by J. Daniels
The rain comes down in buckets, limiting my vision as I try and see the road in front of me. I’m relieved when I’m able to pull off of the busy main street and onto the back road leading to my apartment building. I can barely see anything, and having other cars around me is making that problem dangerous. The thunder startles me every time I hear it, cracking so loud it feels as if I’m submerged in the storm cloud. The only thing visible is the illuminated road in front of my headlights. Nothing else around me stands out as I lean closer to the wheel and look to the sky for an expected lightning strike, signaling the next crash of thunder. The sound of a horn blaring startles me, snapping my focus to the road as a large pick-up truck comes flying at me.
“FUCK!”
I swerve to my left, pulling off into the grass and slamming on my breaks as the maniac driver with no headlights flies by me. My hands grip the wheel, my chest heaving with quick, sharp breaths as I try and relax. I turn and look out my back window, but all I see is darkness.
That fucker didn’t even stop? He runs me off the road and he doesn’t even check to make sure I’m okay?
Why am I even surprised? I’m sure it was a man driving that thing, and all men in the state of Alabama are complete dickheads. Except the ones I’m related to.
I press on the gas to pull back onto the road but my tires spin. The car jerks forward as I push the pedal to the floor, but nothing happens. I’m stuck.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
I swing my door open, letting the rain beat down on me as I lean out and examine my tire. Only half of it is visible, the other half swallowed up by the mud. I slam my door shut and grab my phone, dialing Reed’s number. Four rings and his voicemail picks up.
“Hey, leave a…”
I disconnect the call and dial my parents, cringing when their answering machine picks up. Both of their cell phones go straight to their voicemails and I’m on the verge of tears as I scroll through my contacts, looking for someone else to call. Ben and Mia won’t be back from Georgia until late tonight, so they’re off-limits. I need someone with a pick-up truck who could help pull me out, and there’s one option, one person besides my brother and Reed who could be useful, but you couldn’t pay me to call him right now.
I do an Internet search of the closest tow company and dial them instead.
“Rick’s automotive,” the man on the other line answers.
Thunder claps again, startling me before I can reply. “Hi, I’m going to need a tow truck to come get me. My car’s stuck.”
“Where are you, miss?”
I look out my window for any sign of how close I am to the main road. “Umm, I’m on Moravia. I think… I don’t know, maybe five miles from O’Donnell Street. Could be less.”
I hear the sound of a soda can opening. “Pretty backed up today. Lot of people gettin’ stuck.” The sound of him slurping comes through the phone, followed by his quenched sigh. “Might be able to be there in a couple hours.”
I sag in my seat. “A couple hours? I can’t sit here that long on this road. You can’t see anything and I’m barely pulled off. Someone could hit me.”
“It’s the best I can give ya. Put your flashers on and we’ll be there when we can.”
I close my eyes and bite back my tears. “Fine. Do you need my keys? I really don’t want to wait here.”
“Just leave them under the floor mat. We’ll call ya when somebody gets there.”
“All right. Thank you,”
“Yup.”
I end the call and arch my back, sliding the phone into my jeans pocket. I turn the car off and place the keys under the mat before hanging over my seat, praying for an umbrella to magically appear from somewhere. I know for a fact I’ve never bothered to put one in here but it would be fucking awesome if God could just throw me a bone right now. But no. Let’s make this day suck even more for Tessa, and give her absolutely no protection from the elements.
I turn back around and swing the door open, stepping out into the mother-of-all rainstorms. The muddy river my boots sink into is slow moving and thick, like oatmeal that needs more water. I slam my door closed and struggle to get around the car, grabbing onto the hood for leverage to pull my feet out of the mud. Once I get onto the gravel in front of the hood, I stomp my feet, removing some of the muck as the rain beats down on the back of my head. I turn my head up and let it soak my front, my shirt and jeans clinging to me within seconds. It’s a cold rain, and my teeth chatter as I stand there and allow myself to get used to the feel of it. The water pelts against my skin like ice, and suddenly, the air around me seems to drop in temperature. Five miles is going to take forever, but I can’t wait in the car for the tow. Not for as long as he says it’ll take them. And especially not with assholes like the one who ran me off the road driving out here today. So, I’m walking, freezing or not, ’cause my only other option is calling Luke, and that’s not happening.
A few cars pass me as I stay as far to the side of the road as I can without trudging through the mud. No one stops to ask if I need a ride—not that I’d take it. But the decency factor is missing today from everyone making the trek down Moravia.
I don’t know how long I’ve been walking, but given the ache in my feet I’m going to guess at least fifteen minutes. That’s usually how long these boots allow before I’m cursing myself for ever buying them. My hands tremble as I cup them in front of my mouth and attempt to breathe life into them, but even the air in my lungs seems frigid now, like the rest of me. Another car drives by me and I ignore it like the others, until the sound of it skidding to a stop prompts me to look over my shoulder. The reverse lights come on before the truck backs up in my direction.
The silver truck I’m way too familiar with.
I walk faster, suddenly not giving a shit about the rain and how slick it’s made the pavement. I could slip and knock myself unconscious, but even the threat of that seems better than this chance meeting.
The truck creeps into my peripheral vision but I ignore it, keeping my attention in front of me.
“Tessa?”
I ignore that also as the rain continues pelting down, loud enough to distort the voice I don’t want to hear. I push the hair that’s plastered to the side of my face back and tuck it behind my ear.
The truck moves with me, staying at my side. “What are you doing? Where’s your car?”
“Fuck off!” I yell.
The engine revs again as I quicken my pace.
“What the fuck? Look at you. Get in. You’re going to catch pneumonia or some shit.”
I turn my head and glare at him through the sheet of rain, straining my neck to see up into his truck. “I’d rather catch pneumonia than be anywhere near you! Go fuck yourself, you piece of shit!”
The back end of the truck whips off the road, backing into the mud and blocking my path. I round the front of it with determination just as a door slams shut.
“Are you fucking crazy?” He grabs my arm and spins me around, keeping his grip on my elbow as the rain soaks the front of him. Water runs down his face, grazing the bump in his nose, and beading up on the stubble along his jawline. His other hand runs down my arm and he frowns. “Jesus, Tessa. You’re freezing. We need to get you dry.”
“We don’t need to do anything.” I yank my arms out of his grasp. “Get back in your truck and get the hell outta here. You’re just slowing me down.” I barely turn away when his hands find my waist, hauling me against his side and moving me in the direction of his truck. I twist my body, trying to elude him. “Luke! Stop it!”
His grip stays firm, forcing me to move. “You’re not walking on the side of the road. Nobody can see shit out here and someone could hit you. I barely saw you.”
I wrench myself from his grasp and push against his soaked chest. My hands slide along the material, and I resort to pounding my fists against him to keep my palms from clinging to his muscles.
Because they would. They like doing that.
I
take in a shaky breath before admitting, “I’m so sick of it being you who sees me. Stop seeing me! Just stop!”
He drops his head down and grabs my wrists, pulling me closer. Water builds up on his bottom lip, and I struggle to avert my gaze to anywhere but his mouth. If I keep looking, I’ll run my thumb across it. My tongue. Trap the drops between his skin and mine and feel them burst against my mouth. I blink heavily before focusing on his eyes, catching the quick shift of his attention off the very thing I was just fantasizing about.
“Do you think I want to see you?” he asks, the frustrated anger resonating off his words. “If I could’ve stopped, I would’ve fucking done it a year ago. I always see you, Tessa, and I’m not leaving you on the side of the road. So get the fuck over yourself, and get in the truck.”
I bite my lip to stop it from trembling before shaking my head. “Just leave, Luke. Please. Please don’t do any more for me.”
He releases one of my wrists and runs a hand down his face. His eyes pinch closed for a moment as he thinks something over. “You wanna make this difficult? Fine.” His hands grab my waist, lifting me off the ground and carrying me around the front of his truck.
I flail as much as I can, pushing against his shoulders and trying to peel my front away from his. He mumbles how challenging I am, how he doesn’t need this shit. I open my mouth to protest but my voice cracks like ice being stepped on as he shifts me in his arms to open the door. I’m shoved inside and the door is slammed shut as the rain pelts on the windows.
My entire body trembles as I rock in my seat, seeking warmth, keeping my head in my hands as my knees knock together. I’m going into shock. This has to be what that feels like. My body is shutting down because I can’t get warm. I think I hear the door open over the chatter of my teeth and the loud whoosh of air I push into my hands, but I can’t be sure.
Not until I feel the slide of his hand along my back.
I slam the passenger door shut as the rain continues to beat down on me.
Of course this has to happen. It has to be Tessa on the side of the road, and not some chick I can ignore. I’d gone all morning without seeing her, installing her door and thinking I was in the fucking clear, and now, this. She’s out of her fucking mind if she thinks I’ll leave her here. I can’t. It’s not physically possible. My instincts take over the second I realize it’s her, commanding me to stop, to grab her, and to put her defiant ass in the truck myself. I don’t know why the fuck she’s walking out here, but I do know she isn’t walking anymore.
I brace myself for the fight I know we’re about to have as I step up into my truck, shutting the door behind me. But it’s not her verbal lashing grabbing my attention the moment I get inside. It’s her, rocking back and forth in the seat, trembling so badly I fear something worse than pneumonia. Her teeth chatter as she keeps her head down, body almost folded in half. I don’t think about what touching her does to me. I can suck that shit up and deal with the ramifications of my actions later, because the only thing that matters right now is getting her warm.
My hand slides along her back, startling her with a jolt that blends into her tremors. We’re both drenched, but she’s colder than me, frigid even. I swear to Christ my hand drops in temperature ten degrees just from the gentle pressure I’m giving her. I need something to wrap her up with, so I grab the beach towel I keep in here for days I go to Rocky Point.
I drop it next to me and grab the bottom of her shirt with both hands.
“We need to get you out of these clothes. Lift your arms.”
She pushes me off and slides closer to the door. “J…j…just t…t…take me home, Luke. I’ll g…g…get warm th…th…there.”
I don’t have time for this. She doesn’t have time for this.
I rip her shirt off, throwing the dripping material on the floor as she fights me every inch of the way. I reach for her boots to remove them but she kicks at me.
“S…s…stop it! Luke, what…”
I grab her ankles, pinning her legs against the seat in between us, and lean closer. “Tessa, you’re fucking freezing. Wrapping you up in this towel isn’t going to do shit unless you take these clothes off, so stop fucking fighting me and let me do this. I have to do this.”
She slouches against the window, her body going limp in surrender. “Why?” she asks, so soft I almost miss it.
I look up at her as I pull off her one boot, then the other. My eyes search her face before I finally admit, “Why did I spend my entire morning putting in a door for a girl I’m not supposed to care about? Why do I do everything?” I drop my gaze to her legs. “It’s you, Tessa. Nobody else would’ve made me stop.”
My eyes pinch shut for a moment before I toss her socks to the floor.
Smart. Admit you’re still hard up on her. Really smart.
“You p…put in a new d…door for me?”
“Yeah. Your key is with that dickhead manager.” I refocus and unbutton her jeans, sliding them off and discarding them with the rest of her clothing. I’m able to wrap the towel around her twice as I shift closer, pulling her up so she’s sitting next to me.
I push her hair out of her face, feeling her lean into my touch, and I suddenly don’t want to drop my hand.
Her eyes, full of unshed tears, draw me in, and slide me even closer to her until she’s right up against me. I don’t fight the commanding need in me that wants to be with her right now. I don’t block it out with memories of our past. I let myself indulge in this. In her.
“Hey,” I whisper, afraid if I speak any louder, she’ll pull away from me. “What is it? Are you still cold?”
“Why her, Luke? Why does she g…get you like that?” she asks, blinking and sending the tears down her face as the quiver in her jaw seems to settle.
I stare, confused, shifting my body so I’m looking at her straight on. “What are you talking about? Why does who get me?”
“What all do you give her? Everything? Does she even have to ask for it?”
Maybe she’s actually in shock right now, because she sure as hell isn’t making any sense.
I lift her chin that’s dropped down, meeting her eyes. “Tessa, I don’t…”
Her hands spring out from underneath the towel and grab the bottom of my shirt, lifting it up to mid-chest. “Does she get this?” Her finger grazes the name on the side of my ribcage. “Does she? Did you tell her who this is?” she asks, her voice breaking as she pushes against me, separating the connection we just had. She takes in a loud breath before yelling, “I wanted this! I had you for three months and I begged you! I fucking begged you, Luke! And she gets it? Why? Why, goddamn it? I gave you everything! I never held back with you and I got nothing.” Her movements slow, the force of her hands weakening as her sobs fill the inside of the truck.
I grab her shoulders and push her back so I can see her. “Who? What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Jolene,” she cries. “You slept with me last night and you have a girlfriend? And you tell her shit about me? Fuck you! I hate you! I fucking hate you.”
She tries to get out of my grip but I hold her in place, pulling her closer as her hands fist my T-shirt. “Goddamn it! Stop fighting me!” She squirms more and I pin her against me, wrapping my arms around her body. “Calm the fuck down a minute. Jesus Christ. She’s my neighbor, Tessa. What, did you go over my house or something? Is that where you’re coming from?”
She nods.
“She’s not…” I pause, taking in her guarded expression. Like she’s actually afraid of my answer. “Why do you care who she is? You ended us. You’re the fucking reason why I hooked up with her in the first place.”
“So you are sleeping with her. You fucking dick!” she grits out, and the entitled look on her face, like I owe her this information and so much more, causes me to break.
All the anger I’ve reserved for this woman boils to the surface, and I’m suddenly not concerned with keeping her fucking warm anymore. I don’t care that she looks
shattered, on the verge of more tears and struggling to keep herself from falling apart completely.
I drop my head, getting as close as I can get to her face without touching her. Her eyes go wide as she stops breathing, and I feel the resistance leave her body as she practically melts against me.
“I’m not sleeping with her. I fucked her. Once. And it was empty. Just like all the other pussy I’ve had the past year. I don’t feel anything when I’m with them. I don’t even see them. I see you. I taste you. And when they ask me who Tessa is, because that’s the only name I’m saying in their ear, you wanna know what I tell them?”
She sniffs loudly and her lip trembles, but she doesn’t answer. And I don’t wait for her to, either.
I lean closer, brushing my nose against her cheek and up to her temple. “I tell them she’s the worst fucking thing that ever happened to me, and I can’t let her go.”
I lose all control, all reserve, and crash my lips against hers, moaning the second I feel her skin. She whimpers through a gasp, but she doesn’t fight it. Her head tilts with the guidance of my hand and she parts her lips with a sigh. I run my tongue along her lip, dipping into her mouth and tasting—no, more than that—fucking devouring her like it’s been longer than a year. Like I’ve never had this. Her hands slip underneath my shirt, teasing my skin as I shift her into my lap.
She breaks away, panting, her lips pink and swollen. “Luke…”
“I’m kissing you, Tessa. Don’t tell me not to,” I say against her mouth before pressing my lips along her jaw.
Her throaty laugh vibrates against me as I taste the skin of her neck.
“We’re on the side of the road. Actually, not even on the side. You’re kinda blocking half of it.”
“Don’t care.”
“We could get hit.”
“Don’t care,” I repeat, opening up her towel so it falls around her waist. My eyes take in the sight of her, and I’m reminded that this, fuck me, this is why I haven’t been able to move on. The delicate rise of her chest. Her skin, flushed and unmarked, such a contrast to mine. Not that she wouldn’t look damn sexy with some ink. I trail my finger down her cleavage, dropping my head and licking along her collarbone. Her fingers curl around my neck as I lift her up, burying my face in her chest.
