Chapter 10 Taji Sloane
TAJI SLOANE
Fear curled my insides as I struggled to get free. Everything was dark.
My entire body was hurting and something heavy was sitting on my chest. I clawed against the hands holding me down, screaming as much as my limited air would allow, while trying to sit up.
“Taji.”
“No, please.” I muttered. “Please—oh God!”
“Sweetheart.” The voice was soft. “It’s me. It’s Trucker—Mayson. Don’t be afraid, okay? You’re safe.”
“Please…”
“It’s okay, Sprite. You’re safe.”
Opening my eyes and seeing his face was like walking into the most beautiful sunset.
The smile on his lips hadn’t reached his concerned eyes. The worry in them as he tried getting me to breathe, to trust him—
I trust this man.
Without being clear, I know, I trust this man.
Without thinking, I surged upward and wrapped my arms around him and buried my face into his neck.
He didn’t question anything.
Trucker didn’t ask what I was doing, why I was doing it—none of that.
He simply held me to his hard chest, exhaled as if he hadn’t breathed in years and held me tighter.
My panic still sat on my chest like an elephant.
Trucker rubbed my back while whispering comforting words to me.
“Mayson?” Sobs rocked my body. “Mayson.”
“I’m right here, Sprite.” He told me, pulling me closer. “I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”
“Don’t let go.” Taji cried. “Okay—please? Don’t let go.”
I clung to him as best I could, but I didn’t need to worry. Trucker re-wrapped his arms around my frame and held onto me as if I belonged to him.
He had to be tired from holding me so tightly—but the force of his embrace was heaven to me.
It was a safety zone I wasn’t used to and hadn’t felt before.
In that moment, I needed precisely that—the strength of this man, the smell of him, the feel of him.
I didn’t expect it, but it took me some time to want to leave his arms. Even as I eased back to look up into his eyes, I didn’t want him to let me go.
Trucker didn’t try getting away and when I leaned forward for another hug, he allowed me to cuddle into his chest.
Inhaling deeply, I tried memorizing his scent, loving the way he smelled and felt against me.
When I finally had it together, I released him.
“Want to talk about it?” I asked.
“Eventually.” I managed. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“You didn’t. I was coming back from my run.”
“Really?” I turned to look at the time. “I didn’t realize what time it was. Let me take a shower and I can make you some breakfast.”
Trucker smiled at me.
“You don’t have to cook for me.” He told me. “Maybe you should get some more sleep. I mean, after that wake-up call, you deserve at least another hour, don’t you think?”
“I have to get up.” I told him. “I have a client meeting at eight anyway.”
“You can’t cancel it?”
“I already did—three times because he had to travel for work.” I offered him a tired look. “The truth is, I’d love nothing more than crawling back under the covers—well, maybe there is one thing I ‘d love more.”
“What’s that?”
“Crawling back under the covers with you.” I admitted while picking at the corners of my fingers until they were sore. “But like I said. I need to get up.”
“Okay—as long as you’re up for this.”
I promised him I was, and Trucker gently touched my cheek before wandering out.
The moment I was alone in the bathroom, I felt like an idiot.
The nightmares were under control.
I thought they were.
Then I started having these feelings for Trucker and here comes the darkness again. I hid until I was sure he was gone, then dressed and hurried down the stairs to find he’d made breakfast and left me a note.
I hope your day goes better today. Have something to eat—I find the day looks up after a good breakfast. I was waiting for a kiss, but you were busy. Call if you need me—I’ll make sure I have my phone on me.
See you later.
Trucker
I felt like an ass.
I wanted a kiss too.
Still, I enjoyed what he’d made for me then delved into getting work done. Lunch time found me at the training grounds. I made him some lunch and carried it with me.
Esther was already there in a barely-there outfit, and I wanted to punch her in the nose again.
Still, I couldn’t help feeling like a grandmother.
Her dress was short, hugging her curves. Though she wore entirely too much makeup, I could still see the men chasing after her.
Trucker hurried over, sweaty but smiling.
I reached up to wipe some mud from his cheek causing him to laugh as he gripped my hips and spun us around. He leaned heavily against the cooper, paying me his undivided attention.
“Did you miss me?” He asked cheekily.
I pouted and smacked his arm.
“I’m here bringing you food.” I told him. “I felt kind of bad that I hid from you this morning.”
“That’s what you were doing?” Trucker tilted his head to one side, grinning at me. “I couldn’t tell.”
“Trucker.” I rested my forehead to the center of his chest.
“Hm?”
“You’re a lot.” I admitted.
“I know.” Trucker replied. “You’re not the first person to tell me that. And you probably won’t be the last. Actually—you definitely won’t be the last.”
“Oh God. I’m really sorry I said—"
“I didn’t take offence to it.” He told me. “Like I said. I’ve heard that before.”
When I lifted my head, he smiled at me then allowed his eyes to look down my body and up again.
“What?” I questioned.
“You said you brought me food.” He inched even closer. “Did you mean food, or food?”
That made me giggle.
Knowing Esther was staring, I leaned into his chest and rested my cheek against his shoulder. Trucker wrapped his arms around me, giving me that same safe feeling he’d made me feel that morning when my attack caused the demons to fill my head.
Sighing, I took that comfort.
“Can you stay and eat with me?” He asked.
“Would you like that?”
“Yes.” Trucker admitted.
“Then sure. But can we stay like this for a few more seconds?”
He tightened his embrace around me.
“What kind of question is that?” Trucker asked. “Of course. Besides, standing like this gives me a chance to feel your boobs.”
I laughed out loud.
“Stop that!” I giggled then stepped back.
Trucker grabbed the package from the back of my car, took my hand and led me over to the lawn area. We ate together, enjoying the cool breeze that swirled around us from the trees behind us.
“Are you an only child?” Trucker wanted to know.
“Yeah.” I smiled. “I was an oops baby.”
“Your parents told you that?”
“Yup.” I laughed. “Every chance they got. My grandfather adored me though. I was Pop’s little girl. He taught me everything. How to ride a bike. How to change a flat. How to drive—what my period was.”
“Wait—didn’t your mother teach you that?”
“No.” I managed. “My mother didn’t even know I got my period earlier than most girls. Don’t get me wrong, my parents loved me. But sometimes I just felt as if I ruined their lives, you know?”
“How so?”
“My mother never lost the baby weight.” I shrugged. “She wasn’t ready to have kids—she wanted to travel a lot more.”
“You can have kids and still travel.” Trucker pointed out.
“I know that.” I replied. “You know that. When I was old enough to realize what was happening, she would stand in front of the mirror, tugging at her muffin top—or a picture of her before me would fall out of a box or something and we’d lose her to staring at it all afternoon.
She was so skinny before she got pregnant.
Like, I would see pictures of her and thought that if she turned sideways, she’d disappear.
I can’t remember catching my father being gentle with her or loving… ”
“That’s not your fault.” He encouraged me.
I shrugged. “What about you?”
“Street kid.” He replied. “My father was killed while my mother was pregnant, and she never really got over it. People told me his death made her check out.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. After about five years of struggling with me, she handed me over to a fire station and walked away.”
“I’m sorry.” I murmured.
“It’s okay.” Trucker straightened his leg. “I was lucky to have a grandmother who went for me after she found out where I was. But at least, she handed me to people who would make sure I was good.”
“But she didn’t know that.”
“But still.”
I sighed.
“Is that why you’re a firefighter?” I asked, softly. “To save others like they saved you?”
He looked at me thoughtfully for a moment.
“Maybe.” He admitted. “But I’ve always had this thing inside me.
I went to school, and I passed what I needed but school was never my thing.
I didn’t think there would ever be a time when I’d dress in a suit and go into an office.
It was either this or military and I don’t do well with being ordered around. ”
I laughed softly. “You prefer giving the others.”
“Kind of.” Trucker shrugged. “There are times when I’d gladly take orders.”
“Really? When’s that?”
Trucker leaned forward and rested his chin on my shoulder.
I trembled.
“In your bed.” Trucker replied.
I moaned.
“You’re not a submissive, Trucker.” I reminded him. “With a body like yours? I don’t see it.”
“It has nothing to do with being submissive.” He sat back and met my gaze. “It’s a matter of trusting my woman. It’s a matter of giving her the control she needs to get off.”
“I don’t like imagining you with other women.”
“Then don’t.” Trucker hovered his mouth over mine. “Imagine me only with you.”
“Mayson.”
“I never lied to you, Sprite.” He growled. “Why are you surprised by the things I say?”
Silence.
“Mayson.” I whispered.
“Say my name again.”
“Mayson.”
He kissed me then, deeper and deeper until I couldn’t breathe.
Eventually, he had to go back to work, but Trucker did what he usually did when I stopped by. He carried what was left in the basket and walked me back to my car. This time, he held my hand, and I couldn’t help pretending he was mine.
Once he stashed the basket in the backseat, he stopped to kiss me and opened my door for me.
“I’ll see you tonight?” He asked.
“You know where to find me.” I grinned, bravely stealing another kiss.