“Knew.” He nodded. “You ready to drive this beast home? I’ll follow you?”
“Sure.”
I grasped the keys with the fancy new clicker and hit the button. The lights flashed and the car made a noise as the doors unlocked. “Oh, I like that. I like that so much!”
Slash chuckled and brushed a finger along my cheek. “You’re easy to please.”
“Right, never mind the new car itself.” My skin flushed from his casual touch. “Am I allowed to ask?”
“Ask what?”
“How you were able to pay for the car without even thinking about it? And how you tried to put it on a black AMEX…”
He peered at me for a moment and then said, “Can we talk about it at your place?”
“You’ll tell me?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay.”
His hand dropped from my face, and he went over to the driver’s side. He opened the door and waited for me to get in. “No speeding, no matter how much you want to.”
“Vroom vroom,” I teased.
He shut the door, and I set my purse on the passenger seat next to me. I was about to try and slide the key into the ignition and start the car up when I remembered it was a push-button start.
I could get used to this.
God, I couldn’t believe the man had bought me a new car. I hadn’t fought him at all over it. Sure, I’d been indignant for all of five seconds, but he’d taken me from worrying about how to pay to get my flat fixed, to not worrying about the car ever again.
I felt a wee bit guilty. Maybe if we were in an actual relationship, it would feel less like charity and more like…
Security.
Protection.
Love.
Love has no business here.
I drove home, checking my rearview mirror every now and then to confirm Slash was following me. Today had been a perfect day, and it had been so long since that had happened to me. It had been easy and fun.
Slash parked the sedan next to my car behind the bakery. I climbed out and hit the clicker to lock the doors. Slash’s amusement was stamped across his face.
“Something to drink?” I asked when we got up to my apartment.
“Nah, I can’t stay long. I’ve got to get back to the clubhouse.”
I nodded, nibbling my lip.
“You asked how I could afford a new car,” he said.
“Yeah.” I leaned against the kitchen counter and waited for him to explain.
“I’ve spent fifteen years on the road as a Nomad…not paying rent or a mortgage. No utilities, no insurance. None of that shit. I’ve saved pretty much everything I’ve earned from being part of the club. So, I’ve got a bit of a nest egg.”
“And it’s burning a hole in your pocket?” I asked.