Cocky Bastard(16)

Knowing he’d be back any minute, I was reading through old articles and message boards so fast that my eyes hurt. It was definitely evident that Chance was more well-known for his debut game injury and his looks than anything else. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride for how he’d turned lemons into lemonade, though. Scrolling down, I came across some pictures of him at various events with the same attractive blonde model. Piper Ramsey. A twinge—well, maybe a boatload—of jealousy developed in the pit of my stomach.

A knock on the window startled me. I tossed the phone aside, and it fell into the driver’s seat. Well, more like I threw it over there.

“Open up for your coffee,” I heard him say through the window. I took my cup from him as he walked around and got into the driver’s seat. “What were you looking at?”

“Um, nothing. I was just…”

Shit.

Before I had a chance to explain myself, he lifted the phone, scrolling through the pictures with his thumb. He then threw it down onto the center console. “Well, now you’ve seen it all, haven’t you?”

“Yes…and it’s…pretty amazing.”

He let out a single angry laugh. “Amazing, eh?”

“Yes!”

“And tell me, Aubrey, what exactly is so amazing about working practically your entire life for one single moment and seeing it all go up in flames on the very first try? What is so amazing about being more famous for your failure than your success? You know what was so nice about this trip with you up until now? You didn’t see me as that guy that everyone thinks they know, and now you do.”

Shit. I’d really upset him.

“I’m sorry, but I wasn’t thinking those things at all.”

“What were you thinking then?”

“I was thinking about how wonderful it was that you could stand up proudly in the face of adversity and still make a name for yourself on your image alone. I was also thinking about how striking you are, if you really want to know. And I was wondering who that girl Piper was. I was curious about everything, yes, but not in a bad way. Not once did I think anything negative.”

Chance let out a long, deep breath and muttered, “Let’s just go.”

I felt so horrible for upsetting him and even though the internet was public, it somehow felt like I had invaded his privacy. More than anything, I felt like I had hurt him, and that hurt me, because whether or not I wanted to admit it, there was an unwanted ache in my chest. I could feel myself falling for him, and that scared me.

An uncomfortable silence clouded the air for the better part of an hour. The only time he’d move his hands from the wheel was to feed Esmerelda Snowflake pieces of hash brown patty dipped in cock sauce. Even the goat liked cock sauce.

At one point, he finally looked over at me. “I’m sorry I snapped at you.”

“It’s okay. I’m sorry that I made you uncomfortable.”

“I probably would have done the same thing if I were you. It’s just…all the stuff online, it’s all bullshit. That’s not the way to get to know me. If you want to know something, just ask me. Those people that post shit don’t really know me.”

“I do feel like I know the real you.”

“You probably know more than most people. I’ve been nothing but myself with you from the moment we met. Even though I give you shit, I feel comfortable around you, and that’s rare for me.”

There was that feeling in my chest again.

“I feel the same about you, and I don’t really understand it. I just know I’m really glad that we crossed paths.”

He tapped the bobblehead. “Just think…if you’d never picked up Mr. Obama here, who knows where we’d both be right now?” He pointed to the backseat. “Where would this beast be right now?”

“Probably passed out on the side of the road.”

Chance glanced back at the goat. “Instead, he’s eating our food and sleeping with both of us. No thanks to me. It was all you.” He flashed a sexy side glance and startled me when he put his hand on my knee, triggering a sudden rush of desire. “You’re sweet. You have a good heart. That prick, Harrison, is gonna be sorry someday.” When he took his hand away, I longed for its return. What he’d said also sent shivers throughout my body. An indescribable feeling overwhelmed me. I didn’t know how to respond, so I turned on the radio. Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys happened to be on.

Chance turned up the volume. “Look at that! They’re singing about you and your magic wand, Princess.”

I covered my mouth in laughter, and we both cracked up. We’d finally broken through the earlier tension, and that gave me a sense of relief.