His hands gripped the steering wheel as he remembered the way each cheek jiggled with each step she took. It was such a hardship to watch, he thought sarcastically. He eyed her from the corner of her eye as she blew a kiss to the young guys in the convertible next to them, who cheered her on. He grimaced and looked down at his door and slammed his finger down on the button that brought her window up. Once her window was completely closed, he put the childproof lock on.
He could feel her eyes on him as he looked ahead at the highway that looked more like a parking lot. He risked a glance and saw the smile that played on her lips. He quickly turned his attention back to the road. They hadn’t moved an inch.
“I love this song!” Ava hollered, straining for her voice to be heard over the loud music. Nick glanced into the rearview mirror and his eyes widened. She was a mini version of her aunt, and she too was flinging her arms around over her head dancing to the song. Sam turned around as much as she could, due to the confinements of her seatbelt, and grinned at her niece. She leaned over the console and grabbed Nick’s right arm. His arm tensed at her touch. Why was she touching him? Especially now, after she had avoided him like the plague. Now that they were stuck in this car for god knows how long, she decided to get acquainted with his arms?
Her hand trailed down the length of his arm and she wrapped her hand around his wrist, loosening his hold on the steering wheel. She brought his hand in the air with her hand and swayed to the beat. Ava laughed from the back seat and Sam looked at Nick and started to sing off key to him. He looked back at the traffic that remained still, and shifted his truck into park. He leaned further back against his seat and watched Sam, amused. He didn’t remember the last time he saw her smile and have fun with him. He let her wave his arm around as she moved her upper body to the rhythm of the music.
“Enjoying yourself?” he asked as he raised one eyebrow. She ignored him and began to sing in Spanish, along with Don Omar to the song of his that played on the radio. He could speak basic Spanish, and he was certain that the words coming from her mouth were not Spanish, hell he didn’t know what language she was singing but it sounded similar to the man on the radio. As the song faded out, Sam leaned back in her seat, still waving Nick's arm around.
As her motions grew weaker, he took the opportunity to lace his fingers with hers and drop their joined hands on top of the center console. He watched her face, waiting for her to snarl, but she simply closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the head rest. Nick reached over and lowered the radio as a commercial sounded through the speakers.
“What are we going to do when we get to Atlantic City?” Ava asked, her legs kicking in the air as she stared at them.
“Did you have anything planned?” Nick asked, Sam, who surprisingly hadn’t untangled their hands.
“I thought we’d go to the Steel Pier, it’s across from our hotel on the boardwalk.” She opened her eyes and looked at Nick. “Think you can manage, taking a walk on the boardwalk with two gorgeous blondes?” She smiled slightly and Nick wondered where the Ice Queen had gone, not that he was complaining, he’d take this version of Sam, any day of the week. Hell, he’d do just about anything for her if she kept smiling at him.
“I think I can handle it.” He tore his eyes from hers and looked back towards Ava. “What do you say, kiddo? You’re not afraid of rides are you?”
“Ha! No way! I love going on rides.” She showed off her missing teeth as she smiled at Nick.
“I love a girl who’s not afraid of rides.” Nick said as he winked back at her, glancing at the traffic he noticed it wasn’t moving and for the first time he was happy to be stuck in it.
“You know what else the boardwalk has?” Sam said, bringing down the sun visor and opening the mirror so she could look at Ava who sat behind her. “Funnel cakes! And Nick’s favorite.” She looked at him, and said teasingly. “Fried Oreos.” She raised her eyebrows and let her lip trail across the seam of her mouth.
His eyes darkened as they fell upon her lips, and he felt the bulge in his pants strain against the cargo shorts he wore. Christ, that mouth would be the death of him.
“What else is on the boardwalk?” Ava asked, interrupting his dirty thoughts of Sam’s mouth and the places he wished those delectable lips would visit. Sam tore her eyes away from his and looked over her shoulder to give Ava her attention.
“Well, let’s see, there’s a bunch of games we can play and win prizes.” She looked back at Nick. “I bet Nick would love to win you the biggest stuffed animal there is!” She said basically daring him.
“Are you good at winning prizes, Nick?” Ava asked happily. Sam turned around and sat back in her seat properly.
Nick looked at Sam before he looked at Ava through the rearview mirror. “I’m really good at winning prizes. When your aunt was a teenager, she had a collection of stuffed animals I won for her.” The traffic was beginning to open up and he let go of Sam’s hand reluctantly, shifting the truck into drive.