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A stifled snort escaped me even as I blushed. I cleared my throat. “Alright, but take it easy on both of us.”
Ben eased me into his lap so that my legs slightly crossed over his. My back was tucked into the corner between the seat and the side of the thunder so that I was almost cradled against him. He slipped one arm around my side farthest from him and still managed to grasp the steering wheel with both hands.
“Comfortable?” he asked me.
I squirmed a little, but his sudden freezing made me stop. “What’s wrong?” I asked him as I looked up into his face. Ben stared straight ahead and his stoic expression was showing strain. My blush brightened as I realized what I had done. “Get homequick.”
He nodded and started the machine. “Yes, ma’am.”
The quiet engine roared to life as loud as it could and Ben punched on the gas. The vehicle flew forward and I watched out of the corner of my eye as Serena flew backward. “Ow. . .” came her comment as we zoomed down the road.
I tried not to squirm, but that was a difficult task as Ben weaved in and out of traffic with all the care of a rampaging elephant through a China shop, the bull be damned. I looped my arms around his neck and tried to keep my hands away from his throat lest I yield to temptation. More than once I was forced to avert my eyes so I didn’t see my life flash before my eyes. Nobody wanted to watch one long commercial of late-night snacking and office drudgery.
“Could you slow down!” I requested as we zoomed past a carriage-and-four. The horses, too, were spooked by his speed and veered off into a fancy hedge-row.
“Very well.”
He pressed on the brakes and we coasted around a corner. My face drooped as I recognized the back alley that led to Ben’s rear courtyard. I turned to find his teasing smile on his lips. “You are such an ass.”
He bowed his head. “My pleasure.”
A whimpering voice floated out from behind the seat. “A-are we there?”
I twisted my head around, but couldn’t see Serena. “Nearly.”
In less than a minute we pulled into the courtyard and parked the thunder. I gingerly climbed out and Ben followed, whereupon he turned and helped Serena out. She stumbled a little and fell against me. I grabbed her arms to keep her steady.
“You okay?” I asked her.
She sheepishly smiled at me. “Yes, but my goodness, thunders are fast, aren’t they?”
I grinned. “Yeah, especially when Ben’s behind the wheel. I should have hadhimwalk and I drive.”
Her eyes widened. “Can you drive a thunder?”
I cast a doubtful look at the complicated dashboard. “Probably not this one.”
A whinny from the stable made us look in that direction. Ferox stood in his stall and threw back his head.
Ben chuckled. “I do believe he’s jealous of the machine.” Ferox snorted and pawed at the ground. “You will have your time to shine another day. For now, we need a larger carriage than you’re willing to pull.” Ferox reared up and slammed his hooves against the door of his stall. Ben frowned at the beast. “You have never allowed another horse to pull a carriage with you without twisting the harnesses to get ahead.” Tully stepped out of the rear door and took in the scene with his usual stoicism. He caught Ben’s eye, and the master merely shrugged. “He insists on pulling a carriage large enough to haul all three of us.”
Tully pointed at something behind us. I turned and found only the wall of the next building.
Ben folded his arms over his chest and sighed. “Very well. Ask them.”
I lifted an eyebrow as Tully bowed his head and hurried past us into the alley. “Ask who?”
Ben turned to me with a dire expression on his face. “The neighbors have a larger carriage that will fit three while only needing one horse. They may let us borrow the carriage for a time so Ferox won’t bust the stables.”
I cocked my head to one side. “You make it sound like we’re asking the devil for a favor.”
He closed his eyes and bowed his head. “That isn’t quite true, but I may regret doing this.”
I took a step toward him as my heart pumped hard in my chest. “Ben, who are the neighbors?”
Ben opened his mouth but two high-pitched squeals cut through the air.
CHAPTERTWENTY-EIGHT
