Driven to Temptation: Road Trip Romance

by Ava Catori

  It was Brody’s turn to look away. “Do you ever get tired of being the bad ass, or the good guy, or the boring as shit guy? I do. My life is going nowhere fast. I’m going to spend the next ten years or more trying to pay down some loan that might not have been worth it. I’ll be stuck with low wages until I make my way up the ladder, that is, if a decent company finally hires me. I won’t be able to buy a house, I can barely afford to buy another car, and who knows what the insurance company will offer. I just…my life is going to be a daily grind. I figured, I’d do something risky, take a leap of faith and start off with a bang. Instead, it fucking backfired.”

  “I get tired of people not taking me serious. You’re smart, smarter than the bullshit you just pulled. I fall for a girl, but all she can see is some loser mechanic that’s always got his nose in trouble. I don’t know how to be anyone else and I’m not interested in changing. I just want someone to take me as I am.”

  “When you say someone, you’re talking about Amanda?”

  “Yes. No. Shit, I don’t know. It’s only been a couple of days, but Brody, there’s something going on there. I’m not going to deny it. When I wrapped my arms around her, it was like – I don’t know, I wanted to protect her, keep her safe, and make her mine. It was such a foreign feeling; I wasn’t sure what it was.” I ran my fingers along the edge of the armchair I sat in.

  “Big stuff,” Brody said. “No doubt.”

  “I’m going to let it go. We’ll be home in a few days, and our worlds will go on without each other. We’re two different people, oil and water. I guess I just wanted a few more days of whatever the hell I was feeling around her.”

  “You sure you want to let go?”

  “I think it’s for the best.”

  Chapter 27 - Amanda

  Come morning, we gathered our belongings and started the long journey home. We had days ahead of us. I hopped into the backseat so Brody could sit up front. He had longer legs than me, and would be more comfortable there. I didn’t say much, in fact none of us did for the first hour. We quietly listened to the radio until a song came on that caused Brody and Nick to bolt out the lyrics together. They laughed as they sang. Obviously, I wasn’t privy to the inside joke they seemed to be sharing at the time.

  I hoped to make light of it and playfully join in, but decided to remain quiet instead. Unfortunately, without much talking going on, it left plenty of time for my brain to go into overtime. When Brody kissed me, I asked him to stop. When Nick kissed me, I wanted more. I couldn’t erase that fact. And when he put his arms around me… No, don’t go there.

  We’d be home and go our separate ways. It was for the best. Things would go back to normal, and this would all be a stupid mistake. Leaving it in the past was the only real option. It’s not like we could make a go of things back home. Honestly, we were just too different, and while chemistry was nice, it didn’t make for a solid relationship.

  After another hour or two, we pulled off a highway ramp and pulled into a travel center. Nick wanted to fill up the tank with gas, and it was a good pit-stop to use the facilities as well as pick up a fresh drink. I went inside with Brody to get a Diet Coke while Nick pumped the gas.

  He was right behind me and stood close. “Panda, we need to talk.”

  “Now?” I wanted to avoid him, avoid what he’d tell me, and was about to bolt toward the bathroom to buy time, when he grabbed my elbow. I conceded and bowed my head. “Fine.”

  “I think you should give Nick a chance,” he started. My head spun. It was the last thing in the world I expected to hear.

  “What? You have no idea what you’re talking about. We couldn’t be more wrong for each other,” I started to protest.

  “Something obviously happened between the two of you. For some reason you’re avoiding talking to me about it. It’s okay, really. I’m ready to move on… and for Nick to admit he has feelings, I’m thinking maybe you do, too. Whatever went on, something clicked. Why are you slamming the door on it?”

  “I don’t want to hurt you, Brody. It was never my intention, but dating Nick wasn’t either. I just don’t think it’s a good idea. Yes, we connected. I’m not sure why, maybe because we were in a forced proximity for a while, but those are false pretenses. In any other situation those circumstances wouldn’t matter. I’m mature enough to understand that. I hope he is.” I explained it away, but my stomach still twisted like a tumbleweed caught in a storm. Why was I lying to myself? I did feel something. What was I afraid of? That he’d bore of me, dump me, and I’d end up feeling like a fool? Maybe; I wasn’t even sure. I knew it was a mistake. A big, stupid mistake.

  Nick entered the store after pumping gas and grabbed a drink. Making his way over, I glanced at him. He was a tall drink of water on a hot day. Too good looking, too built, too sexy, and I needed to stop thinking that way. I needed to put it behind me. I forced my wall up. As he stood beside me, opening a refrigerated section to grab a cold drink, I bit my lips. No more Nick for me. It was fun while it lasted. I looked at him, glared, and scolded him for telling Brody about us.

  He ignored me and walked away.

  What? I chased behind him. “Did you hear me?”

  “I wasn’t listening,” he said, then turned the other way. I stood and watched him as he blatantly avoided me. Really? We were going to play it this way? Fine, if he was a child, I’d treat him like one. I’d been right all along, his immaturity stood out like a shiny piece of metal for all to notice.

  I gracefully walked up to him and sneered, “Would you like a pacifier with that attitude?”

  “Why? Why do you insist on doing this here?” He stomped to the counter, with me following behind and slammed his drink on the edge. Turning to the cashier, he raised a finger to note he’d be a minute, then looked back to me.

  “Why did you insist on crossing the line? Brody is your brother,” I shot out.

  He grabbed my cheeks and pulled me in, puckering up and planting a big one on my lips. I gasped and reeled back to slap him, only he caught my hand before it could land.

  “No,” he said, and then kissed me again. Only this time, it was soft, tender and sweet. I forgot where I was.

  “Nick,” I murmured between kisses as the cashier glared at us, waiting for us to pay and take our drama elsewhere. I didn’t care. I wrapped my arms around him and parted my lips, letting him in.

  Brody cleared his throat, trying to get our attention. I glanced behind us and a small line had formed.

  “Sorry, sorry,” I said pulling away. We quickly paid for our items and took things outside.

  Chapter 28 – Nick

  She just wouldn’t shut up. It’s like she always has to be the person to get the last word in, and usually it’s snarky. You know what I think? I think she can’t handle her feelings. She’s got them and is in full denial. Do I have that much of a reputation that she’s desperate to stay away from me? Is it my past, or is she afraid of our potential future?

  I absentmindedly reached up and touched my lips as I walked back to the car. I didn’t mean to start something in the middle of the store, and while Brody said he was okay, I should have considered his feelings. Amanda…hell, I don’t even know what my feelings are there anymore. She’s a royal pain in the ass, but my mouth wants nothing more than to taste every loving inch of her skin.

  The things I want to do to her… and with her. I was in trouble. Normally, I just thought about sex and all, but instead I was picturing going out and doing things, like going out to dinner, walking around a museum or botanical garden, going to a concert, and treating her like a lady. What the fuck was wrong with me?

  Chapter 29 – Amanda

  Brody finally talked to his mom the day before we arrived home. I could hear the panic in her voice, then relief as she shrieked through his phone. I heard bits and pieces, but got the gist of the conversation as Brody calmed her down. He let her know that we were almost home and that Nick and I were with him. She insisted on being at his place when we got
back.

  Polly was a solid and strong woman that had put up with more than her share of hardship, but one thing she never wavered on was her sons. And if Brody went through something, she thought it was her responsibility to help him work through the emotions and ramifications of whatever it was. It didn’t matter that Nick was almost thirty, she did the same thing with him. She was their mother through and through, and made sure they knew it.

  “I didn’t want to worry you,” Brody said one more time, and then nodded a few times, even though she couldn’t see him. “Alright, Mom, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  On hanging up, Nick flinched. “She didn’t take it so well, huh?”

  “It’s Mom. What do you expect? Anyway, she’s making lunch and none of us are off the hook. That includes you, Panda. Until she sees us and deprograms whatever part of your brain she’s trying to fix, we’re expected to stay. She’ll meet us at my place.”

  ***

  Polly was a nice lady and always treated me well, so I had no problem hanging around. At least I thought that was the case, until the news of Nick and I sprang up. Like an air leak in a raft, I couldn’t stop things. I desperately searched for duct tape to stop it, but nope…Brody was full of information, especially as he tried to take the spotlight off himself.

  I’d had enough. I was exhausted from the trip and excused myself. I made my amends and gathered my things from Nick’s Escalade before going back inside. “I called a cab. It’s going to be here soon. I’m going to wait outside.”

  “What? I would have taken you home,” Nick protested. “That wasn’t necessary.”

  “It’s fine. Stay and hang out with your family. I’m tired, and need some time alone.” I said my good-byes.

  Nick chased me outside. “Amanda, what about us?”

  “It was nice, Nick, really. But what happened is over. It’s time to get back to our lives. I’ve got to find a way to get my job back or find another one. Anyway, thanks for the adventure.” Relieved when the taxi pulled up, I glanced back for only a second and got in the car. I had nothing left to say. I did have a big honking vibrator waiting at home in my bedside table, and I intended to use it. Nick might have had a big dick, but my vibrator doesn’t talk bullshit.

  Chapter 30 – Nick

  I watched the cab pull away. Amanda never once turned around to look at me. She was done; she’d written me off. Just as well. I didn’t need some uptight bitch in my life. I’d call up one of my friends with benefits and fuck away her image which was seared in my brain. I put it out there, told her I was interested, but I’m not going to beg. That’s degrading, and she’s not that amazing. So, it was a kiss or two, not like she knocked me off of my socks. I’ve got a friend that could suck a golf ball through a hose like a hoover; she’ll blow Amanda right out of my thoughts.

  **

  Okay, so I never called my friend. Whatever. I didn’t need to get my rocks off that badly. I couldn’t get Panda off my mind. I missed her. How that weasel got in my head and refused to let go, I’ve got no idea. But damn, I wanted to taste her sweet lips, and run my fingers through her hair. I wanted to talk about stupid shit to make her smile. I wanted to run my hands all over her luscious curves and make her purr.

  I missed how she’d bite her lower lip before she’d answer something that embarrassed her. I missed how she leaned into me like we’d been friends or lovers for years. I loved how she scolded me for coming to her rescue, even when I knew she was secretly relieved. Shit, I miss her.

  It had only been a week, but it felt like years. I thought up different excuses, reasons to drop by and see her. Only, no matter what I thought up, it seemed lame. I just had to cave in and wear my heart on my sleeve. If I wasn’t honest with her, didn’t tell her how I truly felt, too much time would pass. What we had was real. We bonded, had a connection, and I’m not throwing that away.

  I stopped by the florist to pick up flowers, but got overwhelmed too many choices. If I got the wrong flower or color, would I be sending a message I hadn’t meant to? I knew exactly what I had to do. I’d get her a cold Diet Coke. She worshipped the stuff, and at least she’d know I paid attention. Anybody else would have gotten her flowers, but I’m not anybody else.

  Chapter 31 - Amanda

  I stepped out of the shower and slipped a towel around me. I wrapped my hair in another. The water washed the suds and tears down the drain, chasing away the evidence. I miss Nick. There, I said it. I miss him. I miss his kiss, his touch, and the way he made me laugh with his random bits of conversation that were warped, weird, or ridiculous. I miss his crazy stories. I miss his broad shoulders and the way it felt when he wrapped his arms around me. Not that it mattered. I threw away whatever chance we had.

  I’d made a list of places to apply, hoping to replace my lost job, and forced myself to get ready. I trudged to my closet and sorted through it, looking for something smart. I had no desire to look good, to make the effort, or do much of anything. I needed to pull out of the funk I’d fallen into and get my life back in order. He threw a monkey wrench into my plans. I wasn’t supposed to still be hung up on the guy. I wasn’t supposed to still be thinking about him. I wasn’t supposed to fall in love. Oh, crap. I think I fell in love.

  I begrudgingly pulled on my black slacks. After I slipped on a bra, I pulled my blouse on and buttoned each pearl button. My energy fell to the floor. I dropped on my bed and stared at the ceiling. What had I done? I didn’t want to be in love with Nick DeLuca. It wasn’t convenient. It wasn’t easy. And he didn’t fit the mold of who I thought I’d fall in love with. I expected someone – different, not Nick. Hell, I don’t know what I expected. He was everything that drove me batty, and yet…somehow he drew me in.

  I wanted a businessman, not a hustler. A white collar cubicle guy, not a blue-collar mechanic, and someone who was into stocks, not stock cars. I wanted someone who could afford the lifestyle of designer clothes and – wow, is that what I really wanted? I sat up and realized how it all sounded. Did I want someone to spend time with, laugh with, and a best friend, or simply a sugar daddy to keep me in style?

  I shook the marbles in my head. Embarrassed by what I thought I wanted, I backed up. No. I didn’t want someone with a big wallet. I’d make my own way. I wanted someone that could make me laugh when I had a bad day. I wanted somebody who understood that I got anxious before an interview. I wanted somebody to hold me at the end of the night and love me, with bed hair and smeared make-up.

  I remembered what he’d said to me, when I was so quick to jump on him. I thought he was about to dis me for my weight, but instead he said the most amazing thing about my lips and eyes, and holy cow…he was an amazing guy, but all I could see was everything he wasn’t, rather than everything he was. Shame crept through me as I realized how materialistic and shallow I’d been. Was I the only thing holding me back? My fear of settling for less than what I wanted? But what did I truly want – a designer bag or a man that genuinely cared for me and held my hand when I got scared?

  My first instinct was to call my best friend, but that wouldn’t do. Brody was Nick’s brother, and might not understand. Did he know that side of me? The diva that wanted more, strived for the best, and used stupid brand names to make herself feel better because she felt like a loser and like she’d never get ahead?

  I was so sure I’d strike out after school and build a career. Instead I was working at a generic clothing store, ringing up clothes at a register and catering to schoolgirls and their moms with big credit card limits. Who had I become? I was tired of playing the part of something I wasn’t. Only, who wanted the loser version of me, not even able to land a big job fresh out of college?

  I sucked up my pride and went to slide on my black spiked boots. I had jobs to apply for, even if they weren’t my dream jobs, one of them would hopefully pay my bills before I got into too much trouble.

  When my phone rang, my gut clenched. I glanced at the caller ID grateful it wasn’t Brody or Nick. “Hey Karen. What’s up?
”

  “Big party at Alan’s house tonight,” she started. “Can you make it?”

  Ugh, I hated parties, especially after what happened in New Orleans. Either way, it’s not like I had any other plans, and feeling especially down, I figured it was better than sitting around and sulking. “Yeah, sure. What time?”

  She passed the news along, and I promised I’d make it at some point. I almost called Brody to invite him, but decided maybe it was time to try something on my own with my other friends. Brody and I had been attached at the hip for so long and apparently with me stringing him along, that this time I decided to go it alone.

  After the arduous process of filling out a ton of applications and being pointed to websites for others, I headed back home and settled in front of the television. With a bag of freshly popped popcorn, I turned on reruns of “Big Bang Theory” and watched the clock. I didn’t feel like going out, but said I’d be there.

  When the clock finally moved, I flipped through my closet and pulled out a few outfits. I decided on a black swing skirt with tights and a laced corset. The boots went perfectly with my selection, so I wore them as well. Tossing a couple of things into a smaller bag, I made my way to the bathroom to touch up my make-up and choose a flirty perfume.

  Standing before the mirror, I heard Nick’s words. I reached over and picked up a face cloth, then gently wiped my lipstick and gloss off. I smiled at my image and decided maybe he was right. Maybe I was hiding behind all the sparkle and gloss. What if I went with a little less make-up? Would people shrink away in horror at my natural glow, or barely even notice?