Driver

Part 12

The next morning Idyn was waiting outside her apartment block as usual when Taki appeared.

“Morning” he said turning his head to look at her as she got in the car. He was wary of her mood but he hoped that after she had had time to consider it she would understand why he had said no.

But Taki wouldn’t make eye contact with him.

Idyn sighed and turned back around and got them on the road.

“How do you feel?” he said.

She didn’t respond.

Looking in the rear view mirror Idyn saw that her eyes were trained out the window.

“Taki I’m sorry if I upset you last night. That wasn’t my intention.”

Still no response.

“Taki…” he said.

She continued to ignore him.

Idyn knew he needed to do something and pulling over he turned around to face her. “Taki” he said leaning on the back of the front seat. “What are you angry about, the fact that I didn’t come up to you room last night or that you asked me?” It was a question that was designed to get a reaction and he got one.

Taki didn’t speak but her head came around and her furious gaze went through him like a hot lance.

He sighed. “Just because I didn’t take you up on your offer, doesn’t mean I didn’t want to” he said. “Think about it Taki, you had been drinking. You were upset about that dickhead who had attacked you and you had just bared your soul. I didn’t want to take advantage of your emotional state. I’m not interested in that sort of situation. If things are going to go anywhere between us, it has to be because we both honestly want it, not because one of us has had a bad day.”

Taki searched his eyes for a moment and said in a voice that still spoke of suppressed anger, “so if I asked you again, your answer would be different?”

“On a normal day, yes it would definitely be different.”

“How about now then?” she said in a challenging tone as if testing his assertion.

“You don’t need to work?”

“I know you don’t” she snapped referring to his revelation that he owned the business.

“No I don’t” he said “but you asking because you’re angry isn’t a good reason either.”

She continued to glare for a second before looking away and expelling her breath on a sigh.

He knew she had conceded and he suppressed a smile, aware that she wouldn’t appreciate it at the moment. At least she had seen reason. “Let’s see what the day brings” he said trying to smooth things over “okay?”

“I hope to god it’s better than yesterday” she said turning her head to look at him again.

“Could it get any worse?”

She didn’t move for a second and then laughter bubbled out of her. “Not much” she admitted returning his smile with a beaming one of her own, and damn near taking his breath away in the process.

His smiled dropped away and he said “right” before he turned back around, fighting to dampen down the urge to forget his principles and jump in the back seat with her.  “Let’s get you to work” he finished.