eyes off her.
My blinker lights up just as I switch lanes to avoid the car that was moving slower than necessary. As I do, the car in front hits their brakes, slowing down too. What the fuck? I lean my head out, eyes searching for a faster lane, but all I see are red brake lights. I slow down even more, glancing at Donovan, who seems to feel my same sentiment. She sits up, looking behind us and back to me until we’re at a full stop.
Donovan grabs hold of the windshield and stands up to scope out the problem as I pull the brake.
“You aren’t going to be happy,” she warns before plopping back down. “It’s brake lights as far as I can see.”
I twist around, looking behind me. “Damn, we’re boxed in. Sooo…fuck this. I’m out.” Grinning, I open the door and act as if I’m leaving.
“What are you doing? Get back in here.”
She reaches across me, laughing, and pulls the door closed. We sit looking at each other, people exiting their respective cars to assess the holdup. Donovan gathers her bag onto her lap, and I grab my cell to pull up my maps.
“Shit, there’s an accident a few miles up. All the lanes are closed off. Fuck it. We’ll walk. Fly. I don’t care. Anything to avoid waiting in this traffic.”
I toss my phone onto the dash, running my fingers through my hair.
“Someone’s grumpy. It’s a good thing I brought snacks.”
She holds up some fucking granola bars, and I shake my head, scoping out the perfect solution. “Hold on.”
Pushing my door open, I jog around the front of the car, hearing Donovan call out my name. Ignoring her, I duck inside of a McDonald’s, only to reappear with a bag of burgers, fries, and a couple of Cokes.
Her face brightens as I take a sip of my drink and come around to the driver’s side. She leans across and pushes my door open.
“You’re a prince among men, Grey McCallister.”
“Only for you, Cherry.”
I shimmy my leg in and lower down into my seat, handing her the bag, so I can close the car door.
“This could be our last meal. Might as well make it a good one. And granola doesn’t count as food.”
The bag crinkles as she pulls out a burger for me and then one for herself.
“What would you have for your last meal? For real…the world is ending, you get one last taste. What do you choose?”
I smile big, as I take a gargantuan bite of my burger, answering, “You.”
Coughing erupts as her eyes widen.
“Oh my God, you’re impossible.” She grabs a napkin and wipes her lips. “When will you ever take the hint?”
I take the napkin from her hand and dab it on a spot she missed at the bottom of her chin. Her tongue sweeps across that damn bottom lip, pulling it between her teeth.
“When you start sending one. Watch that tongue, Cherry. It says a lot without speaking.”
“Change the subject or I’m walking home.”
Liar.
“Cool your jets. Okay… Tell me something, anything you did in the last five years.”
“God, it would be easier to do that in reverse. I lived too big, too loud, too much, Grey. Which is why I’d prefer to stay single and under the radar now. It’s the straight and narrow for me.”
“What does that mean?”
She shrugs and smiles coyly, taking another swig of her Coke.
“You aren’t going to tell me, are you?”
“Probably not.”
I take the final bite of my food and stretch my arm out across the back of the seat, thinking of what to ask her.
“Then tell me about something you miss.”
Donovan’s entire face lights up. She licks some ketchup off her finger, and my eyes fix to the pad of it, wanting to taste it too, but her words call my attention.
“Oh, that’s easy. The water. I loved living on the sea. Don’t get me wrong, New York is incredible, but there’s something spiritual about being by the water.”
“Would you go back?”
She shakes her head, brushing her hands together after taking her last bite.
“No. Especially now. Being back with you and Liam, it’s been just what I needed.”
I like hearing that. I want her to need me. She sweeps her lap and grins at me. “Okay, your turn. Tell me something unexpected that you’ve done in the last five years.”
I open my mouth to answer when The Cure fills my car. Donovan holds up a finger and digs inside that monster bag of hers, retrieving her