I dare you {YA romance}

24. The drive to

When we made it to the road, Bones reached through his pockets, pulled out a key and walked to a pick up truck parked next to the sign. It wasn't the kind of truck I saw at the forest this afternoon. This black one was shinier and probably a lot younger.

''No motor-bike?'' I raised an eyebrow.

''Not for what I have planned this evening,'' he said with a mischievous grin.

Realization hit me like a train. ''I told you I'm not that kind of girl.'' My voice sounded shaky. I was planning to run back to the cabin if he even tried to make an attempt to throw me in that truck. No forest nor shadows would stop me then.

''And I told you I'm not that kinda guy.'' Bones opened the door of the truck and waited for me to come. When I stayed put, he asked: ''Do you trust me?''

I was having an inner dialogue with myself. Yes, I trusted him, he saved my life this afternoon, he wouldn't do anything to hurt me. 

Right? 

But there was also this little voice in the back of my head telling me that this was wrong, that I shouldn't step into a car with a complete stranger, especially not with a guy like that. I was already breaking all the rules just standing here outside the campground with him. But the other voice just calmly pointed out the fact that he was Julie's brother and that it would be completely insane of him to try to pull anything off.

''Yes, I trust you.'' I heard myself answer. 

I walked towards him, avoiding his mocking eyes and got in. Bones slammed the door when I was sitting at the passenger's seat. The truck smelled like him, but it had also another scent, older and heavier like fresh tobacco or cigars.

Bones got in on the other side. He slit the keys in and made the truck come to live. The roaring made the seat vibrate.

''Is this yours?''

He shook his head. ''My dad's,'' he honestly said. ''Mine is broken.'' 

Or to dirty to take a girl out, I guessed?

''Does it make a difference?''

I shrugged. ''Not really.''

Bones turned on the radio, jolly country music blaring instantly out of the speakers. ''Shit,'' he hastily turned the volume down, squeezing his eyelids when looking at the path leading to the campground. ''Hope they didn't hear that,'' he mumbled. ''I can look if I can find some other station... '' He looked at me vit a vague smile. ''My dad, he likes country.''

''Leave it on, it's fine,'' I shot him a smile back. ''My dad liked it too.'' I glanced up nervously. ''He died a few years ago.'' 

Shit.  Why did I mention that? You do not do that on a first date, in the first few minutes of a date. 

I bit my lower lip, just realizing I killed the conversation.

Bones seemed to be at a loss for words. Finally, he broke the silence, his voice raspier than before. ''What is your favourite memory of him?''

My eyebrows lifted up. ''Nobody ever asked me that,'' I said softly, touched by the warmth in his voice. ''I think it is eating ice cream together when sitting on his shoulders when we walked with mom at a carnival at the end of the summer.'' I swallowed the bile rising in the back of my throat. ''The ice was dripping all over his head.'' I was laughing, but I could not manage to stop a tear running over my cheek. Hastily I wiped it away. This was so embarrassing. The date had not begun yet or I was already crying all over the place. 

''Can we stop talking about my dad?'' I tried to smile, but my lower lip was not cooperating. I did my best to hide my nerves.

''Sure.'' His voice just as serious as his expression. He squeezed my thigh gently, instantly awaking other feelings in my body. ''So...'' he said when he pulled up. ''What do you want us to talk about?''

''You.''

''Off limits,'' he gave me a wink.

''Why?'' I turned my body towards him.

''You need to buckle up,'' he pointed at the handle next to the window. ''I cannot afford any police pulling me over with you sitting in my truck. O, that reminds me...'' He reached down his pocket, pulled out two plastic cards, quickly looked at it and gave the first one to me. ''Your name is Julie and your nineteen.''

I stared at the photo of his younger looking sister. Her hair was darker than it was now. ''I don't look like that.''

Bones lifted the corner of his mouth. ''Nobody will notice. They only take a close look at the date of birth, never at the picture. Teens do change a lot, so they can never be sure.''

''You know this is illegal?''

''Don't sweat, hodgepodge. You won't get arrested. Besides, the thing I'm taking you too, it is eighteen plus, so I need you to be nineteen.''

''Now I'm worried.'' I frowned at him when buckling up.

''It's just... '' his smile grew. ''Just relax, okay. You'll gonna like it. But if I get caught having a minor in my car... Shit.'' He paused when he saw took in the confused expression on my face. ''If it makes you feel better...  just give them yours, okay? We'll see if we'll get in or not.'' He shrugged is shoulders.

''I forgot to bring mine.'' I played with the card in my hand. It was not that big of a deal. I could always say I brought the wrong card with me. 

Damn. 

That was already the second lie I was making up in my head this night. I looked at Bones. Why did I do those things? Just to be with him? ''You're sure they won't notice?''

He laid his hand on my thigh again, making me gasping for air when the warmth went straight through the fabric electrifying the skin beneath it. ''You'll be fine, believe me.''