For Your Eyes Only

Chapter 8: Designer Jeans and Mud Puddles

I nodded, adjusting my grip on the wheel as I tried to shake the flutter in my stomach from his hands touching mine.

"Okay and this is the gear shift. You're lucky I have an automatic because a stick is much harder to handle." Daniel told me.

I nodded, reaching my hand around to the lever behind the steering wheel.

"So it's pretty self explanatory with the letters. P for Park. R for Reverse. N for Neutral. D for Drive. L for Low." Daniel explained.

"Low?" I frowned.

"Yea like if you want the car to be in a lower gear. That's not important right now. Right now, let's just practice driving forwards." Daniel told me. "So push down on the brake."

I nodded, pressing down on the brake.

My eyes widened as the engine revved but the car didn't move.

"Brake is left. Gas is right." Daniel reminded me, stifling his laugh.

"Right, right sorry." I muttered, my cheeks turning pink. "Brake left. Gas right."

"Eventually you'll get a feel for it, don't worry." Daniel told me. "But put your foot on the left."

I pressed down on the brake, glancing over at him.

"And pull the gear shift down until the D is highlighted." Daniel added.

I did and felt the car lurch.

"When do I take my foot off of the brake?" I asked quietly, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Okay go ahead and do it and don't slam down on the gas but give it some decent gas." Daniel told me, his hand resting on the dashboard.

I wondered if he was as nervous as I was right now.

"Okay." I whispered, taking a deep breath before lifting my foot off of the brake.

The car started rolling forwards and my stomach clenched as I carefully put my foot on the other pedal.

Nothing happened initially so I pressed down a little bit harder, causing the car to jump forwards.

"Oh shit." I mumbled, my hands tightening on the wheel.

Daniel just started laughing, pushing his hair back from his face.

"Alright let's keep going forwards for a bit. Slow and steady." Daniel told me.

I could feel his eyes on my face but I couldn't bring myself to look over at him yet. My attention was too focused on driving.

"Okay so let's try and turn left." Daniel said. "Gently swing the wheel to the left and brake a little bit."

"Okay." I muttered, pressing on the brake before slowly beginning to turn the wheel.

"Good good." Daniel nodded.

I stole a look at him and a smile crossed my face at the concentration on his face.

"Okay why don't we try a right turn this time. Same thing." Daniel said softly, drumming his fingers on the dashboard.

"Easy." I smiled, pressing lightly on the brake as I swung the wheel to the right.

"Little quick but okay." Daniel laughed, looking forwards out of the windshield. "Okay so watch out for the mud up there the truck will get stuck." Daniel said.

"What mud?" I frowned, squinting my eyes.

"Brake." Daniel said suddenly. "That mud right there."