The rest of the afternoon drags by and I even manage to force myself to eat a bread roll.
It’s well past nine at night when I find myself sitting in the driver’s seat of my Audi, looking over all the gadgets while I google how to drive this thing. I read step by step and slowly take myself up and down the driveway. I mean, I’m going to have to learn how to drive it at some point, and besides, I want my clothes back.
I consider myself a good driver… usually, but right now, I feel completely out of my depth, but practice makes perfect and what better time than the present. It’s late and most of the traffic has already cleared off the roads anyway.
There are two separate ways I can get to Nate’s place and one includes the main road which will be busy, otherwise, I can add a few extra minutes to my drive and take the back streets. So, with my plan in place, I slowly bring the car to a stop at the top gate.
I lean over and enter the code, and before I know it, I’m swallowing back my fear and pulling my baby out onto the road.
The car practically jumps when I shift which has me constantly hovering over the brake while trying not to take my eyes off the road to focus on the gear stick. I feel like a complete fraud driving this thing. I mean, it’s my first time in my car and I’m not even enjoying it.
I get a few beeps from annoyed drivers who eventually go around me, but after an agonizingly long twenty minutes, I pull into Nate’s driveway, pleased his gate is already wide open.
As I get further down the driveway, I cringe to myself. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Nate isn’t out. He’s standing right in the middle of his open garage, leaning over the hood of his car and fiddling around with the engine.
As I get closer, he straightens himself out and I realize that, once again, the guy has lost his shirt. I mean, what is this? Do the Ryder brothers not own any clothes? Nate stands tall to watch the show and I find myself cringing again. This is going to be embarrassing.
I try to downshift and slow down but only manage to make the car jolt forward again. I see the laughter in his eyes yet he stands like a statue, acting as though nothing gets to him.
I bring the car to a stop and leave the keys in it with the engine running. Though, I can’t quite remember if I’m supposed to leave the car in neutral or in first. Not wanting to pull up google and embarrass myself further, I think it over and come to the conclusion that first gear is for moving slowly, so I push down the clutch and pop the car in neutral before putting on the hand brake and getting out.
I walk down to the garage, mostly proud of myself for getting here without scratching my car. I studiously ignore Nate as I aim for the internal door of the garage and have to stop when he sidesteps and places himself right before me. “What do you think you’re doing?” he questions as his stare seems to look right through me.
“I’m getting my stuff,” I tell him as I cross my arms over my chest and look up at him as though I don’t have a spare second to waste, especially not on him.
“What do you need it for?” he asks as he looks down at me with a knowing grin. “Getting ready for a date with Henderson?”
I quirk an eyebrow as I watch him. “What’s it to you?” I question as I raise up on my tippy toes and put myself impossibly closer. “Jealous?”
He scoffs as his eyes become hard. “Get in the car.”
“Excuse me?” I laugh.
“You heard me, Tori,” he says, grating on my nerves for using that nickname. “Get your ass in my car.”
I shake my head and attempt to step around him, only he moves with me, blocking my path. “Now,” he tells me.
“Or what?” I challenge.
“I’ll make you.”
I narrow my eyes on his and know without a doubt he means it, so rather than put myself in this position again, I turn on my heel and stalk back to my car. I can sit around the corner and wait until he’s gone to come back.
I get to the door of my Audi and pull it open before his hands are at my waist, pulling me back. “Let me go, you prick,” I demand as he holds me at arm’s length and dives into my car. He goes to turn off the engine when he looks down and shakes his head. “For fuck’s sake,” he groans under his breath as he takes the car out of neutral and puts it in first before turning the keys and getting out.