Unstoppable
Page 42
Tegan’s face is lit up with joy. It sends a fierce surge of pride straight to my heart.
I did this. I made her smile like that.
I never want it to stop.
“I made you a promise, didn’t I?” I stroll closer, grinning to watch her examine all my repairs.
“And you always keep your promises?” Tegan meets my eyes with flirty look.
“Count on it.”
I know we’re both thinking of the last vow I made to her, that she’d come screaming my name, and it takes all my self-control not to lay her down in that backseat right now and show her I’m a man of my word.
Down, boy. You’ve got the whole night ahead.
Tegan keeps the car in park and leaps out. She circles it, running her hands over the smooth metal and cooing as she goes. “Are those new hubcaps?” she gasps.
I nod. “And I hammered out that dent in your fender too.”
Tegan suddenly throws her arms around me, smothering me in a hug. “I don’t know how I’ll ever thank you.” She squeezes me tight, backing me up against the car. “This means the world to me.”
“I know.” I stroke back a lock of hair from her eyes. I smile down at her. “And it was my pleasure.”
Tegan kisses my cheek, and then releases me. I feel the absence of her right away. I never want to let her go.
“Can I drive?” she asks hopefully. “I’ve missed her.”
“Be my guest.” I laugh, circling to the passenger side. “We’ve got a couple of hours on the road ahead.”
She looks at me questioningly across the roof.
“It’s a surprise.”
And all the last-minute planning is worth it, just for the way her face lights up at the thought. She clambers into the driver’s seat and revs the engine, hard.
“What are you waiting for?” she calls to me. “Let’s go!”
23.
TEGAN
It feels great to be back behind the wheel, speeding down the highway in the early evening sun. The ocean crashes along the shore, and the breeze whips my carefully blown-out hair into a mess of dark tangles, but I don’t care. There’s a freedom racing in my veins, ignited by Ryland’s presence beside me, lounging back in the passenger seat with his long legs stretched out and those dark eyes watching me from behind his Ray-Ban shades.
He won’t tell me where we’re going, so I just follow his directions towards the city, feeling a buzz of anticipation. I leave the music on low, and we fall into easy conversation about Zoey, and Brit, and our incorrigible families.
“I’m just beginning to realize how much I’ve missed,” Ryland admits, looking contemplative. “I guess I blocked it out while I was away, but being back, spending time with them, it reminds me I’ve been gone for so much of their lives. Especially Brit,” he chuckles. “I hardly even recognize her now. She’s changed.”
“How’s that?” I ask curiously.
“It’s everything.” Ryland drapes his arm out the open window. “She used to be so sharp, sarcastic. She would never admit if she was hurting, or even happy. She kept everything bottled up inside.”
“So it’s a good thing,” I say, remembering the afternoon we spent together. Brit seemed comfortable in her own skin, cracking jokes and ordering me around.
“I know, I can hardly believe it, seeing her so open and in love.” Ryland gives me a rueful smile. “Emerson too. I figured we were all screwed, you know. Scarred by our fucked up childhood, doomed to stay angry and hurt and alone. But I come back, and they’re…happy.”
I laugh. “See, you’re all marshmallows, really. You act all hard, but deep down, you’ve got a gooey center.”
Ryland arches an eyebrow and shoots me a wicked look. “You wanna put that to the test?”
I gasp. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it!” I reach over and playfully hit his bicep, but he grabs my hand and brings it to his lips instead.
He presses a searing kiss in the palm of my hand, and I swear, every bone in my body turns liquid from the touch.
Oh Lord.
Ryland laces his fingers through mine, and lays our intertwined hands between us on the seat. I blink, trying to focus on the road ahead, even though my heart is beating a wild rhythm in my chest, and it’s hard to care about anything but him. I want to pull over to the side of the road, and climb over into his lap; wrap myself around him, and never come up for air.
“So, you really won’t tell me where we’re going?” I ask instead.
Ryland chuckles. “I told you, it’s a surprise.”
“Hmm,” I pretend to ponder. “Last time there were paintball guns. So, you’re taking me to a firing range?”
“Nope.”
“Racetrack?”
“Hush, woman.”
“Did you just call me ‘woman’?” I demand, trying not to grin.
“Princess. Baby doll. Sweet pea,” Ryland offers instead. His drawl slides down my spine, and I shiver.
“Ray Jay,” I counter, grinning.
He groans. “I’m never going to live that down, am I?”
“Nope.” I laugh. “We’re going to be old and gray, and I’m still going to bring it out when you step over the line.”
The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. I cringe with embarrassment. It’s our first official date, and I’m talking about fifty years down the road? I shoot him a nervous glance, but Ryland doesn’t seem phased. He squeezes my hand.
I did this. I made her smile like that.
I never want it to stop.
“I made you a promise, didn’t I?” I stroll closer, grinning to watch her examine all my repairs.
“And you always keep your promises?” Tegan meets my eyes with flirty look.
“Count on it.”
I know we’re both thinking of the last vow I made to her, that she’d come screaming my name, and it takes all my self-control not to lay her down in that backseat right now and show her I’m a man of my word.
Down, boy. You’ve got the whole night ahead.
Tegan keeps the car in park and leaps out. She circles it, running her hands over the smooth metal and cooing as she goes. “Are those new hubcaps?” she gasps.
I nod. “And I hammered out that dent in your fender too.”
Tegan suddenly throws her arms around me, smothering me in a hug. “I don’t know how I’ll ever thank you.” She squeezes me tight, backing me up against the car. “This means the world to me.”
“I know.” I stroke back a lock of hair from her eyes. I smile down at her. “And it was my pleasure.”
Tegan kisses my cheek, and then releases me. I feel the absence of her right away. I never want to let her go.
“Can I drive?” she asks hopefully. “I’ve missed her.”
“Be my guest.” I laugh, circling to the passenger side. “We’ve got a couple of hours on the road ahead.”
She looks at me questioningly across the roof.
“It’s a surprise.”
And all the last-minute planning is worth it, just for the way her face lights up at the thought. She clambers into the driver’s seat and revs the engine, hard.
“What are you waiting for?” she calls to me. “Let’s go!”
23.
TEGAN
It feels great to be back behind the wheel, speeding down the highway in the early evening sun. The ocean crashes along the shore, and the breeze whips my carefully blown-out hair into a mess of dark tangles, but I don’t care. There’s a freedom racing in my veins, ignited by Ryland’s presence beside me, lounging back in the passenger seat with his long legs stretched out and those dark eyes watching me from behind his Ray-Ban shades.
He won’t tell me where we’re going, so I just follow his directions towards the city, feeling a buzz of anticipation. I leave the music on low, and we fall into easy conversation about Zoey, and Brit, and our incorrigible families.
“I’m just beginning to realize how much I’ve missed,” Ryland admits, looking contemplative. “I guess I blocked it out while I was away, but being back, spending time with them, it reminds me I’ve been gone for so much of their lives. Especially Brit,” he chuckles. “I hardly even recognize her now. She’s changed.”
“How’s that?” I ask curiously.
“It’s everything.” Ryland drapes his arm out the open window. “She used to be so sharp, sarcastic. She would never admit if she was hurting, or even happy. She kept everything bottled up inside.”
“So it’s a good thing,” I say, remembering the afternoon we spent together. Brit seemed comfortable in her own skin, cracking jokes and ordering me around.
“I know, I can hardly believe it, seeing her so open and in love.” Ryland gives me a rueful smile. “Emerson too. I figured we were all screwed, you know. Scarred by our fucked up childhood, doomed to stay angry and hurt and alone. But I come back, and they’re…happy.”
I laugh. “See, you’re all marshmallows, really. You act all hard, but deep down, you’ve got a gooey center.”
Ryland arches an eyebrow and shoots me a wicked look. “You wanna put that to the test?”
I gasp. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it!” I reach over and playfully hit his bicep, but he grabs my hand and brings it to his lips instead.
He presses a searing kiss in the palm of my hand, and I swear, every bone in my body turns liquid from the touch.
Oh Lord.
Ryland laces his fingers through mine, and lays our intertwined hands between us on the seat. I blink, trying to focus on the road ahead, even though my heart is beating a wild rhythm in my chest, and it’s hard to care about anything but him. I want to pull over to the side of the road, and climb over into his lap; wrap myself around him, and never come up for air.
“So, you really won’t tell me where we’re going?” I ask instead.
Ryland chuckles. “I told you, it’s a surprise.”
“Hmm,” I pretend to ponder. “Last time there were paintball guns. So, you’re taking me to a firing range?”
“Nope.”
“Racetrack?”
“Hush, woman.”
“Did you just call me ‘woman’?” I demand, trying not to grin.
“Princess. Baby doll. Sweet pea,” Ryland offers instead. His drawl slides down my spine, and I shiver.
“Ray Jay,” I counter, grinning.
He groans. “I’m never going to live that down, am I?”
“Nope.” I laugh. “We’re going to be old and gray, and I’m still going to bring it out when you step over the line.”
The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. I cringe with embarrassment. It’s our first official date, and I’m talking about fifty years down the road? I shoot him a nervous glance, but Ryland doesn’t seem phased. He squeezes my hand.
