The Guy Next Door

Chapter 19

19

LEIF

Z ane arrives at my place early to help me prep for my Thanksgiving Day celebration. As I pull out the oven rack to check the thermometer in the turkey, he stands at the adjacent counter, grating cheese onto a plate for the mac and cheese.

“You think that would disturb Kyra?” he asks, glaring at the turkey. “Seeing a huge-ass bird in the oven?”

“Might make her feel safe since she knows she doesn’t have nearly this much meat on her.” I push the rack back in and close the oven. “Might cut down on how much she eats, though.”

Zane chuckles, and I approach him, inspecting his work. “Yeah, the rest of that’ll be plenty. But speed it up. I gotta get you on potato duty after this.”

“I like when you boss me around in the kitchen,” he says, looking me over.

“Funny because I like when you boss me around in other areas.” I squat down and hook my arm around him. As I kiss his neck, my pelvis slides right up against his little ass.

“You’re distracting me,” he says as I caress his crotch.

“Your cock isn’t complaining.”

“ You will be if we start running behind.”

“Fair point.” I give him a quick lick on his cheek before restraining myself.

“You keep playing dirty like that, and I’m gonna give your ass something to be distracted by.”

My cock shifts in my briefs at the promising threat.

“Okay,” I say, inspecting the pot of boiling noodles. “We don’t have time to fuck around, Z. They’re gonna be here in two hours, and we’re already running behind.”

“I’m making great time for an amateur. You’re the temptress trying to lure me into distractions.”

“Who the fuck says temptress?” I say with a laugh.

“Sounds like something a temptress might say.” He sneaks a glance over his shoulder at me, glaring.

“You better stop being a dork.”

“You love when I’m a dork.”

“Yeah, but you keep it up, Z, and you’re gonna have to stick that dick in me again, and then we’ll really be behind.” I’d underestimated how long it would take the turkey to cook, and I need the oven for other dishes.

Zane says, “Have I told you you’re adorable when you try to act like everything’s fine, but you’re really stressing out?”

“Honestly, I was thinking you haven’t told me how adorable I am today at all.”

“I’m saving it for after we stuff ourselves so that you’ll let me stuff you.” He glances over his shoulder, looking particularly proud of himself for that one.

I don’t know why he’s in this silly mood, but I fucking can’t get enough of it.

As I fetch the potatoes from the pantry, he says, “So you don’t know the people your friend Steven invited?”

“No, but he says they’re cool. He met them at the rec center. Part of a racquetball group.”

“I’m glad you’re doing this.”

His comment catches me by surprise. “Really? I was thinking, given what you said about small talk and people-ing, this would be a nightmare for you.”

“It is, but you aren’t like that. Clearly, you’re more social. Like how you said you’d make food for a bunch of kids at the dorms. Even just as soon as I came over, I don’t know…you seem really excited about having people over and getting to share all this with them.”

He’s not wrong. “I guess it’s making me feel more like my old self, you know?”

“I hear that.”

After he finishes up the last bit of the cheese block, I check the thermometer on the turkey again, and we’re good to go. So we pull it out and get to work on the other dishes I have lined up before reheating some of the ones I made the night before. When Steven, Ilsa, and Max arrive, we’re still a little behind, but they’re quick to offer to help set up at the dining room table, and soon, we’re enjoying our Thanksgiving meal together.

Since they arrived, I can tell Zane’s pushing himself out of his comfort zone as he chats everyone up. I like that he can’t stop being himself, fidgeting with his hands or glancing uncomfortably around the room like he’s not sure how he’s supposed to act. At first, they seem to struggle with his sarcasm, but they catch on fast enough.

As we’re sitting, chatting, Ilsa finally asks, “So how long have you and Zane known each other?”

I turn to Zane, who wears a blank expression. Funny because we probably should have considered that we would get asked about how we knew each other.

“Only since last month,” I say. “He lives next door, and we hit it off.”

“Yeah,” Zane adds. “I broke into his house one night, held a gun to him. Pretty much scared the shit out of him, and we haven’t been able to stop hanging out ever since.”

My mouth hangs open as Max, Ilsa, and Steven burst into laughter.

“Oh my God,” Ilsa exclaims. “I love it! Zane, you are too much. Never know what you’re gonna come up with next.”

“True,” I say, “you don’t.” I turn to him, and he’s grinning ear to ear, clearly enjoying the reaction he got by simply stating a truth no one was going to fucking believe.

“So Steven says you were going to GSU,” Max says, “and you took the semester off.”

I turn to Zane again, this time for a very different reason.

Steven’s eyes widen, and I freeze up before I feel something on my leg. I’m so thrown, it takes me a moment to realize it’s Zane’s hand. He rubs his thumb along my jeans. Such a simple gesture, but it’s like he shot me up with a sedative. “Yeah. I did.”

“I’m sorry,” Max says, surely because he notices the awkward-ass way I’m answering this. “None of my business really. I’m gonna shut up now.” He shoves a forkful of mashed potatoes into his mouth.

“I needed some time off,” I say. “Life stuff.”

“So what exactly is the goal of racquetball?” Zane pipes up from beside me.

It’s a wild transition, but damn, even with everyone’s expressions twisting up, I’m appreciative he just saved my ass.

“You don’t know how racquetball works?” Ilsa asks.

“I’ve seen people play it, and like, I know they aren’t competing against the wall, but is it like…they’re on the same team against the ball? Or are they competing against each other? I’ve heard of the sport enough you’d think I’d know by this point in my life.”

They exchange looks before laughing again.

I’m relieved at how easily that moves the conversation into safer territory as they take turns explaining the rules of racquetball. After my fumble with Max’s question, I’m appreciative that Max and Ilsa keep the conversation on lighter topics, since there are certain things in my life I’d rather not get into right now. Fortunately, that doesn’t keep us from having a good time. Our guests are generous in their praise for the food, and eventually, they help us clean up before heading out. As soon as I close the door, I turn around, and Zane comes at me, his body forcing me back against the door as his lips smash against mine, tasting of mint.

“Mmm…” he says, “you still taste like that mint chocolate mousse.”

I snicker. “Funny. I was thinking the same about you.”

He moans as he kisses me again. “I should get a reward for how good I was through that whole thing. Are you proud of me for people-ing?”

“Very proud.”

“They helped us clean up, so why don’t we head up to bed, and I’ll show you how proud I am of the host of the night?” His hands lower to my ass, perking my dick right up.

“I like the sound of that. Then you want to do something really lazy? Maybe watch a movie or something?”

His smile returns. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

We head up to my bedroom and don’t waste time. Zane grabs the lube, and we get to it. Fuck, the guy knows how to give it to me every damn time. After we come, we shower off together. I brush my teeth, offering him a spare I got at the dentist office on my last visit. I’m already in bed when he finishes up and joins me, wearing only his boxers.

As I scroll through Netflix, I say, “So this is your first night in my room for something other than fucking around. What do you normally watch?”

“Horror. Thrillers.”

“Really? Horror? With everything that’s going on?”

He shrugs. “I’d rather see someone else’s life going to shit than think about my own.”

“I guess we deal with stress very differently. I prefer a lighthearted comedy. Will Ferrell. Maybe Seth Rogen.”

“Those are such dude movies. Tell me you want to watch Fast and Furious movies, and I’ll suck you off again right now.”

I laugh. “Now you’re getting where I’m at.”

“Fuck me,” he says, tapping the back of his head against the headboard. “You have the most stereotypical straight-man taste ever.”

“I like escapist things that’ll make me hopeful about the world.”

“That shit only makes me feel even worse.”

“How didn’t I know this about you already?” I ask.

“Like you said earlier tonight, we haven’t really known each other that long.”

“But I know you pretty well.”

He narrows his eyes. “You know my dick pretty well.”

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 watch Fast 932.”

“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 with Zane’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.”

“ Your Leif?”

He offers a gentle tug. “I said it. What are you gonna do about it?”

“Does that make you my Zane?”

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.”

“So you want to be boyfriends?”

“Nice deduction there.” As I chuckle, he says, “You think us being boyfriends is funny?”

I spin toward him, and his hold relaxes so I can face him. His bangs are pressed down against his forehead, his eyes only open slightly.

Zane says, “It’d be easier for me to keep you safe if we were boyfriends.”

“Is that why you want to be boyfriends?”

He shakes his head. “Added perk. Looks like I’m gonna need to give you a spare key now.”

The warmth in my cheeks practically burns. Why does something so simple make me feel so damn good?

“I like that,” I say, “even if this is the weirdest-ass circumstances for guys to become boyfriends.”

He reaches up to my face, strokes his knuckles across my cheek. “Well, we are weird, aren’t we?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m gonna enjoy getting used to that,” he says. “ Oh, I was just talking to my boyfriend. Sorry, I’m busy; I have plans with my boyfriend. Can’t do Friday; that’s date night with my boyfriend. ”

“My boyfriend’s so fucking weird.”

“Your boyfriend’s so fucking horny.” He takes my hand and places it on his crotch.

“Guess your boyfriend’s gonna have to do something about that.”

And as he grins, I know this is gonna be a fun morning.