Page 115 of Running from Drac

“She is, but pre-meltdown and head shaving. She lost all her hotness when she went crazy.”

He nodded, glancing down at my hand that was resting on his before looking back up at me, his mouth twitching nervously.

Oh, he doesn’t want me to hold his hand.

I dropped it quickly, embarrassed I made a move like that first. “Sorry,” I mumbled.

“For what?” He slicked back his hair and returned to tapping his knee to the music.

“For touching your hand. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” The only thing uncomfortable was the silence that filtered between us.

His tapping stopped as he looked over at me.

“Oh no, it was fine. I just…” He groaned. “Man, I’m such a guy, because I really wanted to be the first one to make a move. That whole dominance thing, I guess. I didn’t want you to think I was a sissy.”

It was too hard to contain my giggles. “You want to dominate me?” His face was so red it could be mistaken for ketchup.

“No…ugh…I mean…shit.” He gripped the steering wheel, and let out another frustrated sigh. “I’m not so good at this dating thing.”

“Do you date a lot?”

We made eye contact again, and he grinned stupidly.

“I’ve been on a few dates, but nothing special. Not like this.”

“What do you mean?” My gaze shifted to my lap as I fidgeted with the hem of my dress.

His hand moved across the seat, so his fingers could stop my nervous fidgets. He laced his fingers through mine, letting his hand rest in my lap while steering with the other. It felt like an electric eel had slipped beneath my skin, sending weightless air, sparks, and pure elation rushing through me. My palms grew slick with sweat, and I hoped he wasn’t put off by their clamminess until I noticed his were just the same.

“There’s just something about you, Amber. I felt the first time I shook your hand, and that time I brushed your skin briefly at the library. Even now I felt the zing. I can’t explain what happens to me but it’s like getting zapped by static electricity. I’ve never felt that with a girl before—ever. You make me nervous, Amber. Girls don’t make me nervous, butyou do. I want to impress you and take my time; I just want to make you happy. That’s not normally me.”

“I felt it too—the electricity thing. It was weird. I’ve never felt that before.”

“I hope it means something good.”

“Me too.” We’re quiet for a while, until he pulled the truck onto a secluded hill, one that overlooked most of Reno and Sparks.

“You up for a little picnic?”

“Sure,” I shyly said, pushing my hair away from my eyes.

He quickly grabbed a small picnic basket from the back of his seat and led me to his tailgate, that groaned loudly in protest when he opened it.

“I’m gonna fix that too,” he said quickly.

“Your truck needs a lot of fixing.”

He chuckled. “She’s a work in progress.” He pulled out a small tray of fruit and cheeses, and then a few chicken sandwiches his mom made for us.

“I just got a job at my dad’s shop, so I’m kind of broke right now. I hope you don’t mind.”

“No, this is wonderful.”

He helped me up on the tailgate and grinned before he brushed some hair out of my face.

“You had hair in your eyes.” His breath caught in his throat as he gently pulled his hand away. “Is it bad that I want to kiss you right now?”

When I didn’t say anything, he took it as an invitation. He dipped in too fast, and I panicked, visions of my previous kissing disasters hitting me like waves.