Chapter Thirteen – Josh

I sat in my truck and dropped my head back against the headrest. It was one in the morning, and I’d just left the apartment of the girl I had hooked up with earlier. The same ache in my chest was present as I let out a long frustrated groan.

When was this going to get old? At least once a week I was walking away from a different girl’s bed. Every time I did, I’d promise myself this was it. It was a vice I couldn’t seem to let go, though.

Turning the key over, I started my Dodge truck and headed home. There was a car parked on the side of the road with two girls standing there looking at a flat tire.

“Christ, that’s not safe.”

Quickly pulling over, I sat there for a moment and thought about the whole Sunshine thing. How did I know these two girls weren’t up to something?

I glanced in the mirror and saw them both get back into their car. Yeah, they were scared. There was no way they were up to no good.

Getting out of my truck, I slowly walked up to the car but stayed back enough that I hoped they would see I wasn’t a threat.

“Y’all need some help?” I asked, trying to peek into the window.

The girl in the driver’s seat rolled the window down just a bit.

“My dad is on his way to fix the tire.”

Leaning down, I caught a glimpse of the other girl and something weird happened when her eyes met mine. I could hardly see her, but a strange feeling washed over me.

“I don’t mind helping if y’all need help. I can give you my license to hold on to if you want while I change your tire.”

The driver chewed on her lip. “That’s awfully nice of you, but my father would kick my ass if he knew we got help from a stranger.”

Nodding, I bounced my gaze between the two of them. “Y’all in high school?”

“Yes. Mandy, and that’s Heather. Thank you so much for the offer, though.”

With my hand held up, I replied, “It’s my pleasure. I’m just going to go sit in my truck until your father gets here. Just so no other guy shows up. You might want to let your dad know so when he pulls up he doesn’t shoot my ass.”

The girl in the passenger seat laughed.

What in the fuck?

It felt like my heart dropped to my damn stomach. There was something about that laugh.

“I’ll let my dad know. Thanks again; we appreciate it.”

With a nod, I leaned down and smiled at the girl in the passenger seat. I’d already forgotten her name because those blue eyes of hers erased everything in this world but her.

“Y’all have a good night.”

She waved. “You too. Thanks.”

Walking back to my truck, I jumped in and pulled up the calendar on my phone.

March twenty-fifth. I was marking this day down in my calendar. It was the first day in my entire life a woman actually made my heart jump instead of my dick.

The light in the car came on, and I watched both girls. The driver had long dark hair; the passenger had blonde hair that was pulled up into a ponytail. She stared at my truck, and I knew she probably couldn’t see me sitting in there. I had my headlights off and my hazards going. Even though I couldn’t really see her that great, I could tell she smiled, and I hoped like hell it was a smile for me.

Lights in the distance grew closer, and another truck pulled up behind the girls’ car. An older man got out and walked to the window and leaned in. I was hoping like hell it was the driver’s father. I got out of the truck and stood there for a few seconds before he headed my way.

“Thank you so much for waiting here for me to get here. I appreciate you looking out after my daughter and her friend.”

I shook his outstretched hand. “It was my pleasure, sir. I would have changed the tire for them, but your daughter said you would have been mad if the girls got out of the car.”

He laughed.

“I don’t mind changing it now for you.”

“Son, I wish there were more young man like you out there. I appreciate it, but I’ve got it. Thank you again.”

With a nod, I reached for his hand again. “Sure thing.”

Glancing over his shoulder, both girls were now standing outside of the car. I got a better look at both of them.

The driver was cute as hell, but the passenger, holy fuck. She was stunning. When she saw me staring at her, she turned around.

I cleared my throat and said good night to everyone before turning on my heels and climbing back into my truck.

My hands gripped the steering wheel, and I took in a long, deep breath.

It was all in my head. There was no way some high school girl standing on the side of the road actually made me wish for something more . . . with her. Hell, I could see the innocence pouring off both of them. What the hell am I talking about? I could hardly even see her!

I shook my head to clear my thoughts.

No. This is insane.

After getting home I jumped into a hot shower to wash off the smell from the last girl I was with. When my hand wrapped around my cock, I closed my eyes and pictured her blue gaze. It didn’t take long before I became so fucking hard I had to catch my breath, my hand resting against the shower wall, holding me up as I pulled in short, quick breaths.

Slipping in under the covers, I forced myself to forget about the stranger on the side of the road.

Tomorrow was a new day. It would either be a bottle of Jack Daniels or another bed to crawl out of to drown out the loneliness.