Luca's p.o.v
They look great on you. It kept ringing in my head. Was that her way of trying to be friends again? Why would she complement me? Was that a compliment?
No, it can't, she doesn't like me back.
The bus was almost there at the stop I needed to get off.
"See you on Monday." I told everyone grabbing my bag and heading towards the door.
The bus stopped and I walked out looking down, careful not to slip on the snow.
As I heard the bus door close I turned around and saw Shay had gotten off here too.
I almost got a heart attack.
"I thought you..Is there a bus you can get here?" I asked her.
"Mm yeah." She stood next to me and crossed her arms to keep warm in the snow.
I hate to admit it, but I was happy about it. These days I was feeling less and less angry about the fight and more annoyed with myself letting a chance like that slip.
The silence was getting awkward.
I pushed the glasses up my nose. What should I say that sounds natural?
"You should wear those glasses more often." She said breaking the silence. "Like in school and stuff."
"I prefer the contacts in public. It's easier..."
"then I guess only I'll get to see you in them. " She said without looking at me.
I was trying to get it through my head. What just happened?
Her short hair fell perfectly over her face. She pushed back a strand that was near her mouth and then looked down at her boots.
The cold had made the tip of her nose red and her eyes bright. She pushed her hair back again, this time bit more nervously.
I had a hard time understanding why this gorgeous girl was even nervous around me.
I turned towards her getting my hands outside my pocket. "What does that mean?"
She glanced up and took a step forward. "Don't make me say it."
"Say what?" I said intrigued.
"You're gonna make me say it." She gritted her teeth. "I was wrong."
"Wrong?" I couldn't help but smile. What was she trying to say with this?
"I shouldn't have shut down your idea before trying it. I didn't want to quit that fast and it bothers me that I did."
I covered my mouth finally realizing what she meant. "You want to continue dating?"
Her face went pale. "You didn't change your mind did you?"
It took everything in me not to jump and say fuck no.
Instead, I tried to compose myself. "I promised you that apology is not going to cut it."
"I know."
"I said you'll crawl and beg too."
"Don't push it." She raised her finger and then took a step closer. "If it's fine with you I wanna try this dating thing again. I'll be more open-minded next time. I'll do what you suggest we do."
I put my hands back into my pocket. "Will you?"
"Yes." She promised.
"Then let's go to my apartment. There's no one there now anyways."
She paused for a moment hesitating. "Now?"
"Are you in a rush somewhere?"
It was a bit of a test. I wanted to know if she's going to find an excuse to avoid this or actually go for it.
She put in a determined face. "No. I'm free."
"Then let's go." I said pushing it.
However, there were no traces of doubt in her.
***
I tossed the scarf and the jacket on the hanger and kicked off the heavy boots. Shay walked in confident and passed me her jacket while she unzipped her boots.
"Should I get you tea?" I asked.
"Yes please. I'm freezing." She walked in first, found the living room, and then sat down on the couch, putting the tv on like it was her home.
I put the tea bags in the mugs and poured the boiled water over them.
"Lemon and honey?" I asked.
"No." She replied.
I brought the mugs over and handed her one.
After she took it I kept my arm extended.
She glanced down at it.
"Come on. Let's go to my room." I said.
I could see the surprise go through her eyes, then she placed her hand over mine and got up.
She really wasn't going to show me any weakness.
Holding her hand I took her to my room and closed the door. Outside it was already getting dark, and the light in the room was faint.
She sat on the bed holding the mug.
"Just leave it on the study desk." I told her while placing mine on it.
I squatted down pulling out a box.
"What's in there?" She asked leaving her tea mug.
"The camera." I said pulling out the camera and the lenses.
"That's a professional camera." She glanced over my shoulder as I put the lenses on.
"My dad likes taking pictures during nature trips. He's invested."
"Interesting."
"I borrowed it, hoping you'd agree to the photoshoot." I glanced at her. "But you didn't."
"I'm here now, aren't I?"
I turned around still on my knees, facing her. "You're sure you want to do this?"
"Where do you want me?" She smirked, but there was a slight change into her tone. She was nervous to do this.
"Let's start on the bed and see where we end up." I smiled.
"Close up or wide?" She asked.
"wide." I brought the camera up, fixing the focus and the lighting.
She lifted her hair slightly up and looked straight into the camera with her piercing gaze.
I looked up from the camera to see her properly.
"Did you take it ?" She asked pulling her sleeves down her hands.
"Um.. no." I looked down at the camera putting on the black and white filter. "Thought black and white filter fits you better. Let's do it one more time."
She posed again and I started taking pictures.
I could understand why she was getting paid for modeling. With every picture, she was getting more and more relaxed and the pictures turned out even better.
Not only did she pose deliberately for every photo, but she paused while I was getting my angles.
"You know.." she looked down nervously. "The photographers usually talk to me when I'm taking pictures."
"Like what?" I clicked one more picture and then looked at her.
Her eyes lit up like she got an idea. "Let me give you an example." She took the camera. "Pose."
"Are you serious?"
"Yes." She said with a determined look on her face. Was she trying to prove a point or something or just get me nervous like I did with her?
I ruffled my hair back and took off my glasses.
She brought the camera up fixing the focus. "Look at the side. I'll do wide photos."
I glanced aside and then she clicked a picture. "Oo that jawline looks perfect. Let's do that one more time."
I burst into a smile.
"Oh yes." She took two more pictures. "That smile is so sexy."
I looked at her. "Are you for real?"
"Keep posing." She ordered.
She crawled off the bed on the ground taking shots from a low angle. "Just like that. Look at the camera. Oooh perfect. You're a god. You're turning me on with that look."
"Okay enough." I put out my hand so she stops and climbed off the bed.
"You're doing so good." She avoided my hand and basically laid down on her back to take a picture.
"Enough." I feel over her trying to grab the camera away from her.
I held her wrist and she looked at me with curious eyes.
"Don't say things you don't mean," I placed the camera on the bed.
"Who says I don't mean them?" She smirked. "What part sounded like a lie to you?"
I glared at her. She really knew how to play this game.
A bit irritated she got me agitated, I leaned over her. She instantly backed down.
"Don't tempt me."
"To do what?" She boldly asked, her eyes fixated on mine.
I leaned even lower. "To do something I wanted to do a long time ago."
Her eyes kept being focused on mine. She was nervous again.
I straightened up. "Forget it. Let's just.."
She pulled my sleeve. "Why don't you just go for it?"
"What's the point?"
"Well, maybe I'll feel something if you kiss me." She said.
I pulled my hand and she released the sleeve. "No."
"I'd kiss you first right now, but I want you to do it." She rose up in a sitting position looking down at my lips.
"Kiss me."
She really wasn't fair. How can I say no to her? How do I refuse something so willingly given?
It was like refusing a birthday present or your favorite dessert.
I brought my hand up touching her cheek slightly.
"Are you going to make me crawl and beg for this too?" She said softly.
I brought my hand down to her throat and then moved over her, pushing her down to the ground.
Holding her pinned down I kissed her.
I was uncertain about this so I kissed her slowly. Yet I couldn't repress the urge that I wanted her.
She glided her lips over mine returning the kiss and then wrapped her legs around me.
I opened my eyes breaking the kiss. She was looking at me equally surprised.
The look in her eyes was saying enough. Kiss me again.
I leaned over her again and this time she wrapped her hands around my neck, sinking her fingers in the back of my hair.
I ran my hand over her body and then squeezed her waist.
The kiss got wet and hot very fast.
"Can we... do this on the bed? It's... cold here." She spoke between kisses.
I placed my hands underneath her back lifting her up.
"Damn." She chuckled surprised.
I rose up holding her and then dropped her on the bed.
She leaned on her elbows, her hair messed up and her lipstick a bit smudged.
Fuck, she was hot.
I got on top of her, and continued kissing her.
I nibbled on her lower lip. "Any feelings yet?"
"Many..I just can't tell them apart yet." She answered and then kissed me back this time slowing the kiss down for me.
Her hands traveled down my back over the hoodie.
I kissed her neck, hoping to elicit a reaction out of her but to pay me back she blew air gently near my ear and I lost it.
It was up.
Holding her legs around me that tightly I was sure she noticed.
I stopped kissing her and rose up in a sitting position. She had a playful look on her face.
Think this is funny do ya?
I tapped her thigh twice, to let go of her grip.
"And to think you were an asshole to me two times in a row." She grinned, still keeping her legs around me.
"And every time I am one, I get my way." I smiled.
"Am I fucked up?" She chuckled amused with herself.
"Who needs sanity when you're that hot."
She laughed and reached behind her putting a pillow underneath her head. "I wanna kiss some more. Can you kiss me without going further?"
I was already leaning over her again. "It's gonna be torture."
She welcomed me, wrapping her arms around me immediately and sealing any space between us with a kiss.
She was fully enjoying the kiss, moaning, moving her tongue playfully, turning her head slightly just so I can kiss her neck and then go back to her lips again.
I put my hands underneath her shirt grabbing her bare waist and moving closer between her leg.
Shit. This was driving me insane.
"The problem is.." I kissed her neck. "If you don't want us doing something more.."
"Iike.."
"Fucking."
"Aha.."
"We need to stop now!"
She placed her hands on my chest. "maybe we should.."
"That's not why I brought you home."
"It sounded exactly like that when you asked me to come over."
"I know." I touched her chin. "I just wanted to see if you're willing to risk everything as I am doing this with you." I smiled. "But I'm not going to sleep with you. Not today."
She nudged me to get up. "Ah you tease..Fine."
She was not happy about it. But I was..
We both got up and I leaned my back on the cold wall trying to get a breath.
She leaned next to me and suddenly took my hand, intertwining our fingers. She stared down at it like she was trying to get a feel out of it.
I held her hand in a tighter grip. "Handholding?"
"I don't know..." She looked at me. "I wanted to hold your hand."
That gave me a slight shudder, but I tried not to let that make me want to jump her again.
I tried making some awkward conversation to keep the tension light. After a slight pause she talked again.
"I like your voice. It gets hoarse after kissing."
I brushed her hair behind her ear with my other hand. "You've been saying you like a lot of things about me today."
"I want to say what I feel at the moment. " She smiled. "And if I continue doing it, I might start feeling something more."
I glanced at her, but didn't say anything.
For some reason... and it might just be my wishful thinking, but after today, it feels like she is already there.