Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Cas

I rolled out of bed when my phone rang, and pried myself away from Polly's warm, soft, naked body. I was seriously considering telling off whoever was on the other line, until I glanced at the caller ID. Jared.

Guilt stabbed my gut like a knife, and my stomach knotted. I jumped off the bed, putting as much distance as possible between Polly and myself before I answered.

"Hey," I whispered. If he thought my tone was weird, he didn't say. He probably hadn't noticed. Sometimes Jared's permanently oblivious state worked in my favor.

"Hey, how's the trip going?" Jared sounded far more relaxed than usual, and I could picture him in his office sipping a cup of coffee, papers spread out in front of him, laptop with a million tabs open. How he managed to relax amidst such chaos had always been a mystery to me.

"It's going good," I answered carefully. "We added in a few extra stops, so we're a day or two behind schedule."

"Yeah? Polly not giving you too much trouble, is she?"

Oh, she was. She definitely was. But I liked it. I couldn't say that to Jared though. Deny. Deny. Deny. As if he could see me through the phone line, I shook my head when I answered. "No, not really, she'd been pretty good."

"You guys driving each other crazy yet?"

I stumbled into the kitchenette area and fixed myself a cup of coffee before answering. Once the first sip had passed my lips, I said "No, not really. We're having a good time."

"That's great!" Jared's whole voice changed, and I could picture his infectious smile. Then he sighed and I instantly tensed.

"What's up? Is everything okay? What has you calling this morning?" Not wanting to wake Polly, I slipped on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt, and tiptoed out the door. Our room was right by an exit, and I sat on a bench near the front of the hotel, sipping coffee as I waited to find out why Jared was calling. There was a reason, I could tell. I just couldn't fathom what it could be.

"You're not gonna believe this," he said.

I could think of a few things he wouldn't believe as well. Like me and Polly becoming a thing.

"I probably won't, so just spit it out," I said, pushing down my irritation. I hated keeping secrets and this one felt especially huge and inconvenient. Christ, if it were this difficult just talking to Jared on the phone, what would it be like once we were home and all under the same roof?

I had the thought that we'd jumped in with both feet, headfirst, not having any idea what we were really in for. Maybe when we got back to town, I'd start looking for my own place. Besides the fact that Jared was absent minded at times, I really had no reason to stay. I'd moved in to help him manage making it through college while raising his little sister, and well, Polly was raised.

The thought froze me with conflicted feelings. On one hand, my own place meant privacy, being able to do what I wanted with Polly without making her brother uncomfortable. On the other, I couldn't deny the fact that life as I'd known it pre-road-trip was permanently and irrevocably changed.

"Ugh. This merger is killing me," Jared complained, still not getting to whatever the point was. "I need a break."

I didn't say anything, because he was supposed to be on one, but as was his way, he'd put work first. Besides, if Jared hadn't pulled out at the last second, I wouldn't be here, wouldn't be having the time of my life, seeing tons of new things, wouldn't be considering a forever future with the most responsive, sweet, bratty and irresistible babygirl I'd ever had the pleasure of Daddying.

I let my silence speak for itself, and Jared continued. "Anyway, you're not going to believe this. They didn't even really need me to stay."

"What?" I almost choked on my coffee. Anger on his behalf and on Polly's blinded me.

"Well, okay, they did for the first day or two, but they don't anymore."

"Ddi you tell them off? Did you tell them you'd skipped a trip you'd been planning for two years to be there? That you'd put in for the time off a year ago?"

"I did." There was an odd sound and I realized he was tapping his fingers against the desktop.

"Good," I grunted. "So, what are you going to do?"

"Well, I was thinking I'd come and meet up with you guys. I'll fly in and take over driving, and you can head home?"

Fuck. My mind and heart raced. Like hell. I didn't want to head home, but how did I explain that to Jared who had every reason to still think my being on this trip was a favor to him, me stepping up just like I had a thousand times in the past?

"Oh I… uh… my truck," I managed.

"We can swap keys. You can fly home, then use mine for a few weeks."

"I don't… I don't know… when?" I finally croaked.

"I need the day to finish up some stuff, I was thinking maybe tomorrow. I can fly into whatever large city you'll be closest to."

"Oh." Right. That made sense. Jared could be scatterbrained but he was logical and had a lot of common sense. More than I apparently had because he kept throwing very simple solutions at what I was hoping would be insurmountable or at least inconvenient problems.

"So, where will you be tomorrow?"

Crap. Why couldn't I answer simple questions? Because I was still trying to figure out how to convince him not to come without giving away why I didn't want him to come. "I…uhm… I think like… Colorado? We'd be in Colorado by lunchtime today, but not near any big cities. "Colorado Springs?" I answered with a sigh.

"Great. I should be able to fly into Denver then." I could hear the click of keys as he tapped away, checking flight schedules no doubt. "I can get there tomorrow night." More clicking. "After dinner?" I can't find any direct flights earlier than that."

"After dinner is fine," I managed. But it wasn't. It wasn't fine. I didn't want Jared to come. I didn't want to leave. I needed to get off the phone and wake up Polly so we could get a start on our day and come up with a game plan. Maybe she'd be able to convince Jared not to come, since I wasn't doing a very good job.

"Great. Hey, sorry to call so early. I figured you'd be up, trying to get back on the road."

"Uh yeah, I mean, we need to. No worries, I would have gotten up soon anyway." Lies. I would have stayed in bed with Polly as long as I could. I was tempted to do so now.

"Cool. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Great. See you then." My voice actually cracked as I made to hang up, but Jared's voice stopped me.

"Cas, wait!"

"Yeah?"

"Please don't tell Polly I'm coming. I want to surprise her."

Polly

Leaning forward, I played with the radio and once I'd found a station that didn't suck, turned up the volume.

"Don't," Cas barked, reaching forward to knock my hand away from the dial. He'd been in a piss-poor mood all day.

I frowned, and tossed a glare in his direction. "What crawled up your ass today?" I immediately regretted my word choice and braced myself for the incoming lecture, threats, and promise of a spanking later on, but none of those things came.

Cas just shook his head. "The traffic and the roads through Colorado suck. We don't need music blasting, causing a distraction."

I was pretty sure a distraction was exactly what he needed, but if cussing hadn't even done it, I had no idea how to give him one. Or maybe I did.

Thank god for bench seats, I thought as I discreetly unbuckled and slid over to the middle spot.

Cas raised his eyebrows. "What are you doing?" he barked.

I didn't answer, but quickly re-buckled so he couldn't get on me about car safety. I grabbed my blanket from where it was stuffed behind my seat and placed it over my lap despite the fact that it was hot as balls outside.

Cas was shooting me suspicious glances. He'd see what was happening in a minute. With my hands under the blanket, I inconspicuously spread it until it was covering his lap as well as mine.

"What the heck? It's hot as hell outside. Are you cold? Want me to turn off the air?" Cas frowned. "You don't have a fever, do you?"

I ignored him, snaked my hand over until it was on his lap, and holding my breath, reached up his loose basketball shorts until I had his cock in my hands.

"What the fuck?" Maybe nobody had ever given him a road handy before because Cas swerved, and almost drove us into incoming traffic.

That wasn't the reaction I'd been expecting. It wasn't that my feelings were hurt, it was just… something was wrong. Cas wasn't acting like himself today and I had no idea why. My gut twisted with worry. Had I done something wrong? Aside from the road handy? Was he having second thoughts? Was he regretting being with me? Had I gotten too comfortable too fast? Was I being too much?

That was probably it, I realized as I quickly scooted back into my original seat by the window. I'd been a little much. Maybe too naughty, too testy, too eager, too pushy, too demanding. I had told myself to rein it in so many times, but I couldn't help myself. Cas was offering me, giving me, everything I'd ever wanted. Everything I'd needed for so many years. So of course I'd lapped it up like a kitten with a saucer of warm milk. And of course, I'd been too much.

Frustrated both with Cas for winding me up and giving me everything just to take it away, and with myself for just being so… me, I burst into tears.

"What the fuck?" Cas blurted, his head twisting as he looked between me and the road.

Horrified, I shoved my fist between my lips as if I could stop the sobs that were escaping that way.

"What the…" Cas was swerving again, but for a much different reason this time. "Polly, what's wrong?"

Afraid to speak because I had no idea what would come out of my mouth, I shook my head from side to side, still gasping for air and trying to hold back the tears that were streaming down my face.

"Dammit," Cas muttered. He pulled off at the exit and stopped at a well-kept but very busy rest stop.

Shit, shit, shit. Not wanting to talk to him, knowing I wouldn't be able to explain myself, I pressed my eyes shut and refused to look at him. The truck slowed to a stop, and Cas shut off the engine. I kept my eyes closed.

"Polly," he barked. "What the heck is going on?"

"I'm fine," I choked out. My near-to-tears tone clearly said otherwise.

"That's BS. Don't lie to me."

"I just… wanted you," I lied. It wasn't a full lie. I always wanted him. When we weren't in the privacy of a hotel room, my mind was on the next time we would be. I was always reliving the things we'd done and picturing what we could do next.

"Well, I'm flattered, babygirl, but road sex is very dangerous. It's one of those things that should stay on the pages of a book. It's not for real life. It's not safe."

"Okay." I breathed out in a shuddering sigh. "Sorry."

"But that's not what this is about," Cas continued. "You're not having a full-ass meltdown simply because I rejected your offer of road sex. So tell me what the real reason is, cause this isn't you. Start talking, little girl."

The endearment, the one that usually fell from his lips on autopilot, a hundred times a day, the one he hadn't used since before we'd gone to bed last night, broke through my defenses.

"Talk about the pot calling the kettle black," I scoffed, letting my frustration get the better of me.

"What?" Cas, bless his stupid goofy heart, sounded lost. I couldn't blame him. My feelings were valid, but the presentation was a little ridiculous if I said so myself.

"You aren't being yourself!" I finally yelled, popping my eyes open and turning to him.

I saw a flash of recognition and something that looked like guilt, but it was gone so fast I thought I'd imagined it. His eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"Please!" I yelled. "I get it, okay? You're sick of me already. I knew you would be. I'm… a lot. I'm naughty, and bratty and needy, and I don't know… I'm just a lot. I'm too much. You didn't know what you were getting into. How could you have?"

"And you deduced this based on what, exactly?" Cas asked coldly.

"You. You've been weird all day. You wouldn't kiss me this morning. You were cold and… weird. You didn't call me little girl until five minutes ago. You didn't care when I cussed, and…"

"And what?" Cas glowered.

The road handy wasn't a good argument, because he was right, it wasn't safe, and I had no point of context for how he'd react on a day he wasn't acting weird.

"I don't know! You're just acting different, and I can't help but think it's because of me. Like you regret everything. And I pushed you into it, and then I just kept pushing. I liked the attention so much, I just couldn't get enough. I'm too needy and you're obviously tired of me, and wondering what you got yourself into!"

"Aw, hell." Cas raked a hand through his hair and shook his head. I cut him off before he could deny anything.

"It's fine… This was a stupid idea. All of it. If you just… get me to the next big town, I can rent a car, and you can turn around and go home. We just need some space and when I get back in a few weeks, we can just pretend like none of it ever happened." There was no way I'd be able to do that, but Cas didn't need to know that.

"I am going home. Tomorrow."

Cas' soft words echoed in the cab of the truck and I blanched, barely keeping from losing my breakfast. Before I could say ‘fine' or ‘good' or push out some other response I didn't mean, he continued. "Jared called this morning. He didn't want me to tell you, but he's coming to meet us tomorrow in Colorado Springs. He said he could drive the rest of the way and do the rest of the trip and I could fly home."

I nodded. It was starting to make sense at least. Sort of. "And you said yes, because you wanted to, because I'm a lot."

Cas raised both eyebrows and shot me a look that sent shockwaves to my ass and pussy. I knew what that look meant.

"I said yes, because I couldn't come up with a good reason to say no," Cas implored, passionately. "I didn't think you wanted me to say, "No, it's all good, don't come. I'm having fun spanking and fucking your little sister in your absence."

"Oh." I stopped to consider his crude but accurate reasoning. I worried my bottom lip. I had a thousand questions and things I wanted to say, but I couldn't seem to voice any of them. While my brain was shorting out as I searched for a response, Cas undid his seatbelt, scooted across the bench and took my hand in his.

"Polly, I'm sorry I worried you or made you feel like I didn't want to be with you."

"It's fine," I gasped. Tears filling my eyes, I turned my head to the side so Cas wouldn't see them.

"It's not fine. You're right. I wasn't being myself."

I yanked my hand away to wipe at the tears now falling freely down my face. "Why didn't you just tell me?" I hated the way my voice was cracking.

Cas sighed deeply. "Jared wanted to surprise you, and I didn't know what to do. I couldn't exactly tell him it might not be a welcome surprise."

That felt like the understatement of the year. My brother was honestly one of my best friends, and there were a million reasons I'd wanted to do this trip with him above anyone else, but those reasons had flown out the window back in Vegas. It had only been four days, but it felt like a lifetime ago.

"Cas…" I dragged the word out on an unholy whine. "What are we going to do? I don't… I don't want you to leave."

He shook his head, looking as broken as I felt. "I don't know. I honestly don't know. It was easy… it was easy to say we didn't care what your brother thought when we weren't going to see him for weeks, but now that timeline is moved up, and…"

"He'd kill us."

"Probably just me." Cas cleared his throat. "I don't know what to do yet, Polly. I've been trying to figure it out all morning. I've thought about nothing else. That's probably why I've been such a bear."

I wiped my tears one last time and grabbed his hand again. "You promise that's the whole reason, though? It's not because you're having second thoughts because I'm so needy and difficult?"

"I am having second thoughts, but the reasons have nothing to do with you and everything to do with how your brother is going to react."

"I'm sorry." I rubbed my thumb over the back of his hand. "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know." Cas looked like admitting that was killing him. "I don't want to go home, Pol, I know that. I might, but it will have nothing to do with you if I do. Can you understand that?"

"I do." My breaths came out ragged. "Can we just… can we just try to enjoy today?"

"Sure." Cas' smile was forced, but I could relate. "We can try."

Cas

The stunningly beautiful scenery that was the Colorado National Monument made for a decent distraction, but there was a tension that couldn't be denied. It was as if we were both hyper aware of every passing second, bringing our time to a close way too early, but neither of us wanted to talk about what would happen next.

"Come on." I parked the car on a mountain overlook, and handed Polly her camera bag, as well as her selfie stick. "Let's get out and get some good shots."

We'd barely exited the truck when lightning flashed overhead, followed by a boom of thunder that sounded way too close.

"Crap," I grumbled, ready to hop back in the vehicle. "Maybe we should go. At least down the mountain so we can wait for it to pass." I didn't want to get stuck in a flash flood. That would just add to our current pile of problems.

Polly looked heartbroken at my suggestion. "It's probably just a little summer storm," she said hopefully. "Like the ones we get back home."

"I don't know…" I looked up at the dark clouds forming in the sky above us. "I think we should get in the car, Pol." As if to back me up, a new flash of lightning lit the sky, followed almost instantly by a crack of thunder.

"Oh come on, look at those gorgeous clouds!" Polly cried. "The pictures I could get! Can you imagine?"

I could imagine a torrential downpour, and my truck floating down the mountain. "No, come on, get in. We'll grab dinner, go to the hotel, wait out the storm and come back today or tomorrow."

I hadn't even finished speaking before she ran off.

"Polly! Get back here!"

She was already gone. I clenched my fist as the urge to bend her over and spank her right there overcame me, and ran after her. I found her on the edge of a cliff, past the safety rail, with the camera pressed up against her face as she lined up the perfect shot. There were still ten feet between her and the edge but my heart actually stopped for a second when I spotted her. Her back was to me, and I couldn't risk startling her, so I crept up behind her slowly.

"Polly!" I hissed when I was close enough. "Get back here now!"

As expected, she fully ignored me, and kept on taking photos.

"Polly!" Dammit. Shaking my head and planning how I was going to blister her ass later, I jumped the rail myself and prayed I didn't startle her too badly.

I'd no sooner reached her when the rain started. And not just rain. A downpour. With big crocodile-sized droplets. The kind of rain flash floods are made from. And Polly just kept taking pictures.

"Dammit, little girl." I snuck up behind her and looped my arms around her waist, pulling her back from the edge, until I could lift her into my arms and get both of us safely on the other side of the rail.

Turning her in my arms, I reached around to land a good hard smack to her backside—a preview of what was to come—and pressed her soaking wet body to mine.

I could see her pebbled nipples through the fabric of her shirt, and my cock stood instantly at attention. Her hair was plastered to her head in loose ringlets, and water dripped down her face, streaking her mascara. And god, I wanted her. She'd never looked more beautiful.

The ‘Daddy' thing to do would have been to get us both out of the rain, but instead I was mesmerized. My hands cupped her face, and my lips crashed onto hers.

Maybe it was the rain, or the feeling of being so swept up in the moment, but her body seemed to melt into mine. My tongue pushed past her lips as I claimed her mouth in a possessive kiss that seemed to encompass all of the morning's feelings and frustrations. My cock pushed hard against the crotch of her jeans, and for a moment I considered ripping off both our clothes right then and there. Grabbing fistfuls of her soaking wet hair, I yanked her head back, lowering my lips to the curve of her neck.

Her whimper was addictive–my kryptonite. I swear all the blood rushed from my head to my cock, and for a moment, all logic and sensibilities were lost. We were about to have sex on a fucking mountain in the middle of a rainstorm.

We would have too, if a massive crack of thunder hadn't seemed to shake the world around us. Polly screamed, and I came to my fucking senses. This was not safe. If we didn't get down the mountain quickly, anything could happen.

"Get in the car, babygirl," I yelled over the sounds of the storm, releasing her with a smack across her bottom.

She was already gone, running for the cover of the truck as lightning cracked again, lighting the sky. I followed after her, and pulled her door open, helping her in before running around to get in myself. I was already soaked to the bone, the few extra seconds in the rain wasn't going to do any more damage.

When the doors closed, we looked at each other and burst into laughter. Polly's infectious giggle mingled with my own deep belly laugh, echoing through the cab of the truck until we were both wiping tears from our eyes. At least I thought they were tears. I was too wet to tell. Grabbing napkins from the glove box, I took half the stack and handed the rest to Polly.

Once my face was dry and my hair wrung out enough to not drip down it, I shot Polly a look.

"As distractions go, that one certainly worked."

She grinned back at me, squeezing napkins around her curls. "It did, didn't it?"

There was a heavy pregnant silence as we both remembered why we'd been so desperate for a distraction in the first place.

Polly's mouth fell open and her chest rose and fell with lustful panting breaths. Her throat constricted as she swallowed, and I was seconds away from ripping her clothes off right there when thunder boomed around us again, breaking the spell.

"Shit," I swore, shaking off the lust threatening to paralyze me and turning over the engine to start the truck. "We've got to get down this mountain."

Polly just smiled. "I've always wanted to be kissed in the rain, though, Daddy."

Side-eyeing her as I carefully navigated us to safety, I grunted. "Did you also always want to have your wet jeans peeled off and feel Daddy's belt across your wet bottom? Because I swear to goodness, little girl, as soon as we're back to the main road, we're finding a hotel for the night, and that's exactly what's coming."