I laughed. Ryan actually was rated to drive the M2A2, and had done it in more than a few of our campaigns together. Maybe she even knew that. I wasn’t sure.
“I’ll do my best,” I promised. “Although in all honestly, can anyone really control this maniac?”
I elbowed Ryan to break the tension. Then Sammara threw arms over my shoulders and kissed me long and hard.
Damn…
It was a hot kiss. A steamy, sweltering kiss that stirred something immediately, just beneath my belt. Her lips eventually parted from mine, and her eyes held the unspoken promise of something more… something really good… as soon as we got back.
“I love you both,” she smiled, keeping her game face on. She kept that face all the way outside, until I winked at her just before pulling away.
“See you in a bit, my ivory princess.”
Eighteen
SAMMARA
If the house seemed empty without Jason and Dakota home, it was positively abandoned now. I spent a lot of time walking its lonesome, ancient halls. Reflecting on the myriad of things that had happened there, both between the five of us and the countless generations of people who’d lived and breathed before me.
Still, the house’s history did nothing to keep my company. I started each day early, marveling at how quiet the kitchen could be without all the morning chatter — the fun, funny banter between the guys, and myself. The sights and smells of breakfast, which I started skipping because I simply didn’t feel like cooking for one.
Each night I went back to the empty house and went through the same routine. First I engaged the alarm, which was equipped now with is own outside power source ever since the last time it failed. Next, I turned on just about every light in the house, regardless of whether I’d be using the room or not. If it was even a little bit cold, which it almost always was, I lit a nice big fire. And last of all I slept with my door locked… and the Sig Sauer XM17 pistol Jason had given me tucked securely under my pillow.
As lonely as I was, I got a lot done. I ate on the road, moving constantly between the main construction site, the new lots, and the main office. Cindy was happy to see me, and it felt like old times while I was there. She might not fully understand what I was going through, but she knew enough of my situation to know the guys were away on what I referred to as ‘assignment’.
“You can always stay with me,” she hinted with a smile. “If you can stand the noise of commuter trains rocking the apartment walls every forty-five minutes on the hour.”
I smiled politely and told her I’d think about it, even though I knew I never would. The same went for Melissa’s invitation, who was a little more demanding in insisting I stay with her and her husband. But that wasn’t going to happen, because I didn’t want to impose.
“C’mon,” she jabbed. “I stayed with you the last time you were alone!”
“For a few measly days,” I jabbed back. “But not on the day.”
The day I was referring to, of course, was the same day Markus Ladrone’s right-hand man broke in through our front door. Had one of my lovers not been monitoring the house and looking out for it, the man I knew only as ‘Daniels’ might’ve gotten the best of me. Instead, he’d been driven off in a bloody knife-fight, saving me in the process.
And that was the night I got to meet the fourth great love of my life, Jason Briggs.
“Fine, I’ll be there Friday,” said Melissa with a sigh. “This time you get the popcorn, and I pick
out the movies.”
I started to tell her not to bother, but I really wanted the company. Even if it was just for a night or two, it would definitely raise my spirits. I’d have to get her husband something this time around, though. Maybe send him a gift, a way of thanks for letting me borrow his wife.
The following days found me in a much better mood. Partially because I was looking forward to Friday, but also because I’d heard from Kyle. He and Ryan had arrived safely at their destination, and were putting together a search and rescue team immediately. He didn’t offer any additional information — not over the unsecured sat-phone anyway — and I was smart enough not to ask.
Finally the week ended, and I was ecstatic about having Melissa as a visitor. I realized the house was virtually devoid of food, so I stopped at the supermarket to stock up on snacks. Maybe even a few baking products too, in case we decided to whip up something sweet.
I was deep in aisle three, picking through four different brands of evaporated milk, when I looked up… and my breath caught in my throat.
It was Dawn.
Nineteen
SAMMARA
My first instinct was to back away, to hide or get out of there before she saw me. Then I thought: what the hell am I hiding from? and went right back to picking out what I needed… while keeping her perfectly centered in the field of my peripheral vision.
She looked like shit. That was the first thing I noticed when looking at her. Drawn and haggard and much thinner than when I’d last seen her three years ago, she looked like she just rolled out of bed… and wasn’t getting much sleep to begin with.