Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 94220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
“Yes. That’s totally fine with us,” Dad adds. “Anyway, we’ll get out of your hair, but, Zane, again, we’ll make sure to reach out about dinner when we get back.”
Zane’s expression relaxes, and a warm smile slips across his face. “I’d really like that, Mrs. and Mr. Anderson.”
“Oh, please. Ginny and Paul.”
Dad offers him a handshake, and Mom tackles him with a hug. After we all say our goodbyes, Zane and I get in my car.
“Your parents are very friendly,” he says as I pull out of the driveway.
“Yeah, they’re good people, but that seemed like a lot for you.”
“You haven’t seen me interact with anyone other than you. I’m not great around people.”
“No shit,” I tease. “You forget how we met?”
He cringes. “Yeah, but really, my therapist says it might have to do with my childhood. When Mike and I first went into foster care, at the new school, I was kind of out of it, and kids were nasty. Not that they knew what was going on, but they could tell I was off, and I guess like kids sometimes will do, when someone’s different, they came for me. And that only made me even more closed off, and I learned how to skate under the radar.”
I imagine a younger version of Zane, after all that horrifying shit he endured, with kids teasing him, adding to his misery.
“Sorry,” he says quickly. “Wow. Made that a downer real fast. That might be some kind of record.”
“It’s fine. It’s your life. I hope you don’t expect me to be happy-go-lucky all the time. And really, I like that you’re just you. Like when I saw you talking to Mom and Dad, you weren’t pretending to be charming or trying to be someone you’re not. You were the sexy, awkward-as-fuck guy I met a few weeks ago.”
“I think you’ll say anything to get more of this dick,” he says in that familiar, playful way he has.
“Would you blame me?”
He laughs. “No, I definitely would not. But back to the whole not-pretending shit, sometimes in moments like those with your parents, I wish I could summon some super-cool, chill guy who could effortlessly navigate his way through that kind of thing, you know?”
“Eh, well, having been that guy for plenty of my life, I can tell you it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. There’s a lot of fake smiles and small talk that goes nowhere.”
“Yeah, neither sounds like my thing.”
I chuckle. “I agree. Those don’t sound like the Zane I’m getting to know at all.”
But now that we’re talking about this, it brings to mind something else I wanted to ask him about.
“What is it?” he asks.
Can this guy really read me that well?
Regardless, there’s no point keeping it from him. “That Thanksgiving dinner, I invited a friend from college, said if he knew of anyone else who needed a dinner to go to, he should invite them. Obviously, I want to invite you, but if that would make you uncomfortable…”
“Leif, of course I’m coming. I can get over my fucking bullshit to spend more time with you.”
I do a double take.
“Oh, you like knowing that, don’t you?” he asks, and my cheeks warm. “Why is that making you fucking blush? You know I enjoy spending time with you, right?”
“You haven’t said it like that before. I know we do a lot of bedroom stuff, but…”
“Bedroom stuff?” He chuckles. “I don’t know that you’re old enough to mess around with me if that’s what you’re calling me fucking you.”
I laugh. “That’s obviously what I meant. I don’t even know why I said it like that.”
“I assumed you noticed I enjoyed spending time with you beyond fucking. Don’t get me wrong, I like that too, but if there’s any question in your pretty head about what we’re doing, let me be very direct and reiterate that I do. It would make you uncomfortable knowing how much I enjoy spending time with you.”
I sneak a glance, and he wears that familiar determined, deadly serious expression.
God, why did he have to go and say the Zane-iest thing he could say?
It only makes him that much more adorable.
And makes me realize I’m really crushing on this guy.
Me, Leif Anderson, crushing on a dude. That’s not something I ever imagined.
“I enjoy spending time with you too,” I confess.
“Good. Now we should stop talking about this unless you want everyone eyeing me in my gym shorts.”
I reach over to the passenger seat and place my hand on his crotch. “It’s like you got a steel rod in there,” I say, gripping it firmly.
“Okay, that’s definitely not gonna make it better.”
After enjoying a good laugh, I give his cock space, and fortunately, he’s only got a semi when we head into LA Fitness. While I pump weights downstairs, Zane hops on one of the treadmills upstairs, by a rail that gives him a view of the first floor. I’m sure he knows he doesn’t need to keep an eye on me while I’m working out. No one’s gonna abduct me in broad daylight in the middle of a busy gym, but maybe he can’t kick the habit so easily. Or maybe he just likes watching me. Either way, I don’t have any complaints.