Page 32 of Cloudless

PATIENCE

LILA

The tips of my fingers tingle as butterflies take flight in my belly because of the man standing in front of me. I’m proud of my composure as my eyes roam over the shiny, black truck in my driveway. “Did you get a new truck while I wasn’t looking, Trouble?”

His smile shines brightly with the evening sun as he runs his fingers through his hair. I wonder how many times he’s done that today since the normally styled waves stick in every direction. “Wyatt was nice enough to let us borrow his truck for the night.”

My eyebrows practically disappear into my hairline. “And why exactly do we need his truck?”

His smile transforms into his usual smirk as his voice quiets to a whisper. “You’ll see.”

I raise a brow in question as I push the sleeves of my sweater up my arms. “Does it have anything to do with why you told me to dress warm?”

His eyes linger on me as he examines me from head to toe. “Maybe.” A quick glance at his watch has his feet moving quickly in my direction. “We need to get going if we’re going to make it in time.”

He opens the passenger door and extends a hand that I don’t hesitate to take. “I’m guessing you’re not going to tell me why we’re in a rush?”

“Nope.” He pops the ‘p’ before he closes the door in my face. I don’t miss the gentle caress of his fingers against my palm.

I breathe in the new car smell as my eyes roam over the massive truck. A lone white scuff on the dashboard the size of my pinky nail stands out against the dark gray interior.

A red handled glass breaker and seatbelt cutter combo sits in the tray that I would fill with junk before I even left the car dealership.

The vast gray expanse of the backseat is only interrupted by a red cloth cooler that’s covered in half peeled stickers and dark scuff marks. I assume the handle was white at one point.

I face forward in my seat as I rub my growing headache from my temples.

The driver's door opens to surround me in the familiar sounds of my neighborhood before the truck bounces as Kam effortlessly folds himself in the driver's seat. His eyes rake over me as they flash with concern. “You okay, Sunshine?”

“Yeah. My shift last night just took a lot out of me. How long has Wyatt had this thing, anyway?”

He shrugs as he slams the driver’s door, the click of his seat belt snapping in place reverberates through the quiet space.

His eyes flick to my fastened seat belt as he twists the key to start the engine.

“I don’t know. Maybe two or three years.

” He checks the mirrors before pulling away from my driveway.

My eyes nearly bug out of my head. “Two or three years? There’s no way he’s had this thing for more than a month! It still smells brand new!”

His eyes light up with laughter. “I know, right! You should see his bedroom. Ranger’s got a bit of OCD.” A scowl transforms his face in seconds. “Uh, on second thought, maybe you shouldn’t see his bedroom.”

My voice turns teasing as he fidgets in his seat. “I have no desire to see Wyatt’s bedroom, Trouble.”

A relieved breath escapes his lips like he actually thought that was a possibility. “Good. That’s good.”

His long-sleeved, black shirt is rolled up to his elbows, giving me the perfect view of his forearms as he drives with only his right hand.

I wonder if men know how many women love that sort of thing? Do you think they do it on purpose?

I’m transfixed by every muscle strain as he takes every curve out of my neighborhood with confidence.

The fingers of his free hand drum along the top of the window frame as his diligent eyes scan the road.

His impossibly long legs look normal compared to the large floorboard of Wyatt’s truck. Dark jeans mold to his legs like they were crafted just for him as he deftly operates the pedals.

The blur of my neighborhood through the driver’s side window acts as a backdrop as I trace the outline of his profile with careful eyes.

A crease forms between his eyebrows as he turns toward me. “You okay over there?”

A rogue wave of heat travels over my face and down my neck as I realize I've been caught ogling him. “Oh, uh, yeah. I’m fine. Totally fine. Really.” My fingers fumble with the air vent in front of me as I redirect some much needed air on my overheated face.

His laugh pulls a smile from my lips. “Just making sure. You look a little flushed.”

Surprise halts my response as he takes a left turn away from downtown instead of the expected right. “We’re not going to town?”

He shakes his head as an unusual smile blooms on his face. If I didn’t know any better, I would say Kamden Stryker is nervous. “Definitely not going downtown.”

I settle back into my seat and cross my legs. “Now I’m really curious.”

His nervous smile turns into his usual smirk. “Patience, Sunshine. Patience.”

Thirty minutes later, Kam pulls off the two-lane road we’ve been on for the past ten minutes. Dust billows behind us as the tires sink into the dirt road.

The tiredness brought on by the smooth movements around the curves of the road vanishes as my head swivels around us. The trees grow dense on either side of the truck as we bump along the dirt road. “Is this where you take people to kill them?”

Genuine humor lights his eyes as his booming laugh fills the cabin of the truck. “It wouldn’t be smart to tell you, now would it?”

I mimic his smile as he navigates the winding turns like a pro. “You’re not giving me much confidence in my situational awareness.”

His voice has a lightness I’m not sure I’ve heard from him before. “You don’t need any if you're with me.”

My head falls back against the headrest as the road turns into a steep incline. “Wyatt is going to hate what this is probably doing to his truck.”

His eyes turn mischievous as the sound of rocks hitting the bottom of the truck fills the space. “We’ll run it through the carwash after we get done. It’ll be good as new.” As we near the crest of the hill, he whispers, “Close your eyes, Sunshine.”

I comply without hesitation. “I hope you realize how much trust it takes for me to go along with this.”

I can hear the smile in his voice as I willingly plunge myself into darkness. “It’ll be worth it.”

The truck rocks back and forth on the uneven ground before I feel us level out and finally come to a stop.

The engine shuts off and plunges us into silence as he says with a gentle voice, “We’re here, but don’t open your eyes.”

His door opening and closing rocks the truck as he leaves me alone, surrounded by the darkness of my own making.

A cool breeze washes over me as he opens my door. The sounds of birds in the surrounding trees is like a balm to my overstimulated soul.

I jump as Kam’s warm hand envelopes mine. His chuckle vibrates through me as his fingers tighten around mine. “Sorry. Probably should have warned you.”

My foot slides along the floor mat until I find the drop off that might as well be fifty feet. “This is way more terrifying than it should be.”

Strong hands wrap around my waist and pluck me from the car like I weigh nothing. An involuntary squeak sneaks from my lips as I become airborne.

My feet land on solid ground as his fingers intertwine with mine as his laughter flows through the air. “Just take slow steps. Yes, just like that.”

He guides me over the uneven terrain as I cling to him. “Don’t let me fall.”

“Never.” I can hear the hint of a smile in his voice as he brings me to a stop. His breath tickles my ear as he bends down to whisper, “Open your eyes.”

I suck in a quick breath as I open my eyes to a vast expanse of rolling hills. The thick trees are bathed in various shades of pinks and oranges from the setting sun.

Patches of grass and scattered barns dot the horizon as small black shapes move along the open fields. I struggle to catch my breath as the beauty of the land around us overwhelms me. “Oh, Kam. This is beautiful.”

“Yeah. It really is.”

The strange undertone of his voice has me looking his way to find him with his eyes on me instead of the view in front of us. “Don’t look at me. You’ll miss the sunset.”

A grin takes over his face. “I don’t need to look at the sunset when I have something more breathtaking standing right in front of me.” His smile only grows with my confusion. “You’re not just my sun shine . You’re my sun set .”

My voice is barely a whisper. “And why is that?”

“Because you’re my favorite time of day.” His voice is quiet as he admits, “Sunset used to be my favorite time of day. Now my favorite is anytime I’m with you.”

The vulnerability shining bright in his eyes pours new life into me.

He clears his throat as he uses his thumb to point to the back of the truck that's facing the view. “Want to see the rest of your surprise?”

My eyebrows rise as my eyes roam over the covering over the back of the truck. “There’s more?”

The sunset reflecting in his eyes adds to his beauty. “So much more.”