by Elle Keaton
“What about last night? Pretty sure, regardless of my state, that I met you at a bar, and maybe before that as well?” Adam teased.
“Yeah, well. I’m embarrassed to admit I went in last night because I saw you there, and the other time was because Sara coerced me into inviting you for Thanksgiving. I haven’t been out in a while, okay? You know, except for the store and the Booking Room. And stuff,” he added.
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Okay, I’ll crawl out of my hole to have grilled cheese at your place. When do you want me?”
Maybe this was how it worked; you accepted invitations and shared pieces of your life.
“Half an hour?”
Adam was smiling again.
Micah opened his front door to let Adam in, and as their bodies brushed past one another, the scent of something delicious along with Micah’s own rolled over Adam and he could feel himself reacting. He needed to cool it, prove he wasn’t a caveman. Fuck, it was difficult; Micah turned to lead the way to the kitchen, and Adam got to watch his beautiful ass and long legs. At the last second, he remembered to follow. Micah looked back at him with a knowing glance. Caught. Adam smiled again; must be setting some kind of record.
Somehow, while they were crowded around a small round oak table in the kitchen nook, tomato soup simmering on the stove, Adam spilled his life story. A lot of it, anyway. Cheese and bread were on the counter, but apparently Micah had a secret recipe that required waiting.
“It’s weird we never met before,” Adam said. “What are you, thirty?” Yes, he was totally fishing.
Micah blinked at him. “Kind sir, I’ll have you know I’m thirty-four. Practically dead in gay years. But homeschooled, so I hardly know anyone. Then I was—” the slightest pause, “—away at school for a while. Been back about ten years.”
Adam knew a little of Micah’s story from Ed, but he wanted Micah to tell him. He felt a bit like a sneak, knowing something Micah was clearly still processing. Micah surprised him by continuing.
“The whole town knows; I’m sure Ed told you something.”
Adam nodded.
“My therapist says it’s like ripping off a Band-Aid. I feel like a child for having such a hard time saying it out loud.” Micah shuddered. “Even after all this time, though, I want it not to be true.”
Adam reached over and took Micah’s hand in his, lacing their fingers together.
“My family was killed in a car accident, ten years ago this month. Supposedly my parents died instantly. My little sister died on the way to the hospital. I was away at college in Seattle, finishing my master’s in computer science. I didn’t get to say goodbye or anything; one day we were arguing about what job I should take after graduation and the next they were gone.”
Adam pulled Micah up, leading him to the couch in the living room, where he sat down, tugging Micah almost onto his lap. Not saying a word, just waiting, letting him feel that Adam was right there. Micah wasn’t crying, but he also wasn’t pushing Adam away. Sometimes words got in the way of healing. No doubt the well-meaning citizens of Skagit had been smothering Micah with platitudes, and after a while they’d decided he’d mourned long enough. No wonder he didn’t go out.
Micah murmured something Adam didn’t hear.
“What?”
“You smell good.” Micah’s voice was husky.
“Yeah?”
“I can wait for grilled cheese if you can.”
“Nice.” Languidly Micah stood, heading to the kitchen to turn off the stove. Leaving Adam to feel the chill of the room. He could see that Micah was as turned on as he was.
Adam’s damn clothes were working against him. Next time . . . Next time? his subconscious shrieked; he ignored it. Next time, he was wearing sweats, a T-shirt, and flip-flops. Fuck that it was November. Micah, who had cleverly worn the aforementioned attire, was lying on the bed already, his naked body on display for Adam to admire. He had missed so much the other morning. How had he not seen the small mole on Micah’s left pec? His body hair was slightly darker than Adam’s, and he had a long scar on his thigh that Adam wanted to trace with his tongue; he wanted to know how it got there. He wanted. He finally got his boots off. Jesus Christ.
Adam slid his naked body next to Micah’s and seriously thought he could come from just that. Again. Because isn’t that what happened before? Fuuuuck. Micah felt so good. Adam knew that he was at his core a sensual person; he had never been shy about sex. If it felt good . . . but this, this with Micah? This was nothing he’d ever experienced before.
Before, Micah had set the pace; Adam wanted that now.
“I’m negative,” Adam said. “They test us every ninety days.” He’d always thought it was a bit excessive, but right now, this minute, he was so glad. “I haven’t been with anyone since. Or before, really, come to think of it.”
“I haven’t, either.”
Adam looked at him. “Ever?” Jesus, he loved it when Micah blushed.
“Do we have to talk about this now? Naked and stuff? Can we go with it’s been so long that it might as well have been never?”
Adam rolled on top of him, grinding their dicks together; this time he was the one who trapped Micah’s arms over his head.
“Yeah, we do, because I don’t want to hurt you. I want to fuck you so hard there will be nothing left of this fancy mattress. I need to know, so if you want that, too, I can get you ready.” Another thought struck him. “Jesus Christ, please tell me you have lube and condoms?”
“I got some today,” Micah whispered, looking everywhere but at Adam.
“So, tell me.” Adam kissed him on his full lips and almost didn’t stop.
Micah sighed the sigh of the put-upon. “This is embarrassing. I was twenty-four when my parents, um, died.” Adam could feel Micah’s body lose some of its arousal, but Micah swallowed and kept talking. “And I was homeschooled. I’ve always known I was gay. My parents knew, too. I mean, I came out before they were killed. But going from homeschool to college was hard enough. I still don’t know how to meet guys.”
Adam nudged him, and he rolled his eyes. Adam ground down again for good measure.
Micah’s hips jerked against Adam’s. “Okay. I’ve done what we did before. A little messing around. I had one boyfriend; we had sex like two times because we were both idiots.” He turned his face away from Adam. “After . . . my body kind of turned off, I guess. I lost a lot of weight, because I wasn’t hungry. I just haven’t wanted to, you know, and it’s not like I’m the most graceful person ever. I hate being out of the house, because people are always looking and then turning away and whispering. I hate it.” His voice was small. “You were the first person in a long time to see me. I could tell at the Booking Room. Until Ed told you, you had no idea. And even then, you still saw me.”
Adam let go of his wrists and brought a hand down to cup Micah’s jaw, rubbing the soft shadow there with his thumb. “Yeah, I saw you. You’re fucking sex on a stick. I want to do more than just grind you into submission. I shouldn’t, but I do.” He smoothed the wild strands of hair back from Micah’s forehead. “What do you think about? You want to fuck me, or have me fuck you?” Micah’s cock jerked, and Adam felt the wet between them. Fuck, Micah was so hot.
“Both, I guess, but I think I want you to do me first.”
“You want me to fuck you first?” Micah’s cock jerked again. Holy hell. “Just being clear.” Adam smiled wickedly. “Because I am good, really good, at fucking. And I promise to make it good for you. You use toys or anything?”
“Oh my God!” Yep, beet red. “Yes, fine, I have, isn’t that what the internet is for? And yes, I’ve watched porn, too. Just fucking fuck me already,” Micah pleaded.
“Hell, yeah.” Adam finally leaned down and did what he had been wanting to. Micah’s lips were lush, his mouth was hot, and Adam wanted it all. Micah kissed like a pro, running his tongue along Adam’s lips, gently biting and sucking. Adam ran his hands through Mic
ah’s hair. He loved Micah’s hair; it was shoulder-length and soft. Adam loved seeing it finally out of the band Micah used to keep it away from his face.
He wrested himself away from Micah’s mouth, licking and sucking his way to his nipples. He loved the way Micah writhed when he sucked them. Adam loved nipple play. Some guys freaked out, or were too sensitive, or not sensitive at all, but Micah was fucking perfect. The way his body arched to meet Adam’s hot mouth . . . if Adam wasn’t careful, he was going to make himself come before he even got close to Micah’s ass. Micah moaned and gasped again, grabbing Adam’s hair and pressing his head to his chest. Fuck.
Micah’s ass was perfect, too. Hard from whatever exercise he did. Adam would guess running. But not so hard he couldn’t get a grip on it. Moving Micah to his side despite his protests, Adam parted his ass cheeks. Fuck, there was nothing like a beautiful asshole. “You are beautiful, Micah.” He spit on his hand, reaching around to jack Micah a little. His cock was incredibly hard. Adam wanted to touch everything at once. He wanted to breathe Micah in. Pushing him fully over and pulling his hips up a bit, Adam parted those cheeks again. He blew against Micah’s hole and watched it contract.
“Holy fuck.” Micah’s voice was breathless.
“Mmm.” Holding Micah’s cheeks open, Adam ran his index finger around Micah’s hole, rubbing, teasing a bit. Micah was panting and pushing back. Adam wanted to taste him first. No reason to rush. Every reason to take it slow. He leaned in and licked. Micah groaned hard. Adam reached under him and grabbed his cock. He could feel Micah’s body trying to come.
“Baby, don’t come yet. It’ll be better if you wait.”
“Unghh, haven’t had sex in … years. Ungh. You want … wait … I … hurts.”
Adam could still feel Micah’s cock and balls pulsing rock-hard against his grip.
“Okay, baby, I’ll help.”
Letting go, he ran his hand up Micah’s pulsing member at the same time he pushed his tongue partially into Micah’s sweet hole, and damn, he felt Micah come, his ass gripping the tip of Adam’s tongue like a vise, his cock pulsing against Adam’s hand. He felt wetness spatter as the man unloaded onto the sheets, bucking his hips, trying for more. And fuck if it wasn’t the sexiest thing Adam had ever experienced.
Before Micah could move, Adam opened his ass more and shoved his tongue in farther. There was pretty much nothing about sex Adam didn’t enjoy. Feeling a man around his tongue, in his mouth, was incredible. Micah lay gasping as Adam ate him out. Adam slipped his hand under Micah’s body again so he could jack him slowly while he had his tongue in Micah’s ass. After a few minutes, Micah’s hips raised again and he was pushing back. Oh, yeah.
Adam was as hard as he had ever been, but he didn’t care. He wanted so badly to make this good for Micah. With Micah’s cock making a nice comeback, Adam let go and reached up to tweak a nipple, still running his tongue over and around his hole. Fuck if Micah’s whole body didn’t jerk.
Now Adam’s balls were starting to ache. Micah’s back was smooth and lightly freckled, a road map for another day. Right now, he needed to get this man ready for him.
Fingers first. “Relax, baby, I’ve got you. Push back like you were doing before.” He felt Micah relax around his fingers; hooking down, he searched for Micah’s spot. He’d had sex with guys who hardly had one. Too bad for them. Adam suspected Micah’s had a big X-marks-the-spot on it. Yeah, the little bump was right there.
“Oh, God, fuck me please, please, just fuck me” Micah sobbed.
“Yeah, baby, I’m right here. Condom.” Adam had almost forgotten. Jesus. Soon enough he was watching the tip of his penis breach Micah’s hole. It was hot, tight, incredible. When he popped past the anal muscle he almost came.
Grunting, he grabbed Micah’s hips and continued to slowly push in. Micah was amazing. After the initial resistance, he had relaxed so much Adam’s cock was sliding home like Micah’s ass was made for him. Fully seated inside Micah, Adam paused for a moment, laying himself over his back, rubbing his chest against Micah’s sinewy muscles.
Adam wouldn’t be able to hold back much longer; his balls were slapping against Micah’s ass as he thrust, and it was almost too much sensation. Just as he was trying to get himself under control, Micah pushed back, impaling himself even further. Adam bit him on the back of the neck, sucking out the world’s biggest hickey as he unloaded into tight heat. It was almost an out-of-body experience: he felt himself come explosively, saw himself lying over Micah’s back with his cock shoved into his body.
“God.”
Adam wasn’t sure how long they’d been lying there, but the covers were pulled back up. He couldn’t move. Micah slipped out of bed, ignoring Adam’s disgruntled sound. He came back with a warm cloth. Reasonably free of come and lube, Adam drifted off, spooning Micah for the second night in a row. His subconscious was remarkably quiet.
Eighteen
EIGHTEEN
Adam was being shaken. “Adam, I hear something,” Micah whispered.
Adam sat up, immediately wide-awake. “What do you mean?” he rasped. Ugh, thirsty. His stomach growled, too. They’d never gotten around to eating.
Micah sat up next to him. Adam glanced over at the clock. 3:47 a.m. For a minute all he could hear was the soughing of the tree branches next to the bedroom window and the sound of the furnace as it started up.
Then he heard it. A quiet shuffle that didn’t belong. Also, why was the furnace coming on? Adam remembered seeing Micah turn it down the night before, after they abandoned the grilled cheese. The sound of the wind was too loud; there was a window or door open somewhere. November in Skagit meant the ambient temperature was somewhere around forty.
They were both still stark naked. Adam’s clothes were scattered all the fuck around. No way was he letting Micah go out there alone. Likewise, Micah grabbed his arm, pulling him back. Adam looked at him; his eyes were wide as saucers and his pupils were huge. Yeah, no.
“Call 911,” he whispered. “Tell them you have an intruder.”
There was a loud crash from the kitchen, then they heard running footsteps quickly fading into the night. Adam jumped out of bed and threw on his jeans, very nearly zipping up his dick in the process. Micah was right behind him in a tattered red-plaid robe that reached to about mid-thigh. The man looked sexy in anything.
The front door was standing wide open; leaves from the huge maple in the yard were blowing inside, plastering the living room. Adam went to shut the door and noticed marks around the lock and handle where someone had jimmied it to get in. The lock was very old, maybe even original to the house. No doubt it had melted like butter against a hot knife. Adam imagined Micah had never thought to change it; why would he? He’d lived there almost his entire life.
“Why?” Micah sounded choked. Adam turned to see what he was talking about.
Beyond the living room lay the kitchen, and what Adam could see was a complete disaster. Drawers were pulled out and dumped. Cupboard doors hung open, the contents vomiting onto the counters and down to the tile flooring.
A built-in floor-to-ceiling bookshelf was stripped bare. All the cookbooks and paperwork stored there had been ripped down and strewn across the kitchen floor in desperate anger. The shelves were a skeleton, the papers and books victims of assault: footprints, mud, and God knew what ground into them.
Micah sobbed and fell to his knees on the floor, frantically grabbing papers and what Adam could see were photographs.
“Baby, you have to stop. We have to call the police.” Adam knelt next to him and put his arms around Micah’s to keep him from destroying any evidence. Not that he was callous enough to call the precious memories evidence in front of Micah.
By the time SkPD arrived, he had managed to get Micah into something acceptable—the plaid robe was oddly sexy, but no way were any of the blues getting a look at him in it. Adam couldn’t believe both of them had slept through the destruction, although he had to admit he hadn’t been sleeping wel
l for a long time. A good fuck put him right under. Apparently it had knocked Micah out, too. Unfortunately, the effect was destroyed now.
Ah well, Adam would just have to make it happen again. Micah said he didn’t know what woke him, but most likely it was the final angry pull of mementos off the built-in.
Adam managed not to be disdainful of the SkPD’s investigative methods for about ten minutes. For another twenty he managed not to voice his opinion. When he ushered them out ninety minutes later, he wanted to kick their fat asses down the stairs. Micah had reverted to the shy, bumbling shell he showed the people of Skagit. He was all but in a fugue state, barely able to answer the officers’ insensitive questions. To them (if they were even old enough to remember), Micah should be well past his family’s death. They’d peppered him with questions about the family documents and pictures strewn all over—was anything missing?—subtly suggesting Micah must be somehow involved in something shady.
“Are they gone?” Micah asked.
Adam turned from watching the last patrol car roll down the street and turn the corner toward the station. The sleepless neighbors would have a lot to talk about later. “Yep.”
“Why? I’m the most boring person in Skagit. I practically don’t throw a shadow . . . why would anyone want to come into my home and destroy my, my . . .” Micah flailed a hand toward the mess.
“I don’t know, baby.” Now that Tweedledee and Tweedledum had left, his Micah was returning.
“Seriously, nothing ever happens to me. I’ve never gotten a goddamn parking ticket. The worst thing I ever did was lock my little sister and her friend Jessica out of the house so I could watch TV.”
Adam saw his face change. “What? You remembered something.”
“I’d forgotten. A week or so ago, when I was in the Booking Room, I ran into her. Jessica.”
Adam remembered the younger woman sitting with Micah for a few minutes. Adam had been pissed, since up until that moment he’d been hoping Miah was gay. He nodded.