Page 52 of Heartless
He leaned his head back on the headboard, pinching his forehead with a groan. "I don't fuckin' know anymore. I'd much rather she stayed here but if you're gonna go, just do it and get it over with."
"Alright, dude." I turned to leave the room, choosing not to indulge in his overprotective crap today. "We'll see you in a couple hours."
Mari was already in my driver’s seat, helmet on and her slim fingers wrapped around my grips.
“Go ahead and turn her on,” I said, squeezing in behind her. The bike growled to life after only a bit of protest from the initial spark. That was a small concern. I really had to take cold weather maintenance into consideration up here. “Let her idle a bit and warm up.”
After a few moments, I coached Mari through easing back and out onto the road. The traffic was light this morning, despite Reaper’s concerns. Vehicles were still few and far between for most citizens, so most of them carpooled or walked the short distance to where they needed to be. Four Corners was still small enough to get to most places on foot, although that wasn’t likely to be true within the next few years.
I directed Mari outside of the town limits to the mostly-abandoned country road which had been a highway at some point. She would have been fine in town and probably would learn more navigating city streets, but I did promise Reaper.
“It’s all you,Mariposita.” I patted her waist. “Take us away.”
She relaxed into the seat, cautiously accelerating on the long, empty stretch of road before us.
“Go faster!” I yelled over the engine with a swat to her hip. “I wanna see you make a dust cloud.”
“Fuck off,” she shot back, but she was laughing. I missed the pretty sound and realized I hadn’t heard it in a few days.
I swatted her again, adding, “hyah!” like she was a horse and she shrieked with laughter.
“Stop, you’ll make me wobble the bike!” she cried.
“Nah, girl. You’re rock steady.” But I calmed and settled down behind her. “Here comes a bend in the road. Remember to lean into it.”
She took the turns beautifully, each one smoother than the last as she became more confident in her balance and handling of the bike. We took a few laps of the roads looping around Four Corners main city. While she drove, I took a few moments to enjoy the scenery, something I rarely got to do while in the driver’s seat.
Gigantic, snow-capped mountains lined the horizon to the north, red rocks and cliffs to the south.I could get used to views like this,I realized. I had my doubts about settling in Four Corners when we first ended up here, but even my nomadic heart was getting attached to the little place.
I dropped my chin to Mari’s shoulder after our fifth loop, placing a small kiss on her neck. “We gotta head back, babe. Take us home?”
I felt the sigh leave her body, her fingers wrapping around mine at her waist before she turned at the next intersection heading toward town.
“How’d I do?” she asked, her speed decelerating as we approached the city limits.
I chuckled, bringing both arms around her waist and leaving a bigger kiss on her nape. “You were born to ride,Mariposita.”
“Really?”
“Are you really surprised?” I asked. “You belong to three, almost four men who’ve made their lives on these roads. I had no doubt you’d take to the bike quickly.”
“Oh hey, look.” She pointed up ahead where a rusted car was parked on the side of the road, someone bent over in front of the vehicle and looking under the raised hood.
“Probably out of gas or something,” I remarked. “Go ahead, let’s help out.” If I was going to stay here, I might as well be neighborly. Hell, even Shadow was starting to rack up a list of tattoo clients by word-of-mouth, and I didn’t have my own mechanic’s shop yet.
Mari pulled up next to the car, an unremarkable old sedan that had seen better days. The driver peered at us from underneath the hood, a middle-aged guy in a dark blue shirt. I spotted a bright vest and a hard hat in his passenger seat, indicating the guy was probably off to a construction job.
“Need some help?” I swung a leg off the bike and started toward him.
“If it ain’t no trouble.” He looked back down at the car in front of him. “It just stopped runnin’.”
“Any weird sounds when it stopped?” I asked. “Rattling or clicking?”
“Nah, I don’t think so.”
“See any smoke coming out from under the hood?”
“Nah.”
