Luke was pleased when the two workers finally jumped into their truck and wisely took off. He had been watching them from the sidewalk and had stared them down for at least a minute. They hesitated at their truck at first, as they kept looking at the girl sitting on the curb. When Luke had stepped out of the restaurant, toothpick in his mouth, and ready to kick some ass, their eyes turned to him.
The staredown had begun and Luke had no intention on losing. So what if it was two against one? He had handled more than that. He wasn’t looking to fight, but he’d be damned if he’d run from one. Finally, they must have decided she wasn’t worth the trouble, and they jumped into their county work truck and took off.
When the coast was clear, Luke looked over at her. She was sitting on the sidewalk with her head bowed. Her lips were moving but he couldn’t hear what she was saying. Then he noticed her hands clasped together, resting on her chin. Shit, was she praying? Luke wondered. He walked toward her, feeling a little awkward now about what he was going to say. He watched as she continued to pray, not even aware of him towering over her. What a stupid girl, he thought to himself.
“Hey, are you all right?” Luke asked a little sterner than he intended. The fact she was unaware of the danger she could be in annoyed the hell out of him. Didn’t she have a clue how sitting out here by herself put her in danger?
Aimee Jo was startled out of her prayers by the deep voice of a man. At first, she thought it may be the workers who kept staring over at her earlier. She definitely wasn’t expecting the hot guy from the diner to be standing in front of her. The way the afternoon shined down on him as he hovered over her, made him glow like he was an angel. Was he an angel? Did God send him to her, in answer to her prayers? Or was he just some asshole, trying to pick her up? Damn, she didn't need this right now, she thought to herself.
“I’m okay.” She continued to wipe her tears, looking away from him, and hoping he would just go away. She had to be delusional. No way would God send someone like him, would he? She had hoped that by the time she looked back over, he would be long gone. No such luck as he sat down next to her.
“If you were okay, you wouldn’t be sitting out here crying, now would ya?” He sighed as he sat his ass down on the hot concrete. “Why don’t you tell me what’s wrong? Maybe I can help.” Luke smiled at her, hoping he appeared less threatening. But he wasn’t prepared for the sparkling of her baby blue eyes as she watched him sit down beside her. Even though she was crying, she was still the prettiest girl he had ever laid eyes on.
His southern accent reminded Aimee Jo of the boys she’d wanted to date in high school—the boys who’d never paid her any attention. Time had changed the scrawny, pigtailed, pimply, simple dress wearing church girl. Now, she had a woman’s figure, clear complexion, and with her part-time job at a boutique in the mall, sexier dresses to wear. Things were different now—she was free at last to dress how she wanted and to date whomever she wanted. But right now, she had no time for this nonsense. Maybe if she kept quiet he would leave.
They both sat there for a few moments as the afternoon sun continued to shine down strongly on them. Aimee Jo watched as people walked by and stared, but kept on moving, not making any point to talk to them.
Luke sat patiently, waiting for her to break her silence. He couldn’t ever remember a time he was so patient with a girl before. This was definitely out of his comfort zone.
“You know, I can’t help you if you won’t speak to me.” Luke looked over at her, needing to resolve this and fast. He was sweating his ass off. Not to mention, he had already stayed longer than he expected to, and he needed to get back on the road. He could just give her a few bucks and get the hell out of here, but he really wanted to know what her deal was.
His sweet southern drawl and sexy smile made it very hard for Aimee Jo to ignore him. Maybe she was wrong; maybe he was an angel, after all, or he was just feeling sorry for her. Maybe God was answering her prayers.
Trooper Stephens had felt bad about her predicament too, and had offered to speak to Joe, the owner of the restaurant, about hiring her. He’d also offered to talk to the minister at his church to see if they could find a place for her to stay in temporarily, just until she got back on her feet.
Aimee Jo had appreciated his gesture, but staying in Mobile was not her plan. She had his card in case she changed her mind. As much as she hated the idea, she might not have any other choice.
She looked at him again, still wiping away her tears. He sat casually next to her, like they were best friends instead of complete strangers. She had to admit, he seemed harmless and wasn’t coming off creepy, like the other two guys had. He would probably just offer her a few dollars, which would never be enough to help her. At the thought that he was nice enough to care, she couldn’t help but give a small smile.
“My name is Luke. Luke McIntyre. What’s your name?” he finally asked.
Aimee Jo shook her head as her smile grew. This guy was definitely persistent, she thought to herself. “Aimee Jo Elliot,” she said softly.
Aimee Jo—he liked her name; it somehow suited her. Luke felt on edge as he spoke. He did want to help, but he would be lying if he said he didn’t find her beautiful and had ideas of the many things he could do to her sexy body.
However, now that he had seen her up close, he noticed she seemed younger than he’d thought, maybe too young. Thoughts of his fifteen-year-old sister came to mind, as well as a statutory rape charge.
He watched as she took the bible that was in her lap and held it in her hands, which confirmed the whole praying thing. He felt like an ass now for all his dirty thoughts from earlier. She was a good girl, just his luck, and his demeanor changed to big brother mode. Now, instead of bedding her, he just wanted to help.
She was quiet for a few more minutes. Maybe if she didn’t speak anymore, he would give up and go away. She watched as he kicked his jean clad legs out to stretch and rested back on his arms, making it very clear that he wasn’t going anywhere. Finally, she gave in and spoke. “Why do you want to know about me?” Aimee Jo asked.
“Just because,” he quickly answered. It was his general answer for things to keep from opening up about himself.
Aimee Jo hesitated for a second, but then began her story. “Well, I don’t know what to do. I have no car, no money. I’m stranded here.” She didn’t know why she wasting her breath telling him all this. He would never be able to help her get to California.
Her sweet southern accent, mixed with her pained words of desperation, were putting Luke on edge. He watched as some of her tears ran down her soft cheeks and dripped down to her smooth neck. He was in awe of her smooth tan complexion that even all her crying couldn’t tarnish. He doubted she had any makeup on. She was a natural beauty that turned him on all the more.
“What happened?” He regained his composure and remembered why he was sitting beside her. Damn, he wanted to touch her, comfort her, and wipe away her tears, but for right now, he just needed to let her talk.
“My car was stolen, and when the troopers found it, it was totaled. Everything I owned was in there.” Thoughts of how badly she was screwed caused her to get upset again and she bowed her head and cried.
Damn, he hated seeing chicks cry. A mix of sympathy and anger overwhelmed him as he was reminded of the many nights he’d seen his mama crying. His hands ached to touch her, to hold her hand, to put his arm around her, and pull her to him. But he gripped his hands tightly, resisting the urge, for fear of scaring her away.
“Hey, don’t cry. Look, I have my cell. Is there anyone I can call for you?” Luke asked as he pulled his phone from its holder on his belt, ready to hand it over to her—anything to stop her tears.
Aimee Jo started shaking her head, knowing he would offer. She should tell him that she had no one to call, but for some reason, she couldn’t. She didn’t dare tell him that, it wasn’t his business.
Like she had done all her life, she had to put things in perspective and realize that she was the only one that could fix this. As much as she appreciated the fact he was trying to help, she needed to figure this out on her own and fast.
Determined, Aimee Jo stood up quickly, brushing the dirt off her dress. She might as well get ready to ask the diner owner for a job. “Thank you, Mr. McIntyre, but I’ll be fine in a few minutes. I’ll figure something out.” She looked around, anywhere but at his face. She was such a bad liar that she couldn’t look him in the eyes. He would know she was lying.
Looking up at her, Luke sat there a second, stunned by her quick turnaround from crying chick to determined woman, in just a matter of seconds. He went ahead and stood up to face her. Towering over her, he looked down at her tear-soaked face and those gorgeous doe eyes, full of unshed tears, and he knew deep down that she would not be okay.
Walk away, Luke, just walk away. It’s a trap. Don’t fall for the damsel in distress trick. The voice in his head kept preaching over and over. Too bad his mouth didn’t listen.
“Do you live around here? Can I give you a lift?” Now, he fucking did it. Who was this guy speaking right now? It couldn’t be him.
Aimee Jo stared at him and thought to herself, damn, this guy was persistent. She’d only just met him, but he was willing to help her. There must be something in it for him to keep being so generous.
“No, thank you, I’m not from here. I’m from Georgia,” she said, surprised that she responded so quickly to his gesture. Why on earth did she tell him where she was from? Aimee Jo wondered. She quickly turned her back to him, hiding her face in case she spilled any more information about herself.
Luke looked at her and was getting irritated. She had turned her back to him, and for some odd reason, it annoyed him. Here he was trying to help her, and she turned away. His patience with her was wearing thin.
“Where are you headed, then?” He had to know what she planned to do. No way could he leave not knowing she would be okay.
Aimee Jo felt bad that her crying had caused him to come check on her. She wasn't begging for attention, especially his. She was embarrassed and didn’t want to explain the stupidity of her situation. If she was going to learn how to stand on her own two feet, she had better start now. She put on a brave face and turned to face him one last time. “Look, Mr. McIntyre—”
“Luke,” he said, interrupting her.
“Huh?” she said, losing her train of thought.
“My name’s Luke. Mr. McIntyre is my father.”
“Fine, Luke,” she emphasized, “I appreciate you are trying to help, but I will be okay, really. You can go on about your business,” she said, trying to dismiss him.
Luke stood there, amused as she motioned her arms for him to leave, like his mama used to when she was shooing him out of the kitchen. It was cute and he was impressed that she did manage to have a little fight in her. He thought she was just some wounded lamb, but apparently, he underestimated her. He also knew that she was full of shit. “Bullshit!” he said, calling her out as he crossed his arms and planted his boots firmly in place.
“Excuse me?” Aimee Jo was startled by his language and his tone. So much for him being a gentleman, she thought.
“Excuse yourself,” Luke said as time and his patience were ticking away. “You were just sitting here on the curb with your suitcase and no way of going anywhere and crying your eyes out. You are anything but okay, darlin’,” he said.
Aimee Jo was fuming. Who the hell does this guy think he is? He may be cute but he was way out of line. “I didn’t ask you for help and it is none of your business, anyway,” she spit back, ready to take him on. She wasn’t sure where this spark of bravery was coming from, but she was going with it.
Luke chuckled as he watched her get riled with him. She probably didn’t realize that it made her even more attractive to him. He liked girls that had a little firecracker in them. “Maybe not, but sitting out here crying is sure not helping your situation. And if you hadn’t noticed, it has caused a lot of unwanted attention. Remember those two guys earlier that were watching you? If I leave they could come back,” he reminded her.
That got her, and she didn’t have a snappy comeback this time. Frustrated that she couldn’t argue with that fact, she turned away from him once again. She stood tight-lipped, trying to figure out if she should say anything more to him. A big part of her wanted to, but could she really trust him? Trusting people never seemed to work out in her favor, but her only other options were to stay here, where she knew no one, or go back to Georgia. Neither option was going to help fulfill her dream. Hitching a ride with the sexy guy was sounding better by the second.
Luke was a patient man, but he didn’t have all day to convince her to allow him to help. He already spent more time and energy on her than any other woman. He was a busy man and no way was he going to beg her to let him help. Finally, he decided to give up and go on his way. “Fine, I was just trying to help, but I have no time for someone who is constantly turning away from me and I have to drag info from.” Luke was tired of talking to her back. Obviously, this was going nowhere.
Aimee Jo could tell by his tone that he was about to give up. A part of her, a large part, didn’t really want him to leave. She felt a strange comfort from him being near, even though she didn’t know him, and his know-it-all attitude was pissing her off.
Luke was done. He tried to help but this was ridiculous, and it was certainly not like him. He didn’t go around begging women to accompany him. In fact, the opposite was true—they begged him. So what if she was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on, there were other fish in the sea.
“Well, I tried. Good luck. I hope it all works out for you, but I’m out of here.” Luke started walking away, heading toward his truck. He was pissed he’d wasted all this time talking when he should have been out of Mobile an hour ago. Now, he was behind, but at least he was no longer hungry, for food that is.
Aimee Jo panicked and turned to see him walking away. She was right—he had a great body, but his jean clad butt was walking away and if she didn’t act quickly, she would blow her chance. Would he really just offer her help and expect nothing in return? Aimee Jo wondered. She really didn’t want to stay here. She knew no one and it would take her forever to raise the kind of money she needed to get to where she was headed.
“California,” she called out to him. The feeling of abandonment far outweighed her fear of him.
Luke stopped dead in his tracks. He looked around. Was he being played? There was no way she could have known that was where he was headed. Maybe he didn’t hear her correctly. He turned back to face her again. “Did you say something?” he asked as he watched her now come to him, pulling her suitcase behind her.
“You asked me where I was going. California, I’m heading to California,” Aimee Jo said as her mind was made up now that she would accept his help, if he still was offering it.
California—he wasn’t expecting that answer. Mississippi, Louisiana, maybe as far as Texas, but not California, the same place he was going. This was getting more interesting by the second.
“California, huh? What part?” He had a hard time toning down the irritation in his voice. He was still pissed off with her for turning her back to him.
“Los Angeles,” she muttered.
Los Angeles? Luke knew he would have to drive near the LA area on Hwy 99 as he headed to Sacramento. He supposed he could drop her off somewhere close to LA. He could also just lend her the money to buy a bus ticket. It wouldn’t really be lending, as he would never see a dime of it again, but it beat the alternative of driving her there. But a pretty girl like her, alone on a bus for that long, would definitely spell trouble for her. Of course, her riding with him could mean trouble for him.
It was too risky of getting cozy, since he already felt off-balance in her presence. Could he do it? Could he really bring this beautiful girl along with him for at least four days, and not try to talk her out of her panties? He was not one to offer favors, unless of course he had something to gain, like getting laid.
Did that make him a dick? It depended on who you asked, he supposed, but no girl leaving his bed had ever seemed to mind. But he had opened his big fucking mouth and offered, and had hinted at no strings being attached. He may be a dog but he wasn’t a liar or a cheat. He said he would take her where she needed to go, and he meant that.
But now that he’d met her, he wouldn’t be able to sleep, worrying if she was okay. What if those guys were somewhere close, waiting for him to leave so they could swoop in? She was alone and desperate—not a good thing for someone as pretty as she was. If she wasn’t a lot lizard now, she could easily become one if she was left with no other options. The thought of that somehow disturbed him deeply.
Damn it, he thought. He was no fucking hero. Why couldn’t he just be a jerk and leave? He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Look, it just so happens that I am delivering a load to California. Los Angeles is on the way from where I am dropping it off. If you want, I can give you a ride to California,” he said out loud as his mind was screaming. Well, shit, you did it now, you stupid ass.
Aimee Jo had to take a leap of faith. Maybe she still had a chance at her dream. Could she trust him, though? She wanted to trust him, she so wanted to trust someone. She really hoped she wasn’t making a big mistake. “Yes, please,” she whispered.
The way she said those two words instantly made him hard. He was in trouble with this one, no doubt. “All right then, come on,” Luke spoke before he could change his mind. “My rig is over by the gas station. Let me get your suitcase.” He reached for the handle but Aimee Jo snatched it back behind her.
“No, you don’t have to. I will get it.” She held on to it tightly, not wanting to be more of a burden to him. She had already lost so much; the bag was all she had left.
Luke’s suspicions kicked into overdrive. He was right. Something didn’t add up. The way she wouldn’t let go of the suitcase—she was hiding something. He stepped in front of her, blocking her way. He may be horny but he wasn’t fucking stupid. He had managed for years to not be a sucker, and he wasn’t about to start now. “All right, before we go anywhere, open it up,” he demanded.
“What?” Aimee Jo was caught off guard by his command.
“The suitcase—open it up. I need to check it out. I don’t want any trouble.” He had to admit it was a pretty good scheme. A damsel in distress, he offers her a ride, and he gets caught smuggling drugs. He just bet that trooper was a part of this, and as soon as they were headed down the highway, he would be pulled over and busted.
“I don’t understand.” Aimee Jo was sad that he was no longer acting nice. Why did he care about what was in her suitcase? How much trouble could a dress, a brush, and her meemaw’s bible be?
Luke was tired of playing games as he grabbed up the suitcase before she had time to object.
“Hey, what are you doing?” Aimee Jo was shocked by his strange behavior. Maybe going with him was a mistake after all.
He unzipped the very light bag and found that it was practically empty. A few articles of clothing and the bible she had earlier, and that was it. He searched every corner and pocket. He was glad he didn’t find any drugs but was disturbed by how little the girl had.
Aimee Jo snatched her bag back as he released it. She was embarrassed he snooped through her stuff, but sort of understood why he did it. He didn’t know her any better than she knew him.
“Sorry, I had to be sure,” he apologized, but Aimee Jo was not ready to let him off the hook.
“Well, if you thought about it, the state trooper is the one that brought my suitcase back to me. If I was carrying something illegal, do you think I would be standing with you right now?” she snapped at him as she zipped up her suitcase again.
Well, hello, Miss Feisty, he smiled, thinking to himself. Maybe this trip wouldn’t be so bad, after all. “Good point. All right, let’s get going.” He grabbed her bag again, but this time just to be the gentleman his mama had raised him to be. She allowed his act of chivalry and followed along beside him.
“Mr. McIntyre, wait,” she called out.
He stopped and looked at her with a raised eyebrow and a scowl on his face.
“I’m sorry, Luke. Are you sure you’re okay taking me to California?” She wanted to give him one more chance to back down, in case he changed his mind.
“Didn’t we already go through this?” he challenged before walking again.
“And you don’t want anything in return?” She grabbed hold of his arm and halted him. It was a bold move on her part and the territorial look he was now giving her made her think that she just made a grave mistake. She quickly let go of his elbow as thoughts of what was in this for him weighed on her mind.
She touched him and it set his skin on fire, but not in a bad way. She wasn’t very bright grabbing a guy’s arm like that. Actually, she wasn’t being very smart, at all, accepting a ride from a complete stranger. Didn’t anyone ever teach her any better?
But damn, her touch was like an electrical shock to his body. What was it about this chick that had him so worked up? Was the fact that it had been weeks since his last hookup, now having him break all the rules he tried to follow? That had to be it. She wanted him to state his terms, but that was not how he played the game. No way was he begging for pussy. He had never had to before, and he’d be damned if he started now, no matter how beautiful she was.
Besides, he could tell right away that she was not the sleeping around type. She was the dangerous type, which unfortunately for him, meant off limits. She was the bring home and introduce to mama and get married type. No way was he going there. He would be a nice guy and help her out, but that was it. He may have blue balls by the end, but that would be easily taken care of once he dropped her off and hit his familiar stops.
“The only thing I want from you, darlin’, is to hurry your ass up and get in the truck. We’re burning daylight,” he said before walking again.
When they finally stopped in front of Luke’s rig, Aimee Jo looked up at the gigantic truck in awe. “Wait, we’re riding in this?” Aimee Jo had seen big rigs on the road, but she had never stood this close to one, much less rode in one. She thought when he said truck that it would be a nice pickup truck, not this huge monster.
“Look, darlin’, I am not up for a game of twenty questions right now. The day is going by fast and I still have to make it to Louisiana tonight.” He stood by his truck, grabbing the keys out of his pocket. “Do you want a ride to California or not?”
She nodded and looked up at him as he stood by the shiny blue and silver truck. She had never seen anything like it. He unlocked the passenger door and lifted the suitcase up, sliding it over. When he turned to her, after climbing back down, she had a hundred-dollar bill in her hand, holding it out to him.
“Here, it’s all I have left, but please take it. I really appreciate you doing this for me,” she said sincerely.
Luke stared at the crinkled bill. Once again, his guard was up. Was this a setup? He looked around, waiting to be ambushed at any moment, by God knows who. The coast seemed clear, but it didn’t help the fact that he was pissed off. He remembered her saying she was almost broke. She would need that money plus more if she was headed to California. No way would he leave her broke.
“Put that away, and don’t let me see it again, do you understand?” Luke managed to keep his voice calm. No sense in biting her head off, when all she was trying to do was do the right thing.
She smiled shyly, putting the money back in her wallet as he gestured for her to get in the truck.
“It is pretty easy to climb in. Just grab hold here and place your feet here, and lift yourself up,” he instructed as she moved in front of him.
She did like he said and he remained behind her, just in case she fell. She hopped so quickly that he got a nice look at her hot pink bikini panties. His dick was hard instantaneously. Good thing his shirt was untucked, and hopefully she didn’t notice.
She paused a second at the doorway when she saw the white decal of a lizard with a line through it next to the door. “What does this sticker mean? You don’t like lizards?” she asked, looking down to notice he was staring at her ass. He finally looked into her eyes when he noticed she had stopped.
“Did you say something?” he asked as the vision of what he just peeked at was cemented in his brain.
“Never mind.” Aimee Jo shook her head and continued to climb up. Men were all the same. Once she was inside the cab, Luke shut her door and walked around the other side.
Aimee Jo looked around in amazement, but she was afraid to touch anything or even sit down. Everything was clean and so shiny. She watched as Luke jumped in effortlessly, sat down, and shut his door. She was trapped inside with him now. If he was going to try anything, she was defenseless. She began to panic a little.
“So, what do you think?” he asked as she continued looking around the cab.
“It’s different. You sit so high up. It must feel strange to drive it,” she remarked as she still wouldn’t sit down.
“You haven’t even seen the best part. Come on,” Luke said as he pulled back the black curtain behind him and went further inside the truck.
Aimee Jo cautiously followed, reminding herself that it still wasn’t too late to bail out if she acted quickly. What did he want to show her? Would he lock her in a cage? Would he try to rape her? She would be prepared to fight for her life, if she had to. She had learned a few self-defense moves. He was cute but if she had to hurt him, she would.
She wasn’t prepared at all for what she saw. Rich dark wood cabinets with granite counters and a tiled floor. There was a refrigerator, microwave, oven, stove, sink, and a TV. There was a table with bench seating and a bed. This tiny space had all the basic and creature comforts of home. It was a like a small apartment on wheels. Everything was again, so clean and shiny. It looked brand-new.
“Home, sweet home,” he exclaimed, watching for her reaction. He placed her suitcase in the small closet to keep it from rolling around as he drove.
“This is wonderful. Is it new?” She looked around, still not believing what she was seeing.
“I’ve had her a year, but I bought her new, so yeah, I guess you could say she’s still new.” He leaned against the wall, watching her, loving her reaction to it.
She turned to him and smiled, forgetting all her earlier fears, at least for now. “How cool it must be to carry your home with you everywhere you go,” Aimee Jo said as she stepped around the small space, looking at things more closely.
It was the first time Luke had seen her smile, really smile, since he first saw her, and damn, what a smile. He liked that she seemed impressed by his rig. She was only the third person to see it, besides his sister and mom. He never brought a woman here. That part of his life he liked to keep separate. Since he already decided that she was off limits, he was glad he could share his good fortune with someone, even if it would only be for a few days.
“Yeah, it has its advantages.” The advantage that was currently coming to his mind was stripping her naked and having his way with her. If he was going to play the role of a perfect gentleman, this was going to be a very long and frustrating four days. He looked around, deciding he better set some ground rules fast.
“Here’s the deal. Now, I don’t normally bring passengers with me. In all honesty, I’ve never brought anyone with me before. So, when I am driving you are free to sleep on the bed and make yourself at home. When I park it, it means I will need to rest. So you will have to be quiet and give up the bed so I can sleep.” Luke finished his little speech as Aimee Jo stood and listened, nodding her head in confirmation.
“Okay, fair enough. I won’t be a problem, I swear.” She meant it. She would do her best to not be more of a burden than she already was.
No problem? Luke thought, oh, this girl had no fucking idea. The very thought of her sweet little body and pretty face here in close quarters with him for at least four days was a huge problem.
“Well, it’s four o’clock now, so I am going to start up. I need to refuel and we will be heading out shortly. I have a few hours left of driving to do before I am done for today. It will take us at least four days to get to Los Angeles as long as traffic and weather permit. When I am driving, just be careful and be ready for anything,” he advised.
“Okay, you got it.” She remained on the other side of the small room, giving him as much distance as possible. It would be hard to not crowd each other out, but she would do her best. Right now, she was just thankful he seemed on the up-and-up and was not trying to take advantage of her.
“All right, make yourself at home, Aimee Jo.” Luke went back up front, sitting in his seat. Having her so near was driving him nuts. It had been a long while since he last scratched that itch. His body, mostly his dick, craved a woman, and he craved this woman even more.
But he couldn’t do that to her. She trusted him and she seemed so damn innocent. His mind raced with her predicament. Why would a sweet southern girl like her want to go to Los Angeles? He never liked California; except for the mountain areas, he thought it was just one big tourist trap.
Alabama was his home, Geneva, Alabama to be exact. That was, of course, before he decided to make the road his home. His mama and baby sister still lived there, and of course, his father. He only visited on the holidays now. The less he was around his father, the better it was in his eyes.
Luke went ahead with his normal routine. He gassed up and after logging back in, pulled the curtain back to check on his guest. He hadn’t heard a peep out of her, since he showed her the cabin. For a split second, he worried that she had somehow taken off. He was relieved when he noticed her curled up on his bed, fast asleep. Poor kid was probably exhausted from the shit storm from today. He hoped that whoever was in LA was ready to take care of her. Slowly and quietly, he closed the curtain back.