Chapter 16
TAJI SLOAN
“You okay?”
I turned in time to watch Kaos pulled up the material at the thighs of his jeans then grunted as he sat on the step behind me.
Smiling, I nodded, sipped from the beer Trucker had handed me earlier then nodded.
Finding out who my rapist was still had me in shock.
Whereas I wanted to beat him to death, I know I needed to stay calm.
“I don’t think the full reality of what happened—well, it hasn’t really slammed into my chest yet.”
“I’m not worried.” Kaos told me. “You’re strong. I mean, you’re dealing with our Trucker. You have to be strong.”
I laughed.
“He’s not so bad.” I blushed. “He’s doing the best he can—it’s not every day your girlfriend tells you that kind of thing.”
“You thought he’d balked?”
“Honestly?” I asked, thinking about what I thought. ‘I don’t— yes.”
Kaos nodded then stared out across the yard to where the trees started. He said nothing and for a while I thought I’d offended him.
After all, Trucker was one of his best friends, a friend he’d inherited from Zoom.
Laughter erupted from inside the house, followed by what I assumed was someone slamming their dominoes on my table. I could almost see the poor thing rattling.
I’d meant to change it years before—as it was my grandmother’s and it had seen better days.
I didn’t know if it would survive their little game.
“Don’t worry.” Kaos chuckled. “The table will be fine. This is what happens when you have friends you can’t take anywhere.”
I laughed.
Trucker was inside with Lennox, Andi and Moose.
It was a few weeks since Ryan and Esther had been arrested. And while Moose hadn’t been scheduled to do anything but visit his friends, he’d insisted on being the one to help Kaos with that problem.
Trucker had been by my side.
When the nightmares became the main event in my life, he held me through them.
I was still rattled.
Lately I’d been hiding it—I didn’t want Trucker feeling any kind of ways about what was happening.
This wasn’t on him.
“Listen, you don’t have to be scared.” Kaos told me. “I know, we just met, but I know Trucker. Whatever you need, you can go to him. And if it’s more of a thing a woman can handle and you feel more comfortable, Zoom—”
“I know. She’s offered to help. I just—he was right under my nose, Kaos.” I felt stupid. “He was right there, and I had no idea. How do I move on from that?”
Kaos sighed heavily.
“I don’t know.” He admitted. “I don’t have all the answers. You you may never get over it. That’s why we’re here.”
Smiling, I lifted my beer to him in a silent toast and sipped.
Later that night, the boys all went out and Andi decided to get some sleep in the RV she had parked behind my house. We didn’t have space inside for everyone. Though I would have preferred her use the sofa or camped inside, she only grinned at me.
“Aww come on, Sprite.” She teased. “I’ve slept in that camper in some very unsafe places. Trust me, your backyard is paradise. I’m stealing some of your snacks, though.”
I laughed and helped her carry some snacks to her camper.
It wasn’t large—but it was nice and could fit maybe a family of three comfortably.
She gave me the tour before going back to the house.
I gave her a couple bottles of water, just in case before a pause in the air.
I realized just how empty the place was going to be until the guys returned.
After getting some work done, I showered, lady-scaped then dug through my drawers for a nightgown. It couldn’t be one of my winter ones—it had to be something else.
It had to be a surprise for Trucker—I didn’t have much. The lingerie I’d purchased the day of my accident was out of the question. It wouldn’t be sexy losing my mind in the middle of our time together—and they’d definitely give me flashbacks.
Bad ones.
Setting the light, I closed the windows and pulled the curtains closed.
After checking the time, I crawled into bed and shifted around trying to find the perfect position to be in for him to enter the room.
I blinked.
When I looked up, the light was off, but sunshine was streaming into the room.
Blinking, I glanced up to find Trucker staring into my face.
“Good morning, beautiful.”
“Morning?” I asked. “What time is it?”
“Six thirty—about.”
“A-M?”
Trucker smiled. “Yes. What’s up?”
“Why didn’t you wake me when you got home?” I asked.
“Wake you?” He quirked a brow. “We came back late, and you looked so peaceful. Why?”
“Trucker, I wanted to—” I glanced down at my nightgown then back at him. “Well—”
“Is this for me?” His voice cracked.
Shyly, I nodded.
“Why didn’t you tell me you had plans for me?” He caressed my arm. “I wouldn’t have gone out.”
“It was last minute…I didn’t think about it until after you left.” I admitted. “And you were out with your friends.”
“Can I get a reign check?”
Trucker shimmied in to kiss my neck.
I giggled.
“Your friends are here.” I giggled while wrapping my arms around his shoulders. “I should make them breakfast. They’re awake.”
With his face still in my neck, Trucker groaned.
I laughed then lifted his face between my palms, stared into his eyes then kissed him deeply.
“It wasn’t a big deal.”
“Maybe not for you.” Trucker pouted. “But I was going to see your boobs.”
I laughed.
“You can always see my boobs.”
“Not right now.” He signed dramatically, pouting handsomely at me.
“Aww, you’re so cute!” I kissed him quickly. “Like I said. You can see my boobs anytime you want. The other things, we have to wait until the house is empty.”
Trucker perked up.
He used an index finger to gently tug at the front of my nightgown and peered in.
“Nice.” He grinned, nodding appreciatively.
I swatted his arm, playfully.
“Let’s get cleaned up and go down.” I told him. “It would be nice to have breakfast together before the others have to go. Andi is going to leave her camper here and stay with me for a few days before having to go back to work.”
“That’s nice.” Trucker rolled over to lay on his back with an arm under his head.
But even though I suggested getting up, I cuddled into his chest, feeling his warmth, memorizing his scent.
Once Kaos, Zoom and Moose left, Andi stuck around with Trucker. While she went about her days, I gave her access to my house in order to charge things for the camper and the like. I didn’t know how anyone lived like that.
She used the camper to travel to other towns during the summer, living in the thing when she’s not working.
Trucker surprised me by leaving a box on my bed with a dress, jewelry to match and a pair of brand new stilettos. When I opened the box and saw what was in it, all I could do was turn and smile at him before diving against his chest.
He laughed boisterously, hugged me back then told me to get dressed after a few kisses.
Without question, I showered, took great care in the way I smelled, the way I did my hair.
Trucker liked my neck and my shoulders, and I was careful to ensure he had access to both.
After dressing, I carefully descended the stairs.
“Oh—” Trucker exclaimed as he saw me. “I know you would look—wow.”
“Do you like it?”
He nodded.
“Aren’t you going to ask where we’re going?” Trucker wanted to know.
“I trust you—you look amazing.”
Licking my lips, I walked around him taking in everything.
His black suit seemed tailored for him.
It sat on his wide shoulders then bottomed at the front to show off his perfect waist. I paid particularly close attention to his ass but blushed when he noticed I was staring.
“I’m a very lucky woman, Mayson.” I told him.
“What makes you say that?”
“You’re mine.” My voice cracked.
He said nothing.
I clamped my palms over my mouth.
Tenderly, he held my shoulders until I looked up into his heated, brown stare.
“You didn’t say anything wrong.” He assured me before hugging me. “I love hearing I belong to you. But we have to go—reservations.”
Trucker took me to Hummingbird’s.
An elegant Jamaican restaurant that was a two-hour drive from Albright. It sat in Dourbon County on the ocean.
Though I had money, this place was so fancy, the wait list was two years long.
The waiter tried holding out my chair, but Trucker took over that job, and after he kissed my bare shoulder, I sat.
“Thanks.” I whispered.
He smiled and took his chair across from me.
The truth was, I felt out of place.
Trucker rested a warm hand on mine as if he could read my mind.
“Trucker!” A happy voice called. “You made it!”
Looking up, a man with a happy face, bright brown eyes and hair slicked back rushed over to greet my boyfriend.
Trucker grinned and stood to accept the hug he was given. The newcomer picked Trucker up, twirled him then sat him back on his feet.
They laughed.
“Oh—I’m sorry, Xu Shen, this is my girl, Taji Sloane.” Trucker introduced us. “Taji, Xu Shen.”
Rising I accepted the hand he extended and shook.
“Trucker shaved my life.” Xu Shen offered as if it was a normal thing.
Trucker was blushing, I could tell.
“He’s being dramatic.” Trucker replied. “It was a little smoke inhalation.”
“Maybe—but who figured out that I needed to be on oxygen?” Shen asked. “Those doctors would have never caught that.”
“Well, welcome to Hummingbird’s.” Shen told me as Trucker and I sat again. “Helen is going to be upset she missed you again. But I’m sure she sends her love.”
“Taji lives in Albright.” Trucker explained. “I come down a lot to see her.”
“Drinks one night?” Shen asked. “I have some Baijiu with your name on it!”
Trucker laughed. “Deal.”
“And your money is no good here.” Shen patted Trucker’s shoulder. “No complaints.”
“Got it.” Trucker replied.
“I like him.” I grinned when we were alone. “He seems like a good friend—like he’s good to you.”
“He is. He and his wife Helen lived close to our station house before. His brother set his place on fire—tried to kill him.”
I gasped, leaning in.
“Why?”
“He wanted all of the father’s inheritance, not half.”
“That is not cool.”
Our night at Hummingbird’s was perfection.
Mayson “Trucker” Calhoune was the perfect gentleman.
When the dancefloor opened after our dinner, he held me close and swayed me around the room. He stole kisses from my lips, my bare shoulders my neck. He held my lower back in that romantic way I liked.
His palm large and warm against my body.
I melted for him with no shame.
I cuddled into him, even closer. He tightened his arms around my body, and after a soul cleansing sigh, I looked up into his face.
“We should go home.” I moaned. “We have a long drive back.”
“Not tonight.” Trucker dropped his lips to my shoulder. “I booked us a hotel for the night—I figured we could stay the night, and I’d drive us back tomorrow after breakfast.”
“Oh.”
“You don’t want to.” Trucker released me and walked back to our table.
Quickly, I followed him and sat across his lap.
Wrapping my arms around him, I cuddled into his chest and sighed.
“What do you mean I don’t want to?” I asked.
“It’s just the way you—”
“Babe—of course, I wanna spend the night with you.” I smacked him. “What is this? I just didn’t want you driving back to Albright when you’re tired. But if we’re staying tonight, can I have another dance?”
Taking my hand, he led me back to the dancefloor.
Though I didn’t have clothes to change into, I didn’t mind. Trucker had me naked from the moment we entered our suite.
There was something about falling in love with a good man—a good person.
I wasn’t sure what it was about that feeling—maybe it was the way he touched me, the roughness of his hands, the gentle ways he looked at me, the taste of his kiss.
I gave myself to him that night—repeatedly then talked him into a late-night bath.
“Sprite?”
“Mm.”
“That thing with Ryan—I wanted to kill him.” Trucker confessed.
“Baby.”
“I didn’t want you seeing that side of me.” He added. “Sometimes I think about it and—I’m sorry I’m so possessive—”
“I get it.” I replied. “Shh. Tonight is for happy thoughts, right?”
“I don’t want to hide things from you. Ever.”
“Baby, I understood you’d be angry.” I turned as best I could in the tub to caress his cheek. “As the man who take me as his woman, you’d be angry. I understand.”
Trucker exhaled long and loud.
He kissed the side of my head and began scooping water up to pour over my shoulders.
Moaning, I leaned back into his chest.