give a shit about.
“Only because I set my alarm,” he said, still seething at the perceived disrespect. “Otherwise I’m sure you’d be glad to see me sitting at the end of the line and hoping you run out of gas before my turn.”
“Don’t judge everyone by yourself.”
“Who are you to tell me how to think? I know how I’ve been treated by the people here, all of you have made it plain I’m not welcome.”
“That isn’t true. Your help is welcome.”
“Of course it is.” The sarcasm was back, heavier than before. “That’s why you insist on trying to do this job even though you’re clearly in over your head, even when it’s obvious anyone else here could do it better. A smart person would have set up a way to contact people, a smart person would have asked for advice and listened—”
Over Ted’s shoulder, Sela saw Ben’s head turn at the raised voices, saw his eyes narrow. In almost the same instant he had assessed the situation and was coming toward them, his gaze focused on Ted, his chin lowered and every line of his body saying that he was about to kick ass.
Her own chin lifted. She might have needed help when a bunch of people were shooting at her, but she didn’t need help handling Ted Parsons. Once again, she’d had enough. A faint red mist was forming in her vision, and she found herself visualizing punching Ted in the mouth, and relishing the idea. Instead, in a voice that seemed to come from outside herself, she said, “You know what, Ted? You’re welcome to the gas, but as for the rest of it—” She stopped, and shot her middle finger at him, so close to his eyes they crossed a little as he focused on it.
His mouth opened, closed, opened again. He sucked in an outraged breath. Then, evidently realizing he couldn’t do anything he wanted to do or say because everyone else there would turn on him, he wheeled around and stomped away.
She’d never given anyone the middle finger before, not even when she was driving.
She turned around and saw Olivia gaping at her. Then the girl began grinning, and gave Sela an enthusiastic thumbs-up.
Strange how two digits on one hand could have such completely different meanings. Aghast at herself, she pressed her hands over her face. Twice now in twenty-four hours she’d lost her temper and been rude to people.
Then Ben reached her, and stopped less than a foot away. “Say the word, and I’ll hurt him for you.” As always, his nearness seemed to create a force field around them that made everyone else dim in her perception. It felt as if the two of them were insulated in a bubble. Perhaps he didn’t feel it, perhaps this was an effect of the strength of her attraction to him, but having him close by made everything feel . . . right.
“Thank you, but that isn’t necessary.” She sighed. “I kind of feel sorry for him, because he’s such a butt and doesn’t know why people don’t like him. His wife is nice, though.”
He looked down at her, that raptor gaze roaming over her face, touching briefly on the small bandages covering the cuts. “You look like you’re almost too tired to move. Why don’t you go home and get some sleep? We’ve got things covered here. After the gasoline is taken care of, I’ll go over security organization with the patrol, then come tell you about it.” He glanced around and located the dog, curled up by Olivia. “After I take the dog to the old couple.”
She started to refuse, because she kind of felt as if it was her duty to stay, but then she saw how exhausted Olivia looked and knew she probably looked as bad, if not worse. She put her hand on his arm, loving the steeliness of him under her fingers even through the layers of his shirt and thick coat. “Are you certain about the dog? We can find another one for the Livingstons.”
Ben looked at the dog again, and a brief flicker of regret might—might—have passed over his expression before being banished. “Yeah, I’m sure. All of the attention will be good for him, and he’ll be good for them. It isn’t as if I won’t be seeing him, because I’ll have to do some extra hunting and take food down for them. They sure can’t feed a growing dog without help.”
And he was accustomed to being