desert storm

Half-jogging to cross the street, and the package tucked safely in his jacket, Caleb made his way through the streets of Jericho. Old Nora at the diner would have to wait until evening; their makeshift book club was due to the sweet woman's insistence on sharing her latest romance book obsession every time he ate there. Next thing he knew, he was reading one too.

He sat at the back of the bus and idly browsed through the list of songs on his music player, pausing at a familiar song and contemplating listening to it on his way to the meetup. But what good would it do? They already promised to stay away from each other, so he continued browsing for other songs.

'...I lost my virginity to this song. In the back of an old Ford Ranger in the middle of the fucking desert.'

It wasn't like she had a monopoly on the song, he argued, and it had already been there on his playlist, long before she shared that particular anecdote.

'Didn’t even last past the bridge.'

A faint look of amusement could be seen on his face as the familiar opening notes played; Caleb had yielded, leaning against the backrest in defeat as a random song was now going to remind him of someone indefinitely.

Where it began

I can't begin to know

But then I know, it's going strong

Caleb mouthed the lyrics to the song all the way to Phoenix, his fingers tapping along idly to the beat. He needed to be in the right headspace later, but for now, he indulged in remembering how good it felt having Valentina Falcone on top of him that night.

Her mother had left. It was long before any real memories of the woman could take root. All she could recall were hazy snapshots -- hanging on the woman's back in a pool, a head of blonde, unruly hair not unlike her observed from the back of an old Chevy Caprice. Even now, thirty years on, the smell of cheap vanilla perfume brought about a sense of... warmth? Familiarity? She could not exactly place the feeling, but it stirred something up, and forced her as far away from the scent as she could manage. It wasn't often that her mind wandered to her mother, but when it did Valentina was quick to redirect it.

Conveniently, as she came to the realization that her thoughts had strayed into unwelcome territory, Valentina made a right turn and drove right past The Magpie. She slowed, momentarily, green eyes caught on the pawn shop and that little sign that read "Sorry, we're closed!" in cheerful slanted script. And for the second time that day Caleb barged into her consciousness. And like every time she thought of him, Valentina remembered the way his hands gripped her hips, pulling her against him, against his--

A car horn blared in front of her, and turning to look ahead the woman slammed onto her breaks, stopping a mere foot away from a truck in the middle of a four way intersection. The man driving, a balding older guy, held his horn down unnecessarily and flipped her off. Even when she was in the wrong, Valentina couldn't stomach the offense, and she threw up the bird herself, before he took off.

An old paperback book lay open on the table, and blue eyes absently read the page where he had left off some days ago; Caleb's brows furrowed as he tried to remember what had happened earlier.

'Women don't have a sense of humor. They don't need one. The Almighty made them as a permanent joke on men. From which one may logically deduce that the Almighty is a female.'

The fence scoffed lightly and set the book down before taking a mental note to discuss the chapter with ol' Nora down at the diner. Just then, his phone buzzed, and Caleb reached for it from the table to read the message. Nodding to no one in particular, he got up and made his way into another room just before the door leading to the shop.

A key was inserted, and a small storage room containing boxes of different-sized Manila envelopes could be seen from the hallway light. Caleb turned on the switch to a single light bulb as he rummaged through the packages, fingers feeling through the contents of one of the envelopes before finally opening it.

He observed the craftsmanship, the sheen on the document, and the placement of the seals; this particular order wasn't Caleb's handiwork, but rather a year-old request made by his uncle. Tony, a family friend of sorts, was a decent forger, but not quite like his old man was, and definitely not quite like Caleb, he thought.

The appointment was at 11:30, and as Caleb got out of the shower, a curse escaped under his breath as he remembered that his pickup was still at the garage, held hostage by an exorbitant fee. He already paid for the tow and the initial repair, but 'parts needed to be replaced' until the bill was worth another second-hand vehicle. It was a shakedown, yes, but with proper negotiations, Caleb hoped to bring the price down to something more manageable.

Images of smoke coming out of the hood of the truck and his half-hour trek in the direction of Phoenix were interrupted by a pair of green eyes staring intensely at him; Valentina Falcone looked at him with such scrutiny before leaning forward to claim his mouth, and Caleb couldn't help but press his lips together as he chased the phantom kiss.

His mind wandered to that night, grateful that she didn't leave his ass in Phoenix, instead dropping him off a little ways to where The Magpie was...something about making him walk as payback and not being seen together or something.

Caleb opened the closet to grab a shirt, and his gaze moved to his hand, seemingly looking for something that wasn't there. Sighing, the fence remembered the numbers scrawled for him to call a while back. He never did.

Shit. Should he have called her that time?

"Hola, Leticia. ¿Cómo va el negocio?" Valentina greeted as she walked in. After coming here for so long she had grown fond of the proprietor.

"¡Hola, mija! Nunca puedo quejarme." Leticia responded, a warm smile on her pretty, round face.

"¡Ah, pero quejarse es una de las muchas alegrías de la vida!" She joked, pulling a ten dollar bill from her pocket. "Pediré el chorizo; quédese con el cambio."

Taking a seat at one of the plastic chairs that lined the wall for this exact purpose, Valentina waited as Leticia disappeared behind a curtain to make the food. She was alone, and tipping her head back against the wall, let her mind wander.

The smell of searing meat and the sound of Ranchera music brought to mind a taco place she'd been to a couple weeks back, and with a bristle of annoyance her mind wandered further still to lopsided smile and a somewhat devastating pair of blue eyes. She hated the way her stomach fluttered when he happened to enter her thoughts. He brought with him memories of a kiss she could not shake, his hands on her hips, the way he smelled of soap and faint cigarette smoke.

Valentina shifted her her chair, suddenly impatient.

Deal, he'd said, and since then all her attempts to smother the disappointment had fallen short. Especially the guy she'd picked up at a bar a couple nights later.

"Mija?" By her tone of voice, Valentina could tell this wasn't Leticia's first attempt to get her attention. The woman was eying her with a look somewhere between concern and curiosity, but before she could say anything the blonde stood up, thanked her, and turned to leave.

A low ring could be heard inside the dimly lit room, and an arm reached out to find the offensive noise. Caleb emerged from under a pillow to take a closer look at the alarm clock before letting out a low groan in protest. Rolling over to lie on his back, sleepy blue eyes stared at the ceiling as he willed himself out of bed.

Money won't print itself, the fence argued.

With bare feet planted on the wooden floor, Caleb Price started his day.

Curtains were pulled back to illuminate his bedroom, casting light on a large bed with various things laid about: framed vintage movie posters, books, and unopened boxes in one corner. His bedside table consisted of a stack of worn leather luggage, and bits and pieces of paper were pinned under the alarm clock. He pulled the rumpled sheets and tossed the pillows back in place, and with a swipe of his hands, the blanket was smoothed down. Grabbing the shirt resting on a chair, the fence quickly put it on before making his way down to the kitchen.

Caleb lived above The Magpie, the pawnshop he inherited from his old man, where he operated a mostly legal business. In the back of the shop, however, was where the real magic happened.

Always running a little cold, Valentina snatched a sweatshirt out of the pile of clothes that lives on the armchair in the corner of her room. Cool morning light caught dust motes in the air as she padded across the room to the adjoining bathroom to pee. Catching her reflection, she took a moment to peer at herself -- unruly blonde hair, eyes still heavy with sleep. She turned, lifting the hem of her sweatshirt to examine her butt. Had it grown? Had it shrunk? And which did she prefer? Satisfied with the self-critique, Valentina quickly took her medication, a birth control pill and ADHD meds, and made her way downstairs.

A can of wet food was opened with a snap that made Luna go wild, and after leaving the beast to her meal, Valentina turned on the morning news.

"It's going to be a scorcher today, folks as a high pressure system rollis in from our neighbors beyond the border. You can expect..."

She mostly used it for background noise as she went about collecting the ingredients for cereal, before sitting down only to find that the milk was definitely expired.

"God damnit," Valentina breathed, glancing over to find Luna happily lapping up her meal. Something on the way, then. She poured the milk down the drain, and ran back up the stairs to pull on a pair of shorts and an old band tee. The club didn't open until 1pm, but she had a couple of errands to run, and a meeting with her dad before heading in.

After throwing her hair up, and grabbing her car keys, she bent to give her cat a kiss on her fish-breathed little mouth, before heading out into the morning sun.

Valentina wanted to believe him, she did, but trust didn't come that easily for her. His answer only sparked more questions -- who was the contact? And in Pheonix? How far did his territory expand? What was he selling or facilitating? Could he be viewed as a threat by the Serpents? In the end, she had no right to interrogate him, and he had no obligation to confess.

The sun had dipped behind the buildings and a slight breeze had picked up, cooling the air around them. Valentina could feel a flush in her cheeks, due in part to the alcohol and the heat, and certainly not helped by Caleb. She needed a cigarette, and the woman pulled a somewhat crumpled and half-empty pack from her back pocket. Lighting the cigarette, she sucked in a deep lungful of tobacco. A headache was beginning to take root, and the nicotine rush dampened the edges.

She offered the pack to Caleb as her phone began to ring and, checking it, rolled her eyes before pocketing the cell once more. Evening was setting over the city, and Valentina had yet to decide if she would leave Caleb here. She felt inclined to, annoyed at the way she felt used, and complicit in his dealings. She felt silly. Played. And he hadn't called her -- she can't quite shake the fact that he never called her.

"I'll take you back to Jericho." She finally says, pausing to take another huff of her cigarette. She takes a step closer, shrinking the distance between them. "But I don't want to see you around, and I sure as hell don't want to chat if I do, okay?”

He tapped the crumpled pack for a stick, poised it between two fingers as Caleb kept his gaze on her. He nodded slowly, once, then again as he finally looked away to follow the trail of smoke from Valentina's cigarette. He seemed pensive, as though he was both agreeing to what she was suggesting and thinking of what other bullshit he could come up with.

Shadows cast on Valentina's face as the streetlights turned on, and his mind wandered to the feeling of the pressure on his mouth when they were kissing. But he shouldn't. She was, is, bad news.

With an exhale of what seemed to be resignation, Caleb closed the distance between them and stuck the cigarette between his lips. He leaned in close, tilting his head until the tips of their cigarettes hovered and flared a bright orange.

Stealing a glance at Valentina's face up close, a thought to pull her in and replace her cigarette with his mouth flashed in his mind. But Caleb stepped back instead, taking a deep inhale of the nicotine to soothe whatever hunger he was feeling for the tempestuous woman.

"Okay," he nodded in finality. "Deal."

They moved erratically, with Caleb taking a few steps and stopping, then moving again when she did. A look of faint amusement struggled to stay hidden on the fence's features, and he was acutely aware of the physical distance between them now, unlike when they were kissing in the dark. Blue eyes flickered from her lips and back to meet her gaze, and Valentina's reaction forced him to focus.

"I'm not...I swear." Caleb insisted as he finally stopped walking, trying to sound more convincing this time as he faced her. "Had a contact to meet; that's all it was."

It was like trying to diffuse a bomb, with each wrong answer speeding up the timer above her head until it ran out and she blew up at him.

Valentina wanted to believe him, she did, but trust didn't come that easily for her. His answer only sparked more questions -- who was the contact? And in Pheonix? How far did his territory expand? What was he selling or facilitating? Could he be viewed as a threat by the Serpents? In the end, she had no right to interrogate him, and he had no obligation to confess.

The sun had dipped behind the buildings and a slight breeze had picked up, cooling the air around them. Valentina could feel a flush in her cheeks, due in part to the alcohol and the heat, and certainly not helped by Caleb. She needed a cigarette, and the woman pulled a somewhat crumpled and half-empty pack from her back pocket. Lighting the cigarette, she sucked in a deep lungful of tobacco. A headache was beginning to take root, and the nicotine rush dampened the edges.

She offered the pack to Caleb as her phone began to ring and, checking it, rolled her eyes before pocketing the cell once more. Evening was setting over the city, and Valentina had yet to decide if she would leave Caleb here. She felt inclined to, annoyed at the way she felt used, and complicit in his dealings. She felt silly. Played. And he hadn't called her -- she can't quite shake the fact that he never called her.

"I'll take you back to Jericho." She finally says, pausing to take another huff of her cigarette. She takes a step closer, shrinking the distance between them. "But I don't want to see you around, and I sure as hell don't want to chat if I do, okay?”

The change of tempo in the next song left the room in a rowdy mood as some of the guests whipped their hair and banged their heads along with the powerful guitar riffs. The lights moved in an almost erratic way and it seemed to mirror the wild nature of Valentina, which was evident when she had once again claimed his mouth without so much as a peep. He only had a moment to react and Caleb pushed back to return the kiss before the woman pulled away to decline his offer of a drink. It was hard to pin her down, one moment she was angry and before he knew it, she was swiping her tongue across his lip. 

“No?” he echoed, the man’s voice drowned out by music; Caleb ran his tongue across where she had hers moments ago as he motioned for a refill on his glass, switching his vodka for whiskey which was his staple. He was dumbfounded, the mixed signals were throwing him off as he attempted to make sense of her words and actions; Valentina’s attention was nowhere near him now as she focused on the dancing lights, and the man was left to watch her for a bit as James Hetfield’s signature voice boomed through the planetarium.

“What the hell was that for?” Caleb finally managed to say though he wasn’t even sure if she could hear him. His drink had arrived and the male glanced at it before looking back again at the blonde; he wasn’t sure what else to say, can’t really admonish her for something he clearly enjoyed, so, shaking his head, Caleb grabbed the glass and emptied it again in one go before he straightened his back and moved towards Valentina. 

Pinning her back against the bar counter, one hand reached to grab her face as blue eyes stared intently into green ones. The multicolored lights reflected on Valentina’s features, and, keeping her steady, Caleb leaned in before stopping just as their lips touched. 

“You just take whatever you want huh?” this time he didn’t bother to raise his voice, the futile attempt of making himself heard already overshadowed by his need to reconnect their mouths once more.

The lights flashed in bright spontaneous bursts across the room. Red, green, and blue lasers cast shadows over the crowd, and lit up other portions with a wild rhythm to match the Metallica song. Valentina could still feel the pressure of his mouth against hers, and the woman bit down on her lip before taking a large drink from the gin and tonic. It was cold and smooth, and Valentina could only hope it’d dampen the maddening urge to move closer to him again. Her hips swayed gently to the heavy music, and Valentina watched as people began to move as well, no doubt their limbs were loosened by the flow of alcohol.

Valentina waited for what Caleb would do next, what his next move would be, and she could feel her body humming in anticipation. The woman felt challenged by him, by the nature of their interactions, and by the buzz he left lingering on her lips. He tasted of trouble, and whiskey, and the woman found herself craving the whisper of danger. She couldn’t hear him over the music, and with her attention on the striking lasers, she missed the question that he’d asked the air. And she wouldn’t have had an answer anyhow– there was no answer to that question for Valentina Falcone.

It happened suddenly, and she had only noticed his movement a moment before she was pinned to the edge of the bar, feeling it dig into her back. Her breath escaped quickly as he grabbed her face, and Valentina was left to hold her breath; her  heart jumped in her chest, as Caleb stood pressed against her, and she held his gaze steady, noticing a enticing darkness in his blue eyes. He leaned in, and her gaze dropped to his lips, and though she couldn’t hear the words, her eyes followed their movements, and Valentina caught every word.

She opened her mouth to his kiss immediately, and found the belt loops on his jeans to pull his hips closer. She forgot the crowd, forgot the lights, and as the music thrummed in her chest, Valentina kissed him back, prolonging the feeling of his tongue against her own.

Her closeness made Caleb’s throat tighten in an old, familiar way, noticing that it had become a recurring thing whenever Valentina was involved, it was even more so when she was angry or upset that he had been unable to provide a sufficient response right away. By the time Caleb had opened his mouth, her middle finger was in his face and the fence was once again left to watch her hips sway away from him.

His attempt to call her back was stopped by a firm grip on his arm and Caleb tilted his head to see who it was. Recognizing the man as his contact, the pair exchanged words with the fence explaining why he had his phone turned off– I need to get a new charger –before handing over the envelope. 

‘You with someone?’

“What?”

‘I saw you with the chick,’ and Caleb glanced at Valentina who was still by the bar, no doubt still upset at him. “Uh, just hitched a ride actually, she doesn’t know anything,” he explained before hurriedly ending their transaction. Less than a minute, that was his policy, thirty seconds if he could finish the whole deal, there was no need for small talk and the extra time was for any pertinent information to be passed on: police, movement in prices, the clubs, and only then would he allow for a longer communication.

‘Same time next week?’

“Same time next week,” he smirked before making his way to where the woman lingered. The light show continued while some have taken advantage of the few people asking for a refill on their drinks, Caleb flagged down the bartender, ordered a drink and immediately emptied it before even attempting to talk to Valentina.

“Let me at least buy you a drink,” he offered, “before you leave my ass here in Phoenix.”

A double shot of whisky burned a path down her throat as the woman attempted to calm the racing rhythm of her heart. There was an eternal flame in the pit of her belly, and it never took much to see it spread into an inferno, threatening to burn anything near. It had been there for as long as Valentina could remember, and as she swallowed the last of the liquor, she felt it ease bit by bit.

Glancing down the bar, Valentina saw heads were tilted back, watching the lights cut vibrantly across the room as the music continued to compliment the psychedelic-like show. She was mildly surprised the museum put on events like this, and it led to the question of how Caleb had heard about it; granted, she didn’t know much about the fence who ran a low key criminal business. Another drink was ordered, a gin and tonic to slow her roll, and Valentina glanced back at her companion while her drink was made. The darkened room, and shifting crowd made it difficult for her to make him out, but as a couple moved out of the way, Valentina caught the tail end of a few exchanged words, a nod, and then the quick disappearance of a man in dark clothing. Narrowing her eyes, her gaze followed the stranger as he slipped through the exit, and only looked away when Caleb turned his attention towards the bar. The song changed, and Am I Evil began to fill the space as Valentina found her drink set in front of her on a neat little white napkin.

She was taking her first sip when Caleb materialized beside her. He downed a drink before turning, and Valentina simply stared at him as he offered to buy her a drink. She could remember buying the Garage CD when it came out, lying on her bed and listening to each song through the earphones of her walkman as she watched the fan rotate on the ceiling. Am I Evil had set her bones on fire though, and the then twelve year old had sprung from her place on the bed to jump around the room playing air guitar and thrasing her head back and forth.

It reached her favorite part, a minute and twenty-five in, and Valentina stepped towards him, closing the space. She pressed her lips against Caleb’s, swiping her tongue across his bottom lip, tasting the vodka on his mouth.

His smile broadened to a grin at Valentina’s gentle rejection and he felt her fingers reach for his jacket; Caleb was almost tempted to close the distance between their lips when she finally looked away and then, just like that, the moment had passed, so the pair rode the elevator and entered the planetarium unhindered. 

The place was dark but it was still easy to make out the silhouette of the other guests, and a bar by the corner provided dim illumination where a few have gathered and started drinking; he was about to head there when Valentina snapped at him leaving Caleb to blink owlishly and figure out what it was that ticked her off. Did she mean what exactly was going to happen in the planetarium? Or was she asking what his agenda was? Some of the guests have began to take notice, dismissing it as a lover’s spat but Caleb did not appreciate the attention.

“I need a ride back,” was his effortless response, “I’m not gonna let you leave my ass in Phoenix.” Caleb looked at the woman as though she was being unreasonable, and when she continued to glare at him, he felt compelled to say more. 

Lime and limpid green, a second scene A fight between the blue you once knew. Floating down, the sound resounds Around the icy waters underground.

But all the lights were suddenly cut off and people were left standing in the dark as Astronomy Domine played from the speakers. Various shades of green and white lights signaled the start of the laser show and everyone else’s attention was glued to the ceiling save for Caleb who briefly glanced at the spectacle of colors before turning to face Valentina.

 “…Did you think it was a date, is that what this is about?” though his question was stated plainly, a hint of amusement could be detected on his face.

Valentina didn’t care who was looking at them, what they thought, or anything else about the people attached to the nosy pairs of eyes watching the woman raise her voice. It had happened suddenly, but Valentina felt as though there was something he wasn’t telling her; suspicion coagulated in her veins, and Valentina had the intuition to question his motives. “And how exactly do you plan to keep me from leaving your ass in Phoenix?” She challenged, taking a step closer, her chin raised as she looked up at him, “Because I have half a mind to leave you right here and now.” It wasn’t the fact that she didn’t really know anything about him that bothered her, it was the fact that he might have known much more about her than she knew. This excitement, this curiosity, this sense of wonderful trouble… it made her uneasy, and he was only encouraging it with each moment. 

What little light was available was cut off completely, leaving the room in total, encompassing darkness for a few short seconds. It was the kind of darkness that felt thick, and when colored lights cut through the black, it was shocking, riveting. Green eyes were also cast towards the ceiling as they begun, unable to help the alluring attraction. The music started slow, before building, and it was only once the words began, that Valentina looked back to Caleb. 

Her laugh was only heard by him, the music drowning out all other sound of it, and even so the gesture was hardly sincere. Stepping closer still, Valentina stared at him, her irritation rolling like a slow boil. 

Little details, harmless questions that won’t really give away much, but given the proper attention, one could get a glimpse of what they were both hiding behind their masks. Like his question about cilantro and how, based on Valentina’s answer, Caleb could imagine that she probably had strict parents, or that she loved them too much to make a fuss.

The usher passed them by, oblivious to the pair huddled together as they tried to avoid making any noise. Valentina looked up at him, that glint of challenge in her eyes, and as they stood facing each other, dangerously close, he began to wonder if he was actually trying to find reasons to be near enough to touch her.

“I thought we already had our seven minutes in heaven?” Caleb asked innocently, his voice low, “how many times is one allowed to go anyway?” 

With the floor clear, he continued to hold Valentina by the wrist until they reached the elevator; Caleb looked up and had to laugh, remembering too late the various cameras installed in the building and he pointed it out to her as they stepped out of the lift. He half-expected security to be waiting for them once the elevator doors opened but found no one to be there, and so they got inside the planetarium and blended with the other guests.

Valentina bit her lip, taking time to contemplate his question, “I suppose that depends on how good one’s been,” she answered, reaching forward to toy with his jacket, “So I’d reckon we’re fresh out of luck.” She could feel her heart speeding up, racing to keep up with the simmering excitement under her skin. Valentina held his gaze for a few suspended moments, before green eyes flickered towards his lips, and finally past him. “Looks like the coast is clear,” the woman informed him, smiling faintly. 

She allowed him to lead her along, following behind him in mild confusion, curiosity, and the familiar rush that came along with causing trouble. Valentina glanced behind her ever so often, eyes peeled for a security guard, or janitor, but they met no obstacles, and filed into the elevator. Valentina hadn’t noticed the cameras, or perhaps she hadn’t cared to look for them, and it only served to bother her when Caleb pointed them out. “Goddammit,” she muttered, dipping her head to look at the ground as they continued into the planetarium. 

Valentina was shocked to find it full of people, and woman couldn’t help but let out a small laugh as her and Caleb joined the crowd. The hum of chatter filled the darkened space as everyone stood, seemingly waiting for something to start, and Valentina was suddenly gripped with suspicion. Coming up short, she pulled her wrist from Caleb’s hand, and stared at him hard. “What the fuck is going on?” She asked, glancing past him, “Why are you…” What words did she want to use– taking me out? Wining and dining? “Why are we here?”

“Well now you’re just one-upping the science center,” Caleb pretended to frown before breaking into an amused grin. Following Valentina through the rest of the exhibit, families with their little ones began to head to for the exit as it neared closing time. “So which one is it for you?” he was one of the many who had no problem ingesting cilantro without worrying about it tasting like soap, nor had the man ever experienced having any allergic reaction to any food or substance that someone he used to work with jokingly concluded that he’d die by the gun or by the knife.

When staff members began making their rounds, Caleb grabbed Valentina by her wrist and pulled her aside to hide behind some of the displays. “Ever played hide-and-seek in a science center?” he asked as the man remembered the times he used to play the same game with McKenna. He would watch her try and look for him whenever they went to a new place and when she was about to cry, he would emerge, a toothy grin and an apology prepared for her.

“I’m just kidding, we’re not gonna play that, we’re grown-ups, grown-ups don’t play hide-and-seek in the science center.” Caleb intended for them to reach the planetarium and sneak inside; an event was happening in a little bit, a laser show and some music, and all the alcohol one can have. “But we are gonna go to the planetarium.”

“We took a field trip here in seventh grade, there was a somewhat similar exhibit about the body and I learned a bunch of useless shit… Just doing my part to pass it on,” She glanced over at him as she spoke, playing with a plasma ball. The electrical currents followed her finger as she slid it around the glass ball, and Valentina focused on the crackling lights as she answered his question. “Cilantro is good,” she replied, stepping away from the gadget, and passing by him, “and I think it tastes like soap.” She wasn’t a picky eater, her father wouldn’t allow it. If any of them didn’t like what was prepared for dinner they could make a PB&J or go to bed hungry. For awhile her diet consisted of peanut butter and jelly until eventually she caved. 

Valentina was caught by surprise when Caleb pulled her behind a display of a life sized dinosaur, pinning her between the wall, the man, and a stegosaurus. She laughed quietly at his question, shaking her head, as she looked up at him with a curious expression. There was no doubt he piqued her interest, and the blue eyes looking down at her in amusement held secrets, and something enthralling. 

“Grown-ups don’t play hide and seek, no… I think a round of seven minutes in heaven would be much more our speed,” Valentina responded, her voice low as a group of people passed by their hiding place. She was standing close enough to feel the heat of his body, and the faint smell of whiskey on his breath, and Valentina, shifted slightly, though she was unsure if she wanted to step away, or closer. “Lead the way.” 

“Oh is that what you think I meant?” Caleb feigned surprise, “I was thinking more like dancing…” but his half-assed response was silenced when Valentina mentioned a motel nearby. There was a considerable pause as they stood by the doorway and he kept his focus on her; eyes the color of absinthe, Valentina was mocking him and enjoying the split second that the she-devil had caught him off-guard. 

He grinned, but the man couldn’t help the inhale of breath when Valentina drew close; they were too close and Caleb was worried for a moment that she’d actually lean in and feel the gun in his jacket. When he felt her hand reach into his back pocket, Caleb swallowed the invisible lump that formed in his throat as he waited for her to finish drinking before taking a hefty swig himself.

“You know I uh… I actually know a place,” their bodies remained at a close proximity from each other when he spoke in a low tone, “some place quiet.” 

Quiet just as he promised, the Arizona Science Center was a short distance from Sonora and he had been rather cryptic when he gave Valentina the directions. Holding a flyer in his hand, the fence feigned interest as they walked through the exhibit meant for children, but given the time and day that they arrived, the place was more or less empty.

“The four taste zones on your tongue are bitter, sour, salty, and sweet,” Caleb read out loud as they stood in front of a giant cut-out face, “fascinating.” The look of amusement on his face was obvious as the man committed to going through the galleries with her in tow. “There’s still the planetarium, we should definitely see that.”

Valentina almost laughed when they arrived at the Arizona Science Center, but the woman bit the inside of her cheek to keep force the sound away. She couldn’t help the amused smile that tugged at her lips though, as she leaned against a wall, waiting patiently for Caleb to buy their tickets. Valentina was watching a little boy in a cape run in circles, when her companion approached with a brochure and two tickets, and she pushed off the wall, falling in step behind him as they began to meander. 

Valentina stared at the cut out face, rolling her eyes over to Caleb as he began to read one of the facts out loud. Crossing her arms over her chest, the woman followed suit. “Did you know one in five people think cilantro tastes like soap or perfume,” she asked, looking up at him. “And all together you have around two to four thousand taste buds in your mouth, throat, and nose.” 

She cocked her head, a smirk capturing her features as the woman began to walk away. She stopped abruptly to avoid colliding with an excited five year old, before continuing towards the section on electricity, ignoring his comment about the planetarium. 

“I’m not drunk enough for that,” Caleb said with a knowing smile, and even then he doubt he’d be willing to share as much, maybe a few harmless stories here and there, he wasn’t sure yet. It could be remedied, sure, they could go to a dive bar and grab a couple of drinks but not while he was packing heat and contraband to boot.

“Tell you what, we see how the day goes and if you feel like sharing, I’ll listen, and if you feel like doing more than talking, I’m here too.” The last bit was more of a teasing remark, but there was no denying that he was looking forward to continue what Valentina had abruptly ended the last time. Caleb got up from his seat after finishing their meal, and he slid into his jacket before walking ahead of her.

“Where d’you wanna go?” 

Valentina laughed, nodding her head as she conceded in agreement, and tossed her napkin down onto the empty plate before her. It seemed neither of them were the sharing type, and the woman doubted they would know much more about each other come the end of their small adventure– it’d be dodged questions, and half truths. 

“For someone who didn’t take advantage of my number, you seem awfully interested in getting in my pants,” Valentina countered, sitting back in her chair. Her eyed flicked up to watch a couple enter the restaurant, holding hands, and laughing about something that had transpired outside. Shifting her gaze back to Caleb, she watched as he stood up, and slowly followed suit, shrugging on her jacket, and pulling the shades from atop her head as they reentered the baking heat. 

Squinting her eyes against the sun, Valentina raised a hand to shield her eyes as she looked up at Caleb. “There a motel over on MLK and 3rd. Not the nicest part of town, but as long as you don’t mind questionable stains and, and prostitutes on the corner we could go there.” She said it in all seriousness, though her eyes danced with amusement. 

Stepping forward, Valentina drew close, and slipped her hand into the back pocket of his jeans to extract the flask, keeping her gaze on him. “What was that you said about not being drunk enough?” And she unscrewed the top, to take a drink of the oaky beverage. 

“I’ll have the vampiros,” Caleb chimed in after half jogging towards the counter where Valentina was already making an order. He’d been lingering by the door, seemingly looking for something…or someone, before he followed suit and carefully discarded his jacket that now contained the drugs and the gun.

“I got it,” he placed a hand on hers to stop Valentina from pulling the money from the money clip, placing a couple of bills on the counter, “and two sodas please, thank you,” he finished with a boyish grin at the server. Caleb hadn’t let go of her hand even after they’d finish ordering and paid, in case the stubborn woman insisted on paying for her meal herself, and with a bit of a tug, he led Valentina back to their table. 

He was very relaxed for someone who was carrying illegal substance and a firearm, and Caleb managed to talk between eating and drinking as he told her a modified story of how he discovered the place.

“Never been here?” Caleb repeated in mild disbelief, “what do you do when you go to Phoenix?” and realizing what his question entailed, he shook his head lightly and laughed a little, raising his hands to motion for her to stop. “No, don’t tell me, I don’t wanna know,” or maybe he did, if the Desert Wolves conducted business even in Phoenix, he’d have to be more careful.

Valentina glanced up at him with her eyebrows raised when Caleb covered her hand with his to keep her from handing over the $10 dollar bill. She opened her mouth to speak, but Caleb was talking over her, ordering two sodas before quickly finishing the transaction, as Valentina glanced between him and his hand that easily covered her own. He pulled her away, the ten still clasped, immobile in her hand, before letting go as they sat down in the corner of the establishment. 

Valentina wasn’t necessarily paranoid, but she always liked to have a clear view of the door, and so the woman settled into the seat against the wall. It was only after the food was in front of her that Valentina realized how hungry she actually was, and she was perfectly content listening to Caleb speak as she ate quietly. She glanced up, nodding along to his story, and wondering how much of it was true.

When he turned a question on her, Valentina finished chewing, took a sip from her Coke, and paused until he was finished backtracking, “Good, because I wasn’t gunna tell you,” She said, a smile teasing her lips, “How about this, what you share, I’ll share and vice versa?”

It was a cheap move, admittedly, and Caleb couldn’t hide his smirk when Valentina told him off. The fence answered with a ‘yes ma’am’ and his hands followed the curve of her waist, holding on to her as they began to move. When they passed by his broken down pick-up, it was then that he realized they were heading to Phoenix instead of back to Jericho, and he had no intention of making deliveries with her around. So he reached for his phone, turned it off, and Caleb made a mental note to call Dylan later and ask for a tow.

Phoenix was vibrant, with its tall buildings and various things to do, one won’t almost mind the thin layer of desert dust that constantly covered the whole of Arizona. Caleb motioned that they stop at a convenience store where he pretty much emptied two large bottles of water, and after washing the grime off his face, he met with Valentina and asked if she’d ever been to Sonora.

“I’m hungry, are you hungry? Let’s go get tacos.”

The city skyline came back into view and Valentina slowed down to cruise into the busier streets. She passed the bar she’d been in earlier, glancing to see that the same group of men still stood around the door, looking for women, drugs, a fight, or any other kind of trouble. When Caleb motioned that they stop at a convenience store, Valentina pulled in without argument and cut the engine. Lighting a cigarette as she waited outside in the heat, the blonde watched the people filing in and out of the little Circle K. The tip of her cigarette crackled with each deep inhale she took, sucking hard on the cancer stick. It shrunk cementer by cementer as she waited, until Caleb returned, and Val flicked it to the pavement, and ground it with her boot. 

“Never even heard of it,” Valentina answered, climbing back onto her bike, “But I’m always down for tacos. Get on.” When Caleb had settled into the seat behind her, Valentina glanced at him through the rearview window, and took off down the street, following his directions to Sonora. 

The taco shop turned out to be a quaint, family owned establishment, partially full in the post-lunch hour. The walls were colorful, and the smell of authentic Mexican food greeted the pair as they walked into the air conditioned space. Valentina was quick to shed her jacket, tossing it over the back of a chair, as she approached the counter, reading the menu on the wall. 

“What do you recommend?” She asked the woman behind the counter, as she pulled her hair back in a half assed bun. The employee was quick to answer, suggesting the pork carnitas, and with with a nod of approval Valentina placed her order, and moving forward, pulled the money clip from her back pocket. 

A date? Was he asking Valentina Falcone on a date? A smile formed on his lips as he toyed with the idea, doing the whole dinner and movie or whatever the fuck people do when they go out but then again, he didn’t really saw her as a dating type and neither was he, so Caleb just shrugged as he took the flask back, opting to be coy as he began walking beside her on the way to her bike.

“I dunno, am I? Thought I couldn’t ask you any questions or shit like that,” his grin faltered a bit when he remembered the package inside his jacket; a conflict of interest, he was a dead man the moment he starts dealing in Jericho but even that won’t seem to stop him. Maybe there was a way around it…like work with them, but which one?

Waiting for her to mount first, the shitty bike from the other night was replaced with something sleek and shiny, fit for a high ranking club member. Caleb placed his hands on her sides, starting out a little higher before sliding down to where they ought to be.

“Never ridden at the back of a motorcycle before,” he admitted, having used to ride on his own; his mind went back to the dirt bike waiting at the shack and how he’s used it when he needed to get around making his deliveries. He’ll have to make calls later.

Valentina bit her lip at his response, attempting to hold back a smile that threatened to crack the nonchalance of her facade. She had never been the dating type, had never been interested in the theatrics of it all, and more so the tiresome commitment, but the idea of getting a drink with Caleb made her lips twitch up in a smile, and that was something new, something strangely exciting. “Well when you decide I’ll have an answer waiting for you,” she responded, matching the coy vagueness of his response as she shot him a look. 

Swinging a leg over the motorcycle, Valentina settled into her seat and turned the key, bringing the machine to life. She waited for Caleb to get on after her, sliding her shades back over her eyes. His hands landed near her chest, and the woman felt her heart jump as he slid them to her waist; Valentina turned her head to speak to him as she kicked the stand up and revved the engine. 

“I’d promise not to kill you, but I don’t make promises,” She spoke over the noise of the idling bike, “Just hold on and don’t lean too much. And watch where you put those hands, Caleb Price, I’d hate for you to lose them.”

His hand moved from the gun to the flask that he had in his back pocket and Caleb took a swig before offering it to Valentina. “I dunno, coffee shop? at the Magpie where you’re not threatening me, maybe some bar where you’re not punching someone?” Even he had to laugh at his remark, he doubt there’d be a time where she wasn’t causing trouble. 

“My truck broke down on my way to Phoenix, didn’t have a signal so I figured I’d walk.” It was mostly true, but what his business was in the city and why he was walking towards the desert was undisclosed, and the small package, neatly tucked in his jacket held the answers. “You’re the first person to pass by– so are you gonna give me a ride?”

Valentina held his gaze as she reached forward to accept the flask, a small smile gracing her face. Tipping her head back to take a swig, the woman looked up at the pale blue sky, watching for a moment as a hawk cut through the endless expanse. The whiskey burned her throat, lingering on her tongue as she handed the flask back to Caleb. “You asking me on a date, Caleb?” The smile continued to tug at her lips, and amusement danced in Valentina’s eyes, as she shifted, teasing a hand through her hair. 

She nodded at his response, and didn’t press for more– it was more than she’d offered him in reply, and truly it was none of her business, Valentina could respect that.