Mostly amused, anyway.
He was going to bepissedif Graham told him they were going to have to skip the movie because he’d gotten back together with Madison again and they’d been having phone sex or something.
That would be Thad’s luck.
Although, why could he smell movie theater popcorn wafting from the room? And too much of Graham’s cologne?
“What? No. You didn’t interrupt anything. Come in,” Graham said.
“Okayyy.” Thad took a couple of steps into the room and paused at the sight in front of him. “What on earth …”
The lights were off, the room lit by the TV and a bunch of what Thad assumed were battery-powered candles.
There was a huge pile of pillows against the headboard and a throw blanket draped on the neatly made bed.
Spread out on the desk was every movie snack Thad could imagine.
“Okay, so I kinda went overboard,” Graham said, sounding flustered and harried. “But can you like … at least come in far enough I can shut the door? I don’t want to have to try to explain this to anyone else.”
Explain what?Thad wondered as he stepped forward, still taking in the scene around him.
The snacks were all out of their packaging and neatly displayed in red and white striped cardboard containers.
What the fuck, Graham?Thad mouthed to himself as the door clicked shut behind him.
The room was even dimmer now and Thad suddenly realized they were alone. And this was kind of a …vibe. One that didn’t feel likebuddies, that was for damn sure.
“What did you go overboard with, exactly?” Thad asked slowly, not sure if he was putting the pieces together right.
With his luck, Graham had set this up for Madison as an apology gesture—though how would that work if she was still back in Boston?—and was asking Thad for feedback or something.
“Umm, so I wanted to like … make this athing,” Graham said, trying to wedge his hands into the pockets of his too-tight jeans.
“I can see that,” Thad said, still carefully choosing his words. “But I am not sure I understandwhy.”
“To like … impress you.” Graham’s swallow was audible.
“You wanted to impressme?” Thad felt a little dizzy.
“Yeah, you know. I mean I know we can’t like … beopenabout stuff. And I’m cool with that. But I am single now and I kinda wanted to like … show you I’m serious about you or whatever and?—”
“Is this adate, Graham?” Thad asked, a little stunned.
“Um, if you want it to be.” Giving up on the pockets, Graham tugged at his shirt collar. “If you don’t then like … ignore it and we’ll go back to being?—”
Thad stepped forward and cupped both of Graham’s warm cheeks in his hands. He abruptly fell silent, and Thad felt his jaw work as he swallowed.
“You fucking set up a secret movie night date for us in your hotel room?” Thad whispered.
“Uhh, yeah. Is that totally fucking dorky?” Graham’s face did something complicated.
“So fucking dorky,” Thad said tenderly. “But I am so into it.”
Sointo Graham’s earnest attempts at romance.
God, Graham was trying toromancehim. What the actual fuck?
Thad had no idea how much he wanted that until it was offered to him but right now, he’d fucking fight with everything he had to keep anyone from taking it away.
