by Claire Adams
“Kylie,” Mandy said exasperatedly. “You may or may not have realized it, but you've been pining after Josh since college. Why do you think you kept sabotaging your other relationships?”
I felt a flicker of annoyance at that. I knew that Mandy meant well, but I hadn't been sabotaging my relationships. They just hadn't worked out, for various reasons. What, did she want to see me back with Andrew? Not that I could ask that, not without making it obvious to Andrew who I was talking to.
“Things are going well,” I repeated finally, hoping that she would drop the conversation. “And I'll see you soon.”
“All right, all right,” Mandy said, and I could tell she was rolling her eyes. Her voice softened, though. “Call me if you need anything. Josh may be our best friend, but I'll kick his ass if he hurts you.”
I burst out laughing at that. “Okay,” I agreed. We said our goodbyes and hung up.
“Who was that?” Josh asked, glancing over as I dropped my phone back into the cup holder.
I shrugged. “Just Mandy. She's having some drama and needed to talk it over with me.”
“Even though we both know she's just going to do whatever she wants anyway?” Josh asked.
I laughed. “Exactly!”
I felt kind of bad lying to Josh about what we'd been talking about, but I didn't know what else to do. It suddenly occurred to me how weird it was that I felt the need to lie to him about it, actually. We had flat-out told Mandy, back in Vegas, that we were just friends with benefits and nothing more. Why would he care if he overheard me reiterating just that?
I frowned, realizing suddenly that I was worried about saying it because I was worried it was no longer true.
Or maybe, even worse, I don't want that to be true anymore.
I swallowed hard and glanced over at Josh again. The trouble was, I had set this whole thing up as friends with benefits from the start, because I didn't think I was ever going to get anything more than that with Josh. I just hadn't expected to want more this badly. I hadn't expected that each sweet thing that he did, like bringing me coffee in bed in the mornings, would make me want more.
For the first time, I realized that this was going to hurt when it all came crashing down.
“Are you all right?” Josh asked, frowning over at me.
I forced a smile. “Yeah,” I said, tossing my hair back. “Just a little queasy. That little bit of slider is sitting like a rock in my stomach.”
Josh laughed. “Mine, too,” he said. “Maybe we should grab some real food soon. I'll keep my eyes peeled for something more palatable but equally greasy. How does that sound?”
“Sounds perfect,” I said.
Josh reached over and caught my hand where it was resting on my thigh, twining his fingers in mine and stroking my knuckles with his thumb. It was another of those sweet gestures, but I didn't have the heart to pull away.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Josh
We finally made it to Denver, and I breathed a sigh of relief. It had been the longest day of driving thus far, and I was starting to feel the effect of all the miles. And I was hungry. We'd eaten lunch early in the day because we'd known we weren't going to find much as we wound through the mountains. Fortunately, I already had a plan in mind for where we were going to eat dinner. I'd looked it up at a rest stop earlier in the day, while I was waiting for Kylie to come back from the restrooms.
I pulled into the parking lot and grinned triumphantly, as Kylie giggled in the passenger seat.
“Tennessee Valley Fried Chicken!” she exclaimed. “I haven't been to one of these in years, either!”
“Let's hope it tastes better than the Black Fortress sliders,” I said, grimacing at the memory of that lunch attempt.
“Come on; I'm starving,” Kylie said, already jumping out of the car.
“Nice car,” a dude commented as we walked in. I waved my hand in acknowledgment but followed Kylie inside, too hungry for chit chat.
Unfortunately, it seemed like chit chat was coming my way, whether I wanted it or not. The bored-looking woman behind the register greeted us, looking through the window at my car. Immediately, her eyes lit up.
“Oh wow, that's sexy,” she said, her eyes wide. “Is that a Ferrari?”
“Lamborghini, actually,” I told her, suppressing the urge to roll my eyes. If you don't know cars, just don't try to guess what kind of car it is.
“Lamborghini,” the man next to us said, and I couldn't tell whether he was interested or being snide.
The guy he was with, though, snapped his fingers. “Hey, I know you!” he said. “I've seen you in magazines or something. On the news. You're one of those rich guys, aren't you?”
“He drives a Lamborghini,” the other man said, rolling his eyes. “Of course he's rich.”
“Nah, but he's one of those rich nerds that shoots off rockets or something. Aren't you?”
I burst out laughing, unable to help it. “Not quite,” I told him. “I'm a rich nerd, sure. But I've never even seen a rocket, let alone launched one. Physics, I'm afraid, was not my strongest subject.”
“What's a rich nerd like you doing eating in a place like this?” the cashier asked, looking suspicious.
I grinned at her. “As a matter of fact, Kylie and I used to come here all the time when we were in college,” I told her. “I may have always been a nerd, but I wasn't always rich.” I winked at her. “Anyway, there's nothing like fried chicken to unite people. Isn't that your slogan?”
She laughed and shook her head. “Just seems to me that you two could be eating someplace a little nicer than this. That's all I'm trying to say.”
“We have been,” I told her. “But comfort food is comfort food.” I looked around. “How many people in here are in need of some comfort food?”
Most of the hands went up. I grinned at the cashier. “Why don't you let me buy everyone's orders?” I suggested. “Call it giving back to a place that helped make me who I am.”
There were a couple chuckles around the place. Kylie gave me a quizzical look, and I shrugged.
“It's the holidays,” I said. “And everyone could do with a free meal during the holidays, couldn't they? Between the gifts and the travel costs and the food and everything else that comes with the holidays. Let me help out in some small way. That's what the holidays are all about, after all.”
I didn't know where the words were coming from, or the feeling inside of me. I was never interested in big displays of wealth. I preferred to quietly invest my money where it was needed. But I supposed there were worse things to be known for than “the billionaire who buys people fried chicken.” And like I'd said, wasn't that what the holidays were about, those little gestures of kindness from unexpected sources?
Something about it just felt weirdly appropriate, and as the cashier refunded the orders that had recently been paid for and transferred their cost to my credit card, I couldn't quit smiling.
“Come on,” I said to Kylie when the financial business had all been settled. We grabbed our own trays and went over to a table by the window.
“That was really good of you,” Kylie said softly, eyeing me in a new light.
I grinned at her and held up a piece of chicken. “Bon appetit,” I said, knocking my piece against hers.
We both took bites of our meal, and I was glad to find that the chicken, unlike those Black Fortress sliders, was just as good as I remembered it. Kylie, meanwhile, started in on her mashed potatoes and groaned.
“God, I forgot how good their mashed potatoes and gravy is,” she said. Her eyes twinkled. “Now this is a real road trip. We've got the good road trip food, I've uncovered the real Josh, and everything is going smoothly.”
I frowned at her, my brow furrowing. “'Uncovered the real Josh'?” I echoed.
Kylie shrugged. “I knew he was there, underneath the rich investor. It just took a little digging. Some skinny-dipping, some regular food, and voila, there you are!”
“I don't
know what you're talking about,” I snapped, good mood vanishing. “I'm the same person that I've always been, just with more money.”
Kylie rolled her eyes. “That's bullshit, and you know it,” she said. “You're uptight now. You're definitely not the same. Not at all. You're still my best friend, but you're different.”
“Maybe I'm more mature,” I retorted. “That comes with age, after all. I know you meant for this road trip to be all about who we were in college, but I'm perfectly happy being who I am now, even if that means I'm not fun anymore.”
“I'm not saying that you're not fun,” Kylie said impatiently.
“Right, I'm just ‘different,'” I said, sketching air quotes around the word. “You're different, too. I remember when you wouldn't make art that didn't make you feel something or have a statement to it. Now, I think you just make whatever sculptures you have to make to get rich guys like me to buy them.”
Kylie looked shocked and then hurt, and I immediately regretted saying the words.
“You know I didn't mean that,” I said quietly.
Kylie looked away from me, picking at a piece of chicken. “You're right, though,” she admitted. “It's been a while since I made something for me. I never really have the time.”
“And you call me a workaholic,” I said, aiming for teasing but afraid that the words came out too strong. I was still upset. I couldn't deny that.
Kylie sighed and took a bite of her chicken, chewing thoughtfully. “You're right,” she repeated. She gave me a quick smile. “Maybe this trip is as much for me as it is for you. I keep telling you that you need to relax, but I do as well.”
“You also need to wipe your face,” I told her, reaching across the table and using my thumb to brush some biscuit crumbs off her lower lip.
Her mouth fell open, and I could see her eyes darken visibly with lust. As I retracted my hand, her tongue came out, gently moving along the line that I had traced.
I grinned and turned back to my meal, glad again that I seemed to affect her just as must as she affected me.
Not that I should be worried about that. I knew that I was attractive, and it was no secret that Kylie got off on our sex. But there was still something inside me that relaxed, seeing her blatant desire in such a simple moment like that.
But if I didn't stop thinking about how much she wanted it, I was going to do something really extreme, like drag her into the bathroom and have my way with her there. Tennessee Valley Fried Chicken might be a road trip staple, but I shuddered to think of how unsexy it would be to have sex in there. Kylie deserved better than that.
I forced my attention back to my food, casting around for some line of conversation. What had we been talking about, before we'd gone off on a tangent about my money and her work?
The road trip.
I smiled across the table at her. “I'm glad that we're finally checking the boxes on our road trip,” I told her.
Kylie laughed. “I should have made bingo sheets,” she said.
I laughed as well at that. “So, what's next year? You'll drag me off on that yacht trip?”
“We'll have to wait and see,” Kylie said, her eyes gleaming dangerously.
I liked the thought of that: the two of us, all alone in the middle of the water, with no one around for miles. We could be as loud as we wanted. We could do whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted. I shifted uncomfortably, and Kylie smiled knowingly.
“What?” I asked.
Kylie only laughed, and I retaliated in the only way I could: by throwing a fry at her.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Kylie
I watched as Josh programmed the GPS. “How long is it to Lincoln?” I asked curiously.
“Too far,” Josh muttered under his breath. Then, he grimaced and gave me an apologetic look. “Sorry. The ‘road’ part of the road trip is starting to wear on me. I could hardly get out of bed this morning.”
“You could always let me drive,” I suggested, even though I knew that was never going to happen. To be honest, I was just as worried about driving his precious car as he was about me driving it, even though I had years of driving experience.
Josh grinned over at me. “I don't actually think it's the driving that's wearing me out,” he said.
I widened my eyes innocently at him. “Is it all the swimming we've been doing? Or have you been hitting the hotel gym before I wake up in the morning?”
Josh snorted but didn't respond to that. He continued tapping away at the GPS and then sat back. “Looks like it's about seven hours of driving between us and Lincoln,” he said. “So, it'll be about the same as our drive from Salt Lake City to Denver.”
I wrinkled my nose. “But we didn't get as nice of a morning prior to our drive,” I said.
“I don't know,” Josh said, giving me a teasing look. “We might not have had great sex this morning, but we also didn't eat Black Fortress sliders this morning. I'm not sure which morning is better, but I actually think it might be this one. Those sliders were rank, and I felt sick half the night.”
I giggled. “Touché.” I glanced around. “Hey, you've got tinted windows,” I said slowly.
“Are you just noticing those now?” Josh asked, giving me a look. “You know, for an artist, you'd think that you would notice things a little quicker.”
I shook my head. “I noticed it a while ago,” I told him.
“And yet you're commenting on it now,” Josh said, quirking an eyebrow at me. “What are you thinking?”
“I just thought that maybe I could help you make up your mind about whether this morning was better than yesterday morning,” I said.
“How did you plan on doing that?” Josh asked slowly, even though I had a feeling from the lustful look in his eyes that he was already on the same wavelength as me.
I shrugged at him. “You have tinted windows,” I repeated. “And we're in a nearly empty parking garage.” I shifted towards him. “We already ate those greasy burgers in here, so it's probably okay for us to make another mess in here. Isn't it?”
“What kind of a mess are you thinking?” Josh asked.
I grinned. “I've always wanted to have sex in a car,” I told him. “I've never done that before.”
Josh looked surprised. “You haven't?” he asked. “With all of the boyfriends that you've had?”
“Never,” I said solemnly, shaking my head. I laughed, feeling suddenly bashful. “Actually, I haven't had sex in many places other than in a bed or in a shower.”
Josh frowned at me. “Did it ever get boring, with any of them?” he asked. “I thought couples had sex in different places to spice things up a little.”
I frowned back at him, wondering why he was asking that. And did he really want to know about my sex life with other people?
But suddenly, I understood what he was really asking: maybe he wanted to know if it had ever gotten boring with anyone else because he was afraid I'd get bored of him if we had sex too often.
I climbed over the center console and into his seat, pressing close to avoid the steering wheel. I splayed a hand on his chest, looking earnestly at him. “I'm not suggesting this because I think we need to spice things up,” I told him quietly. “I'm just actually really horny at the moment.”
Josh snorted, his hands coming to rest on my hips. “Are you ever not?”
I winced and made to climb back to my own seat. “Sorry,” I mumbled.
I didn't mean to act so needy, and this wasn't something that I'd ever experienced before. But it seemed like the more we slept together, the more I wanted him. I had some insatiable need inside of me.
“Hey, don't be sorry,” Josh said, his fingers tightening on my hips and holding me in place. “I'm just teasing.” He lifted my hips and rocked me down against him, and I was able to feel his hard-on through my jeans.
“I'm just as horny,” he said. “I tried to take care of myself in the shower, but you used up all the hot water.”
“Sorry,” I repea
ted.
“Don't be,” Josh said firmly. “Means I'm ready to give you your first experience of sex in a car, after all.” He reached down and adjusted his seat so that it was as far back as it went. Then, he reclined it too, and suddenly we had more room to maneuver. It was still cramped, but I could at least rock against him.
Josh groaned and reached up under my long skirt, stroking my panties. “I like this skirt,” he said. “Easy access.”
I winked at him, putting my arms around his neck and grinding down onto his fingers as he slipped them past the lace. I bit my lower lip, overcome by the sensation.
“God, that feels good,” I sighed, dropping my head down against his collarbone.
Josh hummed in agreement and reached down with his other hand to undo the button on his jeans. He fished out his cock, and I couldn't help but giggle as he entered me like that, with both of us almost fully clothed.
“Something funny?” Josh growled, somehow spinning us around so that I was underneath him and he was slamming me back against the seat with each thrust.
I groaned, back arching. “N-no,” I stammered out.
Because there was decidedly nothing funny about this. It was hot, knowing that we were practically in public and having sex. Anyone could drive up at any moment. And sure, the tinted windows would conceal us somewhat, but if someone really looked, they would see us.
There was no secret to what we were doing, either, not with the way Josh was moving, not with the way my hand clawed for purchase against the window, which was already starting to steam up with the heat of our movements.
Josh shifted and the horn blared, startling us both. We stared at each other and then burst out laughing.
But oh. Each quake of laughter that shook me drove him deeper inside me, and there was nothing funny about that, either. I mewled and moved my hips desperately against his, trying to get him to move. Finally, he did just that, but he was moving slowly, watching my face.
“Please,” I whispered, hands urging his hips on.
Josh smirked at me. He continued to move slowly, but each thrust was hard, vibrations spilling through my whole body. I shuddered, silently begging him for more.
