I will," he promised. "I will."
* * *
Kitty tried to think clearly as she tightened her arms around Dylan's waist and leaned into the turn in the road. She didn't know where they were going and yet she'd told him she trusted him. But obviously she shouldn't. This wasn't the way to stave off the disaster happening back at Kemper's.
She sighed, her mind refusing to remain totally focused on the Red-Samantha-Pearl problem. It was hard to dwell on debacle when the summer almost-evening was so beautiful. Though it was nearing dark in the Gold Country, the day's heat radiated up from the road. Dylan's large body blocked most of the wind, but his hair streamed back like black ribbons trying to catch Kitty and bind her to him. He should be wearing a helmet too - as before, he'd made her wear his - but it wasn't as if she could insist he buy a second one.
Not when they would probably never be together like this on the motorcycle again.
The road curved left and Kitty once more followed the lead of his body. Despite what they had left behind, the speed, his closeness, the delicious mingling of the scents of day and night lifted her mood.
The road they traveled turned onto Highway 49 and the traffic increased, then increased again as they neared the big town of Colter. Kitty still couldn't guess where he was taking her, not even when he pulled into a massive car dealership just outside the town.
Huge floodlights lit the lot brighter than day, illuminating row after row of pickups, SUVs, vans, and cars. Kitty blinked as Dylan helped her remove the helmet, trying to adjust her eyes to the faux sunniness. "Is there something wrong with the bike?" she asked.
"No." He hung the helmet on one handlebar and then took her hand, leading her in the direction of the salesman already hurrying their way.
"Good evening, folks," the man said, the overhead lights bouncing off his bald pate and the gold nameplate saying, "Jimmy" pinned to his short-sleeved dress shirt. "What can I do you for?"
"Well..." A small smile quirked the corners of Dylan's mouth. He drew Kitty closer and slung his arm around her shoulders, hugging her close. "We're looking for something special."
Kitty frowned. "We are?"
"Let me guess," Jimmy said, stepping back and cocking his head. "I'm usually very good at this. I can tell what suits a couple from a block off. Hmm." He rubbed his chin.
Kitty frowned again. "But - "
"A sports car," Jimmy said, his gaze on Dylan.
"Nope." Dylan shook his head.
Jimmy's eyebrows came together and his eyes shifted to Kitty. He snapped his fingers. "Something old that's new again. One of the PT Cruisers or a new Volkswagen Bug."
"No," Kitty said, still unclear as to their purpose here and wondering what Jimmy would think of her T-bird, something old that was still old. "I don't want - "
"Either one of those," Dylan finished for her smoothly. "We'd like to look at minivans."
"Ah." Though Jimmy obviously tried to appear unsurprised, the three inches his eyebrows gained on his forehead gave him away. But then he pasted on a glib salesman's smile. "Please, folks, follow me."
"Dylan, I..."
"Shh." Leaning down, he planted a swift kiss on her lips that sent her brain cells spinning off into the overlit night.
Within seconds they were standing in paradise, between two long rows of gleaming minivans in every color of the rainbow. Kitty's jaw dropped in amazement. Dozens upon dozens of sliding doors gaped open in invitation, each providing tantalizing glimpses of comfy interiors with cup holders and headphone jacks and ceiling-mounted VCRs. Kitty twirled, astonished and delighted, feeling like Dorothy touched down in the Land of Ozzie and Harriet.
Leaving Dylan to listen to Jimmy spouting the boring details of hp, mpg, and APR, Kitty danced from van to van, her mood sailing even higher as she peeked inside one, sat in the driver's seat of another, and played with the seat releases of a third. She'd waltzed her way down one row and was headed up another when Dylan stuck his head inside the passenger window of the van she was currently drooling over.
He grinned at her. "Like what you see?"
From the farthest seat, Kitty looked up at him, awed. "Check this out!" One quick flip and the seat beside her converted to a tabletop sporting two cup holders and a magnetic checkerboard.
He whistled soundlessly. "A true suburban Shangrila. I hoped this little excursion would cheer you