Page 26 of The General's Captive

He scoffed a laugh, instantly regretting it because he hugged a hand to his side, telling me, “Do me a favor, stop making me laugh.”

I grinned at him in the mirror and said, “I make no promises.” Then with a wink I put the car into drive, feeling a sense of freedom I hadn’t experienced in what felt like forever. My optimism finally popped its head up and made an appearance for the first time in ages.

I didn’t know how long it was until I broke the silence first.

“You okay back there?”

I saw him raise a hand that had been resting against his belly, telling me with a groan.

“Just peachy,” he said. Something that seemed to be a thing of his, along with me telling him that I would make no promises. Oh, and with him calling me Cute Girl and me calling him Action Man. See, we already had our own thing going on, so surely, he couldn’t get rid of me now. I nearly said this but thought it wise not to push the subject yet.

“Those drugs kicked in, I take it?”

“Yeah, in my fucking balls.”

I had to laugh.

“You could do with eating something or you might start to feel sick,” I advised.

“Too late,” he grumbled.

I fished around in my backpack and grinned when I saw them, before tossing them over my shoulder.

“Ha ha… funny, Cute Girl,” he said, making me really grin and yes, there might have been another flutter or two. Especiallywhen he tossed the flamin’ hot Cheetos back in the front, causing them to slide along the dash until they landed in my lap.

“I knew it! Too hot for you.”

He scoffed, but his smile told me he was enjoying our banter just as much as I was.

“Fine, try these,” I said, grabbing the trail mix and instead of throwing them at him, I twisted my arm around the back of my seat.

I didn’t miss the way his hand brushed against mine as he took them. As if he had done this on purpose as a silent way of saying thank you. Or was that just wishful thinking?

“And here I was being an ass and thinking you were useless.” He let out a short laugh and shook his head.

“Is that an apology I hear?” I asked, making him shrug slightly.

“It’s more like a lesson learned.”

“How so?” I pushed.

“To not judge a book by its cover… or its bad singing,” he added, making me whip my head around and protest,

“Hey! I am not that bad.”

“Babe, you were terrible,” he said smirking, and oh my god him calling me babe was something I could get used to. “But I guess you have skills in other places.”

I rolled my eyes and said dryly, “Jeez, thanks, you will be asking me to marry you next.”

He laughed.

“How did you learn how to do all that stuff anyway?” he asked, and I could tell he really wanted to know, and this wasn’t just a way to make conversation.

“I wanted to be a vet.”

He scoffed a laugh, shocking me enough to ask, “What?”

“Jesus, please tell me I wasn’t some wounded dog in your mind.”