Page 89 of Trucker
“What’s wrong with you?” She asked.
“I’ve never told you how beautiful you are?” I asked. “It may be too soon to?—”
“It’s not.”
I stared at her, not sure what to do, what I should be thinking of her reaction.
“Sorry—most of this is new to me and I don’t—if I do anything that makes you angry or uncomfortable or—just tell me, okay?”
“Okay.” She nodded at me.
We ate together, and I felt as if I was home.
After breakfast, she had to rush to a virtual meeting and I cleaned up, made a jug of lemonade and brought her some.
With lots of ice how she liked it.
She kissed the air toward me as thanks, and I left her to work.
Hours later, after leaving the station, I stopped to buy her some sliced fruits.
Pulling into the front yard, I found Taji sitting on the front porch with a book. When I approached her, she grinned, kissed me and sat again.
“What’s this?” She asked.
“For you—I figured we could share it?”
“Aww. I?—”
The sound of an engine filled the air and both Taji and I turned toward the trees. It took a few seconds before we even saw a vehicle poked out from the trees. She placed the tray on the glass table and I accepted her hand to pull her to her feet.
We waited as two vehicles eased to a stop in the yard beside my truck.
Dax “Kaos” Forsythe climbed from behind the wheel of the first and Lennox alighted from the second. Confused, I glanced at Taji then back at them.
Kaos and I exchanged a wordless greeting by tipping our chins up at each other as he walked around to the trunk of his car.
He popped the trunck and dragged a squirming body with a bag over the head from the back and dropped him to his knees in front of Taji.
Lennox did the same with his captive.
Taji looked over at me then at the people bowing in front of her.
“What’s this?” Taji asked. “What’s happening?”
Together, Lennox and Kaos yanked the bags off our guests’ heads and Taji stepped a little closer to my side.
“This is kidnapping!” Ryan growled. “I’ll have you all arrested.”
“Shut up.” Lennox barked. “Speak only when you’re spoken to.”
“You remember Esther, don’t you, Taji?” I asked. “And I don’t know if you’re familiar with Ryan Carling.”
“Yes, Esther.” Taji paused. “But isn’t Ryan one of your cadets?”
Lennox made a disapproving sound in his throat.
Taji sniffed the air then toward me.
