Page 54 of A Dash of You

“We are not listening to country,” Lana demands from the backseat.

Crew smirks as a country artist sings his way through the speakers. I’m not a huge fan of country music either, but I do like this song.

“Okay. So, what music doyoulisten to, killer? Death metal. Maybe songs about plotting murder.”

Lana snorts. “Funny.”

“Oh, come on. Spill,” Crew teases as he leans back in his seat with his body turned toward hers. Iknow what music she likes. She was bullied in school for it until I punched the little brat's face.

With her arms crossed, watching out her window, she mutters, “Classical.”

There’s a brief pause in the air before Crew responds, “Really?” He speaks with a lofty tone. I’m ready to defend Lana if he starts making fun of her, but he doesn’t.

“Yes,” Lana whispers with a touch of pink rising on her face.

Crew says nothing as he blinks staring at her.

Lana’s shoulders relax and I smile, watching the highway blur by.

For the next hour, we all fall into a comfortable silence. Lana, still looking out her window and Crew still glued to his phone.

I’m hoping Logan doesn’t notice the frequent glances I keep sneaking over at him. He’s hard to avoid, though. The way his shirt stretches over his chest and biceps as he extends his arm with his hand resting on the steering wheel. I feel silly because I haven’t had this type of crush on a man since high school. But we weren’t teenagers, and Logan is all man.

This is odd. I'm in a car with a guy who makes my stomach flutter, despite only knowing each other for a short time, yet the alarms stay silent. It's strangely relieving.

Lana groans from the backseat. “All right. I’m sorry. I tried to hold off, but if I don’t empty my bladder, we’re all in for a real treat.”

“How charming,” Crew teases and Lana flips him off.

Logan nods. “I saw a sign for a rest stop next exit.”

“Thank God!” Lana sighs in relief.

As Logan merges off the highway to the parking lot of the rest area, both Lana and Crew open their doors.

“What are you doing?” My best friend stops with a look of disgust pointed at Crew. “I don’t need a chaperone.”

“Don’t flatter yourself, sweetheart. You’re not the only one who has to take a piss. Besides… pretty sure if you got kidnapped, they’d automatically bring you back for that mouth.”

“Dick.” Lana storms away with Crew close behind, leaving me and Logan to fend for ourselves.

“At least there won’t be fighting for a whole ten minutes,” I joke, but one of them is going to end up killing the other.

“I bet only one makes it back alive.”

I laugh. “I wonder which one.”

“Lana. Definitely Lana.” Logan’s deep voice fills the truck’s space. He doesn’t laugh, but his mouth turns up ever so slightly in a faint smile.

“Crew doesn’t stand a chance.” I adjust my seat to recline, trying to stretch when Logan notices.

“Wanna get out? Stretch our legs for a minute.”

Yes.

“Great idea.” As soon as I close my door, I reach for the evening sky, arching my back. Experiencing the transition from day to night is peaceful.

I catch Logan watching me, not realizing he came over to my side. He doesn’t hide the fact I caught him as his big body leans against the truck beside me. The air is thicker when he’saround. But not in a bad way. The suffocation isn’t torturous or trapping… it’s arousing.

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