Page 29 of Taming I Do
My girl.Seemed like I was only my mother’s “girl” when I agreed to do everything Stella wanted. I reached behind me to plump my pillow as my mother prattled on about the level of shimmer in the new blush. As I settled my head against the pillow, something crawled over my hand. I shrieked, leaping off the narrow bed and hitting my head on the cabinet above as I jumped to my feet.
“Delilah?” My mother’s voice came from where the phone had landed, facedown on the floor, next to a giant cricket that stood rubbing its gangly legs together.
I shook off the shivers racing up and down my limbs. Just a cricket. No big deal. Crickets didn’t even bite. I’d just grabsomething to scoot my phone away from it, then shoo it out the door.
Fumbling, I managed to make my way to the kitchen area, where I whipped open the narrow drawer that held a small assortment of kitchen utensils. A dozen, maybe two dozen, crickets crawled over the spatulas and silverware. I screamed and slammed the drawer shut.
“What’s going on?” Stella’s muffled voice came from the floor.
“Hold on a sec. There’s a bug.” I knew it was irrational, but I’d always had a fear of creepy-crawly things. Up to that point I hadn’t had any trouble with the trailer beyond a random ant or mosquito. I opened the closet door and grappled for the broom. It clattered against the countertop but, thankfully, was cricket-free.
I tiptoed closer to where my phone had landed. If I stretched, I might be able to reach it with the broom and sweep it close enough that I could grab it without having to get close to the cricket. The bug in question sat on the ground, rubbing its front legs together in all of its dark, glossy glory. I shrieked as I pulled the broom back, causing my phone to skitter across the floor of the trailer and disappear under the table.
Bending down, I reached a hand under the table to retrieve my phone, only to touch something undeniably crickety instead. I let out a scream that probably could have woken the dead in at least four surrounding counties and exploded out of the trailer into the parking lot.
It was empty, thankfully. Smoker Saturday had ended several hours ago, although the scent of fish lingered in the air. The neon lights from the Burger Bonanza sign burned bright although the windows were dark. Helmut and the staff had gone home hours ago. Which meant I was standing in a deserted parking lot.
In my nightgown.
Alone.
I glanced down at my bare feet. It’s not like I’d be able to walk somewhere to get help. What was I going to say? “I’m too chicken to enter my trailer because it’s full of crickets”?
Embarrassed at my own ridiculousness, I poked my head back into the trailer. “Stella?”
No answer.
Either my mother had hung up, or the call had been disconnected when my phone flew across the floor. I could do this. It was just a few bugs. Bugs that didn’t even bite.
I waited a few minutes, letting my pulse slow. Then, grabbing the handle on the outside of the trailer, I lifted a bare foot to the step. Those crickets were more scared of me than I was of them. That’s what my dad used to tell me. My eyes teared up at the memory of my dad. I could still picture the humor in his eyes and see the whisper of a smile as he used to toss me into the air and catch me over and over again. He wouldn’t be afraid of a few harmless crickets.
Emboldened, I entered the trailer. The broom rested against the counter, and I reached for the handle. I’d just sweep those helpless crickets out into the fresh air. No problem. I lifted the broom, preparing to do just that, when something landed on my shoulder.
All thoughts of peacefully coexisting shattered. I whipped around and raced down the steps, flinging myself through the door and right into a hard, broad chest.
“You okay?” Jasper wrapped his arms around me, drawing me tight against him, my breasts smashed against his pecs.
I wasn’t sure what to be more mortified about... My irrational fear of some harmless crickets or the fact I was standing half-naked and braless in the very public parking lot of the Burger Bonanza, chest to chest with Jasper Taylor.
“I’m fine. What are you doing here?” I pulled back, thought better of letting him see me in my skimpy nightgown, and crossed my arms over my chest.
“Your manager called. Said it was an emergency and you were being attacked.” Jasper’s gaze flicked over me like he was checking me for injuries. His hair stuck out in all directions, and he looked like he’d just woken up.
“I’m sorry. I was on the phone with my mom when a cricket attacked me.”
His brow furrowed and the edge of his mouth ticked up. “You were attacked by a cricket?”
“Not just one. There’s a whole army of them in there.” I pointed to the door of the trailer.
“An army of crickets attacked you?”
“Well, not really attacked. I mean, I’m sure it wasn’t a premeditated move on their part.” I kept my palms over my breasts, aware of how absolutely ridiculous I sounded.
“Do you mind if I take a look?” He bit back a smile.
“By all means, please.” I nudged my chin toward the door. “But be careful. They’re everywhere.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” He disappeared through the small door, and I waited for some confirmation that I hadn’t overreacted, that my trailer hadn’t been caught up in some cricket swarm of biblical proportions.
