“Okay, come here.I have an idea.”
Before I can respond, Kian gets into the driver’s seat, adjusts it, and reaches for me.
“Wha—” I squeak as he lifts me like I weigh nothing and settles me in his lap.
“I’ve got you,” he whispers in my ear.
I shiver as his breath ghosts over my skin.
“Um…” I mumble, trying to think of something to say.
“You’ve got this.Here.”
He gives me a quick overview of where everything is, then reverses out of my drive and turns the car north, heading away from town.
“Grab the wheel.”
I raise my shaky hands and set them over his.“What if I crash your truck?”
“You won’t.You’re doing great.”
“I’m not doing anything!”
“Sure you are.Give it some more gas.”
I take a breath, followed by another.Finally, I push my foot against the gas pedal and relax as the truck slowly accelerates.
“Good,” Kian praises.
I relax even more.
Then Kian lets go of the wheel.I’m about to protest, but he grabs my hands and holds them firmly in place, his palms covering the backs of my hands.
“Which way do you want to go?”he asks when we reach a fork in the road.
I let my foot off the gas.One leads to Maple Creek, and the other is a back road to some old houses.I choose the back road, driving slowly to the right.
“Whoa!”I laugh as we bump over potholes and rocks.
We near a turn, and I slow down again, smiling as I navigate it.I’m doing it!I never thought this would happen, and now I’m doing it!
We bounce over more potholes and come to a stop sign.
I turn to smile at Kian over my shoulder, and that’s when I see the look of pain on his face.
“Are you okay?”I ask, alarmed.
“Yeah, I, uh, I think this lesson is over, though.I need to get home.”
“Oh.Okay.”
I’m so confused.I thought things were going well.Did I mess up?Did I scrape something against the side of the truck?
He grabs my hips and lifts me, setting me into the passenger seat.I buckle up and look over at him as he turns the truck around, heading back to my house.
I suddenly realize what the problem was.I was too heavy for his lap.Crap!I must have crushed his legs.That’s why he looked like he was in pain.
Tears prick my eyes, and I feel humiliated as we pull up outside my place.
