Page 39 of The Night Ride
“Anytime, Beth.”
She took my empty plate.“I can get those.”
“Nope.You cooked.I’ll get the dishes in the dishwasher.”
“But what about when you cook, who does the dishes then?”
“I tend to be a bit of a control freak, so sue me.”She murmured with a half grin.
I chucked at her candor.“I can see I’m not going to win any arguments.I’ll go grab those receipts for you while you’re handling those.”
“Sounds perfect.And you know, if you need to do laundry, you can use my washer and dryer.There’s detergent in the laundry room.Feel free to help yourself.”
“Ah, I appreciate that.”
“No worries, I know every time Evan came home, he always had laundry to do.”
I’d get a load done before I left.That way I wouldn’t have to worry about it while I caught up with Wyatt and Lucas.I left Beth in the kitchen and had just pulled the receipts from my pack when the tornado sirens went off.With my pack in hand because I always carried emergency supplies, I headed into the kitchen.Beth was wiping her hands on a dish towel.
“Come on.We need to get down to the basement.Do you have any flashlights?”
“One.But it’s in the garage.I’ve got a camping lantern in the basement though.”
“It’ll have to do.”I made a mental note that I’d pick up some survival equipment and gear for Beth before I headed out.She needed more than a single flashlight and camping lantern.
We headed into the basement with the sirens screeching outside.The sound of the wind picked up.Rain battered her roof.And I was glad I was here, so that Beth didn’t have to face this alone.
Beth flipped lights on when we entered the basement.Half of it was finished with a pair of comfy chairs and a sofa with a coffee table between and a big flatscreen television.Beth went through a door into a storeroom where I spied the laundry room beyond and grabbed the camping lantern and a weather radio.
We sat together.Beth in the corner of the sofa and me on the chair nearest her, in case I needed to protect her.Not sure how I would protect her from a tornado other than to cover her with my body.But I figured I would manage because it’s what SEALs do.
I took the radio from her and turned it on so we could listen to the latest updates when her lights flickered off.
“Well, shit.”Beth used the light on her phone to locate the lantern and switch it on.“At least we had dinner.Not sure what we’re going to do in the meantime.”
“I have just the thing.”I rifled around in my pack until I located what I was searching for.Pulled out my trusty deck of cards and held them up.“We play poker.”
Beth tossed her head back and laughed.The full throaty sound went straight through my chest.God, she was gorgeous and made me ache.I wanted her.There hadn’t been a day in the past five years I hadn’t wanted her.But I couldn’t be what she needed.
“Yes, but we don’t have any poker chips.”
I shrugged.“We don’t need them.”
“Then how will we keep track of the winner?”She challenged with a quirked brow and a lopsided grin.
Oh, she was yanking the tiger’s tale.“Think you can take me?”
“I’ll give it my best shot.”She clapped her hands as lighting and thunder boomed outside, rattling the house.“Oh, I know what we could use.”
She bolted from her seat.
“Don’t go back upstairs.It’s not safe.”I rose, ready to haul her ass back to the couch.If I had to tie her up to keep her safe, I’d do it.I had rope in my pack that would work.
She gestured to the small bar.“Not necessary.I keep supplies down here for parties.If I were to have them, I mean.”
Beth raced and rifled through items behind it, using the light on her phone to locate what she wanted.In the dim lantern light, she looked ethereal.
“Ah ha!I knew I had some back her.”She held up a big sixty ounce plastic container of what looked like rainbow colored chocolate candy and a bottle of patron.
