Journey to the Unknown

by Jacqueline Francis

  She couldn’t possibly be that kind, could she? Not after everything he said. “I don’t…I don’t understand why you would do that for me?”

  “I don’t know a lot of people, but the few people I do know confuse me. I don’t know if my nannies genuinely cared about me or if they were just doing their jobs. They wouldn’t have left after just a few months if they really cared. My cousins look out for me, but I don’t know if they would even give me the time of day if I weren’t family. I don’t know if Rachel is really my friend, or if she just tolerates me because of my cousins. But you…you don’t like me…and I’m okay with that, because it’s so refreshing to not have to wonder for a change. I’m doing it because you’re always honest with me…and I think I need that.” She paused for a bit and took a step towards him. “From now on, I’ll talk to you and I won’t make any rash decisions on my own. I’m still going to Vegas. Not today, though. Today I just need some time to myself.”

  “Jasmin—”

  “And before you start complaining about money, take a look around you. There are things so much bigger than money. It’s just waiting for you to take the time to see it. You’re right. We’re never gonna get along…and the longer I’m around you, the more I dislike you. But whatever. I’m willing to take anything life throws at me, including an asshole like you. I want to experience everything, good and bad, and the opportunity to do it is right here. You can do the same, or walk away. That’s up to you.”

  He didn’t even see it coming. It was like he’d been slapped upside the head. This girl who knew nothing about life had just taught him a life lesson. He had two choices then: get on a bus and find his own way to Florida, or take the next step of his journey with her on a path of complete uncertainty. He didn’t know where he was going to end up.

  It should have been easy to say no, but this path of unknown possibility was begging him to explore it. It didn’t make any sense. He was going to put his trust in someone he barely knew. They didn’t like each other and, if anything, their argument today made their already rocky relationship more unstable. But there was an uncontrollable pull towards her, like two polar opposites of a magnet; he couldn’t seem to get away from her.

  She opened the car door and glanced back to look at him. “Are you coming or not?”

  “Quit nagging. I’m coming.”

  He tossed his bags back into the trunk and got into the passenger seat. It was unnervingly quiet and a little tense. She didn’t say anything and he gave her the space she needed. He needed some time to think as well, because both of them didn’t fully understand what just happened. It should have been the end of the road for them, but with a new understanding, it seemed like it was just the beginning.

  Bob: Well, would you look at that. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say our boy is developing a little soft spot for this girl.

  Dan: It’s guilt, Bob. It’s the only reason he jumped back into that car. He feels guilty about what he said.

  Bob: Of course, you’d say that. You know what it sounds like to me? It sounds like an excuse…like a defense mechanism (snorts). So typically you, Dan.

  * * * * *

  Jasmin walked straight to the sleek, dark wood reception desk of the South Star hotel. It had been an agonizing twenty minute drive and she just wanted to book a room and be by herself for a while. Vegas could wait for tomorrow when she had the attitude to match the exuberance of the town.

  Kevin followed close behind her carrying their bags. She needed to be subtle. She’d told him that she’d won redeemable vouchers for any South Star hotel because she didn’t want him to know that her father was the owner. When people found out who her dad was, their attitude towards her automatically changed. She’d seen it with the kids at school. Some assumed she was just another spoiled rich kid, while others started sucking up to her because of her wealth.

  Kevin was brutally honest with her and she didn’t want anything to change that.

  “Hi,” she said to the man behind the desk. “Jasmintha Daas.”

  He immediately recognized the name. “Good afternoon, Miss Daas. We weren’t expecting you until sometime next year.”

  Her new job would require her to do presentations across the States and her father had already made arrangements with each hotel so she could stay there whenever she traveled.

  She didn’t give any explanation for her early arrival, because Kevin was right beside her, and gave the man a strained smile. “I’d like two rooms, please.”

  He typed on his computer for a few seconds and groaned. “Sorry, ma’am. We’re only authorized to give you one. It’s not a problem. I’ll call head office and get clearance for the other one.”

  “No!” If he called head office for authorization, there was a chance her father would find out and she did not want her father to find out. “It’s okay. I’ll just pay for the other one.”

  “We could share,” Kevin suggested quickly. “This is an expensive hotel, Jazz, and—”

  “Kevin, I really don’t mind.”

  “I do.”

  She groaned her irritation. “Fine. One room with two beds, please.”

  He typed on the computer again. “Okay, you’re in luck. We’ve got one right next to the lobby and one with a view of the mountains.”

  “Mountain view,” they responded together.

  “Sure.” He summoned a bellboy who loaded their bags onto a trolley and showed them to their room.

  “This is really nice,” Kevin commented, taking in the extravagance around them.

  It was standard at any South Star Hotel. An open-plan, low-lit lobby narrowed into a corridor leading to the rooms. Thick, plush navy blue carpets with gold diamonds lined their way. They passed a large dining hall with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the mountainous terrain. The topography of Utah was amazing, but the hotel itself held no appeal for her. She’d lived in an identical one in Chicago with her dad for six months and eventually the novelty wore off.

  The view from their room was breathtaking. The rocky ridges and trees in the distance—it was Mother Nature at her finest.

  The bellboy carried their bags in and disappeared without a word. Once she was alone with Kevin again, her discomfort returned. They’d had a bad fallout today and they were both equally to blame. She should have told him that she wanted to go to Vegas and he should have held his tongue before the situation escalated out of control.

  His words were so true, though, and she couldn’t get them out of her head. She’d tried. She’d sat in the bathroom for almost an hour trying not to think about it. She’d thought she’d mastered the art of not crying. There was a time when she was actually proud of herself because she’d learned how to block out hurt and pain. But when he said those things to her, everything hit her all at once. The loneliness she so desperately tried to escape swallowed her in that instant and for the first time in eight years, she cried. And now that feeling had stayed long enough to become a mood.

  She found herself in a very odd predicament when it came to Kevin. A part of her disliked him. Really disliked him. He was rude and abrasive. Yet the other part of her appreciated him for all that he was. He was honest and straightforward, no matter how offensive the truth was. Everyone else handled her with kid gloves, tiptoeing around issues so as not to hurt her feelings. Sometimes one simply needs a good dose of reality and that’s what he represented. Something real.

  However, the reason why she hadn’t continued driving was because she needed to get away from him for a while. The sweatpants and T-shirt she wore were ideal for what she had planned, so she grabbed a towel and her water bottle from her bag and headed to the door. “I’m gonna workout,” was all she said before she left the room.

  She found an open, quiet spot a few feet from the pool and did everything she’d already done that morning. She pushed and pushed until her muscles were sore and lethargic. The endorphins pumping through her veins helped ease the burden of emotions, but she still couldn’t stop thinking ab
out him.

  Kevin didn’t strike her as the type of person to do something for the sake of doing it. He didn’t have to sit outside that restroom for almost an hour, but he did. And he didn’t do it with any intention of getting something in return. He didn’t have to jump back into the car, but he did. It would be cheaper and easier for him to take the bus. She knew it and he knew it, yet he stayed.

  He didn’t like her, and she was okay with that. She wasn’t sure if she liked him either. However, his actions told her a few things. He had a softer side that he was reluctant to show. And taking into account everything that had happened in the last few days, he wasn’t ready to give up on her yet. Beneath his brash exterior was something much deeper…and she wasn’t ready to give up on him yet either.

  She felt a lot better when she got back to the room and dragged her sweaty self directly into the bathroom. After a hot shower, she was finally ready to face him again. She dressed into a clean pair of sweatpants and a thick pullover, and twisted her thick hair into a single braid. When she walked out of the bathroom, she found him sitting on the bed and they stared at each other for a solid minute before she spoke.

  “So what now, Kevin?”

  He smiled and, once again, she saw a glimmer of a person who might actually be likeable. “Let’s eat.”

  * * * * *

  Kevin stopped talking when the waiter placed a plate of chili-cheese fries in front of him and a burger in front of Jasmin. This hotel was too extravagant for their taste so they’d both ordered off the kiddies menu.

  They’d chosen a booth seat. On one side they were exposed to an amazing view of the mountains and on the other, the back of the high, black leather seat kept them closed off from the rest of the world. The low lighting and soft music in the background made it feel slightly intimate and he wasn’t entirely sure if he was comfortable being with her in this type of setting. Then again, this was going to be a long trip and he might as well get used to being with her in any kind of setting.

  “So because this is probably going to take longer than we planned, I thought of a few options,” he said once the waiter left the table. “I could give you all the money I have and then once my allowance comes in, I’ll give you that too…or we could have some kind of a loan agreement.”

  Her eyes glazed over with complete disinterest. “Kevin, if you bring up money one more time, I’m gonna slap you.”

  “I have to contribute something.”

  She stopped eating and placed her elbows on the table. This topic really seemed to be irritating her. He’d figured that she was well off, and after the few conversations they’d had, he could tell that money was of no importance to her. But it still didn’t feel right to take so much and give nothing in return.

  “Look,” she began, “if I had to do this trip by myself, I would have paid for all the fuel, my accommodation, and food. So if you really feel that bad about it, we can continue sharing a room. That way, you’re saving but I’m not out of pocket. Now can you can stop harping over this nonsense?”

  “It still doesn’t sound fair to me.”

  “Ugh! And you say I’m annoying. Fine. You pay for all the food and refreshments. All of it. I don’t want you to go into this blind, so I’m warning you that I have a Skittle fetish. Do we have a deal?”

  That was more than manageable. “Deal.”

  “Good.” She reached over the table and took one of his fries. It was something she did without thinking.

  “You’re picking off my plate again, Jazz.”

  She immediately tensed. “Sorry. Socially inept, remember?”

  Damn, he’d done a number on her today. She broke eye contact and he could actually see her withdrawing.

  With a shrug, she tried to explain herself. “I eat alone most of the time…but when I used to go out for lunch with my cousins and Rachel, we always used to share…pizza or whatever. It’s just a habit…I’m sorry…I won’t do that—”

  “Fuck, enough with the sob stories.” He scooted to the middle of the booth and took his fries with him. “You’re killing me today.”

  He placed one hand on her inner thigh and her long hair brushed against his fingers as the other wrapped around her waist. Tightening his grip a little, he pulled her right beside him. He heard a tiny gasp and he didn’t know if it was because of shock or because a guy had never touched her that way before. It could be both.

  Just to test it a little further, he gently caressed her thigh as he removed his hand. Her reaction was subtle. He probably would have missed it if he wasn’t looking out for it. Her breath caught and her lips parted just a bit. It was strange. She touched him so brazenly and yet she became nervous when that behavior was reciprocated. Either way, it proved one thing. This girl hadn’t been touched before. It was something he needed to be mindful of if they were going to be sharing a room…and, by the looks of it, everything else.

  “I don’t mind sharing,” he said. “Just ask me first.”

  She looked up at him and smiled, a real smile this time. “Can I have some of your chili-cheese fries?”

  He smiled back. He couldn’t help it. “Yeah.”

  She reached out and took another one. The movement was tentative, like she hadn’t been doing it on her own for the last few days.

  “If I ask…then it’s okay?” she asked, taking another fry.

  “Yeah.”

  The somber, awkward aftermath of tension dissipated and she was in a better mood now. Funny how it took so little to make her happy.

  “So…can I tell you that your dimples are really cute?”

  His smile widened and he nudged her with his shoulder. “Don’t push it.”

  His eyes sort of got fixed on her for a few minutes, but she was too busy eating his food to notice. He took note of every detail; her smooth honey-kissed skin, her pitch black hair. After their very nasty argument this afternoon, he was starting to see someone he hadn’t seen in the last four days, someone who was simultaneously stronger and more fragile than he’d expected. It was like he was looking at her for the first time.

  Her eyes weren’t a simple brown. They were a fusion of hazel and green and gold, a color so unique, there was no word for it. The only way he could think to describe it was to name it after its owner. Jasmin. She had Jasmin eyes.

  Mentally, he took it back. Her eyes weren’t too wide. They were just the right size to house all that innocent vulnerability. Mentally, he took it back. Her lips weren’t too plump. They were simply overripe and untouched, because they had never been put to better use. Once he mixed that with her inappropriate honesty and overwhelming kindness and then wrapped it up in all her crazy, he realized that maybe—just maybe—she was beautiful in a way this world didn’t understand.

  3 years ago…

  Kevin braced his arms against the wall to keep himself upright. His knees were about to buckle. “Fuck, Claire,” he rasped. “Your mouth is amazing.”

  He looked down at her, watching her head bob up and down the length his cock. He was a visual guy and there was nothing better than watching his cock disappear between a luscious pair of lips. Claire was a little too skinny for his taste, but still incredibly sexy and she knew exactly how to use her feminine wiles on him. She should. They’d been doing this since he was fifteen years old.

  They had an odd dynamic, which no one else really understood. They weren’t really friends with benefits, because…they weren’t friends. Kevin didn’t like the term fuck-buddies, but that was more of what they were. It was purely superficial. Their relationship had absolutely no substance. He knew every curve of her body, but he didn’t know what her favorite color was. She knew virtually nothing about him either. If anything, she cared less and used him more, but that was something he would never complain about.

  Sex had become a three-step process for them. Get in. Get off. Get out.

  There were only two rules. Never without protection (though, that was a general rule for a sexual encounter with anyone) and never wh
en either person was in a relationship with someone else. It was simple and he liked simple. One-night stands required too much effort, so in between relationships they just fucked each other. An easy way of getting through a dry spell. No cheesy pick-up lines, no pretenses, and no risk of his dick falling off because of some venereal disease. Simple.

  She took her mouth off him for a second and looked up. “Happy birthday.”

  He smirked. “It’s a very happy birthday.”

  Before he could say anything more, she sucked him hard, teasing his tip with her tongue until his legs felt like they were going to give out. He thrust his hips forward, his breathing becoming more labored.

  He was just about to reach into his back pocket for the condom he always kept in his wallet when three hard bangs on the metal door pulled him out of his pleasure-induced trance. Claire didn’t stop at the interruption.

  “Kevin, you in there?” came Perry’s voice from outside.

  “Yeah, I’m…I’m coming, Perry. Just…give me a minute.”

  “Really?” Claire teased playfully. “Just a minute?”

  Her mouth closed over his cock again and he couldn’t think of an intelligent response to that taunt.

  “I’m giving you five seconds,” Perry said, “and then I’m coming in there.”

  “Fuck!”

  “Five…”

  Claire didn’t seem to care and carried on.

  “Four…”

  He threw his head back in frustration.

  “Three…”

  “Stop,” he said and quickly zipped up his jeans. “He’ll really come in here.”

  “Two…”

  “We’ll have to continue this later.” With a frustrated groan, he hoisted her up, gave her a quick kiss and rushed out the door, trying to keep Perry out so she could put some of her clothes back on. He knew he was a mess when he got outside. His belt was still unbuckled and his heavy breathing was a dead giveaway. Oh, and then the obvious boner.