Page 70 of After All This Time

"I don't understand why you're bitching when deep down you know you're a Swiftie."

He flips me off, face perfectly blank. "She has one song I like. One."

"Which one?"

"How the hell should I know? I just know I like it."

"Okay, is it slow or fast?"

"Slow. And there's a guy singing in it."

I grab my phone from the cupholder and pass it to him. "Search up 'Exile.'"

His fingers move across the screen, and his lips curve into a small smile when those first piano notes float through the speakers.

"This is good," he admits, settling into the sound. "But if you tell anyone, I'm telling everyone we know about the incident with your vibrator."

I whip my head between him and the road, my jaw dropping as my face heats. "You wouldn't dare."

"Wanna test me?" he asks, that infuriating grin plastered across his face.

He's the fucking devil.

I glare at him, wishing I had something heavy to throw at his head. "Besides," he adds, his tone so casual it makes me want to scream, "you shouldn't be embarrassed by that anyway. It's natural."

"Good. Great. You done?" I snap, wishing I could evaporate on the spot and avoid spending another second trapped in a car with this insufferable asshole.

He laughs, crossing his arms over his chest as his head falls back against the seat. "Yeah. For now."

I crank the volume until it drowns everything out—including his laughter, which I don't need to hear to know is still there.

Another hour passes, and we finally stop at a gas station because Tobias has been complaining about being hungry for what feels like forever.

"What do you want?" I ask as he heads toward the bathroom.

"I'll have whatever you're having, but can you grab me some water?"

"Sure," I reply, brushing past him and walking toward the entrance.

The bell jingles, and I'm hit with the faint, bitter smell of burnt coffee. I wander through the aisles, scanning the options, and toss four bags of chips into my basket, then a few candy bars.Two bottles of water follow, along with some random snacks that I don't even really want but feel compelled to grab for Tobias because God forbid he whines the entire ride.

As I approach the counter, I glance up and meet the brown eyes of the guy standing behind it. He must be in his mid-twenties, with dark curls peeking out from under a backward cap. He's undeniably handsome in that approachable boy-next-door way.

"Long trip?" He eyes the mountain of snacks I've dumped on the counter.

"Yeah," I reply with a small smile. "Heading to Pennsylvania."

"No wonder you bought half the stock," he says as he starts scanning the items.

Before I can respond, the bell above the door chimes again. I don't need to look. I can already feel the shift in the air—that gravitational pull I've never figured out how to ignore.

"Is it a one-way trip or just a visit?"

"Just a quick visit. I'll be driving back in a few days."

"I'll make sure to stock everything back up in case you stop off again," he says, the grin on his face lingering just a little too long.

I barely manage to say thanks before Tobias moves in. His arm drapes over my shoulder with the kind of ease that screams possessiveness. His fingers brush the bare skin of my arm, light enough to send goosebumps racing up and down my body, and I can only hope he's too focused on playing the overprotective dickbag to notice.

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