killer, gbd (EDITING)

6

I wake to sound of Grayson's music playing through the speakers, not nearly as loud as it was yesterday, but enough to make me open my eyes. Though I am still cuddled into the back seat, Grayson now sits up front, a hand rested on the wheel and the center console, both drumming to the song playing.

Through sunglasses, he glances back at me in the rear view. "Morning kitten," He says. "I tried to keep the music down." He tells me, but I shrug it off. I no longer feel tired, so there is no need for me to sleep in any later.

"It's fine, I needed to wake up anyway," I rub my eyes and put the back seat up. "How far out are we?" I ask, leaning forward to put up the front seat.

"Not far now." He says, as if a permanent feature, a cigarette rests rests between his index and middle finger, his window is lowered to keep smoke out of the car.

I crawl over the center console, arms first to support myself. I tuck my legs in and get them to the front, sitting with a small bounce. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Grayson's gaze lingering. I nearly laugh. "I have eyes you know, maybe next time meet them before you meet the girls." I gesture to my chest. Grayson rolls his eyes, but I could've sworn that I saw a faint blush wash over his face.

"In your dreams, Kitten." He challenges, smirking.

"Yeah, because I am absolutely begging for you to look at my tits. You can't justify being a peeping Tom." I cross my arms over my chest and turn to face him, I don't see how he could back himself out of this corner.

"I was checking to see if you were buckled!" The lie is so obvious, that even he begins to laugh, one of his hands up in defense. This laugh is different than the ones I've heard from his thus far on our travels. This one is full, filled with humor, not half of a scoff. It fills the car and I can't help myself, I laugh with him.

"In your dreams, babe," I laugh, sitting forward in my seat again. A laughing breath pushes from his nose.

"Babe?" He nods and pulls his glasses down his nose so that I can see his eyes. He smiles and I push his shoulder.

"Oh, shut up," I joke, laughing. He laughs with me, fixing his glasses. When the laughter dies down, a comfortable silence forms between us, his music still playing from the speakers. But questions plague me with curiosity and I become restless.

"So," I start. "Have you always done missions like this? You know, without returning to a home base?" I watch him for a moment, he takes a large sigh and adjusts his hand on the wheel.

"Mostly," He nods. "When I had a partner though," He swallows hard. "She liked to have a rest day, and I always went with her." His jaw tightens.

"And how long ago was that?" I ask, I don't want to strike a nerve, but I also want to know more about how he functions.

"A few months now," My brows raise, the way he spoke about it made me think this was a long time ago. I hadn't realize how fresh that wound was, whatever it is.

"What about you, huh," He glances my way, the smirk gradually makes its return. "You've always been a home body?" He asks.

"Yes, I've done a few where I stayed on the road. It was 3 missions in a row that I was over in Europe and decided to stay through until I was done." I recall, it was a very lonely trip for me, I didn't talk to anyone I knew for weeks.

"And did you like it?"

"No, I didn't. I actually hated it." I say, Grayson nods, seeming to understand.

"What? Too lonely for you?" He asks, reading my mind. I didn't know if I should explain myself, considering it is his preferred way of life.

"Yes," I nod, glancing to him.