“I want you to have a good time and not worry about people bothering you.” With his hand still locked in place on my back, Jesse steers me to the concession stand. “Want something to eat?”
“I dunno. This all seems pretty unhealthy. Am I allowed?” I joke.
He grins. “You’re allowed.”
He buys me some Twizzlers and a cherry ICEE for himself, and we choose seats in the last row. Jesse’s security guard sits next to me, and Xander and Dave scramble to get the seat next to Jesse.
“I want to sit by him!” Dave whisper-yells and plops down in Xander’s lap, trying to get him to move.
“Your ass is bony as hell!” Xander exclaims, which makes Dave wiggle his butt more intensely. Xander pops up, launching Dave off his lap, and Dave steals the seat.
“Fine,” Xander says, straightening his polo. He takes the spot on the other side of Dave.
I burst out laughing, happy for the distraction. I’m not nearly as nervous as I was. At least until a bunch of girls rush to sit in our row, and while the previews fill the screen, people blatantly look back at us. Some even snap pictures. Flash, flash, flash. White spots dance in front of my eyes.
I sneak a glance at Jesse. His back is rigid, and he grips his ICEE tightly with both hands. Maybe coming here was a bad idea. He wanted a normal life, a life with friends. Going to the movies is as normal as it gets, but I’m scared he’s gonna realize he can’t handle this and get up and leave me.
He’s still holding his ICEE like he expects someone to steal it from him. I lean over and sip from the straw without asking.
“You’re welcome,” he says.
“Thank you.” I wipe a drop of ICEE off my lip. “Twizzler?” I hold one out to him, and he takes a bite.
Dave leans over to Jesse and grumbles, “I can’t believe we have to watch this crap. We should’ve seen Channing Tatum in Hot Wired.”
“There’s still time to sneak into it,” Jesse replies.
I elbow him hard. “Excuse me?”
“ICEE?” He tries to placate me by sharing his yummy drink, and yeah, it works. I wrap my lips around the straw and stare into his eyes, but he looks away to focus on the screen. He smells delicious, like soap and leather and boy, and all I can think about is how much I want to feel his lips against mine again. Our elbows touch on the armrest, and it makes me gasp with excitement, but he moves his arm so our skin isn’t touching.
Then I remember he’s not sure what he wants yet. What does it say that I’m willing to wait to see what he decides? Is it going to be like with Nate again, six months of waiting, waiting, and waiting for something more while continuing to fool around physically?
But that doesn’t seem to be a problem: even though I’m resting my hand on my thigh, palm facing up, he never once reaches for it.
• • •
The four of us head back to Dave’s house because he has a rec room in his basement, and his parents are out for the night at some party. Sure, Jesse has a mansion, but none of us suggest going there.
After raiding the kitchen for candy and chips, we sprawl out on the couches and flick on the TV. Xander thumbs through the channels.
I decide to cause some trouble. “Let’s watch that movie My Mother Married a Gigolo.”
“God, yes,” Xander says.
“No!” Jesse and Dave say at the same time.
“We already watched that terrible Commander in Chief Who Loved Me movie for you,” Dave says. “God only knows why you wanted to see it.”
“I’m considering a career in politics,” I lie.
“You are not,” Dave drones.
“The sex scenes were steamy.”
“That was the least sexy sex scene I’ve ever seen,” Xander complains.
“Right?” Dave laughs. “I find it hard to believe the president would have sex with the lady he’s running against.”
“And that they’d do it on the White House lawn,” Xander says.
“For real,” Jesse replies. “My manager always says, whatever you do, don’t have sex outside, because somebody will see and take pictures.”
Dave and Xander gape at him. Then at me. Then back at Jesse.
Dave licks his lips. “Are you sure you’re not bi—”
“How about we play a game?” I ask loudly.
Jesse then proceeds to kick our asses at Dance Dance Revolution and Guitar Hero, which totally sucks, because I always win these games. I get that he does this for a living, but I’ve always been the best at DDR!