𝕬urora settles into the booth, June sliding in on her right with Chelsea following but her attention gets caught by a scowling Luke side stepping Jack to sit down to her left.
Jack rolls his eyes, a smirk ghosting his lips as he sits beside Luke and Emma reluctantly takes the empty seat right next to Jack.
Luke adjusts his entire six foot two inch frame in the cushions beside Aurora, his bare arm accidentally brushing hers as he struggles to fit his legs under the table.
"Can you scoot?", he gestures for Jack to give him some space but the older Hughes simply shrugs.
"If I scoot any more, I'll be touching Emma and I don't think she wants me anywhere near her".
"Damn right I don't", the blonde remarks perusing the menu.
Jack tilts his head in a 'see?' motion and curls back into his seat, apparently struggling with the same problem as Luke's.
Luke's gaze turns to his right, catching onto Aurora shamelessly staring at him.
He bites his lip, glancing over her shoulder before looking down at her again.
"Can you scoot?".
She snorts looking to June, "Is there space?".
June pretends to glance between her and Chelsea then shakes her head.
"Nope".
"Chelsea's small. How's there no space there? You're both tiny", Luke frowns.
June's eyes snap up, her gaze narrowing as she stares at her best friend.
"There is no space, Luke".
"Let me see—", he attempts to lean up only for the table to knock into Aurora's elbow in the process.
"Ouch".
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry", he quickly sits back with wide eyes, she shrugs it off and rubs her elbow but her hand immediately freezes when his palm comes down over hers.
His hand is warm and so big against her fingers, his touch enveloping her skin in a comforting manner and she almost finds herself enjoying the feeling of his skin on hers.
Him touching her after so long.
Is she close to ovulation? Because that could be the only reason for her to be feeling this way right now.
He looks down at her elbow in concern, completely missing the way her eyes linger over each and corner of his face.
"Does it hurt too much? It's not gonna leave a bruise, is it?", he finally looks back up and she snaps herself out of her trance.
She forces a laugh, "I'm not a kid. I'll be fine".
"Yeah, take your hands off her".
It's then that he seems to remember his hand is cradling hers over her elbow and jumps back, tearing his gaze from her and glaring at a smug Jack blinking at him.
He stares at his brother for a few seconds before turning away and hiding behind the menu.
They give out their orders to the waiter then sit back, chatting amongst themselves.
"Still confused why you didn't tell me you were coming here", Luke speaks in a low tone beside Aurora.
She rolls her eyes, blowing her hair out of her face and quickly glances at his very, very sincere expression.
"I'm leaving tomorrow. My flight's at noon. There would've been no time to see you".
"So, you were not just avoiding me?".
"No. Why would I do that?".
He rubs the back of his neck, lifting his shoulder in a shrug.
"Many reasons".
A chuckle breaks out of her and he smiles which weirdly opens up a pit of warmth deep inside of her.
He smiled at her like that that day at the party before leaning in to kiss her.
No. Just . . . . no.
"You're not clingy, if that's what you're trying to say".
His eyebrows rise, "I never said that".
"I can guess though".
"Good to know you think that".
"Yeah", she shrugs, "You're too cute for that".
Her mouth immediately snaps shut the moment those words make it past her lips.
His smile grows and she mentally facepalms herself because that is the last thing she'd ever want to say to him.
"You think I'm cute?", he leans in, grinning.
She tries to look away from his sparkling blue gaze, she really does.
Her eyes involuntarily drop down to his lips which are only inches away from hers and if she leaned up a little, she could press her mouth to his and relive the temptation that possessed her that one night two months ago.
No, no, no.
Aurora blinks rapidly and finds his stare again, he seems to be waiting for her reply with bated breath.
She just looks back without a word.
"Well?", he swallows, attempting very hard to keep his eyes locked with hers.
"Well what?", she asks, dumbly.
"Do you . . .", his eyebrows knit together as he tries to remember what it was that he'd said in the first place, "think I'm cute?".
A loud giggle escapes her mouth at the sight of his confused frown and he rears back slightly, surprised that she's giggling.
At something he said.
"What's so funny?", his lips tip up.
She chuckles, "Nothing", suddenly finding that they've somehow become the center of the entire group's attention.
Chelsea leans in with a grin, "What are you guys talking about?".
Aurora opens her mouth to respond, come up with a half-assed excuse but Luke beats her to it.
"Aurora thinks I'm cute", he states proudly.
June's eyes light up and she smiles widely looking between the two.
Aurora stares up at him in shock before recovering with a scoff.
"I didn't mean it in that sense, I just . . . . never mind. Ignore him".
"No, I wanna know", Jack leans in, resting his forearms on the table.
"Of course, you do", Emma mutters from his left distracting him.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?", he frowns.
Emma glances at June who is now staring pleadingly at her friend then turns back to Jack.
"Whatever you want it to mean", the blonde tips up her chin and narrows her eyes at him, Jack visibly shrinking back into his seat at the look she's giving him.
June exhales.
"So dramatic", she mutters under her breath.
Aurora's questioning stare turns to Luke who is himself trying to understand why Emma and Jack are now engaged in a bickering argument but sensing eyes on him, he glances at Aurora.
Her heart skips a beat the second she sees the tiny smile he directs at her.
Oh, for fuck's sake.
***
luke is honestly so real for saying he buys nothing but food except i buy books too 😔🙏