My Brother's Brother (Book I of the Brother Series)

Chapter 65

        We had a late breakfast when I came back from my run, then we talked about whatever came to our minds first, and we even joined in on a volleyball game that took place at one of the other sites. Before we knew it, it was 5:00 p.m. and we've been on our way back to the city side of LA ever since.

        My head is currently leaned against the headrest of the passenger seat as I watch Mateo zoom past the other cars on the highway. His Audi may be sick, but his Jeep Wrangler sure is its own kind of beauty. I tilt my head slightly to look at Mateo's firm focus on the road and then glance down at his hand, admiring how he works the gear stick so effortlessly. I remember when Matías first taught me how to drive with a gear stick. We'd spend hours in a nearby dirt pit just a few miles away from the farm, and we wouldn't come back until I've managed to shift through all of the possible gear combos within one accelerated drive. This practice especially came in handy for whenever we needed to leave a site within a matter of seconds out in the field. 

        As I continue to look at Mateo's hand, I subconsciously brush my finger against it but then begin to pull away when I realize that this could possibly distract him from the road. Before I'm able to place my hand back into my lap, however, he quickly reaches for it and firmly places both of our hands back on the gear shift.

"If you're going to start something, finish it. Never leave me hanging like that, Lucerito," he says with his eyes still on the road and then turns to give me a quick smirk, before looking straight ahead again.

        Our hands remain like this until the Jeep signals a near empty gas tank, and we merge off the highway to enter the nearest gas station.

"You coming with?" Mateo asks me as he unbuckles his seatbelt.

"I think I'm just going to walk around and stretch my legs a bit out here in the parking lot," I tell him as I go to unbuckle myself. 

"Alright. I'll go get us some snacks while you pump the gas. Deal?" 

        I nod my head and he reaches for his wallet to give me his card, but I stop him before he can even hand it over.

"No, Mateo. Your stubborn ass ended up paying for the entire camping reservation, the least I can do is cover the gas expense for the rest of the way back."

"What?" He shakes his head. "No. I told you, don't worry about any of that."

"I'm not giving in this time," I firmly stand my ground and after a few intense seconds of challenging each other with daggered eyes, he lets out a sigh of defeat.

"Ugh, fine." He shakes his head again and leans in to kiss my cheek. "What am I going to do with you?" I smile back before we both exit the car and go our separate ways.

*

        The metal component of the gas nozzle that I had pushed down for the gas to begin pumping itself springs back, and as I pull the nozzle out of the gas tank and turn to place it back onto the pump, I feel his masculine arms wrap around to my front. He nests his chin in the crook of my neck and lifts a bag up to my face.

"I got us chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate...with the occasional Fritos Honey BBQ Flavored Twists." 

        I chuckle as I hook the nuzzle back onto its clamp before placing my hands on his arms.

"Perfect." 

        He turns me around slowly and runs his hands along my arms.