In His Kiss - Ava Alise Page 0,42
somersault as I smile and walk over to the back passenger door. It's not like Shana and I haven't hung out with guys before but everything about this feels a lot more intense. I'm trying so hard to go into this with a completely open mind but that's the terrifying part. Jordan has always been my safety net… or, should I say, the idea of him has.
Before I get a chance to pull the door open all the way a tall guy with dark brown hair and deep set eyes materializes from around the back of the vehicle.
“Hi,” he says, “I'm Lucas.” He takes me by complete surprise and I can feel the short hesitation in my breath as I take him in.
“Hello,” I say trying to keep my tone even. I offer him my hand because it feels like the right thing to do. God, he really is cute. His eyes are honey brown and framed by dark lashes. He’s built long and lean like a runner with smooth creamy tanned skin and a strong jawline. Shana told me he was cute, but I wasn’t expecting this.
“Man, you’re really beautiful.” His words and the smooth tone of his voice give me goosebumps as his fingers wrap lightly around mine. That line, that corny little line isn’t one I think most guys could pull off in the way he just did. It feels genuine, nice, like he’s as taken with me as I am with him.
“Thank you.” I smile. Oh sweet God, what am I doing here? He reaches behind me and pulls the door open and I nod a thanks and take my seat. The second I get into the car my eyes lock on Shana, who's peering at me through the mirror with a giddy look on her face. Then Lucas shuts the door and walks around the car to join me in the backseat.
“You've met Kyle before,” Shana says, gesturing to her boyfriend in the driver’s seat. Kyle turns his head and smiles.
“Yeah. It's great to see you again,” he says.
“Likewise.”
We pull away and I’m forcing myself not to play with the hem of my shirt as I sit quietly looking out the window. Traffic is light and the car moves fluidly toward the highway. I know I should be making small talk with Lucas but I'm having a hard time looking at him. He wasn’t supposed to be this damn hot and it’s making me nervous.
I end up fiddling with my shirt anyway, but it's something to distract me from the fact that my heart feels as if it’s trying to tear out of my chest. Goodness, I need to breathe before I embarrass myself.
“So, Shana told me a lot about you.” His voice seems to echo in my ears and I swear I almost jump.
“Same here,” I say. “I hear you’re an art major too?”
“Yes, fine arts. You?”
“Art studies.” He smiles.
We continue exchanging small talk as we make our way down the road toward the restaurant. I learn he will be a junior this year and was raised in a town about two hours away with his father and younger brother. His parents were divorced and something about that fact makes him feel a lot easier to talk to. I guess it’s because I know he understands how much family drama sucks.
“Hope you guys like Mexican,” Kyle says as we pull into the parking lot of a huge restaurant with the name Margarita’s displayed on a large sign above the door. I'm starting to relax a little bit more, though pricks of awkwardness continue to crawl up my spine. This feels so weird but if I settle into the date, it might actually go well. The parking lot is pretty full, but once inside, we are surprised to see that there are only two people waiting. A bubbly hostess with red hair and matching lipstick greets us cheerfully. Due to the size of our party, she's able to seat us right away, which elicits eye rolls from a couple sitting on the bench next to the door.
The guys take the lead following the hostess as she winds us through the restaurant. Smells of cheese, beans, and spices permeate from the tables as light music plays through the room. I’ve never been here before but it feels familiar. The textured walls, deep archways and splashes of burgundy and cream colors reminds me of the restaurant my parents used to take me to as a kid whenever