Two
"The freeway would be faster," Carol noted, as Daryl's truck bounced along a state highway that wound through the country side.
"Sure, but the view is shit," Daryl replied, as the whir of the wiper blades and the slosh of water against rubber filled the cab. They'd been driving for an hour, and the longer they drove, the more relaxed Carol seemed to become. It was as if every mile put between them and that shithole town was just exactly what she needed. "So what is it?" His voice was low and thick, heavy with curiosity. Carol blinked at him and gave him a little shrug.
"What's what?"
"What is it that's got a girl like you on the run? That ex-husband of yours?"
"Ed? No. Running would be letting him win. I haven't seen Ed in a year, and he's already moved on. Fine by me." She reached across, fingers flicking briefly at Daryl's shirt pocket like they were old buddies. She fished another cigarette out, and Daryl turned, eyes flicking to meet hers for the briefest moment before he hesitated and turned his attention back on the road. He shifted in his seat then, and her gaze flickered downward for a just a moment before she focused on his face again.
Carol fished out the lighter and lit the smoke, bringing it to her lips again.
"You ain't a smoker," he pointed out. Carol narrowed her eyes at him for a moment.
"No," she chuckled. "But I figured it's time for a few changes. How'd you know?"
"Good guess," he said with a smirk. "Smoke away. Only, that's my last pack."
"I'll buy you another," she promised. "Thanks for getting me out of there."
"You still ain't told me why you're leaving," he pushed, taking a deep curve, sending water flying up at the edge of the quiet road. Carol took another deep pull on the cigarette and fought the urge to cough.
"I figured it was time for a few changes," she said with a little smile as Daryl snorted at her echo and shook his head. "What about you?"
"Nothin' for me back there." The way he set his jaw then was all she needed to know. It was all he had to say, and that was that. She could understand that.
"So…we just drive."
"You got somethin' else in mind?"
"No. Driving is good." She smiled then, settling back against the seat, and she rolled her window down just enough to let the rain-cooled air pass into the cab. She inhaled deeply, warming at the scent of fresh rain on the fields. It took her back, briefly, to those lazy nights she'd spent laying in the grass, looking up at the stars, hoping for something more, something better some day. She cringed then, thinking back to how silly she'd been to think she could put all her hopes and dreams in a guy like Ed Peletier's hands.
"I've got money. Thank God for divorce settlements and part-time jobs," she smirked. "I'll help with gas and food and all that. And when I see a place I like, I'll tell you. And you can leave me and be on your way." She saw him flinch, and she cocked her head to the side. "You have something else in mind?"
"Huh?"
"I mean, I'm just along for the ride. I know this ends somewhere."
"This."
"I wasn't born yesterday, Daryl." She slid across the cab, placing her hand on his upper thigh. "I know you've been hard since I put my hand on your chest." She saw the blush crawl across his cheeks again, and he nearly choked when she leaned closer, breath tickling his ear. "I know you had a crush on me in school. I liked you, too. I was just waiting."
"For what?"
"For you," she said with a little quirk at the corner of her mouth, lashes lowering as she scooted just a little closer.
"Christ," he murmured, swallowing hard as he took another wide curve that sent her sliding all the way into him, and her hand moved a little farther up his leg. She watched as he chewed his lip and glanced in the rear view mirror.
"I'm a big girl, Daryl. I don't expect romance or a marriage proposal." She leaned a little closer then, and she heard him bite back a groan. "But didn't you ever wonder?"
"Wonder?" he asked, hands shaking at the steering wheel.
"What if you had asked me out?" And there it was. For the briefest of moments, he was that awkward, quiet kid that got heckled by the other boys, boys like his brother Merle who had no problem walking right up to a girl and asking for her number. He swallowed hard, remembering the nights he'd thought of her, fantasized of her, wondered what it'd feel like to touch her, to taste her, to be inside of her. Fuck, even after high school, he hadn't been able to get her out of his head. His first few sexual encounters had been clumsy and fueled after waxing poetic after a drunken bender with some chick from the bar. Apparently his pathetic story about never asking the girl of his dreams out was enough to get her horny. He couldn't even remember her name now. Pathetic.
"Stop." Carol moved away from him then as if she'd touched a livewire.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I wasn't thinking. I just…I had a couple of glasses of wine with lunch. Maybe I'm buzzed." She hadn't had a drop to drink, and she felt like a fucking fool. She'd never been bold like this. Never been so forward, but it was a time for change, and she was suddenly finding herself feeling silly for thinking some things could change. No. How was she supposed to make herself be somebody she'd never been before?
"Don't," he said with a shake of his head. " Don't apologize."
"You should let me out. I didn't mean to be so…" And then he hit the brakes, and he threw the truck into park. She noticed the quick rise and fall of his chest, breaths bursting in small puffs from his lips as the redness in his cheeks deepened.
"What kinda man do you think I am?" He narrowed his eyes at her. She wasn't sure if he was offended or just simply asking a question, and her mouth grew dry. She felt her stomach sink.
"I don't…I don't know what kind of man you are." Her eyes were wide, and even in the dimming dusk, he could see the blue of her eyes darken as her pupils went wide.
"You don't know me. I didn't pick you up just to…"
"Daryl, I'm sorry. I…you must think I'm…" She swallowed hard, as her heart beat hard beneath her breast. If the earth had opened up in that moment and swallowed her whole, she'd have welcomed it.
"I thought about you. I thought about you every goddamned night, but I couldn't…talk to you." He saw the smile twitch at her lips, and then he saw her shake her head as her shoulders shook. Great. She was laughing at him. And suddenly he was seventeen again, and he was standing in the middle of the cafeteria, naked and holding a dozen roses, and everyone was laughing. She was laughing, pointing, staring, and he wanted to fucking die.
Of course it hadn't really happened, but it had been the image in his mind every time he'd even considered the thought of approaching her. She'd been so beautiful, so sweet. What the hell would she have wanted with a jerk like him?
"I'm sorry," she snorted. "It's not funny. I'm not…not laughing at you. I swear."
"Then what the hell's so fuckin' funny?"
"Because we were both so stupid," she said with a smirk.
"What?" he asked, incredulous as he turned to watch the rain sting the pavement.
"You're the idiot who couldn't ask the girl out. I'm the bigger idiot who knew you liked me but couldn't get up the nerve to make the first move." She shook her head. "You want a smoke?" She gestured toward his shirt pocket.
"I want a drink," he replied, getting another laugh out of her.
"Yeah. I could go for one of those, too."
