All that he had was a helmet. I looked at him, puzzled. His steady liquid silver gaze had me agreeing. He was up to something, but I didn’t know what.
We stepped outside, and I took a moment to enjoy the stars while keeping my hands in my thin coat pockets. He stood by me waiting. Missing the stars was the reason for our deal after all. Since the sun had set, the temperature dropped. I worried that I’d be cold again, but didn’t say anything. With my already limited freedom, I wasn’t about to stay home just to avoid being cold.
He helped me with the helmet so I could keep my hands in my pockets. Getting on the bike did require me to remove them briefly. When I settled behind him, I tucked my hands in his pockets. He didn’t offer me anything else.
The motorcycle snarled to life and we left Beatriz’s house behind. I’d enjoyed our time there and hoped that Morik would consider going back on Friday.
Within minutes, the cold penetrated my hands numbing my fingers. He hadn’t seemed to mind me warming them on the way to Beatriz’s, so I didn’t hesitate to use the same method. This time, I went for his sides just below the pockets.
When I touched his skin, my stomach did another crazy flip, unsettling me. I resisted moving my fingers and instead rested them against his skin. In just a few short days, I’d done what no other in my family could do before me. I’d spoken with Morik, faced him without fear and willingly touched him. None of it bothered me. In fact, I liked spending time with him.
Silently, warming my hands on his sided, I acknowledged what I’d known since he’d told me Belinda’s story. I didn’t need to plot to find someone else for Morik. I just needed to do what Belinda hadn’t. For my sake and the sake of my family.
Chapter 11
Monday morning, Morik sat in the kitchen waiting for me, as usual, as I raced to get ready. When I tried to race past him to get my jacket on, he caught me by the hand, stopping me. Mom and Aunt Grace had both left already. I hadn’t had a chance to talk to them last night about their dates, but it didn’t really matter. Not if I could make it work with Morik.
“I have something for you,” he nodded to the pile of leather draped over the chair next to him. I’d thought it was his coat. When I looked at it closer, I saw two. He lifted the one on top and handed it to me. The weight of it surprised me and it almost hit the floor. He smiled and took it from me, helping me into it. I felt the difference as soon as it settled on my shoulders. Reaching I tapped an elbow.
“Are their plates in there?” It felt like there was one on my back as well.
“You worry about falling. I thought it might make you feel safer. This jacket will keep you warmer too.” He unzipped the side pockets and pulled out new black leather gloves. “These will keep your hands warm.” He paused, met my eyes briefly and smiled, “Not that I minded cold hands.”
I felt the blood rush to my face as I tugged the gloves on. They matched the black riding jacket.
He picked up his jacket, shrugging into it. Underneath it, a red fleece scarf still hung over the back of the chair. It matched the zipper material running down the front of my new jacket, along with the pockets on the front and the arms. He looped it around my neck and carefully tucked it in. My upper body wouldn’t get cold, but I didn’t think my legs would be any better off.
He stepped back to eye his work. “For the longer rides, I have insulated jeans too, but didn’t think you needed them to get to school.”
“Thank you.” His consideration meant more to me than the jacket did.
Gran whistled low. “That’s a sharp sight,” she complemented me.
I grinned at her and gave her a quick hug good-bye. Morik held the door for me when we left.
“Don’t you ever get cold?” I asked as we walked outside. The jacket and gloves were amazingly warm, but the cold air chilled my face.
“Rarely. If I do, something’s usually wrong with me.”
“What do you mean? You get sick?”
“Or hurt. It’s happened a time or two.”
The thought of him hurt or sick made him seem more human. And it worried me. “You should be wearing a helmet too then,” I said settling behind him. He laughed and took off with my hands tightly circling his waist.
Arriving in school decked out in form fitting leather drew more attention than I anticipated. When I handed the helmet to Morik, his eyes swirled with orange. No red.
“Will I see you after school?”
He nodded before he took off again weaving through the morning school traffic.
“You are smoke’n hot in that,” Beatriz quipped, coming up behind me. I smiled self-consciously. “Friends share, right?” she prodded.
“Any time,” I said hoping Morik wouldn’t mind if I loaned out the jacket when I didn’t need it.
“Good. I’ll take him tomorrow,” she sighed staring in the direction he’d disappeared.