Micah
The diner on Main Street was packed, and they’d had to wait fifteen minutes for a table before they were finally seated by the window. When Micah had woken up this morning cuddled around Adrien, he’d been elated and horny again. Their lovemaking had been…incredible.
Micah had bottomed a handful of times before, but his experiences had always been rushed, impersonal, and sometimes just uncomfortable. His partners had scratched an itch. But sex with Adrien had been more than just physically pleasurable.
Adrien had connected with Micah, caressing him, looking into his eyes, paying attention to his responses rather than just fucking Micah to achieve his own orgasm. Then, after, he’d been tender with Micah, cleaning him up, holding him. It was the most intimate Micah had ever really been with another person.
Even his past encounters with Rhina, his closest friend, had been rushed and awkward afterward. Everything about his experience with Adrien had felt natural. Easy. Right.
But fear and doubt were hot on the heels of his momentary elation, and his insecurities had swamped him. What if this was as far as Adrien wanted to take things—friends with benefits?
After their night together, that wasn’t enough for him, and he didn’t think he could handle it if Adrien rejected him. So, he’d slipped from the bed and started dressing. The sound of Adrien’s family upstairs preparing for brunch, the family Micah had yet to meet—aside from Adrien’s brother Gabe—made his need to get out of the apartment more urgent. Once again, he was on the outside looking in.
But then Adrien had woken up, his rich, earth-toned skin soft with pillow creases. Tight, silky curls sticking up, his slightly gap-toothed smile slow and easy, and Micah had decided to take a chance and tell Adrien how he felt about him.
Micah had conditioned himself to expect the worst, so when Adrien had suggested breakfast, he’d been shocked, nervous, and excited. This was more than just hooking up at Adrien’s place in the early morning hours or going out to a dark club together. This was a real date, in the light of day, at a sit-down restaurant.
A cheap one. But a sit-down nonetheless.
As they perused their menus over coffee, Micah was so glad he’d taken a chance.
He’d felt pretty low after Rhina and Caleb had forgotten his birthday. But when Adrien had surprised him with a cake, he’d felt on top of the world. No one had ever done anything like that for him, not even Rhina in all the years they’d been friends, then a couple. They’d gone to the movies, she’d given him cupcakes, but he’d never been surprised or celebrated in such a public way.
And now, he’d gotten what he’d wished for. A shot with the guy he was crazy about. Things were perfect. Almost too perfect. And that made him leery. But whatever happened in the future, he had Adrien for the time being. So he resolved to enjoy every moment with the man. Micah smiled at Adrien.
“What?” Adrien asked, smiling back.
Micah shook his head. He wanted to gush and tell Adrien how glad he was to be at that table with him. How fucking gorgeous he was with early afternoon light illuminating his hazel eyes. How adorably sexy he was in those damn glasses. But he looked at the menu instead.
“I think I’m in the mood for an omelet,” Micah said.
“I was thinking the same thing actually. The meat-lovers with hash browns and a waffle sounds perfect.”
“Hungry this morning,” Micah teased, looking up from the menu.
The dimpled grooves in Adrien’s cheeks deepened. “Yeah. Someone worked up my appetite.”
Micah’s neck heated, and he looked back down at his menu as their frazzled waitress approached the table, her greeting cutting off Adrien’s chuckle. After taking their orders and refilling their coffee, she left them alone to wait for their food. Micah jerked in surprise at the feel of Adrien’s fingertips brushing against his on top of the table. Slowly, Adrien turned his palm up, asking a silent question.
Instinct had Micah darting his gaze around the room nervously. He was so used to being discreet about his orientation.
“You don’t have to,” Adrien said quietly.
Micah’s stomach lurched and his breathing became shallow as he eyed Adrien’s hand like it was a snake that might bite him. But then he slid his hand across the table and placed it in Adrien’s. The contact instantly eased his nervous stomach, and he took a deep breath and glanced around the room. No one was paying attention to them. And he also noticed that he and Adrien weren’t the only same-sex couple in the diner showing a little PDA.
Micah met Adrien’s eyes, and his heart fluttered when the man’s thumb stroked over the top of his hand. They’d licked, kissed, and touched every inch of each other’s bodies and fucked until the sun had come up earlier this morning. But holding Adrien’s hand on top of the table in a busy diner made Micah shy and open in a way that scared him.
“Adrien? Wow, it’s so good to see you.” A tall man who looked to be in his thirties stopped by their table, interrupting Micah’s thoughts. His handsome face, designer jeans, and head full of dark wavy hair instantly put Micah in a bad mood.
“Louis, good to see you too.” Adrien stood, giving Louis a hug, a huge smile on his face as he slapped the man’s back.
Who the hell was this Louis guy? And why was he still touching Adrien. Micah bristled, shifting in his seat, observing the two. He didn’t like how familiar Louis was being with Adrien, squeezing Adrien’s shoulders as he pulled back and took him in.
“You look great. What’s it been? Two years?” Louis’s Crest-white smile was only made brighter by his tanned face.
“Three years, actually.” Adrien dipped his head, a dark look crossing his features. Micah made a mental note to ask Adrien about it later.
“Yes, well, I’m glad to see you, old friend.” Louis’s voice dropped and his eyes softened. “And I’m sorry about your late fiancé.” He rubbed Adrien’s arm.
This time the darkness lingered on Adrien’s face.
“I’m glad to see you out though. I hate that we lost touch,” Louis continued. “But I get it. You weren’t the first to fall off the grid after getting engaged.” The man rolled his eyes and gave Adrien a light smack on the shoulder. “One day that’ll be me.” He preened, his eyes skittering over to Micah as a slow smile crept up his face.
Well, Louis wouldn’t be settling down with Adrien. Micah stood, extending a hand to the man, done with being a silent observer.
“Hi. I’m Micah,” he said, taking Louis’s hand in a firm grip.
Adrien pressed against Micah’s side, wrapping an arm around his waist. Micah’s muscles relaxed at Adrien’s acknowledgement.
“Micah is my—we—we’re…” Adrien stumbled over his words, and Louis’s eyebrows shot up.
The joy Micah had felt at Adrien’s possessive display only a few minutes ago evaporated.
“Dating,” Adrien recovered firmly. “We’re dating.” Adrien squeezed his side, and his happiness resurfaced.
“Yeah, we’re dating,” Micah echoed Adrien’s words.
Louis’s face broke out in a huge smile, and he looked genuinely pleased. “Well, I’m glad you’re dating again. I’m having a housewarming party in a few weeks, maybe you and Micah can drop by?”
“That sounds great.” Adrien nodded, looking over at Micah. He nodded his agreement.
Louis clapped with excitement, before eying Adrien with a teasing look. “I’ll text you. My number is still the same. Is yours?”
Adrien nodded as the hostess called for Louis, party of four.
“Well, that’s me. Seriously—I expect to see you both at the party in a few weeks,” he said, pointing at the two of them as he headed back to the hostess stand.
Micah gave Louis a short wave. The guy seemed all right. But the appearance of one of Adrien’s friends had piqued his interest about Adrien’s world outside of the coffee shop. His life before he’d been engaged. He wanted to know more about Adrien. Everything, about him, really.
“I’m sorry, Micah,” Adrien said as they both slid back into their seats.
Micah frowned in confusion. “Sorry for what?”
Adrien reached across the table and grabbed Micah’s hand. This time, Micah didn’t falter. “When I introduced you to Louis, I hesitated.”
Micah swallowed and looked at their hands, not really wanting to be reminded of the halting introduction. He was just happy Adrien had acknowledged they were dating to one of his friends. Adrien’s worried face made Micah squeeze his hand.
“It’s fine, Ade. Really. We’re so new, and we never talked about official titles.”
Adrien nodded. “Well, let’s talk about it.” He grabbed his coffee with one hand. “What are we to each other?” He looked up shyly over the rim of his glasses which had slipped down his nose.
Before Micah could answer, their waitress returned with their omelets, and they tucked in and shared pieces of their meals with each other. The intimacy heated Micah to his core. As they sat at their table in the crowded diner over food and coffee, their feet brushing beneath the table, peace stole over Micah like a warm, worn blanket. For the first time in his life, Micah was on the inside.
Adrien had asked what they were to each other. Micah had no ties to his immediate family. He knew Rhina and Caleb loved him, but they weren’t his alone. And much of the time, he felt like a guest in their lives rather than part of it.
He’d lost touch with all his old friends, and he wouldn’t want to be around them anyway since they were all still involved in things he’d walked away from.
But with Adrien, Micah was both wanted and needed. Essential to another person in a way he’d never been before. With Adrien, Micah wasn’t taking up space that wasn’t his. Micah was part of Adrien’s space. And Adrien filled up the empty space inside him.
The skin beneath his eyes felt warm, and he blinked, watching Adrien run the tip of his tongue over his bottom lip to pull a strand of melted cheese into his mouth. He was falling for Adrien in a major way. How had this happened? How had he gotten here? Thinking he could love a man whose middle name he didn’t even know?
So much about Adrien remained a mystery. Luckily, Micah had all the time in the world to learn.
For the first time in years, Micah allowed himself to envision a good, bright future—one with Adrien in it—filled with a million meals together. Micah made a mental note to cook for Adrien for one of their dates.
They ate in silence for a few minutes, neither of them bringing up the question that Adrien had asked before their food arrived. Micah knew Adrien was giving him space to answer. Well, he was ready to close the space.
“I’ve never been in a relationship with a man. To be honest, I haven’t been in a relationship for a long time and I have no idea what a successful relationship looks like. But I know I want the right to let the world know you’re mine. I want to be the one person who knows you best, Adrien Darling.”
Adrien was quiet, his light eyes blinking behind the lenses of his thick-framed glasses. Micah’s stomach cramped with worry at Adrien’s long silence, and he opened his mouth to apologize, thinking maybe he’d said the wrong thing. But Adrien reached across the table and grabbed Micah by his collar, pulling him into a soft kiss.
Micah tensed, that old worry about who might be watching flitting through his brain, but Adrien’s palm cupping his jaw, his thumb grazing Micah’s cheek, melted him. He let himself be taken under by Adrien’s kiss.
They pulled apart to a couple of wolf whistles and a smattering of applause which made Micah blush as he worked to catch his breath.
Once they sat back down, Adrien spoke. “I want to know everything about you too, Micah Grayson.” Adrien’s voice was low and raspy with emotion.
“Where should we start?” They’d already spent hours talking, but there was still so much Micah wanted to know. “Well, we know birthdays, favorite movies, songs, and foods. How about middle names?” Micah asked.
Adrien inclined his head. “William. My middle name is William.”
“A classic,” Micah observed. “Mine is Everett.”
Adrien grinned. “Micah Everett Grayson. That’s sexy. Sounds like a porn star name.”
Micah rolled his eyes and laughed.
“So, what else do you want to know?” Adrien asked.
“Got any naked baby pictures?” Micah asked jokingly.
Adrien cracked up and reached in his pocket to pull out his phone. “As a matter of fact, I do.”
Micah leaned over the table to view what Adrien called a “tasteful nude” of him as an infant and laughed as Adrien explained the project he and his siblings were working on for his mother’s upcoming birthday.
But in his heart, Micah prayed that the weight of the past didn’t sink their future.