The Man Who Saved Me

Chapter 4

Shonali wasn’t too sure how the day had flown by. Really, it was evening – almost closing time. Things must be slow at the shop. Carlos must be getting ready to leave.

She turned to Adam and grinned. They were at an actual fair, and Adam had just gotten his fortune told. He’d been told that he would have many sons.

She had snorted with laughter at his expression.

It had been one of the best days of her life, and it wasn’t over.

“So, what next?” she asked.

“I don’t know, have a couple of sons, I suppose,” said Adam, obviously disgruntled.

Shonali patted his shoulder, though she really wanted to cuddle him up.

He really was cute as all hell.

“Oh, come on, cheer up. Lots of people want to have many sons.”

Adam’s disgruntled look became even more pronounced and Shonali couldn’t help laughing.

“All right, no more talk of sons. It’s past six. Do you have a date?”

Adam shrugged.

“I don’t really date.”

Shonali glanced at him sideways.

“You’re a handsome man, and one many people would call a hero. I would, because you saved me, and that’s just a matter of fact, so don’t go getting all embarrassed about it. If you don’t date, it can’t be because you can’t get a date. It must be because you don’t want to date. So, why is that?”

Adam’s lips curved in what looked like a reluctant smile.

“Maybe I’ve just never felt like anybody could cope with the demands of my job.”

Shonali shrugged.

“How would you know unless you gave somebody the chance to prove you wrong?”

Adam looked thoughtful.

“You know what they say about better being safe than sorry.”

Shonali chuckled.

“I should know that lesson well by now, shouldn’t I? But I can tell you that never taking any risks might be safe, but it’s no way to live. Anyway, it isn’t like you hate taking risks. You go into battle zones to help people! So you just need to be sure that the risk is worth it. That’s reasonable enough, at the end of the day. So you’ve never met anybody who you felt was worth the risk of dating. Or did you think you did, and turn out to be wrong?”

Adam fidgeted.

“You’re altogether too perceptive, Shonali. Maybe we’ll talk about it another time. Today has been… Well, I can’t remember the last time I had such a wonderful time. Let’s not let the past come in. Let’s just enjoy today.”

Shonali didn’t know why, but she was compelled to do it. It felt like it was the right moment. She felt like another moment might not come.

So she leaned in close to him, and with the sound of a roundabout playing in the background, she kissed him.

When he turned back to her, though, his expression was carefully guarded, and he looked like he wasn’t going to press the issue.

Hell, he didn’t look like he even recognized an issue anymore. He looked like he had completely made peace with the situation.

Well, Shonali hadn’t.

Her body was still churning with all kinds of need. She wanted him, still.

She wanted to jump him, rip his clothes off and show him how much pleasure she could give him.

She wanted him to take her.

She tried to shake it off, too.

“I don’t want the day to end just yet. It seems too early for that. Can I see your shop?”

Shonali shouldn’t have been surprised, but she was.

She smiled. That was an olive branch.

She could take it.

“Sure. Carlos might have locked up, but that’s not a problem. We have a few beauties in there. Maybe I will even introduce you to Leonidas.”

Adam looked confused for a moment before he chuckled.

“Your bike?”

She grinned.

“The love of my life. Shall we go, then?”

She offered him her hand, and when he took it, it was as if that balance that they had been trying to keep was still there.

She found herself wishing she had been on a bike. But they got a cab and made their way to her shop easily enough.

When she got there, she saw that Carlos had already left.

She opened it, and they walked inside. She felt strangely nervous as she flipped the lights on.

“Well, this is it,” said Shonali, smiling brightly at Adam.

Adam looked around.

“I don’t know much about bikes, but it looks very impressive,” he told her.

“Diplomatic,” said Shonali, biting back a smile.

“So, you restore bikes?”

She nodded.

“I have an old classic Triumph that has been in the works for ages. I want to get my grandfather on it. But he doesn’t seem all that keen on the idea.”

“Doesn’t it worry you, to work on bikes after your accident?”