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“Sounds pretty much the opposite of my kind of dude.”
Considering that Alia had only seen Sloan in a suit once, the shoulders ill-fitting and the jacket creased, no tie and his shirt open-collared, she could truthfully agree. “No. He’s not up to your standard whatsoever.”
His eyes narrowed as he read her expression. She hoped he’d recognize her sincerity because she wasn’t too good at giving compliments. But this was the pure, unaltered truth. There wasn’t a hope in hell for Paul to ever be half the man that Sloan Booker was. Not now, not ever.
“I hope you mean that in a good way.”
“Are you soliciting compliments?”
“Yeah. I need to know the lady’s feeling some of this crazy-assed shit that’s been blowing my mind ever since I met her.”
“Crazy-assed shit” Alia laughed. His voice had expressed a whole different feeling than his words had spoken. “Is that supposed to be good or… not-so good?”
“Baby, it’s beautiful and we both know it.” Just then a car drove by and stopped across the street from his house. He squeezed her hand hard before letting it go. “Remember where we left off.” He put the car in gear, and they both watched as the two young Pakistanis walked away from their distraught aunt who had followed them to the curb.
Alia edged forward in her seat. “Friggin’, shittin’ hell. We can’t follow them until Janna goes back into the house, or she’ll recognize the car.”
“I know.” He sat ready. “What was that you just said? It’s an expression you use frequently.” The laughter in his voice made her grin.
“I don’t know. It’s just an expression I say whenever shit happens.”
“And it just did. Can you read their license plates?”
“Not from this far away.”
“Okay, I’m going to circle over to the next block and try and pick up the trail from there. Hold on.”
Sloan pulled a wheelie, actually riding over the curb, and headed to the intersection just ahead. Then he took a right and flew up that street, only to be forced to stop when a car pulled out of their driveway and cut him off. The white-haired oldie took so long angling the car around to head in the right direction that Alia found herself grinding her teeth with vexation.
Finally, the old guy straightened the car enough so Sloan could pass him. As they flew by, she ignored the open mouth and waving fist, though she had no doubt the poor senior had gotten a fright.
Sloan sped around the stop sign, took another right and headed to that corner, only to see the empty street and Janna entering her house. He quickly headed in the direction Yasir and Leah’s friends had most likely taken, but there were no vehicles anywhere in sight. By the time he’d reversed, that road too was empty.
“We lost them.”
“I know.” She groaned with frustration.
“Blasted old fart just had to leave at that exact time.”
“Go figure. But there was nothing you could do.”
He hit the steering wheel. “That’s what makes it so damn frustrating.”
