Page 38 of Praise You

"I'm nervous and excited. I'm ready for the next set of students to teach, but I'm always worried students won't enjoy my class."

"They'll love your class, Oliver. I guarantee it."

"Thank you."

Oliver is so shy and timid right now, he's the complete opposite of the Oliver I know in the classroom. That Oliver walks in, commanding the room, causing everyone to stop and look at him. This man in front of me is not as confident, but still just as gorgeous.

"I'm kinda shocked we’re actually in the same room right now. I feel like I've been waiting forever for this to happen."

"Now that we're here, it's like I don't know what to say or what to do." He twists his hands around each other, a nervous tick I can tell from a mile away. Wanting to calm him, I grab hold of his hands and squeeze tight.

"Okay, let's do this. We'll lay on the couch and watch a movie. We've been around each other for months, but you're right, this is new for both of us, so let's take it slow. We'll watch a movie and hang out. Sound good?"

"Yeah."

Oliver puts on one of the Scream movies while I lay on my side on his couch. I snatch the throw blanket off the back of the couch and drape it over me. I watch as Oliver wars with himself on what to do. Chuckling, I shake my head and open the blanket. I’m about to say something else when a giant orange ball of fluff jumps up onto the couch.

“What the fuck is that?” I yell, scrambling up on the couch with a very embarrassing squeal leaving my mouth.

“Oh, that’s Ember,” he says, grabbing said Ember and pulling it into his arms. “She’s my cat.”

“I didn’t know you had a cat,” I say, looking at the feline in disgust. I’ve never had a cat, but from what I’ve seen, they’re all mean and hate people. Especially the orange ones.

“She’s really loveable. Here, do you wanna hold her?” he asks, lifting her toward me. She hisses at me, her eyes narrowing, and as much as I want to hiss back, I refrain myself.

“Uh, maybe later? I’d rather just hold you if that’s okay?”

“Yeah, sure.” I watch as he looks at her, then looks at me while rubbing her stomach. “Let me go put her away real quick.” Oliver walks away with Ember in his arms and heads down the hallway. I’m not much of a cat person, but I guess it’s something I’ll have to get used to. As long as she doesn’t try to watch us during sex. I shudder at the thought. Oliver walks back into the living room and I lay back down, lifting the blanket again.

"Come lay with me."

I watch as he looks at me, then the blanket, eyeing the space as though it’s going to attack him.

Fuck, he's so innocent.

He lies down beside me, and I pull him against my body. My eyes close when his body relaxes into mine.

"I love having you in my arms," I whisper in his ear.

"Me too. Thank you for being patient with me."

"You have nothing to thank me for. Now let's watch the movie."

Groaning when a firm ass hits my dick, I blink my eyes open at the sensation. Looking down, I notice Oliver and I are no longer on the couch but in his bed. Closing my eyes, I remember waking him up, telling him he needed to go to bed. He had asked if I could stay the night with him, and I couldn't tell him no.

My arms tighten around him when his body moves against mine. His back is to my front, so I snuggle in closer, inhaling the scent of him. Of all the things I imagined him smelling like, coconuts were not what I imagined.

"God, you smell so good," I whisper into the nape of his neck.

"Oh good, you're awake." His voice startles me and I grip onto him tighter.

"Dammit, how long have you been awake?" I snicker.

"Uh, for a while. I was too comfortable to get up though, so I just laid here. Oh god, did that sound weird?"

"Nah, that's not weird. I need to pee though, and I'm sure you do too."

"Yep."