Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82415 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82415 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
He shoots me a look. “A real date. One where we’re not just recovering from being attacked by some otherworldly monster.”
I laugh. “Now who’s being funny?”
As he grins, he wraps his arms around my waist, tugging me close. “Come on. It’d be fun. Just doing regular boyfriend things.”
“Boyfriend?” I ask, and his cheeks turn a familiar shade of pink before he nods.
“Yeah, my boyfriend. If that’s what you want.”
I didn’t even know how much I wanted it until he said that. “Well, now that you said it, you can’t take it back. I won’t let you.”
I didn’t think he could grin much bigger, but then he does, and a surge of confidence moves through me. Like I’ve been waiting for him to say he’d be my boyfriend since even before we met.
“So you wanna go on a real date with your boyfriend?” Alexei asks.
I don’t hesitate. “Fuck yeah.”
“Something really boring. Like what might have seemed dumb and cheesy before all this.”
I cringe. “I don’t know. I’m not really one for wining and dining, if you’re thinking of a fancy steak restaurant. Although, for you, I’d do just about anything.”
“Fancy steak restaurant? See, we clearly have to go on more dates if you thought that’s something I’d suggest. I was thinking the downtown Lawrenceville drive-in.”
Another rush sweeps through me. That sounds fucking perfect. God, this guy’s great.
“Now that sounds like a real date.” I take another kiss, pushing even closer to him.
My boyfriend.
“Never thought I’d be into a guy,” I say when I finally decide to give his lips a rest. “And now I have one who’s all mine.”
The corners of his lips twist up again.
“You love being all mine, don’t you?” And there his cheeks go again. I kiss one and whisper into his flesh, “Come on. I wanna make you blush all fucking night long.”
It’s not a threat. It’s a promise.
26
ALEXEI
Matteo and I agree on the following Friday for our first real date.
As we ride his Civic to the drive-in movie theater, I notice the butterflies in my stomach. I shouldn’t be this nervous and excited for a guy I’m already calling my boyfriend, but here we are.
After Matteo finds a spot in front of the screen for the movie, we head to the concession stands, where there’s a line leading to the counter.
I flex my hand as an impulse rises within me, and I surrender to it, taking Matteo’s hand, relieved at how he interlocks his fingers with mine. It feels so fucking natural, as though our hands are made for each other the way our bodies seem to be.
“So how big a popcorn do we need to get?” Matteo asks. “Because I have to warn you, I can really throw it back.”
“Uh-oh, this might be a deal-breaker for me because I’m also an animal with the popcorn.”
“So two large? They give free refills, so the person who’s slowest can go get a refill while the other keeps on doing the hard work of getting all the popcorn eaten.”
“I don’t know if you want to do that much running back and forth,” I tell him.
We share a laugh as the line inches forward.
“I’ll also grab a Twix,” I say.
“Ah, a Twix guy, really? I would have pegged you for Snickers all the way.”
“I don’t have any beef with Snickers, but I prefer the texture of a nice Twix bar.”
“I like this first date, Alexei. I’m learning so much about my boyfriend already.”
We’ve both been very liberal with our use of that word since we became official, and I have no complaints.
As the line creeps up a little more, the door pings behind us. I glance over my shoulder and see Seth and Cody walk in. Seth’s gaze zeroes in on our hands, and he smiles as he steps up behind us. “Well, well,” he says. “Look at the lovebirds.”
“We could say the same thing,” Matteo teases, which has Cody and Seth chuckling, but neither contradicts it.
What is going on between these two?
“Since we’re not going home for spring break on account of the whole figuring this shit out with the Saints,” Cody says, “I thought we should at least get out and do something fun.”
“I have a feeling I know what you guys will be up to all through the break,” Seth notes.
“I hope you’re not wrong,” I say.
“I wish I could hold hands with my date,” Cody jokes, and Seth makes a big, dramatic eye roll before taking his hand, which gets Cody laughing. “I mean, if I can just say what I want, maybe I can add that I wouldn’t mind a little action tonight.”
That gets us all busting up.
“You guys are wild,” I say.
We chat some more before Matteo and I are up to order. After the clerk makes our popcorn, we grab our stash, pour our drinks at the fountain, and tell the guys bye before heading back to the car.