chapter 6

"So why are you picking me up?" I asked, when Zac began to drive home.

"Emmett was tired, and I was awake, so I offered to come," Zac said. His hair was a little bit of a mess and he was wearing his grey trackpants and a plain white shirt.

"I need to start looking for cars..." I said to myself, looking out the window.

"Speaking of cars, what kind of car is this?" I said looking around the car. "It's not a Chevrolet Camaro or Corvette..." I said pondering.

He snapped his head towards me, and I watched as his smile began to grow.

"What?" I asked.

"How the hell do you know about cars?" He asked, his face looked shocked and he kept looking back and forth from the road to me.

"I grew up with three brothers," I shrugged.

"It's a Chevrolet Chevelle," He smiled.

"So close," I snapped my fingers in front of me.

"What year is it? It can't be the early sixties, maybe late sixties?" I asked, still looking around.

He began nodding his head with a half smirk on his face. 

"1967," he confirmed my suspicions.

"Yes!" I cheered which made him laugh.

He leaned his hand over then and pinched the top of my thigh high boots.

"These are cute," he half smirked again.

"Cute?" I laughed and pushed his hand away. I wasn't really aiming for cute. I was aiming for sexy, aiming for extra tips in my jar kind of sexy.

"What?" He asked.

"I wasn't really aiming for 'cute', but thanks," I rolled my eyes. He looked down at my boots for a moment and then his eyes wandered up.

"What were you aiming for?" he asked.

I looked at him with my eyes wide open, an all telling look.

"I wanted to get tips," I shrugged.

"And did you?"

"Yes," I said. "Great tips actually."

"Great tips from James." 

"Shut up," I rolled my eyes again and looked out the window.

"Okay then, you look better than cute," he says with his eyes on the road.

"Don't just say that to make me feel better." I kept my head facing towards the window, so he couldn't see the blush I felt heating its way up my neck, but I could still feel his eyes on me which sent a heat searing towards my lower stomach.

He didn't respond, so I looked towards him only to catch his head turning away, keeping his gaze firmly on the road as if I didn't catch him staring.

I studied his profile in the silence, acutely aware that he knew I was looking at him. It was unfair how handsome he was even from his profile. I continued to study his masculine features, deciding that the bump at the bridge of his nose was my second favourite thing about his appearance besides his hands...

"How was your day today?" I asked to try and keep him talking. I liked talking to him. He somehow made me feel comfortable and nervous at the same time.

"It was fine," he smiled. "How was yours?"

"It was good." I began nodding my head, continuing  to appreciating his side profile. Dark stubble shadowed his jaw, and I imagined my fingers running up his jaw, feeling the sharp prickles against my palms, against my cheek, between my legs-

I coughed abruptly. Turning my gaze away from him.

What the fuck am I thinking? This man was clearly very attractive but having those kinds of thoughts about anyone was something that I don't usually have and I shouldn't have... Especially for my new roommate.

Zac made a swift park into his spot in the space next to our house. He got out quickly, waiting for me to get out before he locked the car. I avoided looking at him and focused on picking at the skin around my thumb as something to do. We walked together side by side to the front door. Zac with his keys out already, unlocked the front door and held the door open for me to walk past.

"I guess chivalry isn't dead," I say when I walk past him and heard a soft chuckle behind me.

I began taking my jacket off and placing it over the back of the couch. I could hear Zac walking closer towards me and I turned around, leaning back against the couch.

"Thank you for picking-." I began to say but was alarmed by the close proximity Zac had become towards me.

He stood no more than an arm's length away from me. I watched as his eyes wandered across my face, down my neck, to my chest and back up again. I was sure he could see the blush rising from my chest to my face and I could hear how harshly my breathing had become. The way he was looking at me, made my legs feel like jelly and I felt a sudden heat in the pit of my stomach.

With one of his hands, he reaches out towards my face and brushes a stray hair out of my face and tucks it behind my ear. I gasp softly. He lets the tips of his fingers wander down my jawline, his thumb trailing my cheekbone, until his fingers stopped below my chin with his thumb lightly caressing the corner of my mouth.

"Better than cute," he whispers, and his eyebrows furry before he steps away and walks down the corridor to his room.

I was too afraid to look toward him, so I kept my eyes on the front door, feeling confused. What the hell was that and how can I still feel his fingers on me like he has branded a pathway with his fingertips.

I don't remember getting naked or getting into the shower, but I do remember the way his fingers felt and the sound I made when he touched me. I stood underneath the water, numbingly, unsure what to do with myself or with the millions of thoughts racing in my mind. My mind focused on the tingly sensation I could feel in my lip from when he softly touched me there. The burning sensation in my cheek from his hand trailing down, and his words... 'Better than cute' played in my mind like a broken record.

How could a person sleep after such an intimate moment?

I got into bed but stayed awake majority of the night. His words echoing inside my head.

Better than cute.

Better than cute.

Better than cute.

I spent the better half of Sunday morning in bed, the lack of sleep from the night was already beginning to haunt me. I was scared to go outside but knew that I was going to have to at one point or another. When I did arise and leave the safety of my room, the three boys were around the kitchen table eating breakfast.

My eyes quickly drifted over to Zac, but then retreated just as quickly.

The boys clapped and cheered as I came out of my room.

"Did you place bets again?" I asked to no one in particular.

"No," Emmett laughed.

"We're just cheering because you actually put pants on today," Zac laughed which made the others laugh. My nervousness and confusion stopped me from laughing, but after they continued laughing, my smile broke through and I shook my head.

After grabbing coffee and a bowl of cereal, I joined my roommates at the table. I almost felt robotic or zombielike after last night's events.

"So, what's on the agenda today?" I asked, putting my feet up on my seat and bring my bowl close to my face.

"Today is our rest day," Burney said with a newspaper in front of him.

"Sorry I couldn't pick you up last night," Emmett said to me.

"It's fine, I know you must have been so exhausted."

Emmett looked at Zac then. "I told you not to tell her that."

"I had to," Zac shrugged.

"It's fine," I interjected. "I understand."

"Look, Ali, I have training earlier in the morning now, because we're going into pre-training, and it's getting very exhausted staying awake to come and pick you up every night this week," Emmett continued. His eyebrows were pulled together in concern.

"It's fine, Emmett, seriously. I do need to find a car though."

"I can drive you some nights," Zac said.

I turned my head towards him. I would like that very much. The thought of being close to him again excited me.

"Are you sure? Would you take me or pick me up?" I asked, looking at Zac.

"Of course, I'm sure and both, I work Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, I can take you after or before work depending on what time I have work."

"Thank you," I smiled at him. My phone buzzed in my pocket and an unknown number came up.

Good morning, beautiful. It's James. Are you free tonight?

I left the message open on my phone.

"Why are you smiling like that?" Zac asked, reaching over to my bowel and taking a dry flake out to eat.

"I'm not smiling," I said and hit his hand away.

"You were smiling," Burney said, flipping the page of the newspaper.

"I was not!" I laughed.

I picked up my phone to reply.

That depends.

Haha depends on what?

What have you got in mind for tonight?

Dinner and a movie?

Sounds bearable.

Haha It should be.

I smiled to myself but stopped and quickly looked around to see if any of the boys were watching me as I typed my response. I was nervous, my heart rate was racing. I do not know him well enough to go out with him just yet, but at the same time I really wanted to.

What time?

I'll pick you up at six.

C U @6 x

"See, she's smiling," Burney said.

"Oh, shut up!" I laughed.

"Who was messaging?" Emmett asked.

"Someone I met last night."

"That guy who walked you to the car last night?" Zac asked.

"The bouncer?" Emmett asked.

"No, a customer I met last night."

"Ooh miss popular," Burney said with a shake of his shoulders.

"Yeah," I laughed. "He asked me out tonight."

"Cute," Burney leaned forward. "Where are you going?"

"Dinner and a movie. Should be pretty chill."

"Is he cute?" Burney asked.

"Oh yeah, very cute."

"He's a redhead," Zac interjected.

"A very cute redhead," I said and tipped my mug towards him.

"Yay," Burney clapped his hands lightly in front of him.

"Should be fun."

The conversation continued as I finished my coffee.

"Okay so seeing as none of you fake friends have asked yet," Burney said to all of us and Zac laughed softly. "My birthday is next week, and I am planning a party."

"That's cool, where?" Emmett asked.

"Here, you dipshit," Burney almost screamed at Emmett.