Page 17 of Collision
He lifts one shoulder casually. “Does there have to be a reason?”
“I have no intention of going out with you. Besides, I’ve told you, I’m with someone.”
“I asked you to go out, not to fuck,” he retorts seriously. Meanwhile, I choke on my own saliva.
“Because I would never do that!” I say sternly, frowning.
“And I would never ask you. I have specific tastes.” He lets his gaze run over my body, as if the mere idea of being with me disgusts him. “Different tastes…”
I clear my throat, trying to disguise the discomfort I feel. Without knowing it, he has hit a sore spot. “Yeah, well, the same goes for me.”
“Sure?”
“More than sure.” I lift my chin, hoping not to reveal any kind of emotion.
“Then we’re good,” he said glibly. “We can go out without you running the risk of falling in love with me, or any of that bullshit. Honestly, it’d save me a lot of trouble.”
“Listen.” I pinch the bridge of my nose, astounded at this level of presumption. “We are not friends, we don’t hang out, we don’t get drinks, we are practically strangers. And, frankly, I don’t like the few things I do know about you,” I stress. “So, the answer is ‘no.’ I will not go out with you. Not now, not ever.”
Thomas stares at my parted lips, and I blush, wondering if they are visibly chapped. He pauses only a moment, then looks back into myeyes with a sly smile. He takes another step toward me until his chest is brushing against mine and, for some strange reason, I find myself holding my breath. “We’ll see about that,” he murmurs. I have the terrible feeling that I have just lit the fuse of something that’s going to blow up in my face.
“There’s nothing to see about,” I babble nervously. “I would like you to leave now.”
“Afraid your boyfriend might find me here with you?”
“Unlike you, I like to avoid trouble with Travis,” I explain. Something in my words must have set him off. Suddenly his face hardens, and he instinctively clenches his jaw. If all it takes to trigger a sudden mood shift like that was one tiny mention of Travis, things between the two of them must be more serious than Travis would have me believe. Just then, I hear the sound of the pickup’s engine. In a panic, I retreat back a few steps to get as far away from Thomas as possible. “If I say please, would you go away?”
For a moment, his eyes gleam strangely, and I’m willing to bet that he is thinking of staying right here just to wreak havoc. But then something seems to change his mind, perhaps my pleading expression, or perhaps his long-dormant conscience? He takes a step back, shaking his head slowly and raising his hands in surrender.
“See you around, stranger…” He gives me one last look, lingering on my shirt. I blush as he laughs smugly.
“Okay, you’ve had your fun. Better get going.” I shoo him away, ignoring the heat in my cheeks and the nickname he’s given me. He gives me a sly wink and slinks away, hands tucked into his jacket as he goes. I stand there for a moment, just watching him with the strangest feeling of confusion. I blame it on the adrenaline triggered by my fear that Travis would see us together.
I get into the truck, glad that I was able to get rid of Thomas in time.
“Sorry, Nessy, I found Finn in the parking lot and we got to talking,” Travis tells me as I fasten my seat belt.
“It’s okay, don’t worry,” I reassure him. The truth is I feel so dazedright now that I haven’t paid the slightest bit of attention to anything he’s saying.
“Are you all right?” he asks me worriedly.
“Yeah, just cold.”
“Sorry I kept you waiting a long time.”
“Not a problem.” I smile at him. He turns on the heater and strokes my thigh. Then I see him sniffing the air with furrowed brows.
“Do you smell that? What is it?”
“Um, no, I don’t smell anything.”
“No, it smells like smoke and… What is it? Cologne? Mint? You really don’t smell it?” he asks a little disgusted.
Oh God. Thomas’s jacket must have imparted some smoke smell to me.
“No, nothing out of the ordinary,” I lie, impassive. “Maybe you’re still smelling Finn’s cologne? You know he practically bathes in the stuff.” I turn on the radio to distract him, and apparently it works.
I listen to him tell me about his day while letting my mind wander. Thomas’s scent continues to invade my nose and my brain. What the hell just happened?
