Road Trip (Jenna Ortega X Emma Myers)

Chapter 7 | Jenna - On the road

I couldn't help blushing when I thought of last night. After Aliyah's horrifying language over the phone that made Emma laugh, I realized exactly how well we could hear each other in our separate rooms. I texted Aliyah immediately after hanging up on her.

Me: NOOOOOOOOOOO

Me: Aliyah how could you do that to me?!

Aliyah: lol what happened??? is she in the room? did she hear that?

Me: She's next door but ya she heard :/ so thanks a lot for that

Aliyah: no I helped you!! now she knows for sure ur into her

Me: uhhh I think she already knew that

Aliyah: well I'm just saying you should make sure she knows exactly what you want to do to her

Aliyah: ...re jumping her bones

Me: OH MY GOD Aliyah can you please stop

Honestly, I hadn't considered it before. After the experience we'd had on our first night together, I assumed she knew how into her I was. I mean, I don't think I'd ever been so turned on before, and that was even before she touched me. Surely once her hand was inside my underwear-oh god, I blushed furiously just thinking about it-surely she knew exactly how I felt.

But maybe there was another way I could show her. And that was how I came up with the worst idea of my life. I couldn't believe I had worked up the nerve to say her name like that. And for a painful half hour this morning between waking up and seeing her, I regretted it.

My regret was gone the second I saw her waiting for me outside the truck. Once again, I walked out of the hotel lobby with her breakfast in my hand. And once again, she waited by the truck, this time facing the other direction, which gave me a chance to check her out. I was only a few feet away when she turned around and saw me. Her cheeks flushed bright red and she managed to stumble slightly, her foot catching on the pavement.

"Whoa, Emma," I said. My arm flew out and caught her elbow, barely holding her up. The red that was splashed across her cheeks deepened when I said her name. It was all I could do to hold back a triumphant fist pump. She had definitely been listening. She cleared her throat and scowled, which I chose not to take personally.

"Muffin," I said with a grin, offering her the breakfast-to-go stack I'd been balancing.

She took it, her blush mostly gone.

"Thanks, sugarplum," she said.

I was glad she immediately marched to her door because otherwise, she would have seen my delighted grin. I was overjoyed that she was still willing to keep up her side of the joke from yesterday.

Now the big question was whether I could get her to rethink her 'I don't do this kind of thing' policy. I'd have to keep playing the cool and collected role because that seemed to be what she liked. The dorkiness-things like getting overly excited about inside jokes-would have to be hidden.

Fortunately, she didn't make it hard for me. I kept my sunglasses on for most of the morning, and she tried to read a book. She kept yawning, and eventually, she popped in earbuds and informed me she was going to take a "ten-minute power nap."

That was two hours ago now. Her deep, gentle breathing was punctured occasionally by something close to snoring. But of course, she was far too dignified for actual snoring. So I settled for calling it 'heavy nose breathing' and I did not pull out my phone to record it. Nope, I wasn't even a little bit tempted.

My favorite playlist started, and I groaned internally. How was I supposed to listen to this without singing along? I glanced at Emma and saw she was fast asleep. I'd been avoiding this playlist for exactly this reason, cycling through just about every other one I had, and even a few Aliyah had made with angsty punk rock that made me roll my eyes but made Emma smile. I wondered vaguely if the two of them would have gotten along if they'd ever met.