A Kid Like Her (A Riddick - Jack Romance/Adventure Story)

Cold Feet?

He didn't drag her out of the restaurant, but he might as well have given the pressure his hand was exerting on the small of her back. Adding to that, her mind was now reeling. First he told her that her brothers weren't forcing him into anything and now he had changed his mind? You don't get down on both knees, somewhat voluntarily, buy rings, and then say you changed your mind.

He didn't utter a word during their brief walk from the restaurant to the car, but it gave her plenty of time to work herself up. He used the remote to unlock the car and opened the door for her. She sat with her arms crossed and the second his ass hit the seat, she let him have it.

"I told you yesterday that you didn't have to do this." "Even though now I want this more than I thought I did." "Why in the hell did you go to the trouble of coming out here and spending an hour getting rings if you weren't positive about your decision? I don't appreciate th-."

His hand was at the back of her head and his mouth was on hers before she finished her thought. She tensed, then soon relaxed, then tensed again, angry that he thought he could shut her up like that. She pulled her face away and pushed him back at the same time. "I hate it when you do that."

"Liar."

"Arrogant ass! Wha-." A chuckle from him stopped her short. "Why in the hell are you laughing at me?"

"'Cause you should see yourself. It's funny as hell."

That was the wrong thing to say, and given that they were sitting down, her only outlet for her anger was her mouth. "Mother f-."

"Trash talkin' woman, you need to watch that mou-. Better yet, just zip it and open the glove box." He was finding her snit to be extremely amusing and smiling the entire time did nothing but stir her to a boil.

"Zip it?" Her hand went to open the door, but found herself locked in. "Unlock the fucking door."

"Dammit, Jack. Open the goddamn glove box." She sat back in her seat looking straight forward with her arms crossed. She wasn't touching the glove box. He blew out his breath. "Always the stubborn ass!" He reached over, opened it up, and pulled out an envelope. He waved it right in her face until she snatched it from him.

"What's this?"

"What's wrong? You forgot how to read?"

She grumbled a litany of profanities under her breath while she opened the envelope and unfolded the piece of paper in her hands. She read the top line, then looked at his 'don't you feel silly now' face, then looked back down at it again and re-read it.

"This is a marriage license and you took it out yesterday." She handed it to him. "Why are you showing met this? So I can watch you tear it up?"

He thought she had understood. "No. You know, for someone so smart, you can be pretty dense sometimes!"

"Oh, you're good. A compliment and an insult in the same breath. You told me you changed your mind, so why have me look at that."

"Think for a second." She started to open her mouth. "No talkin', just think.

If I had changed my mind, why are you still wearin' this?" He picked up her hand with the ring.

"So you haven't changed your mind? But you said you had." She massaged her temples. "Thank you Riddick. First I'm nauseous, now I have a headache."

"I changed my mind about lettin' your brothers dictate to me the when and where. I already have this license. We drive up the street about ten blocks, get a judge, and I marry your ass right now."

"Just my ass?"

"Yeah, the rest of you is fluff. You need to quit lettin' that mind of yours jump into hyperdrive."