Kissing Strangers

Shame: Kissing Strangers [Prelude]

As the car rolls to a stop against the curb, you can hear the gears shift into park, the engine shutting off with a soft *click*. You pull your eyes from the window, turning from the dark outside world to face the person you'd spent all evening with.

After dinner, your friend Rashad had dropped you off with his friend Erik as his house, him offering to drive you back to your place since you lived close and Rashad didn't.

You both had shared a pretty fun night, especially considering it was your first time meeting him, so you didn't see the harm in having him drive you a few blocks to your place. Worse case scenario, if he turned out to be a psycho, you would just have to duck and roll out of the car and walk yourself the rest of the way home.

Everything was going fine until the moment he'd helped you up into his tall '95 Ford Bronco, and his hands latched onto your waist to securely hold onto you until you were seated. He'd even gone as far as buckling you in, too, muttering something about the seatbelt being 'tricky on this side' as he pulled the strap across your chest.

You would have paid more attention to what he was saying except your eyes were locked onto the gold chain that hung from around his neck, and the small muscles resting atop his shoulders that you could see peeking through the neck hole of his shirt, distracting you a little.

Your mind only came back to you after you heard the seatbelt click into place, and when he pulled back to give you one last once over, his eyes hovered on your lips for a second too long, and you swore you could hear a tiny little groan escape his mouth as he licked his lips.

After that, you'd completely clammed up, not saying anything, and the both of you drove to your house in complete silence. All you could think about on the way back was how you'd acted that night with him and the things you'd said, your mind playing a constant loop of the memories over and over again in your head.

Did you... miss something?

Surprised wouldn't exactly be the right word to describe how you were feeling (you were hot, he was... foinee... it made sense).

Shocked would have probably better encompassed your response, though, because you truly didn't see that coming. Especially not from someone like him.

You'd never been so blatantly hit on before, so you really weren't sure what to do in this situation.

Like every other girl, you'd unfortunately experienced the gross catcalling or lame ass pickup lines weird ass dudes tried to spit at you, but not much past that.So for Erik to be so forward with what he clearly was feeling for you... you weren't prepared for that.

Clearing your throat, you start.

"Erik-"

"Y/N-"

You both speak at the same time, words overlapping each others.

"Sorry," he weakly chuckles, clearing his throat. "You first."

He unbuckles his seatbelt, shifting his body towards you and giving you his undivided attention. His brown eyes look so warm and comforting, and the way he's looking at you makes your insides do somersaults.

Nah, you can't do this.

"Erik I don't think we should-"

"Go out on a date with me." Instead of overlapping this time, his words cut yours off, and your mouth hangs open from your unfinished sentence.

Your stuck, brain trying to digest the words you just heard.

He closes his eyes, a slow smile spreading on his face.