Feral grinned. “Nope. She’s a lot to handle, though. Does not like being told what to do or being kept on a short leash. Don’t know how she never got kicked out of the military before the Variant doctors got a hold of her.”
Titus laughed. “My kind of woman.”
“Good luck with that,” Feral said. He watched Titus as he walked away, making his way toward where Alison and Hail sat whispering to each other and laughing. He looked down at the chicken on the plate Titus had made for Alison, then at the large aluminum pans piled high with fried chicken. Those Titus had put on her plate were just as good as any other, but there were some that looked better. He returned the pieces Titus had chosen to the pans, and chose the most appetizing, completely batter covered, fried to golden perfection, best pieces for Alison. His female deserved no less than perfect. He tore several paper towels off the roll, wrapped them around two bottles of water and tucked them under his arm just as Titus had done, then added forks to the plates and followed Titus’ path toward the only female that had captured his attention since he’d been freed.
~~~
“Lord! That man is something else,” Hail said as she watched Titus leaving the outdoor kitchen with two plates of food. “And wouldn’t you know it? He’s got somebody he’s worried enough about to feed.”
“Doesn’t mean anything until it means something. He’s a nice male, always making sure everybody around him has whatever they need,” Alison said.
“True. But somebody’s a lucky lady, I think,” Hail answered.
Titus didn’t waiver in his path toward Hail and Alison. He walked straight toward them.
Hail focused on him, realizing he was moving toward them. “Something you’re not telling me?” she asked Alison.
Alison looked over at her, then in the direction she was looking. “Nope. I think it’s you he’s coming to see.”
Hail sat up a little straighter. “One can always hope,” she said, smiling as he got closer to them.
“Hail, Alison, how are y’all doing this evening?” Titus asked, as he came to a stop close to them.
“Hey, Titus,” Alison said.
He smiled at her.
“Titus,” Hail said, smiling up at him.
“I noticed you didn’t have a plate or even a drink beside you when I was on the way to the kitchen, so I made you a plate when I made mine,” he said, looking down at Hail.
“That’s for me?” she asked.
“It is,” Titus said, holding it out to her.
Hail took the plate from him, and looked up at him again. “Thank you, Titus. I don’t think anybody has ever made sure I ate before.”
“Then they’re idiots,” he said, looking around himself for a place to sit. “You mind holding this for a second?” he asked.
“Sure,” Hail said, reaching up for his plate. He laid the two bottles of water beside her on the lounge chair she was sitting on, then grabbed a black wrought iron chair from a nearby table and pulled it over to where she sat. “Mind if I join you for dinner?” he asked.
“Glad you thought of it,” Hail said, handing his plate back to him.
“Me, too.”
“Didn’t think you even knew who I was,” Hail said as she watched him take his first bite.
His gaze came up and he looked at her heatedly as he chewed and then swallowed his food. “Oh, I know who you are. Just didn’t have much of a chance to approach you until now.”
Hail looked him right in the eye. “Let’s hope you make more chances to approach after this one.”
He grinned at her, as he took another bite.
Feral walked over to where Titus had taken a seat beside Hail, but walked past them and straight to the black wrought iron table Titus had taken a chair from. He set both plates on it, then both water bottles — one beside each plate, and several paper towels beneath each water bottle so they wouldn’t blow away. He rearranged the two remaining chairs at the table to be one in front of each plate of food, then walked the few feet to where Alison still sat beside Hail. “Evening, everybody,” he said.
“Evening, Feral,” Hail said.
“Hi,” Alison said.
