(This cover was almost the official one. I want that sweater!)

After thirty minutes of complete silence I broke. I couldn't take it anymore. Turning a bit in my seat I looked over at Knox. He looked so in control sitting there, one hand gripping the steering wheel while the other was casually draped on the arm rest. He didn't seem at all concerned about the snow alongside the road. If I was driving I would have been white-knuckling it the entire time.

"Tell me some things about you." I suddenly spoke.

"Like what?" His voice was gruff.

"Did you grow up in Burlington?" Lets start off simple.

"I did."

"Woah, easy there on the information." I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

"What do you want from me?" Knox snapped, finally turning his head to look at me. I froze at those cold green eyes staring at me. Somehow he managed to glare at me and still keep an eye on the road.

I wasn't going to let him get to me though. No I am going to take the high road.

"I want to get to know you. We are going to be together for five days so we might as well get use to it." I crossed my arms. When he didn't answer I inwardly silenced the urge to strangle him.

"Okay fine, I'll go first. I absolutely hate roller coasters." I wasn't a fan of heights or being flipped upside. "Your turn."

Knox acted like he wasn't going to respond. But we had time, we had two hours to kill and I had plenty of patience. We sat quietly for a good five minutes before he finally sighed loudly.

"I hate Bananas."

"Bananas." I echoed, grinning at the small piece of information he gave.

"Anything flavored banana too."

"That's me with Cherries. I'll eat a cherry pie if I have to but the rest are gross."

"I think everyone hates cherries." Knox pointed out to which I nodded in agreement,

"See I already know you a little bit better." I beamed over at him. He just grunted.

A small part of me fell in disappointment. I was hoping to get him to talk a bit but he clearly didn't want to. We've only been around each other a few hours and I already know you can't make Knox do anything he didn't want.

I couldn't be too mad about it though. We did just meet and in his eyes I'm a complete idiot. I mean who asks a random person to be their boyfriend over Christmas? A crazy person that's who. Maybe I was.

"You do realize coming home without a boyfriend isn't going to make the world end." Knox's deep, raspy voice brought my out of my thoughts.

"You'd think so." I snorted. "Every christmas I've been the butt of the 'old-lady' joke in my family."

"Do you have a big family?" He glanced over at me.

"Not really. I do have two older brothers just beware." Although if anything I think my brothers better look out.

"How much older?"

"Well Jackson is 27, so two years old. Then Lucas is 29. He is married and has two kids so I guess our family has gotten bigger."

"You're 26." He said it almost in surprise.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No, just surprised. You seem older."

"Wow thanks." I deadpanned. Not really something you want to say to a girl.

"You just act more mature." He elaborated.

"Certain things happen in life that make you grow up faster." I responded softly. I felt the mood shift as I turned in my seat to face the window. I knew I was shutting down and I didn't mean to, didn't mean for his respond to flip the switch inside of me.

Despite feeling Knox's eyes on me I ignored him and continued on staring out the window.

* * * * * * * * * *

Knox

I could literally see the walls come down around Aubrey. Just a simple sentenced seem to set something off inside of her. I opened my mouth to apologize but her body language let me know she didn't want that right now.

I wasn't quite sure what I said wrong. A quick glance at Aubrey let me knew there was more to whatever this was, but I wasn't going to force her to talk. One thing I learned from being in the Marines was you don't push someone to talk. They will eventually tell you when they are ready. Plenty of my men were that way.

I turned my attention away from Aubrey and focused on the road. My inner voice once again asking why I was driving two hours away with some girl I just met for Christmas. What was wrong with me?

You are doing this for Olivia. I chanted. Glancing at her through the review mirror I found her already asleep. She needed to get out of that house. Away from the memories. I wanted her to have a great Christmas; especially after everything that happened last year. And she was going away to college next fall.

Even if it was going to a strangers house for the Holiday. If it made her happy then I was to. I already felt bad enough being gone most of her life. Having missed 8 Christmas's, I want to make sure this is the best one yet. If I had to put up with Aubrey to do so than I will.

She isn't bad. My inner voice argued. She may be weird for putting up an ad for a boyfriend but she seemed fairly normal. I've definitely dated....or more like hooked up with far crazier women. But then again I don't know anything real about her.

There has to be a reason she doesn't have a boyfriend. From the sounds of it she hasn't had one in a long time and her family keeps nagging her about it. I guess that's where I come in.

The idea of faking that I liked Aubrey was going to be hard. I'm not a relationship person; I haven't been in one in years. Having to convince her family, her father, that was going to be out of my comfort zone. I can't even remember the last time I met a girls family.

I just really hope at the end of this week nothing has changed and we go our separate ways. I did not want or need someone in my life.