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Journey loved her job as a journalist for CNN. Sure, she got the shitty assignments, but everyone had to cut their teeth in the industry and she knew that sooner or later, her big break would come along and she’d be able to launch her career. Working for Andrew Tinsley was something that she hated though. He had a reputation in the industry for being a cad, but when she interviewed for the job, she decided to look past his past indiscretions and take the assignment. She wanted it and working for CNN, no matter how lowly the position, gave her bragging rights with all her old college friends. She had gone on numerous job interviews and was just about flat-broke when Andrew’s office called to interview her. She was waiting tables at a local diner and just about ready to give up on her dreams. Journey had college bills about to come due and was out of money and options. She thought that Andrew’s offer was a sign that things were looking up. Journey knew that believing the gossip she heard around the industry was never a good idea. People talked and most of the time the stories were just that—stories. She chose to believe that the stories about Andrew were made up by women who were scorned by him not assigning a story they wanted, but she quickly came to realize that he was everything the stories made him out to be and so much more. The first time Andrew came on to her, she thought about going to HR but then he sent her out on her first dream assignment. Looking back, he did it to shut her up about him cornering her in his office and running his hands up under her skirt. Like a fool, she forgave him for what he called, “His lapse in judgment,” and he sent her on her way. Things were good for months until he tried the same shit with her again. The problem was, she couldn’t go to HR now that so much time had passed and so many indiscretions had occurred. The time for complaining about his bad behavior had passed and she’d just have to learn how to figure out her shit on her own.
Ford was right, she needed to get out of there and come up with a good story for Monday morning. Luckily for her, she had the entire weekend ahead of her to come up with something good. Right now, she’d let Ford come to her rescue and get her out of there. Later, she’d find a ride back to the restaurant to get her SUV. Ford helped her up into his pick-up and shut the door. She watched as he rounded his truck and got in on the driver’s side. She always thought he was a good-looking guy, but his time in the military, and the twenty-five pounds of muscle he put on, made him hot as hell.
“I hate to tell you this, Honey,” he breathed, “but, your boss looks pissed.” She looked back at Andrew’s car one last time and nodded. He did look pretty upset by their little display.
“Yeah—he’s an ass,” she whispered under her breath. She wasn’t even sure that Ford had heard her until he chuckled. “He likes to get handsy and well, I’m pretty sure that he expected more from tonight’s little working dinner. You rescued me,” she admitted. “Thank you.”
Ford reached across the center console and took her hand into his own. He always had a calming effect on her and even now, when she deserved his wrath, he was granting her his comfort. Even when they were kids, he was always taking care of her and his sister. They were a couple of years younger than he was and Ford could have treated them both like nuisances, but he didn’t. He was always kind to her and when she was old enough to notice boys, he was one of the first she had a crush on.
“You never have to thank me for helping you out, Journey,” he said.
“After all the hell I’ve put you through. All the times that you asked me out and I told you no, you should hate me, Ford,” she whispered.
“Why did you lie to me about this weekend?” he asked. “You said you couldn’t go out with me tonight because you were going to be working all weekend.”
“I didn’t lie,” she defended. “I was working. I was supposed to be at the office late, working on my article, but then Andrew found me in my little cubicle and insisted that I go to dinner with him. He told me that he wanted to troubleshoot a few problem areas of my article and I was foolish enough to believe him again.”
“Again?” he asked. “You mean that this has happened before?”
Journey almost didn’t want to admit that it had. Doing so would only make her look weak and foolish—two things she never wanted to be in front of Ford. “Yes,” she said. “Let’s just say that my boss is very persuasive and leave it at that.”
“Fuck,” Ford growled. “I want to turn around and beat the shit out of him now,” he admitted.
She put her hand on his forearm, noting the tension in his muscles. “That would do neither of us any good, Ford. He’ll press charges against you and he’ll have full access to me then. This way is for the best. I’ve gotten pretty good at dodging his advances. I just need a little more time to figure out how to handle him. Plus, I’m up for a promotion at work and if I get it, Andrew won’t be my boss any more. I’m just hoping for that to happen, so I won’t have to deal with him anymore.”
“Why don’t you tell anyone—you know, like HR?” he asked.
“Because it would only put a black mark on my file with HR and I’d become a problem. I’m just a lowly reporter, Ford. If I cause waves, they’ll take away my assignments and I’ll never get to where I want to be.” Ford ran his thumb over her hand and squeezed it into his own.
“I’m sorry that you have to deal with all that, Honey,” he said. “You know if there’s ever anything I can do; all you have to do is say the word.”
“I know that Ford, and I appreciate it. But I need to do this on my own. Thank you though,” she said.
“Again, you never have to thank me,” he said.
“I guess you can take me back to my car now. I think Andrew would have moved on as soon as we took off.” They had gotten about two miles down the road and Ford checked his rearview.
“Can’t,” he breathed. “He’s following us, and I’m betting he’s hoping I’ll take you back for your car. Andrew seems to be a smart guy. He’s probably worked out that we aren’t going to Luci’s with some soup.”
Journey looked through the back window and saw his car trailing them a few links back. Her gasp filled the cabin, and he squeezed her hand into his own again. “What will we do then?” she asked.
“I can think of a few things I’d like to do with you, Journey. But for now, I’m going to drive for a bit and see if he stays on our tail. If he does, I’m going to take you back to my place. But there is no fucking way I’m going to take you back to your car or your house. I think we might have pissed your boss off more than we intended. I won’t let him touch you again. You good with that?” Journey knew she should have told him no. She should have protested that their being together wouldn’t ever work. That it wasn’t fair to her best friend for them to even consider everything that Ford started in the parking lot of the restaurant. But she had no more fight left and telling Ford no; denying what she wanted for so long, wasn’t something she was strong enough to do anymore.
Ford
They had been driving around in circles for almost thirty minutes and her boss didn’t seem to be the kind of guy to just give up. “He’s still following us, isn’t he?” Journey asked.
“He is,” Ford admitted, “he’s a persistent fucker, I’ll give him that.”
“You have no idea,” she mumbled. Ford wanted to ask her what she meant by that, but he had a feeling that he didn’t really want to know. He’d want to beat the hell out of the guy, and as Journey already pointed out, that wouldn’t end well for him.
“Why do you work for that asshole?” Ford asked.
“Because I needed a job. I know this might shock you, but my landlord doesn’t let me live in my apartment for free. He kind of likes to get paid and that means that I need a job.” She shook her head at him and all he could do was smile like a loon at her. “Why the hell are you smiling at me?”
“Because you’ve always been a smart ass. It’s nice to see that some things don’t change,” he said. When he enlisted in the Army, Journey, and his sister were just kids. They were still in high school and even though Journey followed him around like a puppy, he couldn’t give in to his basic desires and ask her out. She was four years younger than he was and he was about to go away for years. Ford didn’t know when he would be back, and Journey was still underage and off-limits, not that his cock got that memo.
“You’ve been gone for a long time, Ford,” she said. “You don’t really know who I am anymore.” She was right. He didn’t know her anymore, but he wanted to. That was why he kept asking her out and why he was so disappointed to find her out with her boss tonight. He just wanted his chance with her and now, he was hoping to finally get it.
