Spark in the Dark

Chapter 18

Shawn was standing in her living room the next morning, watching for Juice to pull up. He had texted her about 10 minutes before saying he'd be there soon. She wondered if she had time to change her clothes again. She didn't want to look like she was trying too hard, especially since they were just going to Yosemite, so she settled on jeans and a black v-neck tee. Now, she was thinking maybe she should have worn a nicer shirt. Before she could convince herself to to change, she heard the sound of a motorcycle coming. She smiled a little and headed for the door. Juice pulled up as she locked her front door. Shoving her keys in her jeans pocket, she also checked to make sure her phone and some cash was in her pocket, too. She opted to not bring a purse while riding a bike.

Finally, she turned and saw him on his Dyna at the curb in front of her house. He had on a pair of dark sunglasses and wasn't wearing his cut. He smiled when she looked. She approached him and smiled back.

"Hi," he greeted her and handed her a helmet. She took it and put it on.

"Hi back."

"Just give me a second. I gotta pull up the directions on my phone."

"You don't need it. I know how to get there."

"Yea?" Juice asked and Shawn nodded as she climbed on the back of his bike. "If you get us lost, you gotta buy lunch."

"Deal. Although, I may get us lost now on purpose."

"Don't you dare. I asked you out, that means I'm buying."

"In that case, I think Lyla owes you money for pizza."

Juice laughed and pulled the bike away from the curb. Shawn lightly rested her hands on his waist.

"I'm assuming you've rode on one of these things before?" Juice called to her over his shoulder.

"Oh, ya know, once or twice," Shawn joked.

She noticed that Juice stuck to side roads through town, trying to avoid anyone seeing them she assumed. Shawn didn't mind. She was no where close to being ready to answer anyone's questions should they be seen. Juice definitely didn't mind. It would take longer this way and having her on the back of his bike was a little fantasy of his. They made it to the edge of town and passed the Welcome to Charming sign. Shawn looked down at the space she had left between them and bit her lip. Before she could talk herself out of it, she wrapped her arms around him and rested her chin on his shoulder. Juice smiled and looked over his shoulder at her. She looked right back. Juice noticed how much her eyes shined and wanted to keep looking, but laying down his bike while riding didn't seem like a good way to impress her.

They rode like that all the way to Yosemite. Shawn only moved away long enough to direct him where they needed to and then move right back to him. They were just outside Yosemite when Juice pulled the Dyna into a parking lot of a restaurant.

"Do you want to eat now?" He asked Shawn.

"Sure, I can eat." He parked the bike in a spot and Shawn got off and took off her helmet. "I probably have helmet hair now."

"Nah, you look good."

Shawn handed him her helmet after he had taken off his own and he pull it on the handle of the bike. When he turned back to her, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into him. He kissed her slowly and would have stayed there longer, but he felt Shawn pull away after a few seconds and he let her go.

"Sorry," Juice apologized. "First time I had the chance to kiss you in public. Couldn't resist."

"Don't apologize. I'm just not used to people staring at me," Shawn explained and turned to look at the restaurant. Juice followed her gaze and saw several people looking through the windows at them.

Juice chuckled and they walked over to the door of the building. He opened the door and held it so Shawn could walk in, then followed her. The hostess saw Shawn then did a double take at Juice. A small smile spread across the girl's lips and Shawn mentally rolled her eyes. She led them to a booth as several people looked their way.

"They are all wondering what a nice girl like you is doing with a guy like me," Juice said quietly after they sat down.

"Really? Because I'm pretty sure all that hostess is thinking about is how to get rid of me so she can hit on you."

"She's not my type," Juice said as he began to look over the menu.

"You have a type? What is it?" Juice looked up at her for a moment. Then he used his hand to motion to her. "Me? I'm your type? What? You like little brunette girls?"

"Well, yea," Juice was starting to look embarrassed by this conversation. "But I mean, like, girls who are sweet, but have kind of an edgyness to them."

"Is this a lady in the streets kind of thing?"

"I guess." He still hadn't looked back up from his menu, so Shawn took a moment to enjoy how adorable he looked when he was embarrassed. A waitress came over and took their drink orders, making Juice finally look back up. "So what about you? You have a type?"

"Not really," Shawn said. She stole Juice's move by pretending to be busy looking at the menu.

"Bullshit. C'mon, I told you."

"Ok, look, IF I had a type, then whatever it was, wasn't working out for me anyways so..."

"So, it's time to change it up, huh?"

"Sure," Shawn said still looking at the menu. Juice laughed. He enjoyed making her squirm like she had done to him. The waitress placed the drinks on the table and took their food orders. After she walked away, Shawn picked up her straw and started to remove the paper wrapper to it.

"So, you're saying I'm not your type?" Juice asked. Shawn responded by placing the straw to her lips and blowing the wrapper at his face.