“What kind of music do you like?” He pushes buttons on the dashboard. The radio begins to play.

“Anything. I don’t really have a set type. It depends on my mood I guess.”

Zack glances over to me, our eyes catching for a split second before his return to the road. “What kind of mood are you in now?”

I debate the question internally for a moment. “A singing one, so that means pop.”

His eyes stay on the road, but I can see smile number three in his profile. There’s a slight squint in the corner of his eyes and the caverns of his dimples warm me. “Can you sing?”

“I can.”

He glances at me suspiciously, then back to the road. “I mean, can you sing well?”

“Nope. But I don’t let that stop me.”

He shakes his head. “By all means, go right ahead.”

“Oh. I don’t do solos.”

“You don’t do solos?” he repeats, a chuckle in his voice.

“Nope. I usually have a different duet partner, but you’ll do.”

“I’ll do, huh?” His smile fades momentarily. “Who’s your usual duet partner?”

“My best friend, Ashley, back in Texas.”

His smile returns. “So you don’t have a duet partner here in California?”

“Nope…I was thinking of asking Keller…” I trail off, acting coy.

Zack glances at me, assessing the seriousness of my words. “Cute. Find a rock song. I don’t do pop performances.”

***

The half an hour drive to wherever it is we’re going might just be the most fun I’ve had since Ashley and I were down at the lake last. Not surprisingly, Zack can actually carry a tune— his singing is pretty damn good, especially compared to mine. We pull off the road and drive a few blocks, slowing as we enter a driveway into a park.

“We’re going to the park?”

“Sort of.”

A few more minutes of driving into the heavily wooded park and we come upon a clearing. A huge lighthouse comes into view in the near distance.

“Is that the lighthouse from the other night?” I ask excitedly.

“Yep.” Zack says, looking satisfied with my reaction.

It’s beautiful. I’m not sure if I’m more in awe of the breathtaking structure sitting perched on the edge of land before us, or the boy that remembered what I’d said the other night. I think back to our conversation, about how I’d always been drawn to lighthouses as I watched this one flicker off in the distance. The fact that he remembered something so insignificant during our emotionally intense conversation, tells me a lot about who he is.

We drive farther down the road and I’m surprised the parking lot next to the lighthouse is empty. The sun is just beginning to set and I can only imagine how much more incredible the colorful sky in the backdrop will get. “How come no one is here?”

Zack shrugs. “I guess people take it for granted, forget it’s even here.”

He turns off the engine and comes around to open my door, offering me his hand. The boys back in Texas that I hung out with definitely don’t have manners like Zack.

He doesn’t release my hand, and when he helps me out, we’re standing a few feet apart, facing each other. My pulse accelerates when he takes a step closer to me. He places one hand on the car behind me and with the other gently smoothes my hair.

“Your hair’s a mess,” he says quietly. His words are teasing but his eyes roam my face with an intensity that tells me he isn’t really thinking about my hair.

His hand drops to my cheek, his thumb stroking softly as he moves in even closer. We’re toe to toe, our bodies not actually touching, yet I feel the electricity radiating from his to mine. “You’re different than other girls.”

That’s good, I think? I don’t respond, because I’m not sure he expects me to answer and I have no idea what to say anyway.

“Nikki?” He leans down ever so slightly, but he’s close enough so I feel his breath on my neck. I can’t look up, I’m afraid if I do, I might melt. And it has nothing to do with the heat…not from the sun anyway.

“Nikki?” He calls my name again, this time more forcefully. My eyes jump to meet his. He’s so right there, it scares the hell out of me, but I don’t dare turn away. His eyes drop to my lips. “I haven’t been able to think about anything but kissing you for days.” His voice is low and throaty. I’m amazed that I’m still standing and haven’t dropped to the floor in a puddle.

“All I can think about is your lips. The way they move, the way each syllable forms a different shape and sometimes I see a hint of your tongue flash and it makes me crazy. I want to feel your lips against mine so badly it hurts.”

Closing the distance between us, Zack uses his body to guide mine up against the car. I feel every part of his hard body pressed firmly into mine. Every part. His hand at my cheek drops to my neck and his thumb grazes my collarbone. My skin breaks out in goose-bumps when his gentle hold tightens to a grip. A devilish grin teases at his lips— he likes the reaction his touch elicits from me. His strong hand wraps around my neck and he squeezes gently, forcing my head upwards to meet his stare.

Just as his head begins to drop down, his mouth parting to meet mine, a car pulls up next to us. Directly next to us, in a parking lot full of empty spots. A man’s voice smacks me back into reality.