Page 21 of Confined Space

"It's new." Rowdy talks over me. "Want me to say what I told Gus?" He turns to me, leaning down, and cocks his head to the side. He lifts his eyebrow and plasters a smirk on his lips. Lips I kissed last night.

"No you don't." I reach up to cover his mouth from saying those words again.

"Am I missing something?" Georgia laughs.

"We haven't been on a date yet. We are just getting to know each other." I try again.

"I'm taking you out as soon as I check with my mom to see when she can babysit for us."

"I'll babysit. Name the date and time. I love watching Archer, and it's about time Coral got to be a twenty-one-year-old."

"How about Friday at six?" Rowdy looks at Georgia instead of me.

"Wait a moment, what if I'm busy on Friday?"

"You planning to get that job from Gus?"

"A job with Gus? Gus, as in Rosco's bar?" Georgia looks at me. Her taller size makes me feel like she's looking down on me.

"I told you I had an interview."

"Yes, but not with Gus of Rosco's. That bar has a dangerous reputation. Gus is a really nice guy, but his bar is awful, and he knows it. He can't seem to keep out the riffraff. There is a fight there almost every night."

"I heard about Rosco’s at work and found out they were hiring. I didn't know about the reputation. I'll have to figure out something else."

"You can relax. As soon as you finish the probationary period, you should be getting a raise." I know Georgia is trying to help, but she doesn't realize taking that week off without pay, the bills from the accident, and the lack of my inheritance are causing a major money crisis for me. I don't know if I'll be able to afford to live here much longer. My health insurance coverage hasn't started yet, and I don’t qualify for state insurance because of my inheritance. Archer, thankfully, does qualify for a bit longer. But I can't let them know that.

"Yeah, you're right. Okay, let me get Archer's bag packed up. Georgia, can we borrow your car seat for Archer?" I turn from them and head toward the bedroom.

"Of course, you can borrow it, sweetie."

"Why don't you have your own car seat for Archer?" Rowdy asks, and I turn around.

"Because mine was destroyed after the car accident. I don't have a car, so I haven't bought a new one." I turn back to head into the room to pack an extra outfit for Archer and warm clothes.

"We'll have to change that." His voice hits me, and I try not to feel like it's a slap to the face.

I swing back around. "I can buy him a car seat when he needs it. But he and I ride the bus, or Georgia gives us a ride. I don't need to waste the money right now."

"It's not a waste, and I'll need one for my truck. So I'll get one for him." He acts like it's nothing to buy my son things. He acts like this is going to be more than us getting to know each other. I grip the wall as I feel the panic starting to take over me.

"Shh, Mouse, it's okay." Rowdy's voice sounds like it's coming from a distance, but he’s standing right in front of me. "Relax, baby. I'm not going anywhere."

I try to pull away when he pulls me into him, but it’s no use as he's stronger than me. I smell his deep rich scent of coffee, leather, woods, and him. The combination will always remind me of him. I take a deep breath, burying my face in his chest. His arms tighten around me, and I calm. Something about him calls to me. Calms the rising panic.

I let him hold me for a bit and then I pull away.

"I'm sorry. Thank you for offering to buy him a car seat, but we can borrow Georgia's until I need one," I say to his chest, afraid to look up into his eyes.

He gently lifts my chin. "Mouse, I want to help you. I need one for my truck because this isn't ending with a date or two. This is me trying to go slow for you, but it's not going away." He turns to look over his shoulder. We are standing in the short hallway to my bedroom. He leans down and gently kisses me. The softness doesn't fool me. I can feel him holding himself back from really taking me. "I want to kiss you more, but we have an audience," he whispers, his breath feathering across my lips. I can feel his lips moving as he speaks, and it turns me on more. "Now, go get ready so we can eat before I have to get to the field."

"Oh, okay." I stutter, and when I turn to head into my room, he swats my butt. I turn around, chagrined that he would do that but also upset with myself because it totally turned me on.

* * *

Rowdy

I have her in my truck, her hand in mine, and Archer buckled into the middle of the back seat. It feels like we’re a family, which should be freaking me out, but it doesn't. I want this. I want her and him. I want so much more with her.

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