True Love Waits novel Chapter 1146

As Matthew kept going on her, Erica wasn't sure if his feelings toward her had changed, or if he was just drunk. Either way, his advances weren't welcome. Between his kisses, she tried to remember and to name all the women who were close to him. "Matthew, stop! Don't forget about the girl you really love! It's Paige, right?" The man didn't seem to hear her.

Erica remembered another name. "Phoebe Su?"

That did the trick.

Matthew slowly drew back, and his scent went with him. The desire in his eyes faded away, and his look turned cold. Clearing his throat, he hastily said, "Phoebe is Nathan's love. Don't talk nonsense about me and her!"

"Oh, I see. I guess I was mistaken," Erica replied. In her own thoughts, however, she thought she had little reason to believe his words.

After he let go of her, Erica quickly got off the sofa and put a few paces between Matthew and herself. "Can you walk?"

"Of course I can. Let's go." With that, Matthew practically sprang to his feet, and they headed for the door.

As they neared the black Emperor, Matthew hovered by the door to the passenger seat with his hands in his pockets. Signaling to her with his eyes, he said, "Why don't you open the door?"

"Okay!" Erica obediently opened the door for him, then closed it after him.

Just then she paused, glanced at the car keys in her hand, and suddenly realized something serious. "Are we going to drive home?" she asked awkwardly.

"Of course!" Matthew didn't look up. He was still fumbling with his seat belt.

"Then shouldn't we switch seats? You drive the car and I'll take the passenger seat."

Matthew rubbed his eyes as if nursing a headache. "I can't drive after that wine I drank," he answered. "It's dangerous and against the law. Don't you know that?"

Looking somewhat baffled, Erica began, "Of course I know! But..."

"But nothing! Stop wasting time and get in the car!"

"Fine, then!" Erica's heart thundered as she took the driver's seat. 'This is your order, ' she thought gloomily. 'I hope you won't regret it.'

She completed the first step on her own; she started the engine. A moment passed as it idled in a low, constant grumble, and sweat began to roll down Erica's forehead. Sounding as casual as possible, she said, "Matthew, which pedal is the accelerator and which is the brake? Also, do I need to put the car into gear?"

Though he felt groggier than before, Matthew nevertheless answered her questions patiently. When Erica began to show confidence and asked nothing else, he leaned back in his seat and shut his eyes.

Three minutes later the black Emperor was humming its way down the road, and for the first time in his life, Matthew knew what fear meant.

For a while he kept his eyes shut. Around him he could feel the vehicle crawling along; there was no way Erica was anywhere near the speed limit. Yet every few minutes, somehow she kept needing to slam on the brakes or lurch from one lane to another, and Matthew would hear another car or two screech past.

The moments dragged like hours as this incident repeated itself at least twenty times. By then Matthew was fully awake, though no happier for it. Taking a deep breath and trying not to sound angry, he commented, "I wonder how you managed to get your driver's license in the first place."

Erica stared straight ahead, her white-knuckled hands practically strangling the steering wheel. "I don't have a license," she blurted.

In fact, she had been halfway through a driving course in her past life, before running away from home because of Ethan.

Matthew was generally a calm, unflappable person. But this time, he was truly mortified. "Are you kidding me? What are you doing, driving without a license?"

Putting both their lives in further jeopardy, Erica briefly took her eyes off the road to give him a scathing look. "Because you ordered me to drive! Am I wrong to listen to you?"

Another car swerved past them, blaring its horn, and Matthew reined in his frustration. If he didn't take control of the situation, they would get in a wreck for sure. He said, "Look, at the next intersection turn right. Then pull over to the side of the road and turn on the hazard lights."

With that, he took out his phone and started dialing his assistant's number.

Wordlessly, Erica nodded at his instructions; she was too embarrassed to admit that she hadn't completely understood him. As they drew near to the intersection, she began to turn the steering wheel to right.

Holding the phone up to his ear, Matthew hissed, "Turn on the right turn signal!"

"Okay!" Erica nodded, but did nothing. She wanted to disappear.

"Come on! Hurry! We could get ticketed for turning without a signal."