Or it’ll go up in flames like every other reconciliation attempt the four of us have had over the last couple of years.
I hope for the former.
I’m preparing for the latter.
“I assume I’ll have cell reception, but it’s also the desert, so I’ll just textas soon as I can.”
“Sounds good. Thanks for letting me borrow your car while you’re gone. I’ll be sure not to put too many dents in it.” She winks and I simply shake my head, suppressing a smile.
“Better not. Otherwise you’ll have to find some way to repay me.”
“I could think of a few ways of doing that.”
My blood heats at the huskiness in her voice. She fiddles with the ends of her hair, bare legs exposed for me to drink in one last time before I go.
We don’t have time for another round since the guys should be here any minute. I double check I have everything I need, even though I already went through it last night before I came over to Penny’s to spend the night.
I reach for the guitar sitting in the beat up leather case. It’s propped by the door, put there by Penny last night. My phone pings, a text from Nikolai.
Nikolai: We’re here!
Me: Be down in a sec
I pocketmy phone and take the guitar over to Penny. “Are you sure you don’t mind me taking this?”
Her hand is warm as it cups mine. “It’s always been yours. I want you to have it with you.”
I pull her in, a surprised gasp leaving her mouth before I swallow it with my own. She tastes like her afternoon tea I’ve learned she likes to drink. Her lips part for me, tongue flicking playfully with mine.
She must feel my phone buzzing in my pocket again because she pulls back with a knowing grin. “You better get down there before they get pissed and leave you behind.”
“Might be for the best,” I mutter.
Penny bats my arm and pushes me toward the door. “That’s not the kind of attitude to have heading into your weekend. Fix that before you get downstairs.”
“Aren’t you going to help me carry my bags down?”
She crosses her arms and leans against the wall. “You’re a big boy. You can handle them yourself.” Her smirk makes my cock twitch. She looks beautiful today, drowning in one of my hoodies and hair messily braided over her shoulder. I wish I could scoop her up and take her back to bed.
But there’s no turning back now. No hiding in the distraction of her.
I kiss her goodbye one more time before heading downstairs and into the waiting car.
I slip into the seat behind the driver’s side. Nikolai’s driver, Hendrik, smiles at me in the rearview mirror.
“Hey.” The car is quiet, only the sound of the engine running to fill the space. Nikolai sits up front, while Hayden’s in the back, with Walker in the seat next to mine.
Nikolai says, “Hey, man,” while Walker gives me a tentative smile, and Hayden merely nods.
Not the best start, not the worst.
The car ride is quiet. A bit awkward, but Hendrik turns the radio up loud enough that it doesn’t feel like anyone needs to talk.
The closer we get to the desert, the more beautiful the view becomes. Everyone’s attention is fixated outside on the landscape. We’re staying on the western side of the park, so as we get closer, Joshua trees pop up everywhere.
For all the time I’ve lived in California, I’ve never beenhere before. When I think of a desert, I picture a barren, flat wasteland of dull color and devoid of life. But this is the complete opposite. The trees and various plants are everywhere, rock formations and mountains in the landscape.
“This is beautiful,” Nikolai murmurs from the front seat.
