Passionate Exchange

Chapter Sixteen

I stomp across the car park with my lips pressed into a thin line. It doesn't take long for Archer to burst out of the pizzeria behind me. I ignore his persistent calling of my name. "You're unbelievable," I interrupt him.

The cold doesn't phase me anymore. My jacket flies open as the wind hits my skin, but I don't care. My trainers are slapping against the pavement and even that manages to frustrate me. Every little sound, especially Archer's footsteps behind me, are getting on my nerves.

I walk straight past Penny's car, but I don't get far before he voices his disapproval. "Get in the car, Madison." He demands. His voice sends chills running across my skin. "It'll take you hours to walk."

My steps falter. That is true, it took us an hour to drive here, and I didn't bring enough money for a taxi. I debate on walking anyway just to prove to him that I don't care what he says but I also remember how much my feet were aching after we did the trek. Am I really ready to go through that again but ten times worse?

"Why do you care?" I spit.

I hear him sigh behind me almost as if he's had enough of me. I whirl around causing our gazes to connect. His is harsh yet there's something else there, concern? No, it can't be. "I wouldn't hear the last of it from Penny if I left you here."

He reminds me again that I'm nothing to him. I'm just Penny's friend who he feels obliged to take care of because of his sister. Would you even be able to call it taking care of? Tolerating seems better. He tolerates me for her sake.

I huff, walking back towards him.

He opens the door for me, and I slam it shut. His eyes widen. He was expecting me to simply get in, that definitely isn't going to happen. He watches me intently as I open the door for myself and get in. He doesn't get to be chivalrous.

"So, you're telling me that what happened between us when we were lost was nothing?" I continue as if no time had gone past. "And what happened between us in the garage was nothing too?"

If looks could kill, he would have died a painful death back in the booth. I can glare at him all night. He keeps his attention on the road.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He shrugs nonchalantly and my frustration grows.

"You do!" I throw my hands up in the air. "You know exactly what I'm talking about." I point an accusing finger at him.

I can't continue to sit in this car with him if he's going to act clueless. I weigh up the pros and cons of getting out right now and walking. There's a long list of cons but there's one pro that outweighs them. I can prove to myself that what he wants means nothing to me. He wants me to stay in the car so I'm going to do the opposite.

"Stop the car."

He scoffs, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Nope." He says, popping the p.

"Stop the car," I demand more sternly.

"Nothing you say is going to make me stop," He locks the doors, so I have no way of leaving. There goes my plan of throwing myself out of a moving car. "You'll get sick." His words almost make me think he cares about my well-being, almost.

"I don't care," I stare out of the window. My hands are balled up into fists on my lap. Why does he think that he has any say in what I do? "Getting sick would be better than sitting in this car with you." I spit.

His smirk falters and his eyes turn serious. Any amusement that was previously there has vanished entirely. "You don't mean that."

"Trust me, I do." Something shifts in his face. He swerves the car like a maniac across the other lane and into a random car park of a motel. "What the hell are you doing?" I shout, loosening my grip on my seatbelt.