Page 13 of Deadmen's Queen

“It is pretty cool. Now,” I said, passing her the remote and showing her how to turn on the tv. “Pick a movie while I sort drinks and snacks.”

“I just ate breakfast,” she pointed out.

“Yes, but I didn’t, and it’s not a movie marathon if you don’t have snacks,” I said firmly. “Now pick something. I could tolerate a war film, but I’m more inclined towards rom coms myself.”

She giggled at that, sinking into the plush cushions of the sofa with a contented sigh and started flicking through movie choices. I headed over to the kitchenette to raid the supplies there and within a few minutes I had a huge tray of snacks - popcorn, chocolate, ice cream and drinks, and some healthier options too like apples and grapes. She might not eat all of them, but at least she'd have plenty of choices. Her eyes went wide as I laid it on the coffee table before her.

“You weren't kidding about the snacks,” she laughed.

I shook my head. “I never joke about snacks, and I aim to please.”

I sink down onto the sofa beside her, my arm brushing hers as we settled in to watch the movie she had chosen. It was a romantic comedy, one of my favourites actually, not that I would ever reveal that to anyone, and if it kept her happy and distracted from everything else going on right now, then I would sit through it a thousand times over.

As the opening credits started to roll, I felt Paige shift slightly closer to me. Her body pressed against mine felt warm and soft - too inviting for its own good. The way her scent permeated the air around us was intoxicating.

My gaze flickered over to her as she focused intently on the screen, her lips parting slightly in anticipation of what was to come. I should have invited her over to do this before. It shouldn’t have been because of the horrible situation she was in, and I felt a little guilty for not thinking of it beforehand. I was so used to dates having to impress the girl I was with, I hadn’t realised how easy this could be, just spending time together. Then again, maybe it depended on the girl you were with. I liked spending time with Paige, it didn’t matter what we did. I just liked being around her.

I took hold of her hand, our fingers brushing softly before I intertwined them with mine. A sigh escaped her lips as she turned to me, her eyes full of gratitude and something else that I couldn't quite place. It was a look I hadn't seen directed at me before and for a moment, it threw me off guard.

“Thank you,” she whispered, so quietly that I almost didn't catch it over the sound from the speakers.

“For what?” I asked, taken aback.

“For this,” she gestured around us with our entwined hands. “For caring.”

Her words hit me like a punch in the gut. This wasn't about us spoiling her or trying to distract her from what had happened. For Paige, this was about something much more.

“I'd do anything for you, sunshine,” I confessed, my voice barely audible over the noise from the film.

She seemed taken aback by my candour but recovered quickly. With a small smile, she squeezed my hand and shifted even closer to me until her head rested on my shoulder. Her soft hair tickled my neck and I had to suppress the urge to bury my face in it and breathe in her scent.

“You're too good to me Tris,” she said quietly. She glanced at me briefly before nestling deeper into the couch, pulling her legs up under her. The hoodie she wore swallowed her up, making her look even smaller than she was.

“It's impossible to be too good to you, sunshine,” I replied, my heart squeezing. “You deserve the best.”

Her smile warmed me more than I thought possible. It was nice seeing her at ease, her worries momentarily forgotten as she immersed herself in the film. She would occasionally comment on something happening on screen or giggle at something comical. The sound of her laughter was the best part.

As the movie progressed, she drew closer, tucking herself under my arm, burying her face into my side. Her hand rested lightly on my stomach, her thumb intermittently drawing small circles through my shirt. The touch was innocent, but the knowledge her hand was only inches above my cock had me starting to get hard, and I prayed she wouldn’t notice. I didn’t want to take advantage of her in this vulnerable state. I took a deep breath and tried to focus on the movie. Her hand drifted a little lower, and I bit my lip, not reacting.

“Tris?”

“Yes?”

“Bast said… if I wanted to do something, just to ask, and you might…” she trailed off, sounding unsure.

“What do you want, sunshine? You can ask me anything,” I said, suddenly curious.

“Can I touch you?”

I blinked. I had not been expecting that.

“Are you sure? You’ve been through a lot today.”

“I’m sure. But if you don’t want me to-”

“Oh, I want you to!” I said hurriedly. “I don’t want to take advantage of the situation.”

Her hand slid lower, fingers brushing over my cock through my jeans, and though I could barely feel it through the thick fabric, I sucked in my breath at her touch.

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