Page 74 of The Guy Next Door
I laugh. “Well, I guess I should say I feel like I know a lot about you.”
“Don’t worry, Leif. We have plenty of time to get to know each other better. Now let’s pick a movie. I’m game to try something new tonight. If I get bored, I’ll just fall asleep on you.”
He cuddles up against me, wrapping his arm around my waist, resting his head on my chest.
A rush of warmth radiates from my chest, pushing out through me. I sling my arm over him, resting my hand on his back.
“Yeah,” he says, rubbing his face against my skin, “if I can lie like this, then we can watch whatever the hell you want.”
“If you hold me like this, I guess I could try a horror movie.”
He angles his head so he’s looking up at me. “Aw, that’s sweet, Leif. But we don’t have to do that. We can watchFast932.”
“Shut up. Those are great movies. But no, no, let’s try a horror movie. You know, I never watch that stuff. Could be fun. Let’s see…”
I search under Horror and see a familiar title:It Follows.
Sounds like it could be kind of safe and dumb, so we watch that. Or I should say, I watch that but Zane falls asleep on me halfway through, not even stirring during the screams, and I realize as he’s asleep, with his arms around me, that maybe it’s easier for him to get some rest since he doesn’t have to be alert from across the street, ready to kick his ass into gear if someone breaks into the house.
He breathes heavily, something that’s almost a snore but not quite. I could get used to that sound.
*
I wake withZane’s arm and leg still slung over me, securing me in this position on the bed. His body’s so warm, like a little heater keeping us cozy under the sheets. I adjust slightly, and it makes him grip me even tighter.
“No,” he says. “It’s not time to get up yet.”
I laugh. “I thought you might have gotten up and left after I fell asleep.”
“Someone had to protect you from the scary movie monsters.”
“You didn’t even watch it.”
“Eh, I’ve seen it already.”
“What? Why didn’t you say something?”
“I didn’t realize until we were like thirty minutes into it. That’s why I dozed off.” He kisses the back of my neck gently.
“Well, it freaked me out. I actually didn’t wake you because I felt like the least you could do was stay.”
“You could have just asked. I enjoyed our first sleepover.”
“First? You know my parents will be back.”
“And then you can come sleep over at my place. I mean, after all, it does make my job easier. Nobody’s gonna touch my Leif if he’s in my arms.”
“YourLeif?”
He offers a gentle tug. “I said it. What are you gonna do about it?”
“Does that make youmyZane?”
I feel him smile against my neck, and my cheeks warm. “Depends. Do you want to be my Leif?”
“Yes.” I’m surprised by how fast I blurt that out.
“When Ilsa asked if we were friends, I didn’t like it when you said yes. Made my chest constrict. And that’s when I was like, I don’t want to just be friends with this guy.”