Harassenger: Backseat Admirer ✔️

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Four

"Where are you taking me?" I had forgotten Mick loved the element of surprise, so I realized he most likely wouldn't tell me where we were going.

"Just drive and I'll let you know when to turn." He ordered.

"Mick, get your feet off of my dash." I slapped at his leg, causing him to jolt.

I took a sip of my drink from the cup holder, watching as I drove on the road.

"Why? It's already pretty dirty in here. Watch, it's so dusty I can write your name on here." Mick was right; I watched as he wrote my name with his pointer finger on my dash. Of course, he followed it by adding 'is a loser' after my name, but I felt the need to ignore it.

"Whatever." I didn't complain as long as he left the radio alone. I had a smooth, classic country song on the radio, perfect for a night out.

"Turn right." I did as the backseat driver ordered, turning right but breaking when I realized we would be at a dead end in a parking lot.

"I think you have the wrong directions." I said, peering through the back glass to see how to turn out.

"No, go in. You have to pay to park, but I got it covered. Go up to the top floor. Trust me, you'll understand."

"Uhm, alright I guess." Mick paid thirty bucks...yes, thirty...to park on the top floor of the garage.

Mick directed me where to park, even if I didn't understand what the point was of parking in a garage when my Jeep was parked out in the open.

"Why are we up here? Everytime I go somewhere with you, I always have to think about what we're doing." I said, finally putting my vehicle in park between a number of vacant ones.

"So many questions. Don't ask me; look around. This is the only place in Salty Edge where you can see the whole world. Okay, not the whole world, but it feels like it. Look at the view beyond this car." I did.

I looked passed the garage and tried to focus my eyes elsewhere. I saw the scenic, stagnant life of Salty Edge, and beyond that was a forest of dreamy lights, some of which were just turning on. The sun was waning, and the moon was rising. It gave me the frissons. The stars were hiding tonight, but the light of a thousand skyscrapers lit the sky for what it was worth.

"It is beautiful. It's probably the only place where we can feel the energy of a bustling city while in a quiet garage." I said, smiling at him in the seat next to me as he unfastened his seatbelt. He leaned in to the left, taking in the view with me.

"That's what I thought. It's like a drive-in movie, only the city painting an image a projector can't provide."

"How did you find it?" I asked.

"I helped design the garage. The owner named this place, La Lune Profit. It means The Moon is Rising in cajun French; the owner liked having a name most people didn't know about, just like this place was."

"Wow. Is that why you're an engineer, to make places as special as this?"

"For many different reasons that my father certainly doesn't understand. I love my work, and no matter what others think, I won't stop what I do. I rather be passionate than relatable."

"I can understand that; I admire that, actually. And I'm happy that you've taken me to this secret spot of yours. It's peaceful." I said.

"Yes, it is, and beautiful. I've got the big city in front of me, and the small town in front of me." He gestured toward me, as if he were referring to me.

His feet that were on my dashboard were now on the mat, and his shoulder was touching mine. He rubbed his hands together, and I sensed nervousness from the way he looked at me and back to the scene.

"What?" I asked, concerned.

"Nothing, I'm trying not to do anything stupid?"

"Stupid? Oh, you've passed that." I was only teasing, but the seriousness of his face shut me down.

"Look, I brought you here to tell you that I feel like I've been stupid, and I'm trying to do something smart for once. I want to tell you the truth, because I feel like I've been foolishly dishonest with you, and with myself." His head hit the headrest and jerked away, pressing his fingers against my headrest into they've gone pasty white.

"What is it?" I asked, biting my lip.

"I lied about being friends with you. Yeah, it started off that way but I wanted more. When I kissed you, it was everything I've ever wanted and since then, I've been fascinated with you. I've been fascinated with the shape of your lips and I've been jealous with the way that cup of coffee you've been tasting gets to taste you and I can't. And the way you, uhm, the way you make me feel..and it's just, well, it's just.. shit on this. On second that, I do want to be stupid. I don't want things to make sense." The surreal words from his mouth ended when his mouth crushed against mine, tender and fierce and smooth and rough. I kissed him back, his lips breaking away to kiss my cheek and back to my mouth. He knocked over my empty drink when he grabbed for my hair, pulling me into the kiss. I melted into him, tugging on his shirt and feeling a thousand words he could never speak. We broke apart to catch our breath, and for once, I was able to speak.

"Mick, I want to be stupid, too, just this once."

"As long as this one time lasts forever." His lips were back on mine and walked wild against me. He kissed me like it was our first kiss, and I knew in that moment, nothing would compare to this. I could be on the beach, in a different country, or living in Heaven itself and it wouldn't compare to being right here in his arms as the moon rose to its pinnacle. I was in love, and although I couldn't think straight, my heart had decided for me.