Kryptonite

Silken Road

James let a deep breath as he pressed the doorbell.

Another day, another way Nadine will probably try to get him to quit. It currently was morning though the weather was more humid than usual.

James wiped his forehead with a napkin to remove excess sweat that had formed as a result.

On the bright side, he knew Nadine was most likely still in bed and he would probably need to once again pull her out. Since her family was rich he knew they had airconditioning and he could at least enjoy another 20-30 minutes of cool air before embarking on the hour long ride—perhaps 2 hours given traffic—to the event.

He had learned from previous attempts at driving her that going early was best to give enough time in between for potential traffic and her schemes.

Genuinely he wondered what she had in store this time. As per Ivan's (half-joking) suggestion, he began a list of everything she tried to do to make him quit.

As much as he hated her, he had to give her credit in how creative her schemes were. If in some other universe she was along side him in JustX, she would probably make a successful assassin. Perhaps even a great leader given her planing abilities. She was a mastermind in the making.

James grimaced as he was brought back to reality with the opening of the door.

He blushed as it hit him that he spent the last few minutes fantasizing about Nadine as a co-assassin and indirectly complimented her attempts at trying to get him hurt and/or fired.

"What the hell is with that look?" Nadine chastised as she snapped her finger in front of James' face.

James tilted his head up to meet her eyes, his gaze wandering around the curves of what looked to be a long silk dress.

"Are we gonna get going or are you going to just stand there and check me out?" Nadine called out.

James let out a dry chuckle. "You wish. I was thinking about how you're probably gonna trip over that dress and embarrass yourself," he spat.

Nadine rolled her eyes. "I'm wearing heels," she informed, sticking her bare leg out to show her 7 inch silver pumps.

James laughed. "They don't seem to be helping. That dress is still too long, all those heels will do is give you blisters tomorrow."

He let out a cheeky smile as he glanced at the sidewalk. It had rained the night before so the ground was still a bit wet and there were traces of mud along the walkway.

"Good luck walking through that," James teased.

"I won't be the one walking," Nadine replied, her lips curving up mischievously.

"What--"

James was unable to finish as Nadine suddenly jumped over his back and tightly crossed her arms around his neck. Her bag was looped over one of her arms and swung ever so slightly in the air.

And instinctively (but not intentionally) James grabbed onto her legs as they crossed along his chest and held her up.

"What the fuck," James muttered, though he verbally protested he--to his dismay--couldn't bring himself to drop her on the ground.

"Like I said, I'm not going to be the one walking," she repeated victoriously as she took one hand and teasingly ruffled it through his hair.

"I'm your driver, not your walker," James snarled.

"I'm not getting down," Nadine said firmly.

"I'm gonna drop you over the grass," James threatened.