Page 86 of For the Cameras

“Good Lord,” he said, and I could see the pink slashes forming on his cheeks as he blushed. “I thought you were about to say I’m like an alien. Instead you’re complimenting me.”

“Sure, maybe you’re like an alien. But in a good way,” I said. “The best way. Just like Superman. You’re smart, sexy, hilarious, charming, kind to everyone…”

“Now I’m the one who needs to hide under that blanket.”

“Never,” I protested, tossing the blanket away and leaning over Adam’s body, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. I nuzzled near his neck, pressing kisses onto the spot just above his collarbone before moving up to his lips.

He kissed me back softly, his hands skating toward the small of my back.

“I see how it is,” he murmured. “You think you can get out of the superhero argument by kissing me.”

I hummed, leaning down to nibble on his earlobe. “Maybe.”

He sighed. “It’s working.”

“Did you shower right before I came over?” I said softly, burying my nose in his lightly scented hair. “God, you smell so good.”

“You smell good, too,” he said, stroking his fingertips along the small of my back. “You always do, though.”

He was holding my gaze, and suddenly my heart felt like it was too big for my chest. I felt like I wanted to fuck him, of course. I always wanted that. But I also wanted… more.

And I didn’t know what thatmoremight be.

Now my heart felt like it was pounding like a drum inside me. I leaned back on the couch, sucking in a lungful of air. Another glance at Adam’s eyes made me feel like I was only being pulledin deeper. Like some part of me belonged to him, even though I knew that was silly.

I cleared my throat, breaking eye contact before I felt like I was going even crazier.

“We can start up the movie,” I said, reaching down to hit play on the stream.

He sat up straighter on the couch. “You all good, Chase?”

“Good,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck. “I’m good. Going to grab some more beer from the growler.”

I grabbed my pint glass and headed into the kitchen. It was a total mess still from the renovations, but I grabbed the jug of beer out of the fridge and put it on one of the work tables nearby.

I leaned over the table, pressing my palms against the surface and taking a slow breath in.

What the fuck was wrong with me?

And what was I afraid of?

I was having an amazing night with Adam. Sure, he’d met my family, and we were about to hang out in a way thatdidn’tinvolve our cocks being on camera.

But Adam knew me.

He knew that there was never going to be anything between us romantically. Knew that I was about as emotionally unavailable as a disco ball. He wasn’t demanding anything more from me than my usual, fuck-around, no-strings-attached self.

But that didn’tfeellike myself, right now.

Which made me question just about everything I’d built my life around for years and years.

I couldn’t let it get to me. Nothing had to be weird ifIwasn’t weird about it. I poured myself some beer and headed back into the living room, putting on the version of myself that I’d gotten comfortable in.

“Fuck yeah. Let’s watch this movie,” I said. “By the way, you look really fuckable when you’re arguing about superheroes.”

He gave me a sweet smile. “You’re too nice to me.”

Good.