happened at lunch today, and we both know about the plane incident.” Remembering the vision of her tight ass, I glance down at her skirt. She blushes all the way to her neck, and I step closer. “I’m going out on a limb here and guessing this stuff, these accidents? They’re not exactly new for you. This is kind of who you are?”
Still flushed, she bites her lip, shrugs, and knocks her knees together. “You could say that.”
“Don’t sweat it. Shit happens. To all of us. Some more than others, maybe.” I nudge her shoulder, and her lip curves up. Slightly. My protective instincts from earlier come back, this time in the form of wanting to erase her frown lines. “It just seems like the safest thing for you, and for all of New Zealand, is to not let you travel on your own. I mean, what if you sank the country? Or worse, blinded the millions of sheep with your flagrant display of body parts? How could I live with myself?”
She rolls her eyes and fights the smile tugging at her lips. “That’s quite the sales pitch. But…what are you suggesting?”
“Travel with me.” I wasn’t planning this. Any of it. I just needed to get to her and make sure she was okay. With the words out, I know it’s what I want. I need to see those bedroom eyes again. Touch her bare back. Again. We can travel together for a couple of weeks, hopefully get down and dirty and then I’ll take off.
“Sorry?” She swallows heavily. “With you?”
“Yeah, with me. You and me in my sweet ride, touring the country.” She squints at my recently purchased rusted red station wagon. “Don’t look at her like that,” I say, motioning to the car. “I bet she’s been through a lot in her life.”
She hums to herself and chews her lip, but she doesn’t speak. Getting her to travel with me might not be so easy. But I can’t walk away. I chased her across New Zealand, for Christ’s sake. I’m addicted to her sexy-as-hell glances.
I dip my head to meet her eyes. “So, Nina? What do you say? We can try to sell off your Kiwi bus pass. I mean, I know we’ve hung out a bit, but I don’t think you get how truly awesome I am. I’m a blast to travel with. Like if there was a show called Traveling New Zealand with the World’s Coolest Travel Partner, I’d star in every episode.”
She leans back, sizing me up. “Then why does it feel like I’ll be starring in the made-for-TV movie: The Disappearance of Nina Gabri?”
Verbal chess matches are usually reserved for my buddies, but she has me thinking on my feet. I nod thoughtfully. “Oh, okay. I get you. It’s the weird I-chased-you-across-the-country thing. That’s fine. On second thought, I don’t think you should consider getting in that car with me. And you definitely shouldn’t think about how much fun we’d have driving around in my fine automobile.”
“Reverse psychology? Really? I have five younger siblings, Sam. I am the reigning queen of reverse psychology. What’s your next tactic?”
“Wow.” I scratch my head. “That’s it. That’s all I’ve got. Usually I smile, and the girls hack off their own limbs to fit in the trunk.”
I smirk, she smirks, and my dick nudges my jeans.
I have to get her in that car.
She frowns again, scanning the street as if she wants to get away. Jesus, I’ve creeped her out. For sure she thinks I’m a psycho dude who’ll take advantage of her first chance I get. When she reaches for her bag again, something aches in my chest. Like I need to be near her to make it stop. I say the first thing that comes to mind to keep her from leaving. “I have a girlfriend.”
“Girlfriend?”
Girlfriend? Why the hell did I say that? “Yeah, I have a girlfriend…Lacey. So, you know, you don’t have to worry about me looking to get into your pants.” Classy, dude. Classy. I cringe.
My chest is still tight, and the idea of her walking off is worse than knowing I’ll have to travel with this pinup girl and not be able to touch her. Not since I have a “girlfriend.”
She drags her teeth over her lip again, apparently weighing the pros and cons of traveling on her own versus being abducted, raped, and killed by me. The odds are not in my favor.
She lifts her chin, frowning. “But earlier in Pahia…on