I could take him on a date.
Has he ever been on a date? Not likely, given what he's told me.
And for the first time since the summer, I let my heart race over the prospect of taking someone out. He's a blank slate, so I need to make it good. Way to put pressure on myself, but hey, it's for a good cause.
Callum is waiting at the dining table when I get back, and I find that he’s set it. Holy crap, he’s so thoughtful.
We eat in silence, our hunger getting the best of us, and I clear our dishes once we’re both done. The two of us retreat to the couch, which I hope will stop being Callum’s bed, and I gesture for him to lie down.
He places his head in my lap, which sends an affectionate jolt of heat to my chest.
I’m gonna ask him now. There’s no reason not to.
“Hey, I was thinking,” I start, and he perks his head up, smiling. “Do you want to maybe go out sometime?” My heart is so far up my throat, it may as well be replacing my Adam's apple.
“Yeah,” he says, his voice soft. “You mean like a date?”
“Yes, Callum, I want to take you on a date,” I confirm. He has his hands clasped together on his chest, and I reach down to run my thumb along his knuckles.
“I’d like that a lot,” he says.
There’s no way for me to suppress the grin that breaks through my lips, so I don’t even try. If this ends up being a dream, I’m gonna wake up so mad.
He continues. “I’ve never been on a date.”
I guessed so, but there’s still that pressure to make it good. Even so, he said yes, and he trusts me to be the first guy to take him out. The brewing warmth in my core more than makes up for the nerves.
Tightening my arms around Callum's shoulders, I kiss his head as he nudges it deeper into my lap. He might as well be corkscrewing up into my heart with how he's being so cuddly.
“So,” I say, “do you still want to sleep on this lumpy, cold couch tonight, or do you want to join me in bed and use me as your personal space heater?”
He huffs. “You’re really selling it. Let's share the bed, if you're okay with it.”
Thank fuck.For my own selfish reasons, I’m kind of glad to have the couch back, but I’m happier about him wanting to share the bed. I need morning hugs or I get grouchy, and I’ve been grouchy for as long as I can remember.
“Let’s go, then.” I lead him back into the bedroom when he gives me a firm nod. Callum settling into the sheets next to me feels so natural, and I shut my eyes, resolving to do things right.
My god, it’s happening again, but this time, the target of myaffection doesn’t seem to mind that much, not even when I roll over to spoon him. Again.
“You like this?” I ask.
“Yeah, s’okay,” he mumbles. The way he snuggles backward into me says that it’s more than okay, and him sighing when I tighten my arms around him confirms it.
“Sorry my bed isn't any bigger.”
Callum snorts. “I went from a dorm single to your couch, and now to this. It’s a major step up.”
“Yeah. If I knew I'd share with a giant, I would've sprung for something bigger than a double.”
“Come on, I'm not agiant,” he mumbles. “I'm like, six-five.”
I haul him closer to me. “Yeah, that’s giant,” I fire back. “It doesn't matter because I'm still gonna be the big spoon.”
With that, I roll on top of Callum, pressing him into the mattress. He flails around, laughing and pushing me off with a weak shove.
Crap.I snap out of it and fall back to my side of the bed.
“Sorry about that,” I say.
