“HELP! I’M BEING KIDNAPPED!” I scream.
My body jerks forward as he suddenly slams on the brake. I smirk under the sack. He is definitely flustered now.
“Okay, that was uncalled for. You could give a girl a little warning before you stop so abruptly.” I just have to play it cool—nonchalant, like this isn’t affecting me and I’m not over here overanalyzing that I’m in a non-matching bra and panties for when the coroner does my autopsy.
“I’m kidding! But seriously, I think we both know it looks shady as fuck for me to be sitting in the back of your car with a sack over my head. Just take the sack off. I’m tied up, what will I do?”
I wait with bated breath, wondering if I said and asked too much. I don’t know how much longer we have in this car. I don’t even know anything about him. Provoking him might not be the way to go. I sigh to myself; this is just like me, diving headfirst into a crazy plan before fully thinking about the consequences.
Like when I thought I could open a romance mobile bookstore and travel around the city doing pop-ups. I was knee-deep in Pinterest boards and business plans, already picturing myself as the quirky romance-only mobile bookstore of everyone’s dreams—until I realized those retro vans cost more than my student loans. Add on the renovation costs to make sure books didn’t go flying every time I hit a pothole, and that dream flatlined one night over a pint of Blue Bell.
Pushing that negativity from my mind. I will not die; not today, Satan!
I lean forward. “Do you have mommy issues? You can tell me. It’s practically a requirement.”
He groans. A real, audible groan. I squeal in triumph. “There it is! A vocal response! This is progress. We’re bonding.”
Silence.
“You know, this car ride is basically our slow-burn enemies-to-lovers arc.” I tilt my head.
“Unless, of course, you’re more of a hate-fuck first, love later kind of guy. Which, to be clear, I would also accept. In fact, it’s highly encouraged.”
8
Aiden
I rub my hand down my face, letting out a frustrated groan. This girl is impossible. Between the traffic, her incessant talking, and the fear of getting caught, my blood pressure is probably through the roof.
If I don’t keep my head straight, I’m definitely going to jail.
As if she can hear my inner monologue, the girl chooses that exact moment to belt out: “HELP! I’M BEING KIDNAPPED!”
I nearly swerve onto the sidewalk.
She giggles, the sound warm and inviting. Slightly unhinged, like she knows exactly what she’s doing to me.
“I’m kidding! But seriously, I think we both know it looks shady as fuck for me to be sitting in the back of yourcar with a sack over my head. Just take the sack off. I’m tied up, what will I do?”
I contemplate the idea. A nagging voice in the back of my head reminds me she’s right, and I have no idea how long this traffic will last.
An old couple walking their little Yorkie reminds me of Jake. I hope Eli remembers to put him back in his crate before he leaves. I can’t afford to keep replacing my socks. I groan just thinking of the mountains of socks I had to replace.
“There it is! A vocal response! This is progress. We’re bonding.”
Wait, what did she say? What are we bonding over?
“You know, this car ride is basically our slow-burn enemies-to-lovers arc.” The muffle of her voice makes me wonder if she realizes her talking is decreasing the amount of air she has in there. Instinctively, I start to think about all the biological factors she’s under. The stress hormones from being kidnapped, the low oxygen exchange from the thick mask, the—
“Unless, of course, you’re more of a hate-fuck first, love later kind of guy. Which, to be clear, I would also accept. In fact, it’s highly encouraged.”
My eyes widen, like one of those cartoon characters, at her last comment. Did she just sayhate-fuck?
The image of her on her back in the back seat, underneath me, moaning my name, has heat building low. I pinch the bridge of my nose, questioning my sanity. Has this girl put a hex on me? Because everything that comes out of her mouth is making me question my friendship with Eli. I wonder how mad he would be if Ikepthis girlfriend? I’m going with, super mad.
Traffic is slowly clearing and I thank every deity out there for speeding this kidnapping ruse along. Eli wasn’t joking when he said the locals really did take theirChristmas in the Fallsevent seriously. This traffic is no joke. Eli had warned me about the town’s obsession with putting together a Hallmark-esque event, but I hadn’t truly expected this. The streets are lined with twinkling lights wrapped around every lamppost, storefronts draped in garlands and oversized red bows. The aroma of roasted chestnuts, hot cocoa, and cinnamon wafts from the storefronts.
Cars inch past us, moving faster than before, but I can still sense eyes lingering on my car, scanning, judging, probably wondering why some guy is wearing a mask while driving. One minivan full of kids straight-up points at me, their wide eyes glued to the back seat. I adjust my posture, trying to look casual. Just a normal guy. Definitely not transporting a human being with a sack over her head. Nope. Just out for a drive. Maybe runningerrands. A very slow, very public, completely suspicious errand. My car’s tinted windows help, but they’re not magical. Even behind the darkness, anyone leaning close enough or with a curious mind could peek inside and spot her.
