Page 16 of The Biker's Brother

“Exactly.”

“I need to take a shower.”

“You smell fine.”

“First, how would you know? And, second, that’s not the point!”

“Four minutes.”

She pulled herself up, went to the bathroom, and brushed a hand over her hair.

When she came out, he said, “One minute.”

Without changing clothes, she pushed her feet into her boots and said, “Fine. How’s this?” She stood there in her tartan pajama bottoms, combat boots, multiple sweaters and knit hat.

“Not for me to say. This is not a fashion show,” he responded drily.

She pursed her lips. “You got an umbrella?”

“You won’t melt.”

“Ugh! What is wrong with you?”

Brandon stopped for a second, thinking that maybe his attitude did need some adjusting.

“Just concentrating on vigilance is all. I’m not trying to make your life suck. I’m trying to make sure you have a life. After this is over, whether or not it sucks will be largely up to you.”

He walked into the kitchen, banged through the cabinets until he found the large garbage bags and brought one to her.

Understanding the gesture as a kindness, she took the black plastic square gratefully and began unfolding it.

“I’ll be back for you when I’ve got the bags in the car.”

“Okay.”

Two minutes later Brandon instructed Cami to lock the cottage front door while he kept watch. When she returned the key to its hiding spot, he ushered her to the car as fast as possible without worrying about cover from the rain for himself.

When he slid into the driver’s seat and started the car, she said, “You’re drenched.”

Without looking at her, he said, “In a few minutes, when the engine’s warm, I’ll aim some warm air my direction.”

She shook her head. “That’s not going to dry you off. How are you going to protect me if you get the flu? You’re not invincible you know.”

“Getting wet doesn’t give you the flu,” he said as he pulled out onto the road. “It might make me a little uncomfortable, but it doesn’t make my immune system more vulnerable. Influenza is caused by a virus. Rain clouds don’t carry viruses. People do.”

“Well, thank you for the lesson, science guy,” she said sarcastically.

“You really thought that getting wet makes you sick? Do you also think the Sun circles the Earth?” His brief grin was a little charming even if it was seated in ridicule.

She narrowed her eyes. “I’ll put my education up against yours any day.”

Brandon grew serious as he studied the pattern the headlights made on the dark road ahead.

“You might not want to do that. You don’t know much about me.”

“So you’re saying you’re that famed but elusive poet slash philosopher who chooses to work as a longshoreman because he believes we’re intended to work with brain, body, and spirit?”

He glanced over at her face dimly reflected in the dashboard lights and screwed up his face.