Page 51 of The Geek and the Sheikh

“Is it hard? To learn how to drive?” she asked.

It seemed simple enough, but it also seemed like there were a billion bits of information coming in at high speed because there were so many things in the world.

Junebug bit her lip.

I manage the internet ok, and that's a pretty similar barrage of information.

Jameel shot her a surprised look.

“Was there really no one to teach you?”

“No, not in real life anyway. Midnight doesn’t have a driver’s license. I’ve done it in games, but we lived where everything we needed was just a few blocks away. Midnight usually picked stuff up when she went out,” she shared.

She didn’t add that she seldom left the haven of their hidden home—at least not in person. A wave of panic unexpectedly hit her. She lifted a trembling hand and pressed it against her chest. It suddenly felt like all of the air was being sucked out of the car.

The trembling in her body increased and she began rocking back and forth. Her mind felt like it was splintering. She needed her bunny slippers. Her slippers comforted her.

“Junebug.”

Her lips parted and she began to pant. All the things that could go wrong grew inside her mind, turning into dark tentacles that greedily wound their malevolent arms around her. The interior of the car faded.

What if I’m not smart enough and Allison finds us and we don’t get away and her men hurt Jameel? How can I protect him when I can’t even protect myself? Midnight was right, I should never have left, what was Ithinking? Harlem is still alive and he could be following us right now and he’ll kill Jameel and me, he won’t let Bronislav or anyone else get their hands on me, I'll be dead, I'll be dead and Midnight will be alone and Jameel will be alone and Jameel will be dead and it will be my fault and Idella and Midnight will come avenge me and they'll be dead and I'll never—

“Junebug.”

She could feel her head shaking but was powerless to stop the motion. Her rocking became more frantic. The only thing keeping her from hitting her head on the dash was her seat belt. She couldn’t breathe.

“Junebug. It’s okay, love. Everything will be alright, I promise.”

Jameel’s voice slowly penetrated the fog that had engulfed her. She clung to his soothing voice. The low tenor was stopping her freefall and bringing little bits of air back into her lungs, just enough that she started thinking she wouldn't die after all. Even though his words were muffled and distorted in her mind, she found a lifeline in Jameel’s voice and clung to it with every ounce of her sanity.

“Ja-Jameel. I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe,” she gasped.

Strong, warm hands cupped her cold cheeks. His warm breath caressed her lips. She shuddered, her bones vibrating with the intensity of it. Her unfocused eyes gradually locked with his. She wrapped her hands around his wrists, afraid that he would pull away.

“It’s alright. We’re safe. Have I ever told you that you have the most amazing eyes? I swear they are like the most precious blue diamond color I have ever seen,” he murmured.

“Blue? Diamonds are blue?”

“Only rare ones. I think I first fell in love with you when you whipped my ass playing WH that first time,” he said.

“You tried to track me. Wait, you love me?”

He laughed and nodded. “Yes. I have since you sent that rootkit, the one that took me a month to disable. I never would have been able to if you hadn’t sent me clues.”

“You deserved it. You broke my trust,” she defended.

“I never wanted to do that. I wanted to know you. You fascinated and challenged me in ways I’ve never faced before.”

“You had tons of girlfriends. You didn’t need me,” she scoffed in a low, uneven voice.

“I did. I do.”

His quiet confession pulled her out of the haze. Her vision cleared and the panic eased back into the dark abyss in her mind. She blinked and leaned forward, kissing him. His hands tightened, holding her steady as he deepened the kiss.

Junebug parted her lips, desperate for the connection. She was terrified that the darkness would rise up again. Their tongues tangled, their breaths mixing. This kiss wasn’t about passion as much as it was about… love, understanding, and acceptance.

They jerked apart when a sharp rap on the driver’s side window startled them. Pulling apart, she grimaced when she noticed the flashing lights. Jameel grinned at her, squeezed her hand, and sat back in his seat. Pressing the power button, he lowered his window.

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