The man smiled. “Don’t I know it. Oh, forgive me, it’s been quite a day.” He extended his hand to Phoenix. “I’m Curtis Smith.”
After shaking hands with Phoenix, Curtis turned to me and did the same. “I would say it’s a pleasure to meet you, but under the circumstances…”
“I completely understand,” I said. “If I may, is your wife okay? Charlie said she was out running errands when the tornado hit.”
He put Charlie down and instructed her to go back to bed. “She’s in the hospital. The building she was in collapsed and she was trapped in the rubble. She’ll be okay though. Other than a mild concussion, it’s mainly just bumps and bruises, but she’s three months pregnant, so they wanted to keep her overnight to monitor the baby.”
I fidgeted with my hands before asking, “Charlie mentioned the babysitter, Judy, went back to the house after getting them to the shelter. Any word on her?”
Curtis grimaced. “She was found about a quarter mile from here. She’s alive, but unconscious and in critical condition. As soon as I heard she was brought in with no sign of the children, I got here as fast as I could.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I said softly.
After a brief pause, Curtis clapped his hands. “Well, is there something I can do to help you two? You said you were stranded after the storm?”
Phoenix filled him in on our tornado experience. “I just need to find somewhere to rent something I can haul my bike back home with.”
“You’re not going to have any luck around here, but I can drive you a few towns over to get something.”
“Thanks, man. I’d greatly appreciate that,” Phoenix replied.
“We can head out now if Annabelle doesn’t mind staying with the kids.”
“I’d be happy to,” I told them. I wasn’t sure of the time, but I figured the kids would sleep for a while longer.
Four hours later, Phoenix and Curtis returned, Phoenix driving a rented box truck. Curtis helped him get the bike loaded into the truck and we said our goodbyes. Charlie was quite upset about our departure, but I promised to call in a day or two to check in with her and her family. We offered to stay and help Curtis, but he said there would be nothing to do for several days. With a final hug goodbye, Phoenix and I climbed into the truck and continued on our journey back to Croftridge.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Phoenix
“You okay?” I asked. Annabelle had been quiet since we left Curtis, Charlie, and Austin.
“Yes, I’m fine,” she replied, quickly. A little too quickly I thought.
“Don’t lie to me, doll face. I’ll pull this truck over if I have to,” I warned.
She rolled her eyes. “I was just thinking about our children,” she paused, “and how much I missed of their lives,” she finished on a sob.
I eased the truck off the highway and pulled her into my arms. Rubbing her back, I soothed, “I know it’s hard, but you can’t dwell on that part of it. I know how you feel, doll face, I truly do, but you have to let that part go. We can’t change the past, no matter how much we wish we could.”
She balled up her fists and beat them against my chest. “I hate him! I hate him! I wish he wasn’t dead so I could kill him myself! He took so much from me! From us!”
I held her close and rocked her back and forth. “He can’t take anything else away from us. That I can promise you.”
She leaned away from me and wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry. This past week has wreaked havoc on my emotions.”
“It’s okay, doll face. Don’t ever hide your feelings from me.” I leaned forward and kissed her lips. I intended to give her a chaste kiss, a quick hug, and get back on the road. Instead, Annabelle pulled me closer, thrust her tongue into my mouth, and climbed into my lap. The next thing I knew, she had her lower half stripped bare and my jeans open.
“I need you, Phoenix,” she breathed. Then, she held my cock in one hand, raised herself up, and slid down, all the while staring into my eyes. She rode the hell out of me in that box truck on the side of the road, using my body to work out her frustrations. Moaning and groaning, her hips rising and falling, she didn’t stop until we were both coming at the same time.
Leaning forward, I pressed my forehead against hers. “Feel better?”
She licked her lips and whispered, “Yes.”
I grinned. “Good. You start feeling down again, you just let me know, yeah?” I winked.
***
