Page 45 of The General's Captive
“Occupational hazard.” He chuckled at that and held up his arms showing me his Harpy scars saying,
“Yeah, don’t I know it.” Then he went back to placing a large bandage on my leg using his thumbs to gently flatten the sides of the square.
“How’d I do doc?” he asked making me smirk,
“I mean I wouldn’t quit this amazing day job you have but it’s not bad.” I joked.
“Oh, I would never give up this job, what will all the amazing perks, like risking your life every day just to eat and getting tosleep in an actual bed…nah, it’s the stuff of dreams.” He teased prompting me to say,
“Don’t forget the free medical.” I laughed as he winked at me before nodding down at my near naked legs,
“I think that should do for now not much I can do about that bruise, but I have some pills in the kit…I would say knock yourself out but you may take it literally.” I gave him a wry look which made him laugh. I then quickly wiggled my butt back in my pants, leaning back slightly so as I could buckle my belt. Then once I was done he crowded in closer stealing my breath as he palmed the back of my neck. My legs opening as if my body had a mind of its own and wanted to welcome him in, an offer he took me up on as he stepped closer still.
Then his lips lowered to mine as he kissed me and I couldn’t help but breathe out a sigh of relief. An emotion he tasted as my whole body melted into him. Because I had feared I would never get this again. Get to know this feeling that I’d only just had the barest taste of and like the hint of an addiction, I quickly wanted more as kissing him was the best drug of all.
He pulled back but only enough to place his forehead to mine as he let out a heavy sigh.
“I was so fucking worried about you.” He admitted and my breath caught again after the confession. So, I raised my hand to his cheek and told him on a whisper,
“I am right here Riley.”He pulled back and nodded once, then he was about to step away when he remembered something. Now coming back to me and this time caging me in with one hand to the roof and the other to the doorframe, he lowered his face and told me,
“Oh, and FYI, the next time I ask you to remove your pants it won’t be for an injury and it won’t be on the side of the fucking road in my truck…got it?”he said, making me swallow hardat the sexual picture he painted, making me squeak out a very uncool…
“Good to know.”
Once we got back to the Train Yard it warmed my heart to see how many had survived thanks to Riley’s quick actions. Taylor had fought him but in the end him and Michael’s had taken control of the situation ignoring her command completely.
As for the Train Yard each of the train cars had been turned into makeshift dormitories, which had been split into genders. The outbuildings had been used to set up the kitchen and communal area but the downside was how few bathrooms there were, which would be tight for the numbers. Seeing as people were just grateful to be alive at this point nobody complained about taking turns.
As for Riley and I…well, I couldn’t help blush when he carried me to a separate building informing me this would be where we were sleeping. His gaze searching for any trepidation in my reaction to hearing this but there was none, surprise yes, but he would get no argument from me if he wanted us to share a room. But it did make me hold back a smirk when he offered,
“I thought seeing as beds were scarce, we could share.” I nodded, hiding my grin from view or whatever wry reply was burning my tongue.
The small office had been emptied of its desk and chair so that all remained was a sofa and now a bed that must have been brought in. I knew that since this place became an option for evacuation, Riley and his team had spent more time down this way.
The guys going through the houses in the surrounding area and loading beds and other provisions into the bigger trucks before bringing them here. No doubt without Talyor’sknowledge as she would have most likely told them it was a waste of time and resources. As for Riley, he always liked a backup plan.
Which made me look around the room and wonder…had this always been intended for us or had this been a last-minute change? That moment we shared just before the alarms went off felt like so long ago and we hadn’t really been able to discuss it any further. Did Riley mean what he said or had he just been caught up in the moment? I couldn’t help but let my insecurities get the better of me asking if Riley had been thinking straight right after the shock of losing his best friend? Butterflies swarmed my stomach as he helped me to sit on the bed.
He then lowered to his knees and helped me unlace my boots, ones thick with dust from running.
“You know my hands work just fine.” I teased making him wag his brows up at me making me giggle. I also knew that like this most people wouldn’t have questioned his motives as being anything but genuine as I knew that we were mostly always like this with each other. Of course, there had been that kiss in the truck and what he had said about my pants, but I couldn’t help but worry about his frame of mind.
So much had happened in the last twenty-four hours for him, I needed to be sure this wasn’t a result of that. A way to deal with all the emotion and getting confused about his feelings because of it, my paranoid brain unable to shut off.
“What is it?” he asked as he watched the questions play out in my gaze. I released a sigh before sitting back on the bed, one that was up against a wall, giving me something to lean back against. Then I patted the space next to me and told him,
“We need to talk.” At this his eyes widened before he commented with a sigh,
“Well, that’s never good.” I gave him a wry look and told him,
“I think we are due a talk about what happened.”
“Babe we just talked for two hours straight in the truck.” I rolled my eyes and pointed out,
“You know what I mean.”
“No, I don’t, so why don’t you spell it out for me…I received a hit to the head remember so forgive me the loss of brain cells.” I giggled and teased,
