Page 69 of Dare to be Different

Kade grips her jaw and bends down. “Pencil me in, Genny.”

“Alright.” Four grabs her around the hips and brings her back to his lap. “Forgot red wine turns you into a floozy.”

When I look at Zahn, he’s not even grinning at everything that he’d usually find funny. I nudge him with my knee, and he snaps out of it.

“You okay?”

He nods, sighing. “I’m… yeah.” And then he does the most unexpected thing. He leans over and rests his cheek on my shoulder. “I’m just tired, Rem.”

Four, Kade, and Gen look at us with surprise, but Zahn’s eyes are closed and Kade keeps his mouth shut about it. Instead, the youngest Dare looks at me, and honestly, it’s a bit threatening. It’s a look that tells me to take care of his brother or else…

I upnod him. I want to wrap my arm around Zahn’s shoulders but don’t want to push my luck too soon. I rest my temple against his hair instead, closing my eyes to just feel him.

Later that night, I’m awkwardly standing by his bedroom door, rubbing the back of my neck. Not sure if I should leave or stay, Zahn fumbles around, all tired and cute, and then he sighs at me.

“You’re staying,” he tells me, grabbing my wrist and dragging me to his bed. “And I’m done being moody.”

I strip down to my sweats and he goes down to his boxers, and we’re just lying in his bed on our backs, sides of our bodies pressed together, staring at the shifting light from the moon on the ceiling. Half-ass listening to Laken, Jed, and Kade get busy in the room next to his.

“I kind of want to watch you in action,” Zahn says out of nowhere. “To see you work your game and pick someone up. You’re hot as fuck when you flirt, Rem.”

I smirk into the darkness. “You’ve watched that a hundred times.”

“Yeah, but now I get to join in on the fun. Show me your moves, Remy.”

Our arms brush and our elbows knock together, and there’s nothing sexual about it, but it still sends a tingle through my skin. “How long have you known you were open to anyone? Like… have you done anything with a guy before?”

“I dunno. Forever, maybe. I’ve never really thought about it too hard.” He shifts, and his hair tickles my shoulder. “I’ve never outright done anything with a guy until you. Like some heavy groping and random touching, but not much else. Never sucked a dick. Never given a handie. Never even kissed a guy. Till you.”

I don’t know if I’m curious or insecure, but I keep asking things. “Do you want to do all that? With other guys?”

He groans. “Shit just happens when it happens, so no, I don’t premeditate that bullshit. But now my head’s all full of very premeditated fantasies with you.” He knees me in the thigh. “Fuck you for that.” He laughs.

“What fantasies?” I ask. “Wait. Why me?” Okay, brain. Slow down.

“I don’t know! Why me?” he throws the question back at me. “You’ve never even looked at a guy before, have you? And now we’re fucking around and getting filthy, and I’m afraid I’m corrupting you.”

I scoff. “Please. You do not have that much influence over me.” He totally does, but I’m not overly ready to admit that I looked up demisexuality and really resonated with it. I think that’s part of the reason it’s him. I have that connection with him. “You wanna know something fucked up, though?”

“Always.”

“That first night when Cara and Cody came over and they were explaining their shit to us about the person who is a constant? Remember?”

“Yep.”

“It’s you, man. I don’t know why or how it happened, but you just fell into that role for me. You’re the one I always want to…”

“Be with? Have there?”

“Yeah.” But maybe more than that. “Even focus on.”

“You asking me out, Rem?” he teases. “Because I’m totally saying yes.”

I smack his abs and he groans. “Why you always gotta be a dick about everything?”

He laughs through his pain. “You know that’s who I am.” He looks at me, but I keep my eyes on the ceiling. “You wanna do more with me?”

Like, fuck? Jesus. “What’s more?”

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