Far from home|KTH

Ride

The traffic in LA really was terrible. The highway was jammed with people on their way home at this hour, the air filled with a smog.

Emma didn't mind. She had good company and great music to entertain her, and besides, everything still felt like a holiday. This was basically another sightseeing trip, but this time with a local guide. A handsome one.

Extremely handsome one.

She watched him sing along to the song, his body swaying in his seat. It looked like he really wanted to dance. To be honest, she would have loved to watch that.

She found herself smiling once again.

She realised that she had smiled more these few days than she had in years probably. A sharp pain squeezed her heart. She really needed to reflect on why. All these whys kept popping up like unpleasant surprises, but she needed to figure them out sooner or later.

Right now her focus was on his muscular arm resting comfortably on the driving wheel. Her eyes went there automatically, how could they not? His T-shirt wasn't tight, but she could sense a lean well shaped body underneath, especially looking at his thighs that were on full display.

He flashed her one of his dreamy smiles, knowing exactly what she was looking at.

"What's on your mind?", he asked curiously.

"Nothing particular", she answered a little too quickly, switching her gaze from him to the road again. 

He laughed and raised his eyebrows in a questionable expression.

"Really?", he replied.

She looked out of the window and laughed nervously. He was such a natural flirt, it was completely effortless and that was a talent in itself. That she actually fell for his flirting was something she should have reflected on. He felt like a close friend already, their energies feeding of each other perfectly, blending effortlessly.

"So tell me about him...", he said hesitantly.

She looked at him surprised.

"About who?", she replied trying to avoid the question. She wasn't ready to talk about him.

"Your boyfriend of course", he said calmly. He needed to know who he was, what kind of man had managed to capture someone like her.

She stared down at her hands, trying to figure out a way to escape the conversation.

"Come on...start with his name", he continued, trying his hardest to make her comfortable enough so speak freely.

Her eyes finally flicked up to meet his.

"Jin...it's Jin...his name", she finally answered.

"See, that wasn't so hard", he said with a smile. "How long have you two been together?".

She looked out of the window again.

"8 years". 

That answer scared her . Saying it out loud scared her.

"That's a very long time...so where is your engagement ring?", he asked curiously, already knowing there wasn't one.

She intertwined her hands, looking down at them, nervously playing with them. That was a question she wanted an answer to herself.

"You already know there isn't one", she said and met his gaze with sadness in her eyes.

All he could see was a beautiful girl, with grief inside of her. It ached his heart. She was worthy of more than that and he would gladly give it to her, shower her with his affection and his growing desire for her.