Page 168 of Rough and Rugged

“Please be careful, you’ve gotten hurt.”

“Where am I and who are you?”

“My name is Vincent, and I heard you scream out in the woods and went looking to make sure you were alright. When I found you, you were unconscious so I brought you back to my cabin to patch you up. What’s your name?”

“My name is… I don’t know.” She panicked about not knowing who she was but he was able to calm her down.

“Let me clean your wounds and make sure the gash on your head doesn’t need stitches. Then I’ll get you some clean clothes to change into. You are welcome to stay here until you can remember who you are. I’m sure it won’t take but a couple of days if that.”

She agreed to allow him to help her. Once she sat up, Vincent saw the blood on the blanket where she’d been laying down. He got up and walked around the couch so he could look at her back.

There he saw she had gashes on her back. Her shirt was ripped in a few places. Vincet went to his room to grab her a new shirt along with a towel for her to cover her front with so he’d be able to clean her back.

As he walked back to the living room, Vincent saw she still sat on the couch. He went to stand in front of her and held out his hand with the towel saying, “Here is a towel for you to cover yourself with. It seems you have some gashes on your back that I’ll need to clean as well. Once I’m done, I have a new shirt for you to wear.”

She took the towel from his hand and started to remove her shirt while he turned around to give her some privacy.

“I’m covered.”

Vincent turned around and saw she had the towel held up against her chest. He went to sit back on the coffee table and opened up the first-aid kit. He grabbed the bottle of peroxide along with a few sterile pads and cleaned the gash on her forehead.

She hissed in pain at the first contact but then she took to biting her lips to deal with it. He tried to be as gentle as he could knowing how much this hurt. Once cleaned up, Vincent realized that a few butterfly strips will be all she needs for the gash. Head wounds tend to bleed more so it can seem worse than they really are.

“You’ll just need a few strips on this gash. No stitches required.”

She looked relieved to hear that. Vincent stood up and moved the medical things onto the small end table so he could work on her back, but once he was behind the couch, he realized she’d have to lay on her stomach in order for him to clean the wounds.

“I’m going to need you to lay on your stomach for me to clean your back. It looks like you have claw marks. I may need to stitch some of these up. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. Thank you for your help.”

Vincent walked back toward the bathroom to gather the suture kit he kept in the drawer. When he came back, she had laid on her stomach with the towel underneath her. Vincent placed the kit on the table and removed the lampshade to give more light in the room.

He went to get a wash cloth to wipe down her back the best he could before he cleaned the wounds. Vincent also gave her a few Ibuprofen before he started on her back. Once cleaned, he sprayed some numbing spray so it won’t be as painful while he’s putting stitches in her back.

It took some time to finish her back, and when he had placed the last bandage, he noticed she was asleep. He stood up to clean his work station, placed the shade back on the lamp, and covered her with a blanket. He placed the shirt on the coffee table where she’d see it once she woke up.

He turned off the light, went to the door to lock it, and left a light on in the kitchen for her in case she woke up. Vincent also placed a glass of water with the bottle of pain meds next to it in case she needed more.

With a last look at her, he turned toward his room to head to bed. Now that the adrenaline had worn off, Vincent was exhausted. He couldn’t wait to lay his head down for some much-needed sleep. Tomorrow he’d deal with what to do with the woman.

Chapter Two

It’sbeenaweeksince she was found in the woods by Vincent. He started to call her Rose, she still couldn’t remember what her name was or why she was out in the woods in the first place.

Vincent had taken her to the town close to where his cabin was and they gathered a few things for her. They also went to the police station to see if anyone had filed a missing persons report on her. They were told no reports were filed and if any were then they would let Vincent know.

After they left the police station, the two went to gather a few groceries and then went to a little café to grab a bite to eat. On the way back to the cabin, Vincent asked Rose if she wanted to have dinner by the lake. She got excited by the thought that this might be a date.

Rose started to have feelings for Vincent. She would watch him around the house and loved it when he didn’t have his shirt on. The way his muscles would move around. His ass in his tight jeans where she wished she could go and grab them.

She’d caught him looking at her from time to time as well, and would see a slight blush on his cheeks. Rose wasn’t sure how he felt but she might take a chance on asking him tonight at dinner.

Rose sat near the lake during the first week she was at the cabin, while her injuries healed. Her back is still healing and she will end up having scares but at least she’s alive even if she can’t remember who she is.

She wondered if this was why he wanted to have dinner by the lake. It was a peaceful place. Rose tried to remember who she was when she was by herself at the lake. The more she tried to figure it out, the more frustrated she’d get.

Eventually, Rose stopped trying to remember. She’d go for walks around the vicinity and pick wild flowers to bring back to the cabin. Vincent liked the added touch when she brought the flowers into the cabin and placed them on the table.

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