For the rest of the night, I do my best to stay clear of Ivy. Oaklyn stops by our table, refilling our bucket with beer. They’ve already decided they’re going to call an Uber for a ride. I’m not about to leave my truck in the parking lot overnight, so I only have a couple beers throughout the night, wanting to be okay to drive home.
The bar is nearly empty when I head out. The sun has long since gone down, and a storm has started to roll in. Raindrops beat down on the cement as I make the jog across the lot toward my pickup.
I fully planned to bring home a chick with me. In fact, there was this sweet-as-sin blonde I’d been eyeing most of the night. She was wearing a sexy dress with fuck-me heels. Despite picturing those heels digging into my back, I said fuck it and left.After my conversation with Tysin and Madden, I was in a piss-poor mood and ready to go home.
Climbing into my pickup, I lift my shirt to wipe the rain from my face before I make the short drive. I’m turning onto Franklin Street, only a couple miles from my house, when I see a car pulled over on the shoulder with their caution lights on.
It’s difficult to make out the car with the rain falling hard against my windshield. I don’t think anything of it until I get closer and notice the rust bucket parked on the side of the road looks exactly like Ivy’s. As soon as I pass her, I pull over on the shoulder and put my truck in park.
I hold my hand up, shielding my face from the rain when I hop out. There’s a strange smell coming from her car, mixed with the scent of moisture in the air. Right away, I know she has some sort of leak. It can’t be good for her to drive, even if it’s only a short distance away. Not to mention, it’s late and not safe for her to be walking alone, on top of the cold and the rain.
Approaching the driver’s side, Ivy’s form is barely visible beneath the rain beating against the car.
Pounding my hand on the window, I shout through the glass, “You alright? You want a ride?”
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“I saw you pulled over on the side of the road. What the hell does it look like I’m doing?”
The rain picks up, hammering down on me, soaking my hair and shirt in the process.
“Do you want a ride or not?” I shout.
“No, it’s fine. I’ve got a way.”
“What’s that exactly? You gonna walk home in this by yourself?” I ask, holding my arms out around me.
“I’m not an idiot, Brix. I know more about cars than you think I do. I’ll figure it out for myself.”
I’m standing here outside her car with the storm rolling in overhead and she still wants to sit here and argue with me. I swear, she’s the most infuriating woman I’ve ever met.
Holding my hands up in surrender, I take a step back. “Fine. More power to ya.”
I turn to head back to my truck when she rolls down the window and hollers, “Wait!”
Glancing over my shoulder at her, I see the struggle on her face, not wanting to ask me for help. “Can you give me a ride home?”
There’s a veil of exhaustion in her eyes. She rubs her hands over her face, brushing the wet strands of hair out of the way.
“Yeah, let’s go.”
She slides the window back up and jumps out. Clutching her purse against her chest, she slams the door and uses the remote to lock it. We both hold our hands up to shield our faces, making the run toward my pickup.
Ivy climbs into the passenger side next to me, shutting the door behind us. The sound of the radio playing low, mixed with the soft raindrops on the truck fills the silence around us. The energy in the cab of the truck has changed, and all I can think about is the smell of her flowery perfume.
Her fingers twist in her lap in front of her. The soft glow of the dashboard illuminates the cab just enough to see her face. We’re both soaking wet. Ivy’s lip trembles and goose bumps break out on her skin. Pulling my t-shirt over my head, I toss it on the floor between us while turning the heat on high. She mutters a low “thank you.”
“If you’re cold, you can always slide over here. I can keep you warm.”
Her eyes dart over to mine, narrowing. “Oh, you’re back to this now. Wasn’t it a few hours ago you were acting like you were disgusted looking at me?”
Her throat bobs when she says it, making me realize it bothers her a whole lot more than she’s letting on.
“You should know better by now than to take anything I say personally. I’m a shit liar, Ivy.”
I’m not sure what I expected her to say or do next, but she takes me off guard completely when she pulls her t-shirt over her head and tosses it on the floor with mine. She’s left dressed only in a black lace bra, drawing my attention away from her eyes down to her breasts, traveling further to the soft curves of her hips.
“Yeah, you are,” she says matter-of-factly, eyes blazing into me as mine eat up every inch of her body.
