“Jeez, girl, you could have been killed. I thought for sure he was going to hit you the way he came speeding up and you kept walking and…” She never finished because Stone interrupted.
“Rox! Enough. Shut up!”
“Sorry, I just can’t believe…”
“Just go move the truck for me.”
“Oh right. Okay. That was crazy, I think that guy was going about fifty miles an hour…”
“Roxanne! Shut the fuck up and move my fucking truck!” He was so loud that Sadie jumped back a bit but she had nowhere to go with his arms caged around her. His whole body was pushed into hers with one arm around her waist and his other hand on her neck.
Roxanne, aka Barbie, muttered something which sounded like “dickhead” and then she was gone. Her mind was still racing when a hand reached under her chin and her head was lifted.
“You okay?” He quietly asked. They were so close together their bodies touched. Yet she managed to move into him another inch which he welcomed with a gripping tug on her waist.
She swallowed hard and nodded. She was pretty sure she was in shock. He was hovering over her and rubbed a hand against her back. It felt nice and soothing. She wasn’t accustomed to having others comfort her. She liked it, especially coming from him. This man confused her to no end. One minute he was insulting her, the next he was sweet, protective, and comforting. It was almost as if he was having an internal struggle with who he should be around her. Or maybe he just had multiple personalities.
His left hand at her jaw caressed her neck. She liked that, too. She leaned into his hand. The moment was so intimate. She breathed him in. She knew deep down inside he could turn at any time and become an asshole but for now she was just going to pretend this was the real Stone. She’d never felt safer than she did at this moment. She was going to let herself have this.
When he asked for her keys, she handed them over without a second thought. They walked over with his body hovered around her. He opened the passenger side door and motioned for her to get in. She slid into her seat. It was a strange view. She couldn’t remember ever sitting in the passenger seat of her own car. She placed her bag on the floor and looked around the car she’d had for years. It really was a piece of shit. It had blue stained fabric. There were cigarette burns throughout the back and the top liner had a rip. It was functional but ugly.
Why was she in the passenger seat? Did he expect her to climb over the console?
Before she could ask, she heard him speaking over the roof. “You drive the truck and follow me. And don’t change my station, I mean it, Rox. No country!” There was a small threat in his voice but mostly tenderness. A surge of jealousy came from inside Sadie again. He sounded playful with Roxanne. Even in the store, when he whispered in her ear, they seemed so comfortable together. She didn’t quite know why but that thought made her sad. Maybe because she knew he wasn’t for her, but somehow, seeing him with Roxanne, it was confirmed.
A few seconds passed and he got in. He adjusted the seat and started up the car. He looked like a giant in her car. It was really silly for him to drive her home. Sadie knew he just pitied her. She had always despised pity.
“I’m really okay to drive.” She turned to face him. “Seriously, I’m good, I can get myself home. You don’t need to do this. Really,” she said, with all the confidence she could muster. She needed to get away from him.
He was backing up and pulling out of the spot while ignoring her.
Let me try this again. “I appreciate you doing this but it’s really not necessary. Thanks for your help and thank your girlfriend for me!”
He continued to ignore her. What the hell!
When he pulled up to the stop, she noticed his truck pulled up behind them. She looked back at Roxanne. She couldn’t see her face well but her hand went up and she waved enthusiastically. She awkwardly waved back and turned in her seat. Roxanne seemed too happy for someone whose man was helping another girl, Sadie thought. She probably didn’t see her as competition. However, she was the girl who claimed to be his “side piece” and vulgarly described that they were just fuck buddies. Closing her eyes, she shook her head. Way to go, Sadie!
She glanced over at Stone who had just pulled out of the parking lot. In the daylight his hair wasn’t as dark as she originally thought. It was dark brown, shiny, and a little long around the ears. He looked like a model for a biker magazine. She bet he had a motorcycle. She couldn’t see his scar from where she sat but she knew it was there. She wondered how he got it. He probably got it in a bar fight. He looked like a bar fight kind of guy.
She turned in her seat and licked her lips. His brows furrowed forming a sharp peak. She’d seen him angry before but not quite like this. It was a seemingly silent rage.
“Thanks for driving me.”
His chin jerked in acknowledgement but he remained quiet.
“You didn’t have to
