Page 86 of The Not So Super Hero

B ailey couldn’t sleep for several reasons. One in particular was mostly to blame.

Glancing back, an unconscious Zane met him.

Zane’s hair cascaded over his cheek and neck.

His chest rose and fell with his soft breathing.

Sometimes his arm pulled Bailey closer, others it laid over top of him.

Bailey wished he could sleep like that, although he couldn’t blame Zane for being exhausted.

The last few days had been tough. Some nights Zane slept.

Others he laid awake. That night happened to be one of the nights Zane conked out and good thing too since they would be busy the next two days at the park.

Sleep never greeted him. His phone went off, signaling it was time for them to get up. The alarm didn’t even budge Zane. Growling, Bailey elbowed him twice. Zane finally opened his eyes to give a pathetic glare.

“What?” Zane mumbled.

“It’s time to get up.”

Zane removed his arm from Bailey to roll over.

“We need to get changed and start our drive or we won’t have much time at the park today,” Bailey explained.

Zane didn’t seem to care while Bailey, even though he was half asleep, was very excited. Huffing, he got up, grabbed the sheet, and yanked. Zane sent a stern glare over his shoulder.

“Get up or I’m dumping ice water on you,” Bailey warned.

After another five minutes, Zane got up.

Since most of their preparation happened the night before, it didn’t take long to get ready.

They were out of the apartment with their weekend bags and heading to the car within thirty minutes.

Zane hadn’t gotten another car yet. Bailey had his, so there was no rush for another.

At least he got some shut eye during the drive because Zane drove.

He kept quiet, keeping the radio at a low volume to not disturb Bailey.

Bailey received four hours of rest. Then they arrived at the hotel, where Zane woke him with a tender kiss.

When Bailey’s eyes flickered open, he leaned up for another kiss to receive his fill.

Zane pressed his hand to Bailey’s warm cheek.

His thumb caressed Bailey’s skin that immediately broke out with goosebumps.

When Zane retreated, Bailey stepped out of the car and stretched.

“I slept the whole way?” he asked.

“Yeah, and you call me lazy.”

“You could have woken me up.”

Zane didn’t respond. That made Bailey smile for a plethora of reasons, each one cheesier than the last. The two didn’t stay at the hotel. They dropped their stuff off and went straight to the park, which wasn’t that crowded since it was a weekday.

“Please tell me you’re scared of heights!” Bailey pleaded, even if he knew Zane had no issue with heights. When Zane stared at him with a you’re joking expression, he frowned. He had hoped for sweet revenge, but no, even the universe couldn’t grant him that.

It wasn’t so bad, though, when Zane seized his hand.

Bailey flushed while Zane guided them through the streets to the first ride he was interested in.

Bailey hadn’t realized how much he missed the “typical” dates until he finally got it back.

After all the drama that happened, it was nice to be back to normal.

“What’s with your face?” Zane asked, cocking a brow at the grin Bailey was sporting.

“It’s...I’m having fun is all.”

“We just got here.”

Bailey shrugged, choosing not to say anything. He intertwined their fingers and swung their hands. Zane never thought something so simple could be so sweet.

“I’m having fun, too,” Zane said.

Bailey bit his lip. If his heart kept up this pace, he may drop dead.

“Have you been to an amusement park before?” Bailey asked.

“Chris has taken me a few times.” Zane snickered. “He hates roller coasters, though.”

“We should have brought him.”

Zane actually felt proud. He was tainting Bailey. It was wonderful.

“Next time,” Zane said, tugging Bailey along when the line moved forward.

“So we’re already planning to visit again?”

“Definitely.”

“Should we bring Nate?”

“No.”

Bailey laughed. “You don’t want Nate and Natalia to come?”

“Natalia, sure. Nate, no. He’s annoying.” Zane smirked, though. Bailey knew next time they came, there would likely be more people. He was definitely ok with that.

“My family and I would go to some sort of park every year. All of us liked the rides and the game–” Bailey grunted when a guy suddenly brushed past him, pushing him closer to Zane.

The man apologized, seeming to be a father running after his daughter, attempting to skip the line.

Bailey laughed while he watched him catch up to her and pull her back.

Once the two were gone, Bailey realized that Zane had let go of his hand only to wrap his arm around Bailey’s waist. It was hot, but it wasn’t just because of the summer heat.

“Um...you gonna let go?” Bailey whispered. He shivered when Zane rested his head on Bailey’s shoulder.

“I don’t think you want me to.”

“I do. It’s hot.”

“You could pull away.”

Yes, he was going to do that. Eventually.

Except they remained like that during the wait.

Zane retreated only so they could move forward, then they were stuck like glue again.

Every once in a while, Bailey squirmed or tugged to see Zane’s reaction.

All he received was a “stop squirming” order, followed by an amused chuckle.

He liked it. He could get used to it. His heart? Probably not, though.

Their feet dangled on the first ride. Bailey kicked childishly. Zane did not, though both grinned like kids in the candy store. An amusement park had certainly been a good choice because neither of them lost their smiles.

“Lets get on that one next,” Zane said, grabbing Bailey to drag him along. As if Bailey would argue against that gleeful expression on Zane’s face.

So they rode one ride after the other. Each time, Zane kept Bailey right next to him in line.

Holding hands was common, although Zane always pulled Bailey closer.

Put his arm around his waist, over his shoulders, hug him, guide him around.

It was always something and Bailey wondered if Zane was even aware of it himself.

He wouldn’t point it out. He loved it, and maybe that’s what Zane needed.

He hated contact before. Now, he apparently couldn’t get enough of it.

However, the sweet feelings had to end because of one rather big problem. Bad Luck Bailey with a vengeance!

Zane howled when a little kid ran right into Bailey, spilling pop on his shorts. Water would have been fine, but pop? That was sticky! While Bailey smiled and told the kid it was fine, Zane almost pissed himself.

Bailey groaned. “It’s not funny.”

Zane couldn’t respond. He was too busy trying to remember how to breathe.

Next came a couple of tripping moments in line.

Zane let Bailey fall over twice. Then Bailey stubbed his toe on fences and tables.

If he had worn glances instead of contacts.

He likely would have lost his glasses. Bailey couldn’t win any games either.

Zane won every silly game to earn the prizes he wanted.

Bailey cursed and wondered how the rollercoasters hadn’t crashed and burned because of his mere presence.

“I hate this place,” Bailey grumbled on lunch break. His food sat before him, untouched. Zane dug into a basket of cheese fries.

“I’m having a blast,” Zane said.

He gave Bailey a smile that was not returned. Chuckling, Zane held out a fry for Bailey. When he tried to grab it, Zane pulled away. Was Zane offering to feed him? He narrowed his gaze.

“I swear if you try to shove that down my throat and choke—”

Zane leaned over to press the fries into Bailey’s mouth. He didn’t choke him, but Bailey knew, at some point, Zane was gonna—he stopped that thought. It wasn’t leading to a good place.

“Eat,” Zane ordered, holding out his hand once more. That time, Bailey leaned in to take a bite. His cheeks had been on fire since they arrived. Zane was proud of that.

“Eat,” Bailey mocked, but Zane was in an exceptionally good mood. He didn’t sass back. He smiled, the expression easily coming to Bailey’s face too.

“I wasn’t sure a park would be such a good idea,” he said after Zane cleaned up the mess of their lunch and returned.

“Why?”

“I didn’t think you’d have the stamina for all this.”

Zane leaned forward, a wild glint in his winter eyes. “If you’d like, I can prove just how much stamina I have.”

Bailey walked into that one. He grabbed his drink, either to shut up or cool down.

Zane smirked. His eyes never left Bailey until he stood with his drink in hand and sputtered, “A-Are we gonna go on a-another ride or what?”

“There’s something you can ride when we get back to the hotel.”

Bailey spat his drink across the sidewalk. Some stared in disgust. Bailey slapped his chest until he could squeak, “Z-Zane, w-what the hell?!”

“What? They have a water park.”

Red was the only color Bailey could be. Zane found great amusement in it, standing up from the bench while whispering, “What were you thinking about? Pervert.”

Bailey flipped him off, choosing to spin on his heel and stomp off to throw away his drink and go to the next ride.

Zane caught up quickly. He grasped Bailey’s hand.

Bailey refused to respond even when Zane nudged him over and over.

Bailey’s frown faltered. His act of annoyance barely lasted a minute.

“Keep being annoying and you won’t get laid,” Bailey warned and, really, he should know better.

“Implying that you were expecting us to have sex.”

“You’re the one that brought it up.”

“No, I was talking about the water park.”

“Bullshit!”

“Shh, you need to control yourself. There are children present.” Zane gestured to the kids running past them. He was enjoying himself far too much.

“I wish we never went on this date.”

“The water park might change your mind.”