Page 74 of Home Game

“Why do you think I got you to decorate it?”

I honestly couldn’t remember the last time someone had been this kind. I wanted to say something to him. To thank him. But my throat was so tight no words came out.

He grinned. “How about a thriller?”

“That’s fine.” I no longer wanted to watch a movie. I wanted to go lie in my new room. But I had already told Ryan I would watch a movie with him. He clicked on the movie and then turned off the lights.

The movie was so suspenseful,I thought my body would snap in half. The music escalated the tension, I could feel myself coil tightly like a spring. In the kitchen, something rumbled behind us, and without my permission, my body went flying. One minute I was on my side of the couch, the next second I was landing on Ryan.

He grunted.

Oh my god.

I scrambled hard, fighting to get off him.

I felt a huge hand wrap around my back, pulling me against him. He sounded amused. “You’re shaking.”

“Something made a noise in the kitchen,” I sounded breathless.

“Stay,” he said, pulling me off balance against his hard chest, “I’ll protect you from the fridge.”

Ilay there rigid against him, feeling his breath rise and fall beneath me. He was radiating heat. “That was the fridge?”

“The ice maker,” he sounded amused.

I felt so awkward. I knew we were crossing some weird line, but we had our clothes on. I wasn’t used to being touched. When was the last time someone had held me? Hugged me? I mentally reviewed my life, and I recalled my social worker hugging me one Christmas, but it hadn’t felt like this. Part of me wanted to move off, but the thing was, I felt safe. More protected than I had ever felt in my life. And then, I couldn’t take the tension any longer. A long sigh escaped me as I let myself sink further against Ryan’s warm body.

Complete surrender.

In response, his big hand gently patted my back. Comforting me.

So I lay there. Huddled against his chest, with his arm around me. He smelled so good. Warm and clean, faint expensive soap and Ryan. All rolled up in one. I couldn’t remember the last time I felt this good. I snuggled up harder against him, wanting to burrow myself further into his embrace. Friends cuddled, right? During intense movies? Except after that, I wasn’t even aware of the movie. I shut my eyes and matched my breath to his.

I woke up to the credits rolling. I lifted my head looking at the TV.

“I fell asleep.”

“You did.” His voice rumbled in his chest, vibrating me.

“What happened?”

“You snored.”

“Did not.”

“No, but the bad guys won. They killed everyone.”

“Really?” What a horrifying ending.

I could hear the smile in his voice. “No.”

Now I needed to sit up and get off him before he asked me to move, but my bones felt like soft spaghetti. All limp and soft.

“Want to watch another one?”

I nodded. Unable to speak.

He messed with the remote and then said, “This one?”

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