𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞; 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧

𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫; 𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐲

Warnings: strong language, mentions of misogyny

Song: Salvatore by Lana Del Rey

"Let's get going, sweetheart..."

Steve ushered Johanna outside and over to a dusty police car. Hawkins had many dirt roads scattered throughout town, so Jo wasn't exactly surprised to see the vast amount of grime on it.

"Hey, let me know if Jason pulls anything else so I can break his goddamn nose, okay? Been waiting for a chance to put that asshole in his place." He walked around to the car's passenger side and opened the door for Jo.

"Someone's got to be a gentleman around here, right?" He grinned at her, his eyes skimming over her lovely features. Her big pouty lips were painted a muted pink, and the forest green shade of her eyes appeared incredibly alluring as the morning sun hit them just right.

Jo held back a laugh and instead flashed a tight-lipped smile at him. "Guess I'll hold you to that then." she teased, watching him stutter something out in agreeance under his breath. He gently pushed the door shut and strode over to the other side of the car. Steve felt like he was losing his mind trying to keep up with Jo. Every time she teased or flashed that sweet, pretty smile at him, it would drive him insane.

Steve entered the car. "We can pick up something for ourselves while we're there. I'm sure Jason wouldn't mind his food getting cold." He pushed a hand through his hair, his tattoos on half display. Steve wore a short sleeve uniform today, a perfect opportunity for Jo to gawk at him from the front desk later.

"By the way, me and Robin go way back. Don't listen to a word she says about me." Steve pulled out of the station, one large hand on the steering wheel and the other lying relaxed outside the window. Johanna noted his driving, the white knuckle grip he had on the steering wheel told her what she needed to know.

He was nervous.

"Hopper told me about the case, it's nice that he's told you about it. Especially since it's so big. We'll need as many people on the case as we can." Steve glanced over at Jo, his eyes traveling down to her soft plush thighs in her black tights, exposed by the thigh-length skirt she was wearing that day, the way they would shake a little when he went over a bump, was enthralling. His eyes weren't occupied on the road anymore, just on her enticing looks. Steve watched her slim manicured fingers tap along to the soft music playing through the radio. Shit. His eyes soon met hers, and he knew he'd been caught staring.

Jo smirked at the red-faced man beside her, thoroughly pleased to have caught him in the act. "Keep your eyes on the road, Harrington." She giggled quietly to herself as she turned to roll down her own window, the hot tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. The empty crop fields seemed to go on forever, even though she now knew the drive time to practically every location. Being so close to him made the minutes seem like hours. The way he was looking at her, his cologne filling her sense, it made it harder for her to keep her self-control.

"You seem pretty young to be working at the station, did Hopper force you or something?" He chuckled quietly to himself, but when Jo didn't respond, he had his answer.

"He wanted me to volunteer during the summer, but after a couple of years, he just made me stay. I'm 22." Her last statement gave him a shock, and in his unfocused moment, he swerved into the opposite lane of traffic for a split second. After both of them had the fright of their lives, he quickly corrected the direction the car was going. Jo looked down at her leg, where his right hand was instinctively placed on her thigh to protect her.

Though Johanna didn't really see how a hand on her thigh would protect her from a head-on collision, it sent her thoughts racing either way. Robin had mentioned that Steve was only a womanizer in theory.