CHAPTER 101

“Are you okay?”

“Oh? Oh, yeah. I am.” Samantha whispered, then added, “t-thank you.”

Eric gave a grunt in acknowledgement and turned the key in the ignition. The truck came to life with a rumble.

“Here goes nothing,” he said as he clutched the gear shift.

~~~

Inside, Samantha fought a war against herself—a war she was gradually losing. In the last five minutes, she had turned at least seven times to catch a glimpse of Eric.

To see his strong, proud chin. To see that flaming red hair. To see the stubble on his lips—she imagined how they would feel when she ran her lips across them—and all seven times, she had immediately thrown her gaze to the back of the truck as if she was searching for something.

She wondered if Eric noticed this. She hoped not. She was already dying inward of the embarrassing prospects that her mind seemed to keep dreaming up.

She tried to rock the baby in her arms to distract herself, but she found herself turning again, ever so slowly.

Her eyes shot to his face a