Room With No Windows

After spending so many days cooped up at my place, a lot of tension had grown between Elsa and me. Most of it was sexual tension, and most of it was coming from my end.
I wake up Saturday morning, sitting up in bed beside Ellie, and Ruby hops up onto my lap like some cat. I chuckle. "Hey, girl. I've missed having you around, you know that?"
She licks my face and I laugh. "Alright, cut it out. You're gonna wake her up."
"Too late," I hear Elsa mumble. Ruby then barks and climbs over her, sniffing at her hair before swiping her tongue across Ellie's cheek. She giggles, stroking her soft fur.
I pat Ruby's head. "Lovable, isn't she?"
Elsa smiles sleepily, running a hand through her hair. "Definitely. I used to think she didn't like me."
"Not like you? That's ridiculous." I nuzzle my face into her neck. "What's not to like?"
She gushes from my teasing and leans away. I lick my lips, feeling a smirk grown on my face. I lean into her ear and whisper, "Wanna go for a ride, sweetheart?"
Her eyes are wide as she turns to look at me. "Wh-what?"
"Ruby," I call, patting my leg. "Wanna ride shotgun?"
I watch her hop off the bed in a single leap and bark excitedly, knowing exactly what that meant. I shuffle to my feet and remove my shirt. Two can play this game, I think.
"Uh, w-where are you going?" Elsa stammers.
Grabbing a clean shirt, I face her as I pull it over my head. "I told you, Ellie, a ride. What did you think I meant?"
She bites her lip. "O-oh."
I chuckle and open the door to let Ruby out before looking over my shoulder. I grin. "You coming?"

The weather was its usual sunny, warm and humid self as it always was in Arizona. I let the windows down so we could feel the rushing wind blowing through our hair. I grabbed my Ray Bans from the glove department and before I could even slide them on my nose, Elsa snatches them out of my hands, resting them on her head with an innocent smile gracing her lips. I stick my tongue out at her. She was rubbing off on me.
Ruby was gladly occupying the other window, so Elsa was sitting next to me, looping her arm through mine as I drove. "So where exactly are we headed?"
"Nowhere," I sigh. "I just figured we could use some fresh air."
She laughs. "Not with all the dirt flying into my mouth."
I roll my eyes and then smirk. "I think I have a solution for that."
"Oh, shut up," she scoffs, punching me lightly. I notice the slight color in her cheeks and think how much the tables have turned. Now that she knows that I couldn't refuse her and would take her advances any chance I got, I had a feeling she was a little intimidated.
We venture off somewhere in the desert, the road completely void of any other cars. I find an open space area and pull off the road to park. Elsa raises an eyebrow. "You weren't kidding. We're in the MIDDLE of nowhere."
I chuckle, pulling out the tennis ball I kept in the glove compartment. "Perfect place to play fetch. Right, Ruby?"
Her head shoots up and she barks.
Ellie and I climb into the bed of my truck. We always seemed to end up in a bed one way or another...
"Can I throw it?" she asks and I nod, gladly handing her the ball. She whistles to catch Ruby's attention before tossing it behind her. The lively pup goes sprinting to catch up with it. Elsa smiles and I can't help but stare.
She leans back against the wall of the truck. "I never expected to be staying in Arizona this long. I'd probably be in Chicago by now."
I bite my lip. "You're missing your classes."
"Yeah," she mumbles. "I can always catch up online, though."
"But you have to back eventually."
She shrugs. "I guess. Honestly, I'd rather go straight home in Ohio than return to my dorm."
My jaw hardens. She wants to go home, that much was clear. I hadn't really given it much thought before, but I was slowly starting to realize that she didn't belong here. Her home was in Ohio.
I receive the ball that Ruby returns and throw it back. "Do you miss your family?"
"Of course I do," she answers, sighing. "I was supposed to visit them before going back to school." She smiles. "But I can't really complain. This little vacation has done me some good, I think. I needed a break."
She draws her knees up and looks at me. "I have you to thank for that."
"Thank me for what?" I mumble. "Taking you away from your life?"
"For making it better."
I lock eyes with her. Her sincere gaze didn't even waver.
My fingers lace through hers as I absentmindedly trace her mouth with my other hand, feeling her breath on my skin. She stays motionless as I lean in, when Ruby props herself up on the edge of the truck, the ball wedged between her teeth.
"Ruby," I groan, taking the slobbery ball from her. Elsa laughs her contagious laugh and causes me to chuckle.
I chuck the ball somewhere into the distance and turn back to Elsa. "Isn't she a charmer?"
She giggles and I lean in again. My phone vibrates in my pocket, making me sigh. That was probably Halvo, being annoying as usual.
"What just vibrated?"
"It's my phone," I say sarcastically, a smile growing on my face as I pull it out. "Phones can vibrate. GOD, ELLIE, GET WITH THE TIMES!"
"Stick a sock in it!" She shoves me forcefully and I shove back, a bit less rough to let her know I was only playing.
I snicker. "What are you gonna do, smash it on the ground? Because you seem to have a knack for breaking phones."
She mock gasps and reaches for it but I hold it at arms length. "Give it!"
Her agility was no match for mine; she couldn't keep up, and I was only using one hand to move it away. She climbs on top of me, giggling nonstop as she stretches for it. I hold my phone above my head, and I drop my arm before she could even reach. I hold it to the side, swaying my arm in a looping motion and smirking. Elsa erupts into laughter. "John!"
My lips clash against hers. Elsa drops her hands to my shoulders and lets me circle my arms around her waist. Our lips slide together with effortless ease, an innocent and relaxed kind of kissing that was almost the complete opposite of our last kiss, heated and heavy.
I sigh blissfully as I savior the taste of her lips, wishing I could do this every day. The hard metal of the truck was digging into my back, but I didn't even mind. As long as I could kiss her, nothing could bother me. Not even Ruby's barking could ruin this moment.
"John," she whispers. I feel a shiver snake up my spine at the sound of my name on her tongue. My hands cup her face, caressing her skin as I pull her closer to me. She lets her hands rest on my chest, taking my shirt between her fingers and scratching me lightly with her nails.
I groan deep in my throat before breaking away. "This probably isn't the best idea."
"Nope," she mutters, smirking. "But remember that you started it."
I roll my eyes. This woman was a spitfire.

After our afternoon in the desert, we head back into town to find some food. If it wasn't for Ruby accompanying us, I would have invited her to a nice little restaurant.
Instead, I buy her fries and a milkshake and get myself a burger and soda from a fast food drive through.
Classy, I know.
I hold open the door for both of them, casually taking a glance at Elsa in her skinny jeans. She had a fine...leg. Legs. She HAD fine LEGS.
Elsa plops down on my bed, sipping from her milkshake. "I had fun today."
"So did I," I chuckle, but I'm pretty sure that was a given.
"You have a really nice truck," she comments.
"Thanks. It was my granddad's."
"It was?!"
I nod and smile. "He sorta passed it down when I got my license. It's my baby."
She 'aww's and shoots me a pout. I wink at her. "Maybe I could take you for another kind of ride in it someday."
Her eyes widen and I gloat inside about having the ability to make her blush.
I love making her squirm.