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Silence descended in the car once more. The only sound was the wind whistling through the cracked window and the rumble of the V-8 engine.
“Link?”
“Yeah?”
“What changed between us? We used to be so close, and then . . .”
He took a deep breath, holding it for a few seconds before letting it out. I started to have unbrotherly feelings for you. “We grew up. I had more responsibilities at the shop, and you went to chase your dream.”
Her head turned as her shoulders drooped. “I’m sorry I wasn’t present more. If I’d known he needed me, I would have dropped everything to be there.” Her voice sounded so small—nothing like the Emma he knew.
He reached out and took her hand in his, giving it a squeeze as he navigated them on the highway. Energy buzzed from the connection, swirling heat stirring him up inside. He cleared his throat. “Look, it wasn’t your fault. What happened to Dad was out of the blue. We didn’t see it coming. You were here for him. I know you guys talked almost every day. He wanted you to chase your dreams.”
After another moment of silence, she squeezed his hand back. “He wanted that for you too, you know?”
A ball of emotion clogged his throat. He swallowed. Music had been a dream of his once upon a time, but that wasn’t uncommon for a young kid. When he’d gotten into his twenties, he realized his dad needed his help at the shop, and Link had found his groove. Restoring classics was his passion. Besides, the old man had been slowing down, and the pain from his arthritis was way worse than Solomon Owusu would ever admit. The garage had become Link’s life. Knowing how hard his dad had worked to build the company from the ground up, Link had gotten a degree in business. As a child of an immigrant, education was paramount.
“Why don’t you take a few of those music classes too?” his dad asked as they poured over the class sign-up page.
“I don’t need them for business. I’ll take some marketing classes instead,” Link insisted, wanting to make his dad proud and show him how committed he was to continuing his legacy.
And now the garage was all Link had left of his dad. That and his father’s house and the belongings he and Emma had yet to go through. Once this road trip was over, they’d tackle that.
He risked another glance in her direction. Her eyes met his, understanding flashing there. Desire mixed with something more swirled in their deep blue depths. For the first time in a long time, Link was seen.
He focused back on the road, resisting the pull, shoving down the lust that twisted up his spine. Holding his breath, he suffocated the rising feral desires coursing through him. His body burned as if he were soaked in gasoline and her touch was the spark. He ripped his hand away, fisting it on his thigh before returning it to the wheel.
“Check the glove box.” His voice was hoarse with unbidden wants. His body trembled from this violent depraved sickness.
Emma obeyed. Her smile fed his soul as she pulled out the bag of gummy worms. “Oh my God! My favorite.” She opened the bag, and he forced his eyes to remain ahead as she plucked a few out and slipped them into her mouth. She moaned, and his cock twitched. Fucking traitor.
“Want some?”
Wasn’t that a loaded question? He shook his head, grinding his teeth, shifting his thoughts to rebuilding an engine piece by piece in an attempt to get his body under control. Hard to do when he was stuck in a car for seven hours with the very definition of temptation.
I’m so fucked.
13
Emma
Today was a good day. The sun shone on her face, thawing some of the numbness. Today, Link was relaxed and joking with her like he had when they were younger. God she’d missed his banter and sarcastic quips.
Emma belted out the lyrics to the song on the radio. She shoved Link’s shoulder. “Come on. I know you know this one.”
Something had shifted between them yesterday. Emma wasn’t sure exactly what had done it, but she’d take the easygoing, teasing version of her stepbrother over the grumpy asshole any day.
He laughed and gave in, his voice melding with the music. They sang of love and heartbreak, and two people who wanted each other but couldn’t find their happily ever after.
Ironic. But she’d steal these memories and lock them away to keep them safe for when the dark moments became too much.
The grey T-shirt he wore rippled in the breeze, showing off his muscled torso. His strong, veiny forearms flexed as he gripped the steering wheel. Her panties had been in a perpetual state of dampness since they’d started this trip. She’d had to make sure to consume enough water just to stay hydrated. Was it possible to dehydrate from too much arousal?
She let her eyes drink in the rest of his body, memorizing every detail for when she was alone in her hotel room later tonight. She needed to take the edge off. And after he’d mentioned hearing her guitar through the walls, she was pretty sure the hum from her powerful vibrator might also be heard at the next cheap place they stayed. A wicked smile played on her lips. Maybe if he heard me getting off next door, he’d come join me.
She shook her head, trying to rid the thoughts. Look how well that turned out last time. No, she couldn’t ruin what they had now. She couldn’t lose him.
Ding!
