Page 19 of Tank
By the time the sun came up my ass was numb. I didn’t dare move from my spot, though. He had tossed and turned most of the night, his body jerked and trembled at times. He also mumbled, but I couldn’t make any of it out no matter how hard I tried.
I stood, unable to bear the tingling numbness in my ass and legs any longer. I went to the fridge and pulled out eggs and bacon. I didn’t have much and unless he wanted to eat four-day-old Chinese takeout, eggs would have to do. I whisked the eggs as the bacon cooked, the amazing aroma filling the room and making my stomach rumble. I had no idea if he would wake soon but I just needed to do something. My question was answered when I heard a low and deep growl. I looked over my shoulder, trying my hardest not to tense.
He was sitting up, his knees bent and his head in his hands. I pulled the bacon off and started the eggs, my body angled in his direction so I could keep an eye on everything. He didn’t move for a long time, then his arms came around to hold his legs up as his head rested between his slightly parted knees. I would bet he was feeling like hot roadkill.
I plated the food then poured him a big glass of orange juice. I walked over to the edge of the bed and stood there, plate and fork in one hand and glass in the other. I waited for what felt like forever.
Finally, he slowly lifted his head to look at me, his eyes instantly going to mine. I didn’t blink or move and it felt like all the air had been sucked out of the room. I kept my face passive as I bent over and set the plate on the bed beside him and the glass on the floor next to his booted feet. His eyes moved to the food then back up to me. Something behind his glare was unsure.
“Relax,” I said, speaking to him for the first time. “If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn’t do it by poisoning your food.”
And it was so true. To prove my point, I picked up a clump of the scrambled eggs and shoved it in my mouth. Then, I turned, making sure to keep him in my peripheral, and steadily walked over to my chair even though my legs felt shaky and my stomach was uneasy. With the grace of someone completely at ease, I sat down like I had nothing better to do.
