Sweet Nothings

Chapter 1

Author pov

Hannah walked down a pretty old street in Amsterdam. The evening was cool, and the air smelled of rain and flowers. Her long dark hair was a bit messy from her trip. She stopped in front of a nice orange house with three floors. This would be her home for the next year while she finished college.

She took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. She thought her cousin Jacob would answer, but instead, a stranger opened the door. He was tall with messy blonde hair and very blue eyes. Hannah was stunned to speak, she was mesmerized.

"You must be Hannah," the man said with a friendly smile bringing her out of her trance. He had a slight German accent. "I'm Lucas, Lucas Marco, Jacob's friend. Jacob just went to buy some food. Come in – I'll help you with your bag."

Before Hannah could say anything, he picked up her heavy suitcase easily. She couldn't help but notice his flexed muscles as he carried the bag.

"So, you're Jacob's cousin from America", he said, putting down her suitcase. His blue eyes looked bright and interested. "Why did you come to Amsterdam?"

She pushed back a strand of her hair, "I'm doing my last year of college here," she said. "I've always wanted to see Europe, and Jacob said I could stay with him. It was too good to pass up."

He nodded and smiled. "You'll love it here. Amsterdam is a very pretty city."

Hannah glanced up at him and smiled. "And it looks like I'll be surrounded by very cute men."

He chuckled at her comment, his eyes sparkling. "Flirting already, are we?"

She blushed a little but maintained eye contact. "Can you blame me? You have a very charming smile." he gave her an amused look. "So, the American girl has a thing for Europeans?"

"I have an appreciation for good-looking men regardless of nationality," she said with a playful grin.

He chuckled again and leaned against the wall, his muscular arms crossing over his chest. "And I'm assuming I fall into that category?" she pretended to assess him more thoroughly. "Definitely," she said, her eyes twinkling. "Tall, blonde, muscular... yeah, you're ticking all the boxes."

He raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the sight. "I'm glad I meet your standards."

She stepped closer, her heart beating a little faster. "You do indeed. And the accent is a bonus."

He chuckled again, a hint of surprise in his eyes. "You're quite forward, aren't you?"

She smiled and took another step closer, almost invading his personal space. "When I see something I like, I don't see any point in hiding it."

She took a deep breath, feeling the chemistry between them. "You're making me blush," he said with a fake dramatic gasp. "Careful or I might start thinking you actually like me." She chuckled and took another step closer. "And what if I do?" she teased, her hand lightly tracing a pattern on his arm. His breath hitched at her touch, but he maintained his playful tone. "You're quite bold, aren't you?"

He leaned just a little bit closer, their faces now just inches apart.

Their moment was suddenly interrupted by the sound of the front door opening. Jacob walked in, carrying grocery bags, followed by a few of his friends.

"I'm back!" Jacob announced, spotting Hannah in the living room with Lucas. "Looks like you two have met." She quickly took a step back from Lucas, pretending she wasn't just moments away from flirting with him shamelessly. "Yes, we've met," she said. He gave her a quick glance, still trying to clear the intimate tension from the air.

Jacob dropped the grocery bags on the counter and hugged her warmly. "It's so great to see you," he said with a smile. Jacob turned towards his friends, who had entered behind him. "Guys, this is my cousin Hannah," he said, gesturing towards Hannah.

The boys smiled and greeted her, introducing themselves one by one.

"I'm Alex."

"Julien."

"Louis."

They were all tall and good-looking, but Hannah's eyes kept darting towards Lucas, who was trying to appear casual among his friends.

Jacob grabbed a beer from the fridge and handed it to her. "You must be tired after your flight. Make yourself at home, and we'll get pizza and drinks soon."

Hannah accepted the beer and thanked him, sneaking a quick glance at Lucas. He was chatting with his friends, but she noticed his gaze occasionally drifting towards her as well. "I think I'll head to bed," she said, feeling a little tired from her long trip. "It was great meeting you all."

Jacob looked at her with a concerned expression. "Already? It's not even night time yet."

She just gave him a tired smile and excused herself. "I'm just really exhausted from the flight. I'm going to take a quick nap before dinner." Jacob nodded understandingly. "Sure thing. Sleep well. We'll wake you up when the pizza's here."

She bid everyone goodnight and headed up the stairs, her mind still feeling a little fuzzy from Lucas's presence. But exhaustion overpowered her thoughts, and she entered her room, eager to rest. She closed the door of her room and leaned against it, sighing softly. She was happy to be here but couldn't shake off the memory of Lucas's smile and his muscular frame leaning against the wall.

Shaking off the thought, she looked around the room. It was simple yet cozy, with a bed, desk, and a closet.

She changed into some comfortable pajamas and flopped onto the bed. She closed her eyes, letting the exhaustion take over, hoping that sleep would help her forget about the attractive man downstairs. Yet, as soon as her head hit the pillow, her mind went back to Lucas. She couldn't help but replay their earlier conversation in her mind. She felt a little embarrassed for being so forward, but there was something about him that drew her in.

Trying to distract herself, She tossed and turned in the bed, struggling to fall asleep. The image of Lucas's smile and the memory of his touch on her arm kept playing in her mind.

After what felt like an eternity, She finally fell into an uneasy sleep.