He said, “Tis against all of m’better judgement tae say aye?—”
I threw the car into reverse and pulled from the driveway. He gripped the dashboard and jerked forward and back as if I had peeled out. “Tis sorcery!”
I laughed, “You told me you time-traveled here by holding onto a little can-shaped vessel, and you think my car is sorcery?”
He had one hand on the dashboard, with his eyes averted towards the space between our seats. “They are both the dark arts and I am goin’ tae burn for eternity for havin’ done it.”
I looked both ways and pulled us out onto the road. “That is being overly dramatic.Thisis an invention, just like a carriage, and we are going to go to the market. If you want to close your eyes you can, or you can keep them open and enjoy the ride. It won’t hurt, I promise.”
He glanced up, then quickly averted his eyes again.
I cheerily said, “It’s right up here, we don’t need to go to the big store outside of town, this is a mom and pop right up the street. It’ll have what we need.”
He took a quick glance, then tucked his head again as I turned a corner. He muttered, “Och nae.”
I said, “Torin, I think you would get really comfortable if you just look. This is much safer than riding horses.”
“It canna possibly be true. How can I find ease when we hasten so swiftly?”
“We are only going forty miles per hour.”
He said, “Tis fine, I am comfortable, I just prefer tae ride this way.”
“Just sit straight in your seat and look, just look, I promise it will be okay.”
He slowly pulled his head up and settled straight in his seat and drew in a long breath and then exhaled. He had sweat rolling down his cheek from the angst.
I said, “See, I know it’s going fast, but check this out.” I pressed the button and rolled down my window.
He watched and then looked at his own door. He punched the button and rolled his window all the way down and then put his head out. The wind blowing through his shoulder-length hair, rustling the wolf fur trim on his cloak, his chin forward, the sun shining on his chiseled cheek and the tendon on the side of his thick neck, his wide shoulders, his biceps... he was so freaking hot, he was warming my insides. I looked away quickly. “There you go, that’s the spirit, and now we’re at the store.” I pulled into a space in the small parking lot.
Using big gestures that he could mimic, I unlatched my seatbelt and then waited for him to get his undone. Then I opened my door with the handle and he fumbled on his door until he figured it out.
He stepped from the car. Then he unbuckled his brooch and swept the cloak from his shoulders. He placed it on the seat of my car.
“Did you enjoy it?”
“Aye, that was verra fine, Mistress Lexi, I am glad ye convinced me that m’presence was necessary — dost I need m’broadsword?”
“Nope, and you have the long knife, right?”
“Aye, m’dirk.”
“You have your dirk, we should be fine.” I started walking across the lot.
He followed, saying, “But this is nae long enough for a—” Then he interrupted himself, “Och nae, it daena feel right, I need the broadsword,” and jogged back to the car.
I stood with my arms folded watching him as he navigated opening the car door, pulling out the sword belt, and strapping it around his hips.
He swaggered up to me.
Holy cannoli he was so hot, everything he did was making me yearn —what was I doing?I swept my hand through my hair and tried to focus on the task at hand.
16
LEXI
2004 - A SHOP IN BREVARD
