He smiled. Surely she was not that naïve. “Wow, I thought college girls were smarter than that. There was this invention a while back,” he reached into his pocket, “It’s called a cell phone.” He waived it at her.
“College graduate, actually, and I know what a cell phone is; I happen to have one. I’m just trying to go without technology for a while, so it’s turned off. Guess I figured anyone else making a trip like this would do the same. I just brought it in case there was an emergency.”
“So defensive. Now that I know you have a cell, you have to give me your number,” he said while grinning.
Was he planning this the whole time? “Funny, I don’t see how that is a valid reason to hand out my phone number.”
“Well, how am I supposed to know how your trip went if I don’t have a way to contact you?”
“Maybe you’re not supposed to know,” she shot back.
“Or maybe I’m supposed to go with you for a while.”
Damn it, he has this all figured out. She stood up and went to her cabin door.
“I’m going to bed,” she said, “I’d appreciate it if you’d go back to your porch if you plan on staying outside longer.” She went inside, removed her shorts, and collapsed into the bed without bothering to set an alarm.
* * *
What is that pounding? Kennedy was startled awake. Someone was pounding on the door. She rolled out of bed and staggered to the door. Upon opening the door, she saw that it was Emmerick with a bag of takeout from the diner across the street.
He whistled a low and long whistle. Do I look that bad? Are my eyes red? Do I have drool on my face?
“Damn, you look even better in the morning,” he said. He looked her up and down then added, “and without shorts.”
She was mortified. Oh my God! She had completely forgotten that she had taken her shorts off. They always annoyed her when she tries to sleep, the way they twisted up. She pushed the door closed and headed to her bag to fish out some jeans. The door did not close all the way and he pushed his way in as she pulled the jeans up.
“Thought you’d be hungry,” he said, “and when you didn’t come for breakfast, I took it upon myself to bring breakfast to you.” He watched her closely, his eyes lingering a little too long over her butt.
“Do you mind? Can’t I at least get myself presentable before you come bursting in, uninvited?”
Stifling a chuckle, he set the food down on the coffee table. “Actually, you didn’t close the door all the way, so I assumed you must want me to come in. And, if you ask my opinion, you were plenty presentable. In fact, I think I prefer you didn’t change,” he said. He glanced over and saw her bra draped over the back of a chair.
She snatched it up quickly, shoved it into her bag, and drew out a sweatshirt that she pulled over her tank top. Her face was burning hot, but she forced herself to glare at him. Amazingly, he looked away. Is it possible that he’s ashamed of himself? Or is he merely looking for other embarrassing articles of clothing to gawk at?
“I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I went generic. Cheese omelet, hash browns, white toast.” He smiled and offered her one of the styrofoam containers.
“Didn’t you already eat?” she asked as she saw him pull out another for himself.
“I didn’t want you to eat alone, so I only had coffee while I waited for you. A guy can only wait so long and only drink so many cups. Call me impatient. I wanted to see you.”
Is he blushing? She had not thought it was possible for him to get embarrassed.
Kennedy started eating. She felt relieved to get something in her stomach, even if she had to eat with this man. He was eating too, but he mostly watched her eat.
“Do you have to stalk me while I eat?” she murmured.
“A ray of sunshine even in the morning, I see. Still embarrassed about earlier? Will it help if I even the odds?” He had a very mischievous smile. It made her nervous.
“What do you mean?” Almost as soon as she finished asking, he had his shirt off. “How does that make it even?” She was fighting to control her blushing. He did look good without that shirt.
“You’re right. It’s not enough.” He proceeded to take his pants off.
She shielded her eyes. “What are you doing?!”
He laughed. “Come on, you’re not that innocent. Move your hand. I saw you in your underwear; you get to see me in mine.”
Hesitantly, she removed her hand. She sighed. At least he was wearing boxers, not briefs. She shifted her concentration back to her food.
“What’s the plan today? Hanging out here longer or driving out somewhere?”
Does he honestly think he’s going to join me on my road trip? “That’s not really your business, now is it? No offense, but this is a solo road trip. I can hardly be alone if you’re with me.”
“Actually you can. I would be on my bike, yards behind you. It will be like I’m not even there,” he paused, thinking something over. “Unless,” he said with a smile, “no, probably not.”
“What?” Damn him for intriguing me.
“Well, unless you wanted me to ride with you, or if you wanted to ride on the back of my bike.”
“Yeah, you’re right. Probably not. I guess you know me better than I give you credit for. Thanks for the breakfast.” She got up and started toward the bathroom. “I trust you’ll show yourself out,” she said, and she disappeared.
How exhausting. Who does he think he is, throwing himself into my road trip like this? She turned on the shower and the radio. As the water heated up, she brushed her teeth and got undressed.
The hot water was a welcome feeling against her skin. She washed her hair and her body, taking extra time to enjoy the water beating down on her. As the hot water ran out, she rushed through shaving and cut herself a couple of times. She stayed in as long as she could stand the cooling water before finally giving up and turning it off.
She stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her body. After ringing out her hair, she used another towel to dry her hair, maybe too viciously. When she was done, her hair seemed more knotted than usual. How could one man be so irritating? She washed her face and ran a brush through her hair. It took longer and was more painful than usual.
A cold rush of air came in when she opened the door. She hated that. Couldn’t the warmth last just a bit longer? She looked to her luggage. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” He was still there. “Didn’t I ask you to leave?”
“You didn’t say when. I couldn’t leave you in an unlocked cabin taking a shower,” he said with a smile. “There are men out there who may take advantage of that.”
“Funny, only one man knew I was in the shower.” She blushed a little. Did he peak in? Her eyes had been closed most of the time; she had no way of knowing.
“Don’t worry. I didn’t look. Tempting though. I could use a shower myself.”
She noticed he was still in his boxers.
“Though, judging by the steam pouring out of the bathroom, yours was a hot one. I need a cold one.”
“Maybe you should put your clothes on.” She made herself avoid looking down. She didn’t want to know if he was serious about needing a cold shower.
Thankfully, he listened to her. He pulled his pants back on, and then his shirt. “Well, I’m going to go pack up, so I’ll be ready when you are,” he said, and he left.
The Ride
Ah, back on the open road, alone with my thoughts. Why do they have to be tainted with thoughts of him? she wondered. She had just met Emmerick. How could she possibly miss him? She decided it must just be because she had been alone for so long and he was the first person to make conversation with her. Yeah, that’s it.
There were a couple of cars behind her, but they were back pretty far, and none in front. Where should I go? Maybe I’ll take US-83 up to Kansas. I’ve seen enough of Oklahoma. I do want to drive up the mountains a bit. Maybe I’ll head to them in Colorado. Yeah, that sounds like a plan.
She did not realize it, but during all of her thinking she slowed down. The cars were suddenly right behind her and starting to pass. Oh well. I’m in no hurry. There can’t be that many cars behind me. They’ll pass soon, and then I’ll be alone on the road again.
After the parade of cars passed, she glanced into her rearview mirror to make sure there were none left. You cannot be serious! Emmerick was behind her on his bike. It seemed like he did not even realize it was her that he was behind. She headed north at the interchange for US-83, and he followed. He definitely knows it’s me.
She kept driving, pretending he was not there. She drove for about an hour until she came upon a highway that headed west, and she took it. He followed. It seemed like as good a time as any to head to Colorado.
After a few hours in Colorado, she started heading north again. Of course he followed. How long can he stay on that bike without getting off to stretch? Her stomach could not hold out much longer. She hoped he would give up and have to take a break before she had to stop for food.
Unable to wait any longer, she pulled off the highway to a gas station that doubled as a diner. She filled her tank, and he did the same. She went into the diner and sat at a booth. He disappeared down a hallway to the side of the dining area, and then after a few minutes he joined her. Again, uninvited.
“I thought you’d never stop. Those coffees from this morning caught up to me. Didn’t think I’d make it without a bathroom break,” he said as he slid into the booth.
“You could have stopped,” she said with a curt smile.
“You didn’t give me your number and didn’t tell me where you were going. How could I come if I didn’t know where to go?”
“That’s the point.”
The waitress came to the table and took their order. Emmerick insisted that Kennedy order first. After she ordered, he asked for the same thing as her. The waitress smiled; apparently she thought it was cute that he wanted what she did.
“So, are you going to tell me the plan now, or do I have to keep following you blindly?” He smiled and took a drink of his water.
“There really isn’t a plan, remember? Going with the road? But I suppose since you’re going to follow me anyway, I might as well give you the general idea. You know, so you can take bathroom breaks,” she said and smiled.
He smiled, too; hers was contagious like that.
“Yeah, except if I do stop, you’ll probably change directions.”
Her grin widened further.
“Yeah, I thought so. Either way, it would be nice to know where we’re headed.”
“Cocky as ever,” she said, more to herself than to him. “I thought I’d head up the mountains. Go north.”
He thought it over. “Good idea, but when we get there you have to promise me something.”
Could he honestly think I would make a blind promise to a complete stranger? she wondered. Apparently he did, since he did not elaborate. “I’m not promising anything,” she said.
“Then at least promise to consider,” he took a moment to gauge her reaction, “when we get to the mountains, you should come on my bike with me. We’ll go a few miles that way. There’s really no better way to do the winding roads of the mountains than on a bike.” She looked unsure. He smiled and said, “Trust me.”
“I’ll consider it, but no promises. I still know nothing about you, Emmerick.”
“There isn’t much to know. I’m between jobs. I have three sisters. My parents live in Pennsylvania. I don’t have a permanent residence, and I’m not sure that I ever will.” His serious expression suddenly turned playful. “And perhaps the most important thing: I like it when you say my name. It’s cute.”
Kennedy skated over his flirting, “If you don’t have a permanent address, what’s on your license?” She held out her hand. Will he let me see it? As silly as it might seem, she could trust him more if he showed it to her.
He pulled his ID out of his wallet and handed it to her just as the food came. He dug in immediately. She took a minute to look over the ID. The photo was obviously a few years old. He looked childlike. His hair was a little longer and he had a goatee. Probably trying to look older, but it had the opposite effect.
“Emmerick Callahan. You sure don’t look Irish.” She handed it back and picked up her fork. “Nice picture, by the way.”
“Ha ha. Let’s see yours then.” He was hopeful, but she just glared. “I take after my mom.”
“Why don’t you tell me about her?”
“Maybe another time.” He smiled. “Long story, lots of history. You understand.”
The waitress put the check down, and Kennedy started ruffling through her purse. He thought about objecting but was sure she would insist anyway, so he decided to avoid the argument. She really was not your typical girl. “How come you’re not singing in your car anymore?”
She was surprised he had noticed. “Just haven’t felt like it. Been thinking too much.” She blushed a little.
“What was that?” He grinned, and she raised one of her eyebrows. “You blushed. You weren’t thinking about me, were you?”
The shade of red in her cheeks got darker. “No, actually, I was thinking about where to go next.”
“Okay. Sure. Whatever you have to tell yourself.” He stood. “You’re not gonna leave on me if I take another potty break are you?” He gave her puppy eyes.
Irresistible. “No, I could use a break myself.”
She got up and headed to the bathroom. Emmerick grabbed her money off the table, put it in his pocket, and threw down a twenty of his own before heading to the bathroom.
He beat her outside. Perfect, he thought. Why it took women so long in the bathroom would always be a mystery to him, even after growing up with one bathroom and three sisters.
She had left her car unlocked, so he was able to put her money in her glove box. Her car smelled sweet. He was not sure if it was her perfume or her shampoo, but he liked it. I’ll have to try to figure out the source.
When she emerged from the diner, she saw him leaning on her car. She turned the opposite way. It seemed like a good time to take a walk. Of course, he followed, but he did not talk. She sighed. “If you’re going to follow me, you might as well tell me your ‘long’ story.”
He lengthened his stride until he was walking right beside her. “It’s not so much ‘long’ as just boring,” he replied. “Like I said, I have three sisters. I’m the youngest, a ‘whoopsie,’ as Claire calls it. She was the baby before I came along and she’s seven years older than I am. My mom is the best kind of mom you could ask for—patient, understanding, kind, you know, all the good stuff. She wasn’t quite sure how to raise a boy though. My dad wasn’t much help either. He worked a lot, and he was so used to being surrounded by girls, he didn’t get around to the father-son bonding most dads do.” He glanced over at her, and she had her brow furrowed like she did not understand. “You know, football, catch, that stuff. But he liked to work on cars in his downtime, and I started showing up in the garage when he did. He taught me everything I know.
“I did a couple of semesters at a trade school to become a mechanic, but once I got the job, I didn’t like it. Working on cars I’d never get to drive, with a boss that was a total ass was not for me. When the guys told me they were doing a bike tour, I jumped at the chance. Of course, my mom didn’t like the idea. Even at my age. ‘It’s not safe. You could get hurt.’ But in the end, she couldn’t stop me from going. My dad seemed to understand. Seemed a bit jealous too, I think. That about sums it up. Like I said, boring.”
“I’d call it more enlightening.”
“How do you mean?” He was honestly confused.
“It explains a lot. Your need to cling to someone.” She smiled, trying to make it obvious she was only half joking. “Explains why you thrust yourself into my life these past two days. Being raised around so many women gives you an added…sensitivity.” Was that the right way to say it? “Not in a bad way, of course. If you hadn�
�t had that kind of upbringing, then, well, last night…” her voice trailed off.
“Yeah, I’m a big softie.” He poked at his stomach, as if trying to imply he was pudgy there. She’d witnessed firsthand how much he wasn’t. What an ass.
“Bullshit. Quit fishing for complements.” She blushed a little. “You know you’re…” She could not bring herself to finish.
“What?” He grinned his cocky grin.
Is it weird that I’m getting to recognize his different smiles? she wondered. No. Being deprived of human contact simply made her more intuitive.
“Seriously, what were you going to say? Rock hard? Gorgeous? Just say it.”
She gulped. “Not pudgy,” she said.
Suddenly realizing how close he was walking, she pushed him away from her. It was no use. He just got closer again.
“So that’s my story. Feel better now that you know a bit about me? About my girly upbringing?” he teased.
“Whatever,” she said. She tried to push him away again, but he was ready this time. He grabbed her hand and pulled her into his side. “What are you doing?”
“Well you obviously can’t keep your hands off me, so I thought I’d make it easier for you.” He put his arm around her waist and leaned into her, quietly smelling her hair. That was it. It was the shampoo. Addictive.
“Yeah, not so much.” She broke away from him and headed back to her car. It felt too nice to be next to him like that; it felt like they were puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly.
“I guess you’re not ready to be honest with yourself yet.” He got on his bike and started putting his helmet on. “Just remember, when we get to the mountains…” he motioned to the other helmet.
Uncharted Page 2