Chapter 2

Around midnight we finally made it to my apartment. It had been a very stressful and tiring walk. Twice we had to detour around downed power lines. The nicest part of the whole ordeal was being able to hold Sunshine's hand. She refused to let go. Not that I minded; I'm not that stupid.

I opened the door and pointed her towards the bathroom. She had been getting antsy for the past four blocks. I couldn't blame her. I needed to go pretty bad myself, but was too embarrassed to whip it out and piss on a tree.

Since the power was still on I checked to see if the phone service was intact. No such luck. My cellphone still gave me the message that all circuits were busy. Damn. When she came out of the bathroom I pointed to the kitchen.

"My turn. Go help yourself to whatever you find. There's sodas and juice in the fridge. If you're hungry, eat whatever you want."

Sunshine nodded and slipped past me as I headed into the bathroom. When I came back out I could hear her rummaging through the cupboards. I retrieved an air mattress from the utility closet and set it up in the living room. I had to do some creative rearranging of the furniture to make room. I could smell a hot skillet by the time I got the sheets and a pillow on the mattress.

I stood in the doorway watching her move around the kitchen. My first impression was that she looked right at home. I watched her for several moments before she was aware of my presence. She caught me staring. I didn't think she could get any cuter, but the grin she gave me coupled with her rosy cheeks made my chest tighten. Whoa. I really liked what I saw.

"Whatcha cookin' Sunshine?"

"Grilled cheese sandwiches. Is that okay?"

"Perfect. I tried calling the hospital but the landlines are out here too and the cellphone won't go through."

"Okay, thanks for trying. Do you think we should go to the hospital after we eat?"

"I don't know, Sunshine. I'm dead-on-my-feet tired. Besides, even if I had access to my other truck tonight, I don't know if we could get to the hospital."

"Oh, yeah. We'll try in the morning, though, right?"

"Yes. If it looks like the city has cleared the roads enough, we'll try first thing after breakfast."

We ate our grilled cheese sandwiches and potato chips with a big glass of orange juice. After we were done, I showed her the mattress I had set up for her. I knew I felt grungy and wanted to take a shower. I figured she would too.

"Do you want to take a shower before going to bed?"

"Yeah, I would."

"Okay, I'll get you a towel. I'll look through my drawers to see if I have an old shirt you can use to sleep in."

"Thanks Peter."

Once she was in the shower, I dug through my t-shirt collection. I found an old Iron Maiden concert t-shirt that looked like it would be long enough. When she came out of the bathroom with her hair wet and wrapped in a towel, I was struck by how sexy she looked. She blushed all the way down to where the towel covered her chest when she saw me staring.

"Uh, sorry. Here, I found a shirt that should be okay to sleep in."

She held it up to check out the graphics.

"What's an Iron Maiden? Some satanic cult thing?"

I couldn't help but laugh. It also made me feel really old.

"No. It was a band I listened to during my rebellious youth."

"Oh. Weird."

She went back into the bathroom to change. She came back out carrying her dirty clothes and the wet towel. The t-shirt went down to her knees. Shucks. I was hoping to see more of her legs. Stop it, I told myself. I could get into way too much trouble thinking things like that. Even if Sunshine's parents gave her permission to be here; I'm sure there was nothing in that agreement that implied ogling her was permitted.

I took her dirty clothes and loaded them into the washer. I was tempted to sniff her panties, but stopped myself. Damn it man! Get a hold of yourself. Quit thinking like a pervert and act like a gentleman. I finished arguing with myself. Didn't someone tell me once that arguing with yourself was okay as long as you didn't lose? Crap! Now what?

I got a towel and a robe and took my own shower. I tried the cold-water trick. It didn't help much. I loaded my dirty clothes in with hers and started the washer. Sunshine was already under the covers and appeared to be asleep. I didn't disturb her. I crawled into my own bed and tried to think of anything except her being naked under that t-shirt.

I don't remember my dreams that night. The next morning was definitely a shock. I woke up feeling something squeezing my hard-on. It wasn't my hand, either. I could feel a warm body pressed up against my back and an arm draped over my hip. The wonderful sensation of fingers gently gripping my shaft startled me. I froze. Holy shit!

"Uh, Sunshine?"

"Yes, Peter?"

"What do you think you are doing?"

She giggled in my ear.

"What does it feel like I'm doing?"

"You shouldn't do that. It's not right. I could get into a lot of trouble."

"No you won't. I'll be eighteen next week. Besides, I want to do this. I think I love you."

OH CHRIST ON A CRUTCH! What the hell am I going to do now? Wait a minute. Isn't this what I was secretly hoping for? Hey, dumbass, wake up. She thinks she loves you. Why? What could she possibly see in me? I'm too old for her.

"Peter?"

Oh, shit. Say something asshole.

"What is it, Sunshine?"

"Do you love me?"

AWWWW SHIT! What do I say to that? You'd better answer quick or she's going to get mad and leave.

"I... uh... don't know, Sunshine. I know I am really fond of you, but I don't know if it's love yet."

"I'm okay with that. I can wait."

She squeezed my dick again and kissed the back of my neck. Alright, I admit it. What she was doing felt great. I wouldn't mind waking up to this every morning. Ooh. Parents. Hadn't thought of that yet, have you, bucko. What were they going to say about this? I suddenly remembered the expression her mother had last night. Hmmm. I think maybe she knew. How about that. Maybe I wasn't in deep kimchi after all.

"Uh, Sunshine?"

"Yeah?"

"I need to get up."

"Awww. Why?"

"I have to pee really, really bad. That's why."

"Then why are you all hard like this?"

"That's what happens to guys in the morning, Sunshine. We get 'piss hard-ons'."

"Oh. I thought it was because you were thinking about me."

It was my turn to chuckle.

"Yes, any other time of the day it would be, Sunshine. But at seven o'clock in the morning, it means I have to pee."

She let go of me and rolled onto her back. I slid out from under the covers and looked back at her. I groaned out loud this time. She raised her arms up over her head and smiled at me. A dark nipple peeked out from under the edge of the sheet. I couldn't help but stare at it. She started giggling.

"I thought you had to pee?"

I shook my head and groaned again.

"I do, damn it. But seeing you like this is tough to walk away from."

"Then go pee so you can get back into bed with me."

"Yes, your highness."

I bowed and went to the bathroom. Her giggles followed me all the way. As I stood emptying my bladder, I thought about what I was going to do next. Should I go back in there and finish what she was hinting at? I went over the conversation we just had. Something struck me as a little odd. She didn't know about 'morning wood', but yet she had had her hand wrapped around me like she knew what she was doing. The display she put on for me as I got out of bed also hinted at her knowing what she was doing.

I thought about it some more as I stood in front of the mirror looking at myself. What if she was a virgin? Oh, buddy, you will be in deep shit if she is. I can't just walk in there and ask. I might be an asshole occasionally but that would be over the line. No, I need to slow this down. I am not going to have sex with her this morning. I need to know more about her before I go that far. I haven't even kissed her yet. Well, you big dummy, get in there and do that.

I walked back into the bedroom. She had lowered the sheet to uncover both nipples. She was also biting her lower lip and her expression was unsure. Oh, yeah, Pete, you'd better slow this down before it becomes a train wreck. I stepped over to the side of the bed. Leaning over, I pulled the sheet up to her chin. I saw the confusion on her face and before she could say anything, I kissed her. A real nice, slow, gentle kiss. I stood back up.

"That's what I've wanted to do for the past week. Let's just take it easy for right now, okay? We still have to go get your parents at the hospital this morning."

I watched her expression go from bliss to a frown. She stuck out her lower lip.

"Awww. Why'd you have to bring them up? Mood kill, Pete. That wasn't nice."

"I know, but don't you think they would appreciate it if we didn't forget about them?"

"Okay. You're right. I just wanted..."

"I know what you wanted, but that's not going to happen just yet, Sunshine. I need a little bit more time before I decide I want you in my life like that."

"But, your, uh..."

She was pointing at my crotch. I laughed.

"You need to leave that alone for a while longer, Sunshine. Please?"

"Okay."

She pouted again. That chilled me out inside. Her behavior was not what I was used to. Twenty years ago, this conversation would not have gone this way. But today, it was a different matter entirely. I really needed to think with the head on my shoulders and not the one trying to poke its way out of my boxers.

I grabbed my robe and went to the kitchen to make breakfast. I turned on the TV on my way past. Of course, the news channel was covering all the damage from the storm. I fixed myself a bowl of cereal and stood in front of the TV eating. The aerial footage was sobering. They were showing the path that the tornado had ripped through town. I saw my house and what remained of those around it. Holy shit, we were damned lucky last night. I made a mental note to have a storm shelter built in the back yard.

"Shit."

I turned at hearing her say that. She was staring at the TV, her eyes tearing up. I think she just finally understood what we had gone through. I set my bowl down on the coffee table. I held my arms open and she slowly came towards me. I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her close.

"I told you last night that everything would be okay. Trust me. I'll help any way I can. Now, go get yourself some breakfast and I'll see if they fixed the phone lines last night."

She nodded and went into the kitchen. I tried the landline first. Still dead. I tried my cell next. YES! I heard the ringing tones after dialing the hospital. When it picked up, all I heard was an automated message telling me that they weren't giving out names of patients over the phone. Well, at least the cell towers were working again.

Sunshine came back out to the living room and mimicked me. She stood in front of the TV watching the talking heads babble over the carnage. The assholes were even smiling. No-conscience fuckers. Oh, well. I quit watching out of frustration. I rinsed out my bowl and went into the bedroom to get dressed.

When I came back out to the living room it suddenly dawned on me that I had forgotten to put her clothes in the dryer last night. I rectified that oversight and apologized to her.

"I'm sorry, Sunshine. I didn't mean to do that."

"That's okay, Peter. I understand. I don't mind wearing your old t-shirt, even if it does have this horrible mummy thing on the front."

I chuckled at that. No I guess you don't, I thought, as I watched her curl up on the couch. The view I got was not PG-13. I forced myself to look up into her eyes. She was blushing but the grin she had was not that of an innocent. Oh shit.

"While you wait for your clothes to get dry, I'm going to walk down to the storage warehouse and get my other truck."

"Okay. You won't be gone too long, will you?"

"Nah, maybe an hour. Okay?"

"Okay."

I grabbed the key for the warehouse from the bookcase and stepped over to the back of the couch. I leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. I got a big smile for that.

"See you in a little bit, Sunshine."

My shirt and pants were soaked with sweat from the heat and humidity. It had to be close to one hundred degrees and the humidity wasn't far from that number either. I was relieved that the warehouse wasn't any further from my apartment. I didn't think I could stand it much longer before getting inside where there was some working A/C.

I unlocked the roll-up door and went inside to get my truck. I stared at it for a moment remembering the look on the custom shop proprietor's face when I drove it into his lot. That alone made it worth it for me. 'The Look' as I call it. I smile every time I see it. The slackened jaw, the eyes wide as saucers. Then the finger pointing and elbow jabs. I can read lips too. 'Holy shit' and 'Get a load of THAT' top the list of sayings when I pass by.

This thing was the product of a splurge from my first royalty check. I spent over two hundred thousand dollars on it and it was worth every penny. It took almost two years to build and I had had a hell of a time getting it licensed. It started life as a U.S. Army M939A2 5-ton six-wheel drive cargo truck. Now, it was a 'Peter-built' special.

I had the custom shop shoehorn a Cummins ISX 565 VG turbo diesel powerplant under the hood. I had it modified with a new computer control interface, and added a water/methanol injector system. It took three months to get the Eaton Fuller Autoshift 10-speed transmission to work correctly with the six-wheel drive axles. I had to replace the CV joints and was able to keep the front axle lock out. I took a cue from the Army, and installed ABS brakes after reading all the fatal incident reports.

I had the cab reworked so that it had an air-ride system and plush seats. It also sported a sleeper cab with an auxiliary generator to run the A/C unit on top. I had all the trim pieces chromed. You'd better believe that was a pain in the ass to have done. The grill alone set me back three grand. But what makes this monstrosity stand out the most is the custom, pearl-coat over midnight-blue silver flake, paint job. I had the rims painted to match after I got a quote from the chrome shop for those. I don't think that guy wanted to take that on, so he over-priced it.

I shook myself out of my reverie and deactivated the alarm system. I climbed into the cab and hit the glow-plug switch. She rumbled to life after a moment. The LCD display came up on the dash. All the numbers were in the green across the board. I let the engine warm up for a few minutes. I turned on the A/C, and smiled in relief when the arctic cold blast came rushing out of the vents. Pushing in the valve for the parking brake, and hearing the blast of air from under the truck; I rolled her out of the warehouse.

It only took me ten minutes to get back to the apartment. I managed to get it into my parking space. I left it running and went to go get Sunshine. When she stepped outside, she stopped in her tracks. She had 'The Look'. I laughed.

"What the hell is that thing?"

"That's my other truck."

"It's HUGE!"

"I wanted something nobody else had. That's a one of a kind custom truck."

"Damn, Peter. I guess so."

I chuckled at her reaction.

"Come on; let's go get your parents. I'm sure they are wondering where we are."

She shot me a glance and grinned.

"Worried about what they'll say?"

"I just don't need your Dad calling out the National Guard to find you."

"Ha! You mean you don't want him getting a gun and trying to shoot you."

"Well, I have to admit, that thought did cross my mind more than once this morning."

"Don't sweat it, Peter. My Mom knew where I was going to be."

I got real uncomfortable with that thought.

"Climb in. I don't want to be any later than we have to be."

She giggled.

"Chicken."

I didn't respond. I opened the door for her and helped her into the cab. I did enjoy getting up close and personal with her rear end. She noticed that fact as well. When I finally tore my eyes from her cute butt and looked up she was grinning again. I shook my head and closed the door. She is going to get me into trouble, I know it.

Once we were driving down the street, Sunshine grinned at me.

"What?"

"This thing rides a whole lot better than it looks."