“Do you want nachos or pretzels?” Graham asked, his tone hopeful. “I got those for you too.”
“Sure, sounds great,” Thad lied. “Gotta put this stuff down first.”
He carried it toward the bed, then abruptly stopped. “Which side do you want?”
“I don’t care, I’m fine with either.” The tilt of Graham’s chin was almost defiant.
Thad narrowed his eyes. Why did he have a feeling they were suddenly talking about something else? Something that had nothing to do with sides of the bed.
Whatever. They’d hash that shit out later. Way later.
Because Thad wasn’t getting his dick out tonight anyway.
He picked the far side of the bed and plunked the bottle of cream soda and container of popcorn and candy onto the nightstand before coming back to grab the pretzels and oozy fake cheese that had kinda congealed in the carboard tray.
Graham must have microwaved it.
Honestly, it reminded Thad of the shitty squeeze cheese from prison, but whatever. He would choke it down and assure Graham he loved it. Because he sure as fuck loved the spirit of it.
And he would have laughed at himself for being so goddamn into this whole dorky setup but he’d never … he’d never gone on dates.
He’d dated a few people in high school, but it had been more fooling around and hooking up at parties than anything formal. He’d gone to prom and stuff but only with hockey buddies and he’d never had a girlfriend.
Unlike Gavin who had been weirdly ballsy about dating guys in a time when thatwasn’t donein the world of pro hockey, Thad hadn’t been open about the guys he’d fooled around with.
And then … he’d been in prison.
Thad had never fucking been on a date and while he thought affectionately of Teddy from time to time, they definitely hadn’t fuckingdated.
Unless Thad counted Teddy occasionally giving him extra packets of ramen and zebra cakes from the commissary …
Thad kicked off his shoes, then got comfortable on the bed, stretching out his legs and throwing half the comforter over them, because they were cold from the AC.
Ahh, fuck, he was wearing sweats cut off into shorts and a ratty tee right now. If he’d known this was a date, he’d have dressed nicer.
He glanced up to see Graham staring at him from across the room, looking apprehensive.
Thad smiled. “C’mon,” he said. “You should get your snacks. Movie’s about to start any time, right?”
“Yeah,” Graham said a little hoarsely. “Yeah. It is.”
He grabbed food, then carried it over and set it on the nightstand, hesitantly sitting on the bed, then shooting Thad a nervous glance as if to ask if that was okay.
“What are you doing all the way over there?” Thad teased. “You don’t need to leave a whole seat between us. C’mon. Sit next to me. I don’t bite. Unless you want me to.”
He winked and reached for the beltloop on Graham’s jeans, tugging him closer.
Graham snorted and shifted over. “Oh my God. That wasso bad. And you thought I was a dork.”
He reached for a cardboard container of nachos and cheese.
“Hey, I’m breaking out my best lines for you, baby,” Thad teased, knowing it would make Graham smile.
“Ouch,” Graham said, bumping their shoulders together. “That’s pretty sad then.”
“Hey,you’rethe one who wants to date me,” Thad countered.
Graham got all flustered again, staring down at the food in his lap. “Yeah, I do,” he whispered.
