Fall For You

(24)

Alex sits beside me on the bed, close enough that the mattress dips under his weight. He opens his laptop and types in his password, then turns the screen toward me.

"You should pick the movie," he says.

I raise an eyebrow at him.

He shrugs, a tiny, self-aware smile tugs at his mouth. "Because if I choose something, you'll spend the whole time pretending to be bored."

I slide the laptop back towards Alex.

"I want you to pick," I say, matching his smile.

"Fine. But if you don't like what I pick, don't blame me," he says, a playful warning in his voice.

"Wouldn't dream of it," I smirk.

I watch as he opens Netflix and turns the screen away from me. Anticipation fills me as I can't see what he searches.

When the movie starts playing, he turns the screen back so that we can both see it.

"Do you... wanna lie down?" Alex asks. There's a small pause before his cheeks turn a light shade of pink. "I mean, just so we're more comfortable."

I could choose this moment to tease him, but I don't. It really would be more comfortable to lie down. "Sure," I say.

I reach behind me and grab one of Alex's pillows, placing it in front of me. I shift around so that I'm lying on my stomach with my chin resting on my folded arms.

Alex mirrors me, stretching out on his stomach so we're lying side by side on his king single sized bed. Suddenly, there's no space left. Our shoulders brush – barely, but enough for me to feel the heat radiating from his body. He's close, but not close enough. I wonder if he's as aware of it as I am.

I clear my throat, hoping it hides how my heart is racing in my chest.

"What movie did you pick?" I ask.

Alex turns his head, looking at me for a moment, then shifts his focus back to the screen.

"You're really not into surprises, are you?"

"Not particularly," I say, though my eyes stay on him instead of the movie.

"I love the Transformers movies," Alex admits with a shy smile.

"Transformers?" I question, one of my eyebrows lifting.

"Yeah," Alex says. "You know the giant robots that disguise themselves as cars?"

"I know what they are," I say. "I've just never seen the movies."

Alex actually gasps. "What? No."

Instead of judging, he looks genuinely amused. "You've never seen Transformers? Ever?" he asks, like he can't fully believe it. But it's not mean. It's more... delighted.

"Do I look like the type of girl to be interested in Transformers?" I ask, with my own amused smile.

Alex's eyes glide over my face, warm and deliberate.

"Honestly? Probably not," he murmurs. "But I think by the end of it, you're going to be obsessed."

"Oh, will I?"

"Mm-hmm." His eyes flicker to my lips and then back up. "Promise. Just...give it a chance."

His voice is soft and warm. Sweet, but flirty in a way that hits too deep. I forget how to breathe when he talks to me like that.

"Don't get too ahead of yourself, Professor."

Alex's smile grows, slow and smug, like he knows exactly what the nickname means.