Peeling off the wrapper, Joy popped a piece of mint gum into her mouth, feeling the cool, refreshing mint flavor spread through her mouth.
Chewing on her gum, she decided to share a cheesy joke that had popped into her head while she was in the restroom: "Do you know why some people's farts are so loud?" Austin asked, "Why?"
"Because they're wearing bell-bottoms, hahaha!"
It was such a silly joke, but it hit right at her sense of humor.
Still, Austin couldn't help but laugh along with her hearty laughter.
Joy wanted to spit out her gum but couldn't find where she had tossed the wrapper. The glove compartment was a bit too far for her reach, and her seatbelt was too tight. Austin pulled the car over, grabbed a napkin, and held it up to her mouth.
Joy spat the gum into it before realizing he might have just been offering a napkin, not expecting her to use him as a trash can.
She looked at Austin, about to salvage her professional dignity, when Austin folded the napkin and tossed it into the trash bag, unbuckled his seatbelt, and leaned closer to her. She moved back until her head was against the car window.
Austin asked, "What are you dodging?"
"What are you doing?" Joy's eyes widened.
"Did you eat garlic today?" he asked, out of the blue.
Who eats garlic raw every day?
Joy, eager to dismiss any awkward past, replied, "Of course not, my breath is fresh!"
Austin chuckled, "Are you genuinely clueless, Joy, or just acting like it?"
Faced with this dilemma, Joy wasn't sure whether to choose ignorance, which seemed unintelligent, or to say she was pretending. Truth is she really hadn't understood what Austin was really asking.
So, she played it cool, "Guess?"
Austin didn't guess. Instead, he gently pulled her closer, avoiding her nose and kissed her.
Their lips met, and Joy froze, staring into Austin's face, so close to hers.
After a brief kiss, he pulled back slightly, "Never been kissed?"
Joy's pride was hurt, and she quickly retorted, "Who says I haven't?"
"Then open your mouth," Austin said, moving in once again.
"Kissing wasn't that big of a deal." She thought. Driven by a sudden surge of competitiveness, Joy not only opened her mouth but, wanting to prove she was a pro, even dared to tick his lips.
Austin sometimes couldn't tell if Joy was genuinely naive or purposely teasing him. If it was the latter, she was quite good at it. But she seemed genuinely naive, looking pleased with herself as if she had gotten the upper hand.
Austin deepened the kiss, their minty breaths mingling.
The kiss lasted an undefined length, leaving Joy a bit breathless. When Austin finally let her go, she licked her lips unconsciously. "Do you need to touch up your makeup?" Austin asked.
Joy flipped down the visor to use the vanity mirror and saw her smeared lipstick. For some reason, her face flushed.
Joy cleaned off the mess and
reapplied her lipstick, while Austin watched her silently, then restarted the car and they continued their journey in silence, the scent of mint lingering in the car.
Joy's few romantic experiences had been nothing to write home about. Despite doling out love advice to her friend Leanne like a seasoned expert, her practical experience was rather limited. Like today, she couldn't fathom why Austin had kissed her.
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