Page 13 of Moros

The moment the motorcycle moved, my shyness vanished, and I held him tighter, pressed my cheek to his back and closed my eyes.

Taking the bus would have taken me close to forty-five minutes to get to my place. It was just how public transit was. It was as if I blinked and I was home, the cycle rolling to a stop and my arms were fused around him.

Khadri turned to look at me over a muscular shoulder as he removed his helmet to smile at me.

“You okay?” He wanted to know.

“Um—I’m not sure? Ask me again when my knees stop shaking.”

He chuckled. “You’re in one piece, Short.”

“Shorty?” I gasped dramatically. “I’m not short. Just—vertically challenged.”

Khadri nodded.

“I’ll remember that.” He mused. “Do you work tomorrow?”

“I’m not on the schedule for the next two days.” I admitted. “But if someone calls in sick, I could use the money.”

“The hustle doesn’t stop.” He stated. “I can respect that.”

I managed to unglue my arms from around him, and with his help, I climbed off the ride. But it took me a little time of clinging to his shoulder to stop my knees to stop shaking.

“It’ll stop soon.”

I laughed. “The adrenaline crash, is it?”

“You’ll get used to it. I’m getting the information I’ve been asking for tomorrow. You should come by.”

“Oh—um, where?”

“Do you know Musk on Ellington?” Khadri wanted to know.

I nodded.

“Come by there at about one.”

Nodding, I gathered myself, wished him a good night and headed toward the building.

“Hey!” He called.

I paused.

“If you need a ride?—”

“I’m good!”

Khadri laughed.

The sound of his engine didn’t start again until I was inside the building.

I only turned on the light in the kitchen. After washing the plates I’d left from lunch before my shift, I stripped down and showered before sitting in front of my computer trying to find perfume.

The prices were too much—I couldn’t justify any of that.

Groaning, I showered, made myself some instant noodles and slurped away while flipping through basic cable to find something that wouldn’t kill the last two braincells I had left.

When I closed my eyes that night, the images were all of Khadri.

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