Page 50 of Above All Else

“Do you know of another Topeka in the United States?”

“Um, yeah... three, in fact. Would you like to hear them?”

“I’m good.”

I rubbed my hands over my face and through my hair, following the same path he’d created while sucking in a heavy, deep breath. “I need coffee...” my belly growled on cue, “and some food.”

“We’ll be stopping soon for the night.” He reached behind his seat and pulled out a gas station plastic bag. “In the meantime, I bought some of your favorites while I filled up.”

My brows pinched together as I took the bag and opened it wide. “I slept through you getting gas?”

“Twice.” He held up a large Mountain Dew bottle. “I’ve run through three, and let’s just say it ran through me, too.”

I snorted and pulled out a Snickers bar. “I haven’t had one of these in forever.” As I peeled back the plastic wrapper and bit into the chocolate, caramel, and nuts, a deep groan left me. My eyes rolled back in pure, indulgent bliss.

“Do you always eat it like that?”

I grinned and peered at him. “Like what?”

“Like they should finance the next orgasm that hits when you devour it.”

Laughing, I leaned back in my seat, my arm tucked around my waist and my elbow resting on top, with the Snickers settling near my lips. “I don’t have an orgasm wheneating it.”

“Could have fooled meandmy cock.”

My gaze sank to the bulge in his pants, warmth slapping my cheeks. “You can’t talk like that.”

“Like I want you?”

“Like we’re friends again.” I winced.

We’d had sex, and I kissed him back at David’s home, but emotions were high. I wasn’t in my right mind.

I am now.

He hung his head for a moment, then stared back at the freeway ahead, his hand resting atop the steering wheel, his elbow on the center console.

“I’m not letting you get away this time, dollface.”

My breath hitched, and my chest squeezed. “I thought you were sincere in your apology.”

“Oh, I am.” He turned the dial on the air. “I’m just not going to let you go. Screw everything that stood in the way for so long. We don’t know what the future holds, but Idoknow one thing...”

“Yeah, what’s that?”

“You’ll be with me by my side until our dying day.”

Butterflies erupted, causing my skin to flush. I ate the last bite of my Snickers and tossed the wrapper into the bag. “That isn’t your choice.”

“We’ll see.”

Silence slid in between us like the Great Wall of China until he pulled into a hotel on the outskirts of Topeka.

Stretching, he opened the door and stepped out, groaning.He bent over, dipping his head inside the car, his arm resting on top of the door. “Stay here, and I’ll check in.”

“And what if I’m not here when you get back?”

He shrugged, his brow lifting as his gaze dropped to my bare legs. “Somehow, I think you will be.”