realized he’d grown quiet as his mind wandered, and she was staring at him. Clearing his throat, he threw out, “I’ll try to keep my troll tendencies to a minimum.”

 

The tension in her shoulders seemed to relax as she shrugged. “I’ve never actually been around a troll, so I’m not sure what the tendencies are.”

 

It was the first sign that she was becoming more comfortable around him, and he wanted to keep her at ease. “Let’s find out.” He pulled out his phone and searched the Internet for the word troll. “Well, it says that mountain trolls are a type of troll in Scandinavian folklore. But the Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings books brought them to the forefront. Hmm…”

 

“What?” she asked, leaning forward slightly, her curiosity seeming to overshadow her nervousness.

 

“Well, it seems there are woodland trolls and mountain trolls.”

 

“Oh. So are you sure that you’re a mountain troll?”

 

He looked up and met her gaze, then speared her with incredulity. “Please, Marcia. Look at my size and tell me you don’t think I’m a mountain troll!”

 

She laughed, and the delicate sound filled his ears, sending an arrow straight through his heart. Her beauty was ethereal, and he wondered if the idea of folklore had muddled his brain. But the pain on the left side of his chest was real, and he stared at the expression of delight on her face, uncertain why it had hit him so hard and why he wanted to experience it again. Looking back down at his phone, he cleared his throat.

 

“It says that trolls are known for stealing food.”

 

“That doesn’t sound like you. After all, you shared your energy bar with me.”