Chapter Nine
TEDDY
"You really didn't see anything?" I ask Killian as we get onto the highway.
When we left the room, we'd gone out the side entrance. It was close to where we'd parked, and there were a handful of police cruisers outside and an ambulance.
"Not when I was in the lobby," he says. "This is why you should only travel with me. Bad things can happen in these kinds of places." I nod along to what he's saying because he's right. Plus, I would have gotten myself into more trouble, I'm sure. I can be a bit nosy. I would have been peeking all around. The cops would think I was being suspicious, and into a jail cell I'd go.
I think that's how that works. Who knows? I'm only going off television, and it's always the people that insert themselves into the investigation that committed the crime. They like to be a part of it.
"I bet drugs were involved, as I hear they are often trafficked through interstate highways."
"Could be."
"What if someone robbed the place! Should we check the news? They'd know."
"Most of the time in places like that, it's a dispute between a couple."
"I think I want to stick to the drug theory. I'm not a fan of the idea of two lovers hitting each other." I cringe. "You could flatten me." I slap my hands together for effect. “Like a pancake.”
"I would never flatten you. But I'll flatten anyone who thinks they can." I swear his words come out with a steely edge to them, making a yummy sensation flood me. I know it's likely in my head, but I'm still going to swoon over it. I love how protective he is of me.
"Pretty sure just standing next to you, no one will step out of line with me." I love that. I'm used to being picked on. Killian wouldn't tolerate that. A glare would send people running. They wouldn’t know that he just looks intimidating but really, he’s just a big softie on the inside.
"Why don’t you always stay next to me, then?"
"I can't always be next to you."
"You can," he grunts out, making me snort a laugh.
"What if I have to pee?"
"Then you pee." He glances over at me. "Do you need to pee?"
"No." Killian might be as goofy as me.
"I'll stop soon for us to eat."
"They tell you there was nothing good in that town?" I ask. That's why he'd gone to the front desk. He grunts his response. It's adorable when that's how he answers.
I fall into chatter talking about places we could stop along the way. It's not long before he's pulling off the highway and stopping at a diner. I am beyond ecstatic.
As Killian parks the car, I mentally start to prepare for what I’m going to order. I know of diners, but I’ve never actually been inside one. I have watched many episodes ofDiners, Drive-Ins,and Dives,so I’m pretty much an expert on diner food now. I wonder if they’ll have one of those jukeboxes on the table.
“You know diners have all kinds of food,” I tell him as he takes my hand to lead me inside. I have to fight not to bounce on my heels.
"I take it we're not sharing," he teases me while opening the door for me.
"Oh, it might be fun to share a milkshake. Romantic," I say. "Unless you think that's stupid."
"Nothing you say is stupid, Zolotse." Gah, I love it when he calls me that.
"Feel free to sit anywhere," says a voice from behind the counter.
"They do have jukeboxes," I say when we get to a booth all the way in the back corner. "Think they have Eminem?"
"If not, when we get back into the SUV, I'll find his songs for you."
