Ready to Run Ch. 04

Yes, they still faced insurmountable challenges. Yes, this world was still a suck-ass place that was not fair or just. Yes, they and their children might face discrimination and prejudice. But with her by his side, they'd face it all. Maybe even find some way to make the world a better place, or at least their little corner of it.

Wasn't that what he'd watched his grandparents do for his whole life? Hadn't it been enough for them? Another of his Grandfather Walt's old adages flitted through his mind - fight the good fight. Watching her, he knew this was a warrior woman, he'd always be proud to have by his side.

Mercy sat that bag down and began to unpack things. More water, what looked like energy bars, what all did she have in there? Those innocent eyes looked up at him, "Can I ask you something?"

He leaned the Duchess on her stand and knelt beside her on that dirt floor. His hand reached out, and tenderly cupped her cheek. He loved the way she closed her eyes and leaned into that caress. But it only made those damned pants more uncomfortable. "Sweetheart, you can always ask or tell me anything."

"Why did your grandparents raise you? What happened to your parents?"

Surprisingly, it was never a question that had bothered Will. It was what it was, that simple. "If you call Ignacio Garcia, your sperm donor, then I suppose the best description of Ruth Williams is the woman who gave birth to me." He said the words without any hint of animosity because he had none. He felt nothing for the woman, one way or the other.

"Dr. Williams is a professor of history at Howard. She never bought into Dr. King's non-violence. She thought, thinks, it does not go far enough. Her doctoral dissertation was on the history of the Black Panthers. She did hundreds of hours of interviews, especially the more militant who was in prison or on the run."

Will took a deep breath; it was the one thing that he did have a problem with. "I don't know who my father was. She never told my grandparents and won't tell me, either. Other than a revolutionary, I can be proud of."

"Honestly, I'm surprised she chose to have me. Other than the fact that my grandparents promised to raise me, and it was convenient for her since she was at home writing her dissertation anyway. None of her friends even know about me. Or if they do, they think I'm her baby brother."

"That must have been hard growing up." She reached over and gently squeezed his hand.

He stared at their fingers woven together. The play of shades of brown, darker on pale, was visually appealing. Ironically, they were almost the shades that decorated his small one-bedroom apartment in Houston. But he knew that it would not matter what color her skin was, it could be plaid or polka-dotted, hell that alien grey, and this would be the only woman for him.

He lifted their hands to his lips and kissed the back of hers. "Honestly, I never gave it much thought when I was little. My grandparents treated me like their child. Most of my teachers and friends just assumed that they were."

"What about you? What was it like growing up in Sebida?"

The way she turned her head and began to fidget with the bag told Will more than any words could. "I should set up somewhere for us to sleep. Then we can eat a couple of energy bars, some trail mix, and water. I promised Mama I would call her this morning. Then we can get some sleep before we get back on the road. Will we make it as far as Mexico tonight?"

He figured they had a lifetime for him to learn her secrets, and he would. For now, she was probably right. "Yes, actually, we're only a couple of hundred miles from there. Once we are over the border, then we can travel the main roads. Stay in hotels and eat in restaurants even."

She layout one of the metallic emergency blankets as she laughed, "What, city boy? Didn't you ever camp out under the stars as a kid?"

"Afraid not, my country girl. Oh, and one thing, no rats, spiders, or snakes for pets either. Dogs are cool. I can possibly tolerate a cat. But that's it."

"Awww, and Mama would never get me that bearded dragon I always wanted. I might have to keep looking. See if I can find a better deal."

Will turned and drew her into his arms. This time when his lips touched hers, there was nothing tentative or sweet about it. It was a claiming, pure and simple. By the way that Mercy collapsed against him, rubbing like that kitten, he did not think she had any argument against it either. He was not even sure which of them took it deeper. Did it even matter as their tongues engaged in the sweetest of duels?

His cock was throbbing in those damned tight leathers. His mind was close to exploding with the taste and smell of her. Neither seemed in a hurry to break the kiss or take it any further. Hell, he could kiss this woman until Jesus came back.

If it wasn't for all the other things, they faced. It seemed that revelation occurred to them both at the same time. They drew back simultaneously, but neither could bring themselves to move very far.

Mercy smoothed wrinkles from that damned blanket, even though they both knew that was futile. She passed him another bottle of water and an energy bar. "For the record, this probably tastes better than my cooking. Frozen pizza and ramen noodles are the extents of my culinary expertise."

He practically spewed water with the laughter that bubbled in him, "Then I'll do all the cooking like Grandfather Walt did the ironing."