I’d just openly admitted that I was in a relationship and knew the two of them could have a field day with it, only that didn’t faze me.
“You’re dating Chloe Rigdon?” Spinning around to look behind me, I saw our rookie, Nolan Ricky, shifting his gaze between the three of us. He was wet behind the ears, still wearing that amazed look on his face every single time he stepped inside the station. But all in all, he was an all right guy. “Are you?”
“Yeah.” He shifted on his feet, and I noticed the way he gripped the fork he was holding a little tighter. “Why?”
“I know her is all.” He must have thought I was a fool. “We went to school together and hung out.” I waited for more, because I knew without a doubt there was more.
Silence settled over the room as I continued to stare at Nolan.
“Oh shit.” Will chuckled, and the sound off his fork hitting his plate echoed like an alarm through the space. “You nailed Landon’s girl, didn’t you?”
My stomach bottomed out. I felt nauseous as an image of Nolan and Chloe hit me hard.
“No way.” I stood, and the kid took a step back like he thought I was going to lunge for him or something. “No fucking way.”
“It was a long time ago.” Nolan held out his hand like that would stop me had I truly chosen to punch him. This fuck saw my girl naked; he’d touched her. Yes, it was before me, but still, that shit wasn’t sitting well. “We were seventeen, and it only happened once. We were inexperienced and it was—”
“Rookie deflowered your girl.” Will was laughing so hard he was bent over holding his stomach. “Classic,” he got out between fits. “Oh, that is fucking great. Since he won’t share any details, Nolan, you tell us…is she wild?”
I wasn’t sure what to do first. Punch the little shit that took my girl’s virginity or Will for asking for details.
“If any of you fuckers spill one word about Chloe, I swear I will break you.” I pointed to each of them. “I will make it so your own fucking mother doesn’t recognize you. Don’t test me.”
None of them said a word, just watched me and waited.
Storming from the room, I realized my happy-as-fuck mood was gone. I was pissed, not at Chloe, but at the idea of her with another man. A man I had to see every time I came to this station. A guy I had to train and mentor, a guy that now every time I thought of gave me visions I never wanted to have.
***
“Where are we going?” I stared ahead and sang along to the radio, ignoring her continuous questions of our plans. “Are you just gonna keep driving without giving me even the slightest hint?”
Nodding my head, I kept my eyes on the road. Maybe this trip I’d planned for us might have been misguided. The thought of Chloe and Nolan was too much; it was eating at me. I had to get away, take her to a place away where I knew it was only us. It was dumb. I knew this—hell, their time was before me, long before me. The problem was I couldn’t get the images out of my mind. I think she’d picked up on it, too, because I sure hadn’t explained the drive behind this trip.
“You’re messing up my hair.” I didn’t have to look at her to know she was more than likely smiling. “If you aren’t telling me where you are taking me, you could at least roll up the window so I’m not a mess by the time we get there.”
I moved my head toward the control on the door and allowed my thumb to hover over the switch. Glancing in her direction, I grinned when I saw her blonde hair whipping around her face as she tried to gather it all in her hands. Moving my finger a little lower, I pushed the control to both windows, and instead of rolling them up, I lowered them all the way.
Immediately, her gaze shifted to mine, and she glared, going for the evil eye that only made me laugh. She couldn’t do intimidating, not with me anyway. My Kitten, she didn’t scare me.
Narrowing my own, I glared back at her, daring her to do something about it. A few seconds passed, and when I saw a smile pulling at the corner of her mouth, I knew there was no hope of her remaining irritated.
Then releasing her hold on her hair, she allowed it to blow around her face and mumbled, “Hell with it.” With a shrug of her shoulders, she reached out and turned up the radio, singing along loudly.
The entire scene solidified just how perfect this girl was. My chest grew tight, and though I was still having a real hard time with the idea that any man had ever touched her but me, I knew I had to get over it.
Reaching out, I threaded my fingers through hers and pulled her hand over to rest it with mine on my thigh.
“Now are you gonna tell me where we’re going?”
All I’d said when I told her we had plans was to pack enough clothes for a couple days. I had my first seventy-two hours off, and the only one I wanted to spend them with was Chloe. She was able
