shorts, she climbed back in the truck, her eyes grimly warning the crass vehicle her patience had run out.
She turned the key once again, and the old engine purred sweetly to life. Jessica closed her eyes and slumped wearily over the steering wheel. This truck was going to be the death of her yet.
She got back out one final time to slam down the old hood, which took three tries, naturally, before she was able to get the lock to catch.
She jumped back into the truck and ground the gears into first, causing everyone on the sidewalk to grit their teeth at the grating, tearing sound coming from the old truck. She pulled out onto the main street, gunning the old truck for home, glancing nervously at her watch. She only had thirty minutes before Jason arrived, and she still had to take a shower. She felt as though she had worked on a chain gang this afternoon. Oh, well, she'd hurry.
The last stoplight caught her at the end of town. She sat tapping her nails on the steering wheel waiting for the green light. When the signal changed, she peeled out and was fairly flying along the road leading to the farmhouse. She eased up on the gas pedal, thinking the last thing she needed today was a speeding ticket. She was not too surprised to notice that the truck continued on at the same speed.
Here we go again, she thought.
She was stomping her foot on the pedal, trying to un-
Page 58
stick it, as the driveway to Aunt Rainey's came into view. Jessica put her foot on the brake pedal hard, at the same time trying to negotiate the turn into the drive at breakneck speed. Aunt Rainey's few remaining chickens set up a terrible squawking, their feathers flying as they valiantly tried to fight their way out of the path of the careening truck.
Jessica shot into the farmyard at the speed of a bullet, her violet eyes widened in astonishment as she saw the long gray Lincoln Continental sitting in the drive. The thought barely had time to register in her mind before the truck came to a grinding halt, embedded in the Continental's rear end. The melodious tinkle of the lenses falling from the Lincoln's taillights was the only sound that could be heard as the old engine died a sputtering death.
The tall man standing on the old porch, about to knock on the door, spun around at the sound of all the confusion. A look of sheer incredulity crossed his face as he walked slowly down the steps, toward Jessica's side of the truck. He looked at the back of his beautiful car with a stunned expression and then turned back to face her.
Jessica looked up and in a very small, defensive voice complained, ''You're early."
Still not taking his eyes from Jessica, he leaned casually back against the remains of his bumper, reaching in his shirt pocket for one of his small cheroots. He placed it in his mouth and, holding it in his strong, even teeth, lit it slowly.
Jessica was holding her breath, afraid to move.
He exhaled slowly and in a calm voice asked, "Jessica, would you mind letting me know when you're going to be out on the streets from now on?"
"Oh, Jason!" She let her breath out in a quick spurt. "It's that damn gas pedal again."
Jason shoved himself away from the truck and, showing the first signs of real anger that day, let out an expletive that would have made a sailor blush.
Page 59
The tips of Jessica's ears turned fiery red. Suddenly it was just too much for her to contend with. Her violet eyes became pools of shimmering water. Her slight shoulders began to shake as she buried her face in her hands and bawled like a baby.
''Oh, hell," he muttered, opening the truck door. She became aware of a set of strong, muscular arms wrapping around her, lifting her out of the truck, drawing her against his hard, solid chest. He smells so good, she thought as the clean fragrance of soap and his aftershave drifted to her nostrils. She sobbed even harder.
"Oh, come on now, Angel," he consoled her, stroking the hot, sticky hair away from her forehead, "it can't be that
She turned the key once again, and the old engine purred sweetly to life. Jessica closed her eyes and slumped wearily over the steering wheel. This truck was going to be the death of her yet.
She got back out one final time to slam down the old hood, which took three tries, naturally, before she was able to get the lock to catch.
She jumped back into the truck and ground the gears into first, causing everyone on the sidewalk to grit their teeth at the grating, tearing sound coming from the old truck. She pulled out onto the main street, gunning the old truck for home, glancing nervously at her watch. She only had thirty minutes before Jason arrived, and she still had to take a shower. She felt as though she had worked on a chain gang this afternoon. Oh, well, she'd hurry.
The last stoplight caught her at the end of town. She sat tapping her nails on the steering wheel waiting for the green light. When the signal changed, she peeled out and was fairly flying along the road leading to the farmhouse. She eased up on the gas pedal, thinking the last thing she needed today was a speeding ticket. She was not too surprised to notice that the truck continued on at the same speed.
Here we go again, she thought.
She was stomping her foot on the pedal, trying to un-
Page 58
stick it, as the driveway to Aunt Rainey's came into view. Jessica put her foot on the brake pedal hard, at the same time trying to negotiate the turn into the drive at breakneck speed. Aunt Rainey's few remaining chickens set up a terrible squawking, their feathers flying as they valiantly tried to fight their way out of the path of the careening truck.
Jessica shot into the farmyard at the speed of a bullet, her violet eyes widened in astonishment as she saw the long gray Lincoln Continental sitting in the drive. The thought barely had time to register in her mind before the truck came to a grinding halt, embedded in the Continental's rear end. The melodious tinkle of the lenses falling from the Lincoln's taillights was the only sound that could be heard as the old engine died a sputtering death.
The tall man standing on the old porch, about to knock on the door, spun around at the sound of all the confusion. A look of sheer incredulity crossed his face as he walked slowly down the steps, toward Jessica's side of the truck. He looked at the back of his beautiful car with a stunned expression and then turned back to face her.
Jessica looked up and in a very small, defensive voice complained, ''You're early."
Still not taking his eyes from Jessica, he leaned casually back against the remains of his bumper, reaching in his shirt pocket for one of his small cheroots. He placed it in his mouth and, holding it in his strong, even teeth, lit it slowly.
Jessica was holding her breath, afraid to move.
He exhaled slowly and in a calm voice asked, "Jessica, would you mind letting me know when you're going to be out on the streets from now on?"
"Oh, Jason!" She let her breath out in a quick spurt. "It's that damn gas pedal again."
Jason shoved himself away from the truck and, showing the first signs of real anger that day, let out an expletive that would have made a sailor blush.
Page 59
The tips of Jessica's ears turned fiery red. Suddenly it was just too much for her to contend with. Her violet eyes became pools of shimmering water. Her slight shoulders began to shake as she buried her face in her hands and bawled like a baby.
''Oh, hell," he muttered, opening the truck door. She became aware of a set of strong, muscular arms wrapping around her, lifting her out of the truck, drawing her against his hard, solid chest. He smells so good, she thought as the clean fragrance of soap and his aftershave drifted to her nostrils. She sobbed even harder.
"Oh, come on now, Angel," he consoled her, stroking the hot, sticky hair away from her forehead, "it can't be that
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