Page 24 of The Road Trip Romance

Rex snorts and I hear another slap from the back seat. I glance over to find Sophia’s cheeks turning bright pink. Fuck, she’s adorable.

“I mean…not really,” Penn admits. “Wait, no, that’s not true. I did get really into photography last summer. I started using a GoPro on my surfboard and then I also got myself a Nikon with a telephoto lens and I’ve been taking some wildlife photos when I’m out hiking.”

“Well, I guess that sort of counts,” she says. “What about you two?”

“I’m a father of three. Kids are humbling as fuck. It doesn’t get any more normal than that. Those leeches couldn’t care less if I was in a major motion picture or scraping gum off baseball stadium seats. They just want me to pay for shit,” he grumbles.

Everyone bursts out laughing.

“OK, that’s super normal,” Sophia agrees. I can see her head turn and I know she’s looking at Jordan.

“My wife and I travel a lot,” Jordan says. “I think I’d keep traveling no matter what. And not like big resorts, but little rentals or boutique hotels. Those are my favorite. I want to immerse myself in a culture when I go somewhere.”

Rex groans. “Right, mate. You’re such a wanker. Do you even hear yourself?I like to immerse myself in the culture,” Rex teases in his best Jordan impression.

Jordan leans in between our seats. “Don’t listen to these two. They are fuckers. But Tate here, he’s the most normal one of all of us.”

“What the fuck? Is this some kind of competition now?” Penn groans.

I smirk and glance over at Sophia who is eyeing me suspiciously. She turns toward Jordan and points at me.

“You’re telling me that Mr. Hotshot Movie Star here, is normal? This guy? The one who just decided to show up at my doorstep, is normal?” she asks.

Jordan cocks his head to one side. “You know what? You’re right. He’s the least normal of all of us. Hands down. Not even a competition.”

“I hate to lose, but I have to agree with Jordan. Taint is the weirdo of this foursome,” Penn says.

“We are not a foursome,” Rex grumbles.

Sophia snickers. “You guys are giving me so much pure romance fodder to work with, I don’t even know where to begin.”

“Hey, can we stretch our legs?” Penn asks.

Half of me wants to tell Penn to shut the hell up. This guy is quickly becomingthat personon this road trip. He’s requested like five bathroom stops and two food breaks already. But then I look up and see a sign for a state park up ahead. After warring with the other half of my brain that could use a leg stretch, I turn off onto the exit and ten minutes later we’re parked and walking on a trail.

“We’re only walking for a mile and then back to the car,” I huff as I watch Penn scamper up along some boulders. Always having to show off, that one.

“Penn, be careful,” Sophia urges.

“It’s fine. Come on up here,” Penn urges. “It’s a great view.”

Sophia starts to climb up the rocks. I watch as she reaches but her hand catches on some water trickling down between the stones about fifteen feet up on the wall of rocks. In slow motion, she starts falling backward. They say adrenaline gives people superhuman strength, and right now, I’m thankful for that because I run at top speed and grab her as she falls. Both of us careen backward, and I pivot so she lands on top of me instead of the ground. I hit the dirt with a thud, the air whooshing from my lungs.

Sophia’s dazed face looks down at me, her eyes searching mine.

“Oh my God! Tate, are you OK?” Sophia asks, her face inches from mine, the length of her body on mine, and my arms wrapped tightly around her. Fuck, I like her here. She’s soft and warm and smells of apples and sunshine.

I give a small nod.

“Tate, buddy, say something,” Rex asks as he runs up beside us and kneels.

I feel Sophia trying to move but I instinctively tighten my arms, not wanting her to move.

“I’m fine,” I croak.

“Fuck, dude! That was intense!” Penn calls out from above us.

Sophia glares in his direction and then her face softens as she looks back down at me. “Are you sure you’re OK?”

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