Page 15 of All Your Days
A dangerous combination.
I wonder how he’s going to pull off simultaneously ignoring me and watching my every move while we’re on the trip?
Against my better sense, I can feel the thrum of excitement at the possibilities.
“Right, gear up. I’ll take the first shift pullin’.” Jacob announces, clapping his hands and moving towards the camels Lou has prepared.
Rather than jumping to action like I do at the command, the three guards keep chatting amongst themselves, continuing to inspect their guns and joke around. The calm fades from Jacob's face, watching them pointedly ignore him.
The loud crack of his crop against the metal cover of the trailer rings out like an explosion in the courtyard, bringing everything to a halt.
“I saidgear up.” His voice is deadly quiet, the guards finally cluing into the seriousness of the situation. “The trek to the trading post should take four days. But if you three fuck around you’ll be spendin’ the rest of your life in the ditch I’ll throw you in. Trust me, I knowplenty’a hiding spots out there.”
“Yeah, yeah.” One of the guards tries to laugh off Jacob’s warning, but the other two seem to understand that he’s serious. They head straight to their camels and climb on. Ryan, the guard giving the most amount of attitude, hurries to get on his camel, too.
Which leaves me as the last man standing. Well, except Jacob.
Edging closer to the two remaining camels out of our pack of eight, I eye the beast warily, my stomach turning so fast it’s like one of the spinning machines in the Labs. At least Lou’s already saddled the thing.
“You know how to ride, right?” Jacob asks quietly, sneaking up behind me while I eye the lump of a creature in front of me.
Turning to face him, I’m shocked to find how close he is. He’s practically against my shoulder. The morning sun is right behind him. I use that as an excuse to quickly turn back away from him and shake my head.
“No,” I admit. “Not since I was a kid anyway. Dad took me out a couple of times when he was trainin’, but since he died…”
“Oh for…” Jacob curses, lifting his hat and running his hand over his hair before settling the beaten leather back on his head. It’s not at all the right time, but I can’t help but remember the braids he wore on the first day, and their little treasures. Why did he stop wearing them? “They probably saw your dad was a cameleer and put two and two together to get fifteen.”
The camel turns its big head towards us. Embarrassingly, I jump when faced with the creature's big, black eyes, nearly ending up in Jacob’s arms when the beast keeps getting closer. Why is it sniffing my chest? Am I meant to pat it?
With a soft laugh, Jacob does just that, reaching out to pat the camel’s wooly neck. My jealousy is almost enough to outweigh my fear.
“You don’t have anythin’ to worry about with this fella. His name’s Adeeko. His sister Zeppy’s comin’ with us, too, but thisold boy’s got a reputation for bein’ the sweetest guy we have.” Lou reassures me.
I was too wrapped up in Jacob being so close I didn’t notice that Lou had jumped off his ride to make his way over to us. The older grunt smiles affectionately and gives the camel a pat too, when he’s close enough.
So it’s a yes on the patting then. Good to know. I don’t think I’m ready to join them just yet, though.
“Uh, thanks. I think.” My throat feels tight. I can feel the heat of Jacob through the thick woollen coat—which I’ll have to shed soon enough. I want to look at him again, but I don’t think it’s a good idea.
I’m blaming my reactions on my world being thrown upside down. Once I get my bearings, I can go back to pretending he’s a ghost haunting me, and not a very real, incredibly hot man who is forever lurking just out of touching distance.
“Let ‘im sniff your hand. Then I’ll show you how to get on.” Jacob’s voice sounds rough, and so fucking close to my ear. I can’t hold back the shudder that runs through my spine. “Lou, why don’t you make sure the trailer’s attached properly? I’ll help Eli.”
Lou wanders off at Jacob’s suggestion. I immediately want to call him back. I don’t know if I’m going to survive Jacob’s ‘help’. A faint buzz rings in my ears when Jacob’s hand settles on the small of my back, urging me closer to Adeeko.
“Right, to climb on, just throw your leg over the saddle.” Jacob drops his hand from my back so fast, it’s like I imagined it. He checks the straps of the saddle and then pats it with two hard slaps, keeping his eyes anywhere but on me for the first time in a decade. “When he’s gettin’ up, you need to hold on to the front and back, but just go with the flow of it.”
If it wereanyonebut him, I’d make a joke about knowing how to ride. But this time, I hold it in tight, clenching my jaw so hard I can feel my teeth grind together.
“You’ll think you have to ride astride, but it’ll be easier if you cross your legs around the front here.” Jacob carries on, patting the front handle.
“Got it.” I choke out, approaching the saddle.
Jacob’s is unsettlingly close, at the ready to steady me when I throw my leg over the saddle and get myself sorted. He clips my emergency bag where it’s meant to go and then he makes a clicking sound that has the earth moving. And not in a fun way. Even with my white knuckled grip on the saddle handles, my stomach turns when Adeeko stands. Jacob keeps a steadying hand on my calf, his thumb stroking me ever so slightly.
My mind goes blank when I register the small, comforting gesture and I nearly tip sideways off the damned beast.
“You ‘kay?” Jacob asks, his hat casting a shadow that doesn’t quite hide the concern in his deep brown eyes.
