Page 48 of Inevitable

It was a special kind of Hell, but I would suffer it a dozen times to protect Micah. He was my world, and he deserved every bit of what I could give him. Being back on such good terms with him had made me happier than I had been in a long time, but it was tinged with my own self-loathing and disgust over the lies still hanging between us. I despised the fact that Micah believed I wasn't in love with him, and that it was somehow his fault we had struggled for so long this year when it was all me. It was my lies, both of the blackout and my feelings for him, that put us in this position. I always said he deserved so much fucking better, but what had I done to prove that?

Thinking of one, small way that I could show him how much he meant to me, I dialed his number through my car's Bluetooth. He answered on the second ring.

“Hey BB! What are you up to?” he said cheerfully, his sweet tone invading my ears and making my cock perk up in my jeans.

God, even his fucking voice through a car speaker has the power to unravel me. I'm so fucked.

“Hey M&M, I'm actually heading back to campus. Thanksgiving spent at the house wasn't working out too great, so I figured I'd cut it short.”

“Oh damn…I'm sorry, B. Is everything okay?” he asked worriedly.

“Yeah, nothing I can't handle. Look, what are you doing tomorrow for Thanksgiving?” I checked, praying that he hadn't made some last-minute plans with some friends or even Rhys.

“Got a hot date involving me, my couch, and Bart Simpson,” he said sarcastically. “B, you know I don't have shit going on. I'm just hanging at my apartment.”

Images of Micah lounging naked on his couch sprang to mind unwittingly, and the pressure behind my zipper grew uncomfortable.Shit, I've got to get a grip on myself…I'm losing it.

“Spend the day with me instead. Come hang out at my place, and I'll cook us Thanksgiving dinner,” I implored, not sure I could take it if he said no. I missed him so much it was embarrassing.

“Really? Damn, you haven't cooked in ages! Are you sure, BB? You know you don't have to do that just for me. I'm cool with junk food on the couch with you, you know that,” Micah said earnestly.

I indeed knew that Micah would have been happy with the bare minimum because that's just who he was. He was easy to please and enjoyed the little things, and it was such an endearing quality of his that I fell for him a little more in that moment. However, I wanted to do more for him, show him I cared.

“I know, but I wanted to do this. Let me cook you dinner, M. Say you'll spend the day with me. Please?”

I could almost hear the grin take over his face across the line before he said, “Hell yeah, let's do it.”

Perfect!“Come to my place about 11am. See you tomorrow, M&M,” I told him, the smile on my face never once dimming the rest of the way back to Austin.

CHAPTER 18

Micah

The call from Bash had put me in such a good mood that I was restless all through the night from excitement. It was meant to be a whole day spent alone, just the two of us hanging out, and there was nothing I found sexier than Bash in the kitchen.

It was one of the things he had enjoyed doing with his mom when she was having a few good days, and he had become quite the chef over the years. He would always cook for me on special occasions after we became friends, and he even taught me a couple things when I had asked for some lessons. Of course, I only asked to have an excuse to get closer to him and get an unobstructed view of him at work, but it also paid off. I had become a master of pasta and tacos, and they were my go-to whenever I was forced to cook.

I was glad Bash had suggested his place since Rhys had stayed in town as well, but he seemed to be a little busier than usual. I didn't know a ton about his life outside the apartment, so I assumed that he had some friends he was hanging out with. Either way, he was preoccupied for most of the week, but it was a nice change of pace to be at Bash's apartment anyway.

When I arrived, he shouted from inside that the door was unlocked and I let myself in. I waltzed into the kitchen to a delightfully sexy sight. Bash was standing at the stove top, stirring something that smelled divine, in a tight black t-shirt and light gray sweatpants. The shirt wrapped his upper body in a sensual way that had his lean biceps popping out and affecting my pulse. The pants framed his ass andoutlined the muscle there, and it made me drool with desire.Sweet Jesus, I've said it before, but I will say it again: that is a damn national treasure right there. I feel like saluting it.

Bash turned at the moment I was ogling his perfect peachy bottom, and his lips quirked up into his gorgeous smirk. My heart flip flopped in my chest, and I just knew I flushed bright pink. “Like what you see, M?” Bash taunted, those lily pad green eyes piercing straight through me.

“As a gay man, I consider myself a leading expert on perfect asses and I'm happy to report yours is…good,” I said seriously, fighting to keep a straight face and defuse the tension that was starting to simmer.

Bash's right eyebrow shot straight up and he gave me an incredulous look. “Um excuse me, just good? You were staring it down like it had you hypnotized! What would you have done if my ass was glorious?”

His question caused a myriad of images to rush through my head, the next one dirtier than the last. I froze and blinked at him, not willing to say any of the ideas that floated through my mind at what I would do to his ass if given half a chance. He must've seen how uncomfortable I was and cleared his throat. Turning back to the stove, he changed the subject.

“So I know it's Thanksgiving and all, but I thought since I hadn't cooked for you in a long ass time, I'd make your favorite instead,” Bash said softly, but I could hear the fondness in his voice.

“You made me Fettuccine Alfredo?” I asked excitedly. The only person in the world who ever made it for me was Bash because his was the best. Therefore, I hadn't had it in a couple of years and I was jonesing big time!

Bash just turned and flashed me a brilliant smile that nearly stopped my heart.Oh my God…he can be so perfect sometimes, and I am so fucking hopeless for him.

I came up behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist, unable to stop myself from making contact. I squeezed him tight, and felt one of his arms lay over mine before he laced our fingers together with his hand. I stopped breathing at that point. I couldn't think or move or do anything but focus on the incredible heat and electricity flowing between us right now. I could hear Bash's heartbeat pick up slightly through my cheek pressed against his back, and I wondered why I was having that effect on him.

He had held me thousands of times before, but lately his breath seemed to catch around me easier and sometimes when I'd hug him, his pulse would accelerate noticeably.

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