"Little Girl" - lrh

20.5

"Where are you going?" She looks up from her phone and I see it beginning to slide out of her hand before she clutches it tight. I smile, bowing and offering a hand to her. The blush on her face is probably the deepest red I've ever seen on her and she looks hesitant to take my hand. "Surprised?"

"What the hell are you doing here? I-I thought you were going out, alone?" Chuckling, I straighten up and pull her chair out. "Dad." Alice speaks quietly and quickly I'm shaking my head.

"Tonight, I'm Luke," I gesture her to sit down. It takes her a long moment to stare at me before blindly plopping down in her chair. I drag the other chair across the floor and place it beside her, sitting myself down. Taking hold of her hand is like taking hold of an ice cube: freezing and sweaty. "what's wrong, baby girl?"

"Was. . . Was this yours and Michael's plan?"

"As much as I'd like to take even the slightest amount of credit for this idea, it was all Michael. I uh, I really owe him," I laugh lightly, rubbing my thumb across her knuckles. "he said he'd help us, keep us undercover and help us go on dates. He's holding true to that." I bite my lip; I have one more surprise for her tonight and I'm dying to tell her but I want to keep it a surprise (until at least after dinner).

"Well," Alice breathes out a laugh, holding on to my hand so tight I think it's going to fall sleep. "I have a lot of apologizing to do, to both of you." She looks up at me with her bright eyes glistening under the dim light. They look darker than what I'm use to, but I can see the stupid shine she gives off when she looks at me. Like a look of admiration that I both love and despise.

"I forgive you," I whisper, bringing her hand up to my lips and kiss it repeatedly, my eyes closing. "I'm sorry, for yesterday. I-I wish I understood what was going through my mind when I blanked."

"I forgive you, Luke. I overreacted. You weren't doing anything wrong. She's-" watching her speak is difficult when she looks so heartbroken over the topic. I rest my thumb over her lips and smile lightly.

"I want you to enjoy this night, just me and you," leaning over to kiss her results in me almost falling forward in my seat. Alice has moved herself back and her eyes are roaming over the entire restaurant. "what?"

"Y-You're going to kiss me? H-Here?" I cock my head and my eyebrows come together, trying to see if she's being serious. "There's a lot of people around us, Luke."

"Baby girl, they don't know us," I pull her chair as close to me as I can make it, the screeching against the floor causing a few heads to turn, and lift her chin up so I can look in her eyes. "I told you, it's just me and you." She hesitates. It's hesitation that makes everything harder for us; the feeling of someone catching me kissing this little girl is what breaks us down. I stopped hesitating when I (partially) accepted that I am in love with Alice and will do everything in my goddamned power to make her my girl. But, she's still frightened. It's all over her. You can feel it in every fiber of her being when you even just graze your fingers against her skin. It drives me nuts, I just want to grab her by the face and hold her so close to me so I can whisper 'everything is okay' and kiss her until we're out of breath.

What was I thinking that I loved Jess like this? God, I did love her, but never like this. Alice sends my heart into overdrive, and I can literally feel my pupils turn into hearts whenever I look at her. And looking into her eyes is like looking into . . . nothing. What can you compare it to? A mood ring? Her eyes are green but sometimes look blue and she gets mad at me when I say they're blue. They have a weird yellow in them too and I ask her if she's sick and she rolls them at my stupidity.

She has beautiful green eyes that are gazing up at my blue ones right now, waiting for me to do something. "Were you only bluffing?" Alice whispers. My eyes graze over her features, landing on her awaiting lips, her tongue trying to peek out. She's too innocent to do something teasing like that. Not on purpose, at least.