Page 64 of The Road Trip Romance

“Well, this should be an interesting ride,” I say as I look around at the new men in my life.

“Why do I feel like you just became the Dr. Ruth of our trip?” Rex asks.

“Because,” I answer, “writers are also great listeners.” I give him a wink.

“They’re good at some other stuff too,” Tate teases as his lips touch the shell of my ear, making goose bumps spread up my arm.Holy fucking hotness!It’s going to be a long afternoon sitting next to him in the car without jumping him.

CHAPTERTWENTY-SIX

Tate

“OK, you’re up first, Jordan. What the hell is going on with you and Alisha?” I ask as Rex steers us back onto the interstate.

“Nothing. I…” He looks over at Sophia. I glance at her, and she nods at him.What the hell? He’s known Sophia for less than a week and he’s confiding about marital issues with her?“I feel like I haven’t been a good husband lately.”

“Shit, dude, did you sleep with Monique Beaufort?” Penn asks, referencing his co-star from his last film.

Jordan glares at him. “No. Fuck no! Of course not. I just haven’t been very attentive,” he explains looking a little sheepish.

“Like…how not attentive?” Rex asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Please tell me you service her before going to pound town,” Penn says with a sigh.

“Service her?” Jordan laughs.

“You know what I mean,” Penn grumbles.

“That’s not the problem. I’ve been gone so much the last few years, and when I’m not gone, she’s gone.” He pauses as if thinking through his words. “When we first were together, we didn’t work as much, so it was…easier. And then when we did get busy, we always made time for each other. I used to fill up her trailer with flowers or send her coffee from her favorite local coffee shop.” He looks at Sophia again and I feel myself squeezing her more tightly against me as if Jordan will steal her away. “I feel her…slipping away. I don’t want to lose her.”

“Wow. I didn’t know things were that bad,” Penn says.

Jordan runs a hand over his face. “I mean, they’re notthatbad, but they could be a lot better.”

I feel Sophia squirm against me and suddenly she sits up straight and looks from each of us to the other, smiling. God, her smile makes me want to be a better person. A person who can make her that happy all the time.

“What if we re-routed our mission? I came up with this whole plan for Tate, but what if we did it for you? She’s filming now, right?” she asks.

He nods. “In Vancouver,” he says slowly.

She grins. “Roses,” she says with a smile. “Hundreds of roses and I’m sure we can get you a flight out…what if we drop you off in Cleveland? No sense in going any farther east whenyouneed to be going west.”

Laughing, he nods his agreement. “I love this idea,” he agrees.

She claps her hands and pulls her phone out. “Mark has this former military friend in Seattle. I’m sure he knows someone who flies helicopters. I’ll just need the exact location of the filming tomorrow. And, Tate”—she shoves my elbow with hers—“get Jordan a flight from Cleveland.” She pauses again and looks between us. “And seriously, you all never thought about this before. For crying out loud, it’s not rocket science. Jordan, you don’t have to give her a grand gesture daily, but geez, at least a few times a year do something special, make her see how much you love her. It’s clear you do.”

He rubs the back of his head as he gives her another sheepish smile. “Yeah, you’re right. I suppose we all just get settled into our daily rhythms and…” He trails off with a shrug.

Sophia smiles at him. “I know. We all do.” She looks between us again and points to each of us. “This is a reminder that you all need to remain attentive. If a few months have gone by and you aren’t showering your significant other with something, flowers, a special dinner, even a note on her pillow, something, fuck, anything, then you arenotdoing it right. Comprendé?”

“Geez, such a love sergeant,” Penn grumbles.

I laugh, giving her leg another squeeze. I lean over, my breath on her earlobe. “I like you being my love sergeant.”

I see goose bumps form on her arm. And she turns to look at me. My eyes scan her body and she shivers under my intense gaze. I fight a smirk at her body’s reaction to mine.

I watch her swallow as Penn clears his throat. “She’s good at giving love advice. I might just put myself out there.”

All our heads whip around to look at Penn. Rex’s mouth hangs open and Jordan’s eyes widen.

---