Page 11
Story: Her Protector on Route 14
It’s only when I catch Tanner not turning the volume down that I realize—he’s watching me. And he’s not pretending anymore.
He puts a skittle on his tongue as he watches me, eyes darting over my body, then he clears his throat.
“Do you know the song?” I ask softly.
“I do.”
“Do you like the song?”
“More so now,” he answers, his lips turning up in a half-smile as his eyes flick back to me. “You could convince me to like the radio.”
I nibble my bottom lip and shake my head, trying to shakehimout of my thoughts. I need to focus on the road, not the way he makes my skin feel too tight.
Not on how much I’d rather havehimtasting me instead of a Skittle. Not on how much I want him to lean over and kiss me at every red light and empty intersection.
If he wanted to, he would, I remind myself.
It’s the mantra I cling to—the one thing keeping me from reaching across the cab, from humiliating myself and proving what I already suspect deep down: that I’m not enough for someone like him.
Not bold enough. Not experienced enough. Just… not enough.
Chapter 8 - Tanner
Sleeping next to Holly in her car was its own kind of hell.
The soft little sounds she made in her sleep—barely-there moans slipping between steady breaths—wrapped around me like a fever. I kept my eyes shut, but I was dying to peek, just to see if she was touching herself. The image alone was enough to have me clenching my fists, practically aching to take the edge off.
And now, the morning isn’t any easier.
I’m driving, trying to focus on the road, but Holly takes a bite of her breakfast sandwich and lets out another quiet moan—this one totally innocent, completely unintentional, and somehowworse.
She must’ve freshened up while I was pumping gas. She changed into a flowy little dress that barely grazes her knees, and every time it shifts, it teases me with just enough skin to wreck my focus.
This drive is heaven and hell in equal measure. I want to reach over. I want another excuse to touch her—anyexcuse. I want to kiss her until she forgets how to breathe and let hermoan against my mouth instead of into her pillow or over a damn sandwich.
But that would cross a line. And I know it.
I’m the one who pulled away. I’m the one who told myself she’s too young, that we barely know each other. That this thing between us is too new. Too risky.
And nothing’s really changed.
Except now I know she’s single. And I still don’t know if I’m ready for a relationship—especially one that could stretch across state lines.
But what Idoknow? I’ve never wanted anything so badly and told myself I couldn’t have it.
“Oh! There’s a sign!” Holly says excitedly.
I roll the windows further down. Her A/C is dying and weak, making it hot in the car. Or maybe it’s just being around her. Either way, my control is slipping, the tension is so thick I’m tempted to feast on it.
“Fifty miles,” I agree.
“Think we can make it that long?” She asks. “Without the radio and minimal healthy snacks?”
“We can find a way to entertain ourselves,” I say.
Holly meets my eyes and looks away while trying to hide her smirk. I clear my throat. I’m not sure how to entertain someone else while driving. I don’t know what she does, or if she can take photos, but I recommend that and tell her about Rustic Junction. There’s a love hotel, everything has a Wild West theme to it and it’s a unique place with plenty of photo opportunities and things to enjoy.
She asks plenty of questions, asks what my favorite places are, and keeps leaning closer. I know she’s tired. We only got about four hours of sleep. Which somehow leads to her falling asleep on my shoulder, her breath rushing across my neck until it takes work to focus on the road because I’d rather focus on her.
He puts a skittle on his tongue as he watches me, eyes darting over my body, then he clears his throat.
“Do you know the song?” I ask softly.
“I do.”
“Do you like the song?”
“More so now,” he answers, his lips turning up in a half-smile as his eyes flick back to me. “You could convince me to like the radio.”
I nibble my bottom lip and shake my head, trying to shakehimout of my thoughts. I need to focus on the road, not the way he makes my skin feel too tight.
Not on how much I’d rather havehimtasting me instead of a Skittle. Not on how much I want him to lean over and kiss me at every red light and empty intersection.
If he wanted to, he would, I remind myself.
It’s the mantra I cling to—the one thing keeping me from reaching across the cab, from humiliating myself and proving what I already suspect deep down: that I’m not enough for someone like him.
Not bold enough. Not experienced enough. Just… not enough.
Chapter 8 - Tanner
Sleeping next to Holly in her car was its own kind of hell.
The soft little sounds she made in her sleep—barely-there moans slipping between steady breaths—wrapped around me like a fever. I kept my eyes shut, but I was dying to peek, just to see if she was touching herself. The image alone was enough to have me clenching my fists, practically aching to take the edge off.
And now, the morning isn’t any easier.
I’m driving, trying to focus on the road, but Holly takes a bite of her breakfast sandwich and lets out another quiet moan—this one totally innocent, completely unintentional, and somehowworse.
She must’ve freshened up while I was pumping gas. She changed into a flowy little dress that barely grazes her knees, and every time it shifts, it teases me with just enough skin to wreck my focus.
This drive is heaven and hell in equal measure. I want to reach over. I want another excuse to touch her—anyexcuse. I want to kiss her until she forgets how to breathe and let hermoan against my mouth instead of into her pillow or over a damn sandwich.
But that would cross a line. And I know it.
I’m the one who pulled away. I’m the one who told myself she’s too young, that we barely know each other. That this thing between us is too new. Too risky.
And nothing’s really changed.
Except now I know she’s single. And I still don’t know if I’m ready for a relationship—especially one that could stretch across state lines.
But what Idoknow? I’ve never wanted anything so badly and told myself I couldn’t have it.
“Oh! There’s a sign!” Holly says excitedly.
I roll the windows further down. Her A/C is dying and weak, making it hot in the car. Or maybe it’s just being around her. Either way, my control is slipping, the tension is so thick I’m tempted to feast on it.
“Fifty miles,” I agree.
“Think we can make it that long?” She asks. “Without the radio and minimal healthy snacks?”
“We can find a way to entertain ourselves,” I say.
Holly meets my eyes and looks away while trying to hide her smirk. I clear my throat. I’m not sure how to entertain someone else while driving. I don’t know what she does, or if she can take photos, but I recommend that and tell her about Rustic Junction. There’s a love hotel, everything has a Wild West theme to it and it’s a unique place with plenty of photo opportunities and things to enjoy.
She asks plenty of questions, asks what my favorite places are, and keeps leaning closer. I know she’s tired. We only got about four hours of sleep. Which somehow leads to her falling asleep on my shoulder, her breath rushing across my neck until it takes work to focus on the road because I’d rather focus on her.