“A few. This is a love-hate world we live in babe. We take care of the ones who love us. We watch out for them and they watch out for us. We take care of one another. It’s a brotherhood. As for the ones who hate us, well if they have a good reason to, then we try to come to an understanding, but some just hate us because of the power we have.”
“And just how much power do you have?” I asked him curiously. I mean really. What could they do? Move mountains or some shit? “Enough,” he said smirking. “You sleepy?” I let out another ridiculously long yawn and nodded my head. I had gone from being poisoned to bed rest to a bitch with a gun who had warned off a bunch of bikers. I was tired.
“I bet you think I sleep more than anyone you have ever met,” I said trying to smile my adorably cute sleepy smile, although I was sure I looked like an idiot.
He smirked, “Nah, I’m just boring.”
“You are a lot of things Mr. Carmical, but boring is not one of them,” I said curling up on the seat and resting my head on the window. Luke grabbed my feet and pulled them into his lap, forcing my head to lie down on the passenger seat. He took off my shoes and with one hand on the wheel, began massaging my feet through my socks. “That feels good,” I mumbled.
He tuned the radio to a classic country station and turned up the volume. I fell asleep with the words from The Possums “He Stopped Loving Her Today” in my ears and the skilled hands of Luke on my body.
Chapter 22
In every romance movie I have ever seen, the woman always wakes from a nap well rested and looking strikingly beautiful. Well, this was certainly not a movie. I woke up when Luke shut the truck door only to open another one and grab my bags out of the back seat to haul them in. I saw that he had my luggage from The Abbey and I was happy to know that he thought of everything. I sat up and a puddle of drool had formed on my forearm.
Thank God Luke had walked inside and I had a minute to get myself together. I wiped my mouth on my shirt, trying to twist the wet spot on my sleeve so that it wasn’t noticeable. Flipping down the mirror, I groaned as I saw the lines in my face that had formed from my wrinkled shirt. Man I looked like shit. I scrambled from the truck and made my way inside.
“Ooh baby, you look like shit,” Tiny said meeting me at the door. He pulled me into his arms and I went willingly. Something about him made me feel nurtured. “I’m proud of you,” he said leaning down and resting his head on top of mine. I nodded into his chest and he let me go, turning me toward the door and ushering me in. “Luke! I found this stray wandering around your garage.” He yelled to Luke who was somewhere in the house.
“What?” Luke asked rounding the corner. His face was scrunched up in confusion. Tiny pointed at me and Luke softened. “That’s no stray. She belongs here,” he said coming to me and planting a kiss on my forehead.
“We’ll be in the clubhouse if you need us,” Tiny said and headed out.
“My baby has had a rough day. What do you need? I am at your beck and call,” Luke said holding my face in his hands.
“You have been at my beck and call since we met,” I said my voice still thick with sleep. I had only prayed for one damsel in distress moment. God was an over-achiever.
“I like taking care of you. It makes me happy-happy- happy.”
I smiled. Luke watched way too much T.V.
“How long do you want me to stay?” I asked looking up into his beautiful, smiling eyes.
“Forever,” he answered shrugging as if it were obvious.
“I mean I have to go home and get some things if I’m going to be here a while,” he smiled. “I’ll take you home tomorrow. Right now there is someone who is dying to see you.”
He let go of me and opened the kitchen door. Neo came charging at me, sliding on the slick wooden floors. “Neo!” I said dropping to my knees so I could take him in my arms. His tail wagged and he licked me, squirming in my arms then cutting out through the house showing his excitement. He rounded the kitchen and came back through the opposite side that connected from the living room and barreled into me once again. Neo had learned his way around here. The thought made me smile.