Page 40 of Grumpy

Again, Jackson nodded. “Yes, sir.”

Grumpy didn’t remember which branch of the military Jackson had served in, but the man seemed young. Twenty-six, twenty-seven. His hair was still in that awkward growing-out phase many veterans had post-service. Many things were chaotic after leaving the military, but the length of their hair was one thing that was in their control. Jackson’s was now around his ears and definitely did not meet regulation.

“She so much as trips or gets bumped, and I will run your bike over and you’ll have to walk the rest of the way. Is that understood?”

Like a good soldier, Jackson didn’t blink. “Yes, sir.”

Grumpy shifted himself to face Kelly again. “Satisfied?”

“Bit over the top, but if it’s the only way you’ll let me help you, then I can agree to those terms.” Her face said she was not impressed. Grumpy didn’t care, because these rules would mean she was safe. If he couldn’t watch her back, then Jackson sure as hell was going to. “Now that we have that handled, do you need anything before we get back on the road?”

Grumpy rocked his hips a little. “Yeah, actually. Can you come over here?”

As Kelly unbuckled her seatbelt, Jackson raced around the front of the cage to get her door for her. He positioned Kelly so she walked next to the vehicle and he walked on the outside, one hand guiding her at her upper back and the other on his hip. Once the passenger door was open, Kelly stepped up on the running board to be able to reach him easier.

“What do you need?” she asked, looking around for any visible issue.

Grumpy looped his hand behind her neck and pulled her down to him, taking her mouth in a searing kiss. He felt her lips twitch in surprise before she fell into the kiss, opening her lips to allow him entry while placing her hands on the dashboard and the back of his seat for balance. Grumpy snaked his other arm around her waist.

They remained like that for several minutes, neither of them giving a damn that Jackson was standing in the middle of a gas station with his back turned towards the SUV as they made out like teenagers.

* * *

They ended up stopping again about an hour later at New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia. Their argument and make-out session behind them, they agreed this was a good place to sightsee and walk around. It was one of two points Keys had highlighted on his suggested itinerary for them.

The other place was Harpers Ferry, but neither was sure they were going to stop there, too.

While the gorge itself was impressive and beautiful, Grumpy was grateful there was an overlook that did not involve stairs or hills. There was a section with eight hundred and twenty-one steps to descend deeper into the gorge for a different look, but Kelly declined when Grumpy offered to have Jackson escort her down.

“Down isn’t the issue,” she laughed. “Coming back up will be.”

Grumpy, though, did not understand the problem. He shrugged. “If it gets too much, have him carry you.”

Kelly turned, leaning one arm on the rail next to the plaque that explained that the gorge was a thousand feet deep and seventy thousand acres carved by the New River, which was one of the oldest rivers in North America. “Really? You’d allow another man to carry me? To put his arms around me and hold me close to him?”

Grumpy blinked. He’d pictured an entirely different platonic scene when he’d offered Jackson as a pack mule. Without looking away from Kelly, he raised his hand and slapped Jackson upside the back of his head. The prospect had been leaning over the rail, looking down.

“Ow! What?” he straightened and turned, rubbing the back of his head.

Kelly glared at Grumpy, crossing her arms over her chest. “You’re the one who suggested he carry me and you punish him?”

“It’s a warning so he’ll never even think about putting his hands on you,” Grumpy growled. The prospect’s cheeks flushed.

Shaking her head like Grumpy had lost brain cells when he lost his eye, Kelly reached into her giant bag and pulled out the plastic tiara. “Okay, picture time!”

Grumpy was very tempted to “trip” and accidentally toss that fucking thing into the gorge below.

* * *

The sun set early now, meaning it was dark before they were ready to stop for dinner. Kelly was used to eating really early or really late, so her stomach wasn’t a good judge of time when it came to the daily three-course meals. Grumpy had taken a two-hour nap a couple hours after their stop at New River Gorge, which was good. She hated seeing him so uncomfortable.

When they first started out, Kelly was really regretting this trip. There had to be other ways to contact Maddie or to get Grumpy to her. Even if it took longer, he’d be better healed, more prepared. But a plane just wasn’t an option for him. While it was slower, the car ride was going to be the smoothest ride for him. Kelly just hated seeing him in any sort of pain.

It was better after he relented and allowed her to help him get comfortable before she got in. Kelly made the mistake of suggesting putting the heated seat on for him, but then learned that that wasn’t doable for him. His grafted skin had sensitivity reduction, so there was a risk of burning himself because he couldn’t feel the temperature. It seemed like bitter irony that a man who had survived a literal explosion and extensive burns could sustain a new burn from something as mundane as a car seat warmer.

Most of their conversations that day had been on the lighter side. Once Kelly knew Grumpy was asleep, she put on an audiobook Toni had recently recommended for her. It was one of the reasons she loved her small-town job so much. Her patrons weren’t just nameless, faceless orders and tips. They were friends, family, and she got to know many of them so personally. Toni was a criminal defense attorney, and while she didn’t frequent the diner often, the two tended to have long talks about their recent reads whenever she was in.

“…‘Lick it, baby. Take that sexy, pink tongue of yours and lick every inch of my dick. You look so pretty on your knees, hands cuffed behind your back. You have to earn the right to suck my dick⁠—’”