His New Features.

Marcus Taubert. Over the past six months, this name in Amelia's head has been supplemented with new images and colors that were previously unknown to her.

Marcus Taubert. A punctual and neat person to the core. His room is always tidy, the clothes in the closet are clean and ironed like glass. Prefers tart, unobtrusive aromas. Doesn't eat sweets. The exception is ice cream.

Wakes up at five in the morning. Exercising, jogging, cold shower is a standard daily ritual, which in his case does not make sense - an always healthy and strong body can do without all this, but the man with enviable persistence follows the established regime every day.

Marcus Taubert. His library contains over two thousand books in ten languages. He listens to classical music on Thursdays, draws pictures on Tuesdays, plays Go and chess on Saturdays.

Can find a common language with any person, support any topic in a conversation. You will fulfill his request with reverent joy as if it is your own desire, and you will not even notice how you will be directed along the path that is beneficial to him.

Marcus Taubert. In a conversation, he always smiles and easily conquers with his benevolence, but behind this smile you will not see what is hidden in the depths of his eyes. And pray to God not to cross the path of this man, because your death will be so long and painful that even hell will seem like paradise.

Amelia now knew a lot about him. And among his new features, there was one that was directly linked with her. Marcus Taubert didn't like it when the girl got behind the wheel.

"Slow down."

"Are you kidding?! I'm already driving sixty kilometers an hour!"

"Drop to forty," the man's words sounded not like a request, but like a demand for immediate execution.

Amelia furiously snapped her eyes at Marcus, and wished her hands were on his neck, not on the steering wheel. "You know, I am already trudging like a snail! Even a bike will be faster! Why did you get so worked up?! This is not a serpentine mountain, Mr. Taubert! This is just a field! A god damn wheat field without a single pole!"

There was no limit to the girl's indignation. This was his fifth comment since they left base. The way to the nearest town took about half an hour along the main road, but Marcus decided to secure the route and they took a bypass road through the adjacent fields.

At first, Amelia accepted this offer with joy, since this road took longer, but soon the girl's joy was replaced by irritation when her important passenger began to demonstrate his stubborn character.

"You never know when an unexpected obstacle may appear on the way. Slow down if you want to keep driving!"

"God, why are you so suspicious! We are in the field - AAA!"

The girl pressed the brake pedal and the car stopped abruptly. The passengers were jerked forward, and since one of them was not fastened, he hit his head on the windshield. Birds lurking in the ears of wheat flew into the air as loud shouts of some choicest male swearwords echoed across the field, the epicenter of which was a black car.

"Sorry Sorry! Did you hit yourself hard? Let me see! A rabbit jumped out onto the road, and I braked reflexively," Amelia began to examine the man's forehead, but Marcus pushed her hand away, got out of the car and slammed the door.

The girl took out a first aid kit from the glove compartment and ran out after. When she looked at the man's angry face, she realized that their date had turned from a romantic comedy into suspense with horror elements. She did not know what would happen next - either Marcus would bury her right here, in this field, or teleport her straight to the airport so that she would not bother his eyes.

Amelia squeezed the hem of her dress with her fingers, walked over to the man and placed the first aid kit on the hood next to him. "Let me clean up your wound."

"No need to do that. In ten minutes it will disappear by itself," he breathed and closed his eyes.

"Marcus, I-"

Marcus pulled the girl's hand and hugged her.

"It's too tight, I can't breathe."

"Sorry," he loosened his grip, but didn't let go of her. Amelia was ready to stand like this until the very evening and mentally thanked the random rabbit for the opportunity to be in the arms of the man again.

"Sorry... I couldn't hold my tongue back there."

"That's ok, I did not know that your vocabulary of obscene language is so extensive. I will remember a few phrases for the future."

"It's not something a young girl should say out loud," Marcus sighed and pulled away. Amelia furrowed her brows, but didn't hold the man. "Let's go back. I don't want anything else to happen."

"What do you mean, back?" The sun was shining in the sky, but Amelia was sure that at that moment, thunder rumbled over her head. "Marcus, it was just a rabbit! The random rabbit!"

"That's why I asked you to slow down! Even a tiny rabbit next to me could become a threat to your life! You haven't had dinner yet, but you have already managed to fall out of the third floor window and get into a car accident!"

"It is an accident! You have nothing to do with it! According to statistics, ninety percent of drivers have an accident in their first year of driving. Hitting the bumper or crashing into the fence is the norm! Emergency braking does not count at all!"

Marcus clenched his fists, barely restraining the desire to properly smack up this stubborn girl on her stubborn ass, which every time got into some kind of trouble.

"Amelia, don't you understand how worried I am? When you are with me, there is no concept of norm. Just because I let you get behind the wheel doesn't mean I approve of it," he rubbed his temples. The headache, which he had not felt for a long time, suddenly returned.

Marcus saw how much she enjoyed driving and how proudly she wanted to show him her skills. But something bothered him every time Amelia got behind the wheel. He could not explain this feeling. It, like a small worm, began to gnaw him from the inside, causing irritation every time the girl approached the car.

Objectively speaking, she drove very well. Even better than Simon, although he taught her. Marcus tried to understand the source of his concern but found no apparent reason. All his insides were compressed into a tight strap from the tension, as soon as the girl was in the driver's seat.

"You promised me a walk. You are already throwing me out of the house in the evening. If you are going to run away from me now, I will never forgive you, Marcus Taubert. Do you hear me?"

"I'm not throwing you out, Amelia. You yourself know that the longer you are with me, the more likely it is that something can happen to you. Your parents wouldn't want that."

"How do you know what they would like?! My opinion on this issue does not matter? I am no longer a child!" The girl's cheeks were flushed with indignation, her chest heaved up and down from heavy breathing, the hair on her temples became a little wet from the hot sun.

She was adorable in her genuine anger.

"You're right. You are no longer a child," said the man in a calm voice, his gaze stroking Amelia from head to toe. "I didn't tell you right away, but you look amazing today." So amazing that he didn't want to go to this stupid festival where everyone else would be staring at her.

"Get in the car, it's hot outside. I'll drive on," Marcus hid again behind his glasses and, without waiting for the girl, walked to the driver's door.

Amelia brought with her a first aid kit, which was never needed, sat down and slammed the door.

Well, her plan was more difficult to carry out than she had expected.

She glanced at Marcus, who started the car with a serious look and did not even look in her direction.

A stubborn fool.

"You know, you are probably right. It's much more comfortable to ride with a driver." She sat up, lifted her dress up to her waist and sat back in the chair.

"W-what are you doing?!" the man choked with such a surprise when the girl bared her legs to the very hips.

"I don't want my skirt to wrinkle while we drive," Amelia took her hat from the back seat and began waving with it as if it was a fan. "So, are we going, or should I take the wheel back?" the girl raised an eyebrow seductively and looked defiantly at Marcus.

The man said nothing, and behind the dark lenses of his glasses, she could not see his gaze. "Khem, I'll fix the chair to my height, and let's go. It's uncomfortable to sit like that," he answered in a slightly hoarse voice and focused his attention on the road. At least he tried to do just that.