Page 60 of Warrior's Walk
He barks out a laugh. “I actually have a second bedroom. And yes, you’ll be using it for more than clothing storage.”
Killjoy.
“Let’s get her settled and we’ll leave and come back first thing tomorrow morning.”
“Riggs, I can’t thank you enough. I needed this.”
His throat slides as he stares into my eyes. “I know you did, soldier. I refuse to let you slip away. I’ve got you.”
Fucking tears again! I swallow them back and nod.
When my mama is settled in for the night, we take off in Riggs’s truck. “How far out of town do you live?” I ask after passing our third exit on the interstate.
“Just after this next exit. Wait until you see the view in the morning. Kind of hard tonight, with it being dark already.”
I take a deep breath and hold it in my chest, waiting for my heartbeat to slow before breathing out. Less than an hour ago, Icould barely get the thing to beat for how slow and depressed I felt, and now it’s threatening to come out of my chest, pounding away like a jackhammer from excitement and my nerves. I’m not sure how long my mama plans to stay, but I have at least a week with Riggs in his home. A week to convince him I’m a good bet, a solid guy, and serious about my recovery. Yeah, the last couple of days my motivation was slightly derailed, but this is my chance. If I want this man, and I do, I need to make sure he finds me absolutely irresistible.
I’ve got this. Even with a shattered leg, grief, and depression threatening to swallow me, and no future prospects, I can be charming as fuck.
When I look over, he’s watching me, and he looks a bit worried.
“Your mama is really excited to be here, to spend time with you and to take care of you, but maybe you could keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn’t push herself too hard.”
It’s like he’s giving voice to the quiet fears in my head, the ones getting louder every time I talk to her, setting off warning bells when I saw her tonight. “You think there’s something wrong with my mama? She’s got me worried.”
“I think maybe you need to talk to her, one-on-one, without me around. See if she’ll open up to you.” Anything concerning my mama sends me into a panic. Riggs notices, looking over at me when he stops at the red light. “Hey, whatever it is, we’ll get through it.”
We’ll?Does he realize he’s including himself in my problems? The same guy that told me it’s complicated, that he’s not interested in a relationship. But the idea he’s all in with me makes me feel less scared to face my future, to face the possibility that something might be wrong with my mama, or that I may never find a better job than tending bar.
The thing is, with Riggs, I really don’t have to try to be charming. He seems to like me best when I’m just being myself.
Minutes later, Riggs pulls his truck down a long, gravel drive and parks in front of a small beige house landscaped with short grass and trimmed hedges. The house doesn’t have much personality save for the landscaping, but Riggs mentioned the view, and I bet it’s spectacular.
I grab my bag and my crutches and follow him inside. Thank God it’s one story and I don’t have to navigate any stairs.
“The place is small, but I didn’t buy it for the layout,” Riggs explains. He continues toward the sliding glass doors that lead to the back deck, and I drop my bag and follow him outside.
“You’ve got a hot tub?” Even though it’s dark, the glow from the moon is enough to illuminate a partial view of the valley below. I can make out dark shadows, the sound of rushing water, and the sounds of the nightlife coming alive. An owl hoots in the distance, crickets buzz, and a squirrel runs across the deck. “Can I rent a room here? Hell, I’m not leaving!”
Riggs laughs. “I figured you’d say something like that. I know it’s late, but do you want to get in?”
Hope soars. “Is this a trick question? Are you joining me?”
“Yeah, I’ll join you for a minute. Did you bring a bathing suit?”
“No. You didn’t mention anything about needin’ one. Can I just borrow one of yours?”
Riggs looks away and then down at his shoes. “We can do it another night.”
“Seriously? You won’t let me borrow your bathing suit? Did I miss the part where I have a contagious skin rash?”
“No,” he chuckles. “I don’t have any. I don’t wear one when I soak.”
Instant fucking boner. “Well, then, I don’t need one either,” I say casually, playing it off like it’s nothing.
Riggs chuckles harder. “Good night, soldier. Don’t stay up too late.”
He disappears inside, and after a minute more, I follow. Grabbing my duffel, I search out my room and pull my sleep pants out of my bag. The bed is soft, made up with black sheets and a gray comforter. My head hits the pillow, and I release a tired sigh, letting go of everything—the long day, the excitement of my mama’s visit, the sexual tension with Riggs, and the loneliness I feel over saying goodbye to my team, again.