Page 17 of War

What? I shook my head. “Oh, Hell no. Not in this rain. You'll get drenched or, even worse, you could fall. I'll take you home. Where do you live?”

“No, you don't have to take me home. I need my car to go to work in the morning.”

“I don't work tomorrow, I'll pick you up. What's your address?”

“Zion, you don't have to do that,” she protested.

“You can either give me your address or you can come home with me. Either way, I won't take you to that parking lot.”

I fiddled with the heat and turned it back on. Hot air finally blew into the cab. I sighed in relief.

Finally, Amantha gave me her address.

“Oh, I know those apartments,” I said. They weren't far away from where we were.

“Yeah. Luckily, I'm on the first floor. No stairs to worry about.”

I nodded. “That definitely worked out well. What time do you have to be at work in the morning?”

“I have to be there at 9. You really don't have to come get me. I can—”

I interrupted. “I'll be waiting outside your place at 8:30.”

I clicked on the turn signal and turned onto the road to her apartment building.

“Thank you for everything,” she said quietly.

“There's no need to thank me. And don't be shy. It doesn't suit you.”

Though I wasn't looking at her, I could feel her eyes on me.

“Okay.”

We pulled into the parking lot, which was well lit by outdoor lights.

“Which apartment is it?” I asked.

“2A. To the right.”

There was one parking space open along the sidewalk in front of her apartment. I pulled into it and shifted the truck to park.

“That door there?”

I pointed to a door set to the left under an alcove. A light burned brightly beside it and 2A was clearly visible.

“Yes,” she said.

“Okay. Stay where you are. I'll carry you in.”

She reached out and touched my arm.

I met her gaze.

“You don't have to do that. It's only a little water, and I'm not sweet enough to melt.”

I laughed. “That's cute. I'm still carrying you. Don't protest.”

I ducked out into the rain and closed my door. Quickly, I jogged around the truck. Water pooled on the pavement and sloshed with every move my feet made. It was freakin’ cold.