Page 6 of Reaper's Ride
I stared at her like she had three heads. “Darlin’, they won’t have to worry about that because I’m gonna starve in here before I ever leave.”
To prove that point, my stomach chose that moment to rumble. Loud. I gestured to my belly.
“I see.” She tilted her head to the side and winked. “Why don’t I go see what I can find?”
“Any real food you can smuggle in, I’d be grateful.”
I planned to show her just how generous I could be as soon as I could convince her to straddle my face. I’d take the pressure on my ribs without complaint. She was worth it.
Snooki gave me a look like she knew what I was thinking. I probably didn’t hide the desire I felt for her. It had only multiplied since we met.
“I’ll be back soon,” she promised as she left the room, plunging me back into boredom the second the door shut behind her.
I tapped my fingers on my thigh, staring out the window of the hospital. My gaze lingered on the unfamiliar buildings outdoors, and I realized that I wasn’t in Tonopah. I should have figured that out before now, but I’d been drugged and in pain and fucking pissed I was stuck here.
There wasn’t a hospital in Tonopah. The town was too small. I knew that since this wasn’t my first trip through Nevada. I’d passed through dozens of times as I rode Hwy 95 and visited friends from the GBMC.
It was Grim I came to see, finally taking his offer to check out his clubhouse and meet the rest of the Tonopah Graven Bastards. I’d heard the rumors, and I couldn’t deny something was different about Grim and his club. Up to now, I hadn’t felt the nudge to stop at The Crossroads.
That changed when I heard he was looking for new members and prospects. Intrigued, I decided to ride into town and take a room at The Clown Motel. Mostly because scary shit was fucking fun. Lots of creepy clowns and a cemetery next door. Just the sort of distraction I needed.
But I never got to spend the night in the most haunted room in The Clown Motel. Pity. Maybe I could convince Snooki to stay there with me.
She sauntered into the room a short time later, carrying a tray from the cafeteria loaded down with something that smelled a hell of a lot better than the crap they were feeding me. I sat up straighter and ignored the pain that followed, focused on her and the tray she placed beside me.
“I’ve got a loaded cheeseburger, fries, pudding, chocolate milk, peanut butter crackers, and mixed fruit. It’s the best I could do.”
“It smells fucking fantastic. Give me that burger, darlin’.” I reached out, and she picked up the burger, unwrapped it for me, and placed it in my hands so I could eat without making a mess.
Too fucking adorable.
“You keep being this sweet, Snooki, and I won’t ever want to let you go.”
I wasn’t joking.
She hummed a reply, and I took a giant bite of my burger, unable to help the moan that escaped. It tasted so fucking good. She opened my chocolate milk and gave it to me. I finished my burger and chugged the milk as she handed over the fries, opening ketchup packets as I smirked at her.
“Baby, you’re too fucking cute.”
She paused. “Why?”
“Because no woman I ever met opened my condiments for me.” I’d probably have been insulted if it wasn’t for thissituation. But then again, if I wasn’t busted up in a hospital room, she wouldn’t be trying to take care of me.
I sure liked the idea of her gettin’ fussy over me.
“I’m just a sweetheart. Remember?”
Yeah. I could see that from the moment we met.
“Feelin’ better now that you’ve got food in your belly?”
“I do.” I gestured to the tray. “What else have you got?”
“Chocolate pudding and fruit.” She popped the tops and handed them over with a spoon. “And the peanut butter and crackers.”
Christ. I could fall hard for this woman. A nomad like me, hardly putting down roots and preferring it that way, didn’t look too far beyond where I’d be next week. She made me want to consider my entire future.
I ate every scrap of food as she took the cup beside my bed and emptied it, refilling the big plastic cup with fresh water and ice. When she pushed it into my hand, I drank a good portion of it before she placed it within my reach.
