My back was pressed against the chain link fence, its metal digging into my exposed skin. It was cold and unforgiving, my focus entirely on the uncomfortable setting and not on the man holding me.
His large hand in my hair tightened its grasp, trying to pull my head back so he could gain greater access to my neck, but in turn, he dug my head harder into the fence. I squirmed in his grip and he pulled back. I forced myself not to laugh, his attempt at a seductive smirk drowned in the liquor he'd consumed all night.
Stepping away from the fence, he spun to set my ass on the hood of the small truck next to us. Snaking his arm down between us, he pressed his fingers against my clit through my thin shorts.
I closed my eyes, trying to enjoy it, but I was still too wound up from a man that wasn't the one in between my legs. Johnny's face appeared in my memories, the scratch of his beard against my neck, his strong hands holding me, caging me against the shop's wall. I groaned.
Fuck.
The stranger pulled back marginally. "Yeah, you like that, doll?"
Doll. Barbie doll. Johnny.
I shook my head. "Don't call me that. I'm not your doll."
My snap must've shocked him because he blinked down at me and frowned, drunkenly staggering back and giving me space to jump to my feet. Before he could say a word, I made a quick move to get out of the back of the lot and back into the club. Finding Willow perched up on the bar, giggling with a grinning Eli between her jean-clad legs, I sighed. My getaway driver was busy and I was over the night with no way home but my own two legs.
"Barbie!" I heard her call out behind me, turning just in time for her chest to meet my face. Her sweet perfume clung to her shirt, filling my senses and thankfully drowning out the stench of stale beer and sweat coming from the dance floor behind me.
"You okay?"
"Yeah, just gonna head out. I'll see ya later." I went to turn, but she shook her head.
"I can drive you."
"No, it's cool. I'm not a cock block, Will. Go have fun. I'll walk."
"No, Barbie-"
"It's fine, really. I'll text you when I get home."
"If you're sure..." she bit her lip, hesitance etched on her face.
"I am. Go get laid."
"You're the best."
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" I jokingly called to her, but she turned back with a wicked stare.
"So no falling in love. Got it!"
"Ouch! Sticks and stones, Will. Sticks and stones." I grinned back and winked, turning once again for the door. Dreading the walk ahead, I let my smile fall and growled to myself, digging my hands irritatedly into my short pockets.
I made it a mile and a half down the road before a car pulled up beside me, the passenger window sliding down with a hum. I rolled my eyes dramatically, continuing to walk forward, blatantly ignoring the creep at my side.
"Get in," the all-too-familiar voice demanded.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me. How did I not see this coming? It's like a bad movie!"
"Save the dramatics. Get in the damn car. And don't fight me, Barbie. It's after midnight."
I gasped, glancing at the time on my phone. "It is! I'm surprised you haven't turned back into a pumpkin yet. Your time is up, princess. Bye bye now. Before anyone sees your true form."
He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just get in, will you?"
"No. Not until you ask nicely." I let out a huff, crossing my arms over my chest and tapping my shoe on the concrete.
"Are you serious?"
"Look, if you say no, I'll have to keep walking. Meaning if I get kidnapped and murdered, sliced and diced, gagged and bound, it's basically on your rude ass... actually that last part doesn't sound so bad."
The soft glow of the dash lights lit up his face. His jaw ticked, eyes narrowed, but he had no response.
"Do you have a piece of paper?" I leaned down in the window, glancing around the spotless interior curiously.
"Uh, no. Why?"
"Damn. I need to write a will. I need my headstone to tell everyone I died because you couldn't say the magic fucking words." I offered my most innocent smile, mocking him.
"I can't stand you. You know that?"
"Definitely not the words I'm talking about."
His knuckles turned white under the force he was using to grip the steering wheel. "Please will you get in the car?"
"Nah. It's cute to see you beg though. This was fun!"
I pushed away from the car, whistling as I let my long legs glide me away. The car was shut off and its door slammed behind me. I held my breath, though continued down the sidewalk.
"Why are you so goddamn stubborn?"
I snorted, but still continued on, ignoring him. The chirp of the car lock sounded, echoing through the tunnel of buildings I was walking through. Clobbering footsteps followed me - ones I ignored for another half mile before finally snapping.
"Fucking hell, would you leave me alone?"
"Not until I know you're safe."
"Why do you fucking care, Johnny? Got a God complex or something?"
He stood still as stone with his arms crossed over his chest, the tee he wore looking exactly like the one I'd woken up in when he'd last picked me up.
"No? Nothing?" Silence. "Oh, no. I get it. I've seen this in movies before. You know the ones, right? The characters kiss once and suddenly love blooms? Is that it? Can't keep me out of your thoughts now, Johnny boy?"
He looked to the concrete of the sidewalk below, a sarcastic smirk curving at the corners of his lips. He took slow, calculated steps towards me, still gazing to the ground and not stopping until his body pressed against mine. The flame that had been simmering in my body all day blazed to life again and I had to fight to keep my composure. He stepped forward and I took a quick one back, my body suddenly pressed against the cold, rough brick of the building behind me.
"Actually, Barbie..." he leaned down, his lips hovering over my own as his hands planted on the wall on either side of my face, "I just can't have you dying before you pay you bike's repair bill."
Whiskey and mint washed over me, filling my mind. I felt drunk on it, not ready to let go yet. I subconsciously stretched up on my toes, pressing against him harder, my lips fluttering over his.
Fuck. What am I doing?
My breath left in a harsh exhale and his smirk disappeared. His features hardened and he lifted his head marginally, eyes skimming down impossibly slow over my face, pausing on my parted lips. The bright moonlight above seemed to be shining brighter than it had been before, illuminating the hairs at the nape of his neck that hadn't been long enough to gather in his bun. I lifted my hands slowly to touch them, but stopped myself and shoved them against his chest instead.
I took a tiny step to the side and then forward, the chill of the brick at my back gone, though I was barely strong enough to make even the smallest move away as my body screamed to turn back and kiss him. But that was my pussy trying to take charge. My mind had more sense.
"Don't follow me." My voice was rough, grating, desire racing too quickly through me to force back.
"I'm just making sure you get home okay."
I froze, shaking my head. "You're really not going to let this go, huh?"
"No. No, I'm not."
I ran a hand through my hair, the strands clinging to my fingers at the dried sweat from my hours of dancing earlier.
"Fine." I turned on my heel and strode back to his car, passing by him with as much distance as I could. "Let's just go back to the shop then. My arm's feeling good enough now. I can help."
Johnny slid into his seat, turning the engine on and revving it. "Not a chance. You-"
"Look. I need my fucking bike. And y'all got busy out of fucking nowhere and can't prioritize it."
He glanced over at me, weighing it in his mind. He pursed his lips. "What are the magic words?"
I rolled my eyes, but smiled as he used my own words against me. "I can't stand you. You know that?"
He nodded and laughed, a true sound - one that had my mouth dropping and running dry. It was deep and rich, welcoming and endearing. I wanted to hear it again. And again.
And again.
His head turned towards mine, expectant and waiting for me to say the words he wanted. His eyes were bright, the already mesmerizing blue glowing in the light of the dash and I felt like I was swimming in their depths.
"Please Tucker?"
His shoulders dropped as his breath was forced from his lungs, his smile fading into a tight line on his lips. His oceanic eyes dropped to my lips as though he needed to memorize the place he'd heard the sound of his name come from.
Oh god, his heart is pounding. I breathed heavily, clenching my fists at my sides and feeling my own pulse as my fingers dug into the palms of my hands. No, that's my heart racing.
Blinking rapidly, we turned, staring vacantly out the windshield as the road and buildings began to buzz past. It was a quick ride to the shop thankfully and once we stopped, I jumped out, needing the distance.
"Can I ask you something?" I asked quietly as he flipped around his key ring for the one he needed.
"You're going to anyway. Might as well get on with it."
I shrugged. He wasn't wrong. "Why do you stay here? Is this where you live? You don't have a home?"
He stilled. "That was more than one question."
I was silent, hoping he'd answer, but not expecting one. He surprised me though, his hand still on the key as it hung from the doorknob. "I have a house, but no, Daniella. I don't have a home."
He didn't turn to look at me, all sarcasm and spunk gone from his voice so immediately. Entering the dark shop, I shivered, wondering what had happened to him that the moment I asked about a home, all of the warmth we'd finally started to find was swept away, leaving nothing but a cold reminder of broken pieces.
A loud clang rang up to the high ceilings when he threw his keys onto the metal plate on the table, the lights slow to warm.
"Have you always lived-"
"Why do you think it's okay to ask me personal questions when I had to dig for something so simple as your name?"
I flinched, though I tried to push it away. He was right and I knew it. I had no right to ask him anything when I gave nothing in return. And even then, even if I told him my life story, his was none of my business if he didn't want to share it.
I stood straighter, crossing my arms over my chest and hating that I'd reacted so submissively to his frustration. He slammed the door shut and scrubbed a hand down his face before throwing the first bay open with ease and backing the car out, making room for us to work.
Thankful that he left the bay open, I sat quietly and looked over my baby, wishing it had never gotten to the level of broken that it had.
The two of us worked in silence, slowly replacing, repairing, and rebuilding the interior parts of the engine that had come in.
I glanced up at him, watching his fingers as he rubbed old grease off of the valve cover. His face was stern in his strength of focus. "I'm, um..."
"Don't. Don't say you're sorry for asking. Or that you're sorry I'm 'homeless'. Because I'm not and I don't want your pity."
I shook my head, propping my arms on my knees. "I wasn't giving any pity. I was going to say that I'm claustrophobic, but it's more than just confined spaces for me. I don't like closed in ones either when there are no windows. It's why I don't do well here with all the doors closed."
He didn't respond, and I didn't offer another word as we worked for another hour, finally making a bit of progress on the engine. We just sat in silence for the hour, the only noise being that of the tools and parts, or the occasional car driving by.
To be honest, I wasn't sure he fully understood, maybe just didn't even hear me, until I got to the shop the next morning. He was leaned over the hood of a Lexus, fiddling with something I couldn't see. But that wasn't what caught my attention. I was barely halfway through the lot when I stopped in my tracks.
All of the bays were wide open.