Page 186 of Nobody's Girl

Shit! Why do I have to be taken?

The touch of his hand on mine takes my attention away from his face, which apparently I’ve been gazing at without realizing it.

“Open the glove compartment. There’s a gift for you in it,” he directs me.

“Another gift, Eden. Why would you do that?” I ask as I open the compartment and spy a black box with a pink ribbon around it. I open it up to find a pair of sunglasses, also with the word Ray-Ban on them.

“Oh my God, you really shouldn’t have. These must be expensive. I can’t take them.”

Reaching over me, Eden pulls them from the box and places them on my face. “You can take them, princess. I have more than enough money. And they look good on you,” he says as he flips the visor down, revealing a lighted mirror. “See for yourself.”

Wow! I look like a million dollars.

“Okay, I’ll accept them. It would be a damn shame to let these things go to waste. Thank you, Eden.”

He gives my cheek another quick peck. “You're welcome, Alyssa. Now you can decide if we leave the top up or put it down.”

Although I know it will bring us lots of attention, something I don’t much care for, I answer, “Down. Definitely down.” A push of a button and the sky opens up to us. “Can I mess with your radio, Eden?”

With a gesture to the screen, he says, “Mess away, baby doll.”

As he pulls out of our driveway, I find some hard rock and look to see if he approves. Kyle hates it. His head bobs a bit, so it’s a hit. Finally, someone who likes it.

“So, you like the hard stuff?”

Taking my hand in his, he lifts it to his lips, placing a kiss on top. “I listen to everything. But I must confess to the hard sounds of this music being my favorite.”

“Mine too,” I say, wondering what else we have in common.

As we drop off a particularly steep hill, I feel as if we’re flying. My stomach drops and my head goes light. “Oh!”

Eden’s head snaps as he decelerates. “I’m sorry, Alyssa. I went too fast. I have to be more careful.”

I laugh. “Don’t be sorry. That was fun, like a roller coaster.”

Shaking his head, he says, “I need to be careful with you. Speed is one of my downfalls, but I shouldn’t put you in danger because of it.”

“That wasn’t very dangerous, Eden. Come on, lighten up. I’m not a china doll,” I say as I roll my eyes.

Lifting our clasped hands, he lands another kiss on mine. “No, you are no China doll. You are much more precious than that, my princess.”

Several people walking down the main street in town openly gawk at us as we drive by them. “Okay, now the top down thing is embarrassing. Do you see how they stare at us?”

Eden shrugs his broad shoulders. “So let them. The car is beautiful and should be looked at, as should you.”

“I doubt they’re looking at me. It’s you they stare at, Mr. Too Good Looking,” I say with a giggle.

He mumbles something about hating being called mister,  and somehow he’s found my doctor’s office without me telling him where it was.

“Here we are,” he says.

“I see that. And just how did you know where it was?”

Turning, he pulls his shades down slightly so I can see his eyes. “GPS, sweetheart.”

I’m dumb!

“Oh, yeah, I guess this thing would have that.”