Free Throwaway by Heather Huffman Page B

darlin’—it’s a surprise.”
    She pouted a bit at that but let it go when
it occurred to her that a trip like this had certain obligations
that came with it. Ironically, that was suddenly making her
nervous. It was idiotic, really. The ice cream man didn’t get
nervous if someone asked him for a scoop of ice cream off the
clock. It was as simple as that, she told herself as she watched
fields and woods slip past her window.
    For the first time since she’d met Gabe, she
tried to put her finger on the pull he had over her. She’d believed
Harmony when her feelings had been declared a crush, but she hadn’t
really stopped to think about it. The truth was—he was more of a
curiosity than anything. Sure, when he touched her she didn’t want
him to stop. There was something reassuring about him that made her
feel warm… and valued.
    But a normal woman in a normal relationship
would at some point want to make love with the man in her life. The
closer that inevitability came, the more it felt like just another
deal for Jessie.
    “What has you so worked up over there?”
    She hadn’t realized her expression was so
transparent. Her brow furrowed as she tried to think of something
to say. She finally gave up and settled on the truth.
    “I’ve never done this before.”
    “What?”
    “This,” she emphasized the word, hoping she
wouldn’t have to spell it out for him.
    “Gone for a ride down a country road?”
    She sighed heavily. Surely he was toying with
her. He hadn’t seemed overly obtuse before.
    “Stop it,” she snapped. “I’m a little
nervous, okay? I’ve never done this because I wanted to before…
there. Are you happy now?”
    “Whoa, whoa… what brought this on?” he pulled
the Jeep off the road onto the grass, putting it into park and
turning to face her.
    “Are you just supposed to pull over like
this? There’s no shoulder.”
    “It’s fine Jess; don’t change the
subject.”
    “But I don’t want to talk about it.”
    “You’re right,” he nodded in agreement.
“Stewing over it makes so much more sense.”
    “You are such a jerk.”
    “There’s my girl,” he grinned, reaching out
to tap the end of her nose playfully.
    She shook her head and batted his hand away,
her eyes seeking something to focus on that would alleviate her
humiliation.
    “Hey, look at me.”
    She stubbornly refused, her jaw jutting
defiantly.
    “We’re not moving until you do.”
    Jessie could almost hear the clock ticking
away the seconds as they sat there, each stubbornly refusing to
budge. Finally she turned to look at him, one eyebrow arched as if
to say “this had better be good.”
    “I’m glad you told me, but Jessie that’s not
why I brought you down here.”
    “So it hasn’t crossed your mind?”
    “Well I didn’t say that… but whether we do or
we don’t, I brought you here so we could be together with nothing
standing between us. I just want to be near you. I want to hear you
laugh and I want to know that you aren’t looking over your shoulder
or watching the clock. I want to lose myself in you.”
    “Oh.”
    “You don’t believe me, do you?”
    “No.”
    “Is there anything I can do?”
    “Start driving again.”
    “And then you’ll believe me?” he seemed
doubtful.
    “No, but I really am uncomfortable sitting on
the side of the road like this.”
    “Fine,” he sighed, putting the car into gear
as he spoke. “I’m declaring this a sex-free trip then.”
    “Excuse me?”
    “If that’s what it takes.”
    “You’re bluffing.”
    “Am not.”
    “Fine,” Jessie folded her arms and regarded
him coolly. “It’s a sex-free trip.”
    “I’m glad we’ve got that worked out,” he
seemed to be convincing himself of that more than her. “Now we can
enjoy ourselves.”
    Jessie couldn’t contain the bubble of
laughter that burst out. There was something very endearing about
how unsettled he now seemed.
    “What?”
    “I don’t know,” she laughed even harder.
    Gabe cut