Page 86 of Inevitable

I just nodded, smiling at him. I wanted a piece of us tied to the app even in the smallest sense, and that was what I came up with. He just smiled in return, biting his lower lip lightly.

“How are things with your parents? Is your…mom okay?” he asked nervously, his eyes not holding contact with me. My smile grew, and it seemed to throw him off.

“Everything is better than okay actually. My mom was never admitted, Micah. My dad lied to me. She's finally divorcing him, and we're both free.” The words felt incredible to say, to share with him. The dumbstruck look on his face almost made me laugh, but I told himthe whole story starting with when I had gone to confront dad and found mom at home, bringing him up to date on what mom and I had planned.

“We wanted to be sure that my dad wouldn't have any more power over her, so my mom's lawyer set me up with Power of Attorney over her mental health. I had a complete psych evaluation to deem me fit to make decisions for her if needed, and my dad can't circumvent it. If he ever tried to get a judge to commit her, I'd have the last word on the matter. I felt weird about it at first, but mom said she trusts me implicitly. As long as I don't use it to throw her in a nursing home later,” I laughed, remembering her making the joke in better spirits than I had seen from her in years.

Micah was floored by all I had told him, but he also appeared happy and relieved for me as well. “But…what about money and your schooling? You said your mom was getting alimony, but is that enough for you to finish school on?”

“I don't need her to pay for anything. My app didn't bring in millionaire money by a long shot, but it'll be enough to live off of for a few years at least. I already paid off the remainder of UT, and I leased a new apartment near campus. It all worked out pretty damn perfectly,” I told him with a soft smile, hoping he'd ask about the new detail I dropped on him.

“Right…I heard you moved. How are the new digs?” He tried to come across as nonchalant, but I could see right through him. He was hurt by the news, but I wanted to show him how good it actually was.

“It's a pretty remarkable place. I got really lucky when I was looking. Would you…want to see it?” I cautiously asked him, praying I wasn't misreading things between us right now.

He worried his bottom lip with his teeth, debating my offer. My breath was coming in tiny sips as I waited for him to either accept or turn me down flat.

“I'd really like that,” he said after several seconds of silence. I breathed out a sigh of relief.

“Come on, then. I'll drive.”

*****

The twelve minute car ride to my new place was tense and quiet, only the sounds of Maroon 5 playing low in the background. I wasn't going to pass up an opportunity to get to him any way I could. If I had to use Adam Levine to do it, then so be it. I also knew it took an iron will for him not to sing along to one of his favorites, and I bit back a chuckle.

The apartments were a beautiful, red brick building that had a slight vintage look to them that seemed out of place in the urban environment. They looked closer to something one would see in the historic district of Boston or Philadelphia, and I fell in love with them at first sight. I also knew I wouldn't be the only one.

“Wow…Bash, these are beautiful. The architecture is amazing,” Micah breathed in awe, looking up out of the windshield. We got out and I held out a slightly shaky hand to him. Surprisingly, he reached out and took it and that familiar electricity zapped through my skin. I could tell he felt it too when he let out a sharp gasp, audible even over the sounds of the city.

I led him to the elevators and we took it to the top floor of the building. It was only eight stories high, but it faced the river and had a breathtaking view. I was so excited for him to see it. When I opened the door to the apartment, Micah's jaw unhinged for the tenth time that night as he took it all in.

The entryway was open to the living room in front of us, the vaulted ceilings making the space feel larger than it was. I had a TV mounted to the wall opposite the couch, and the UT-colored throw blanket that Micah's mom had knit for Christmas was slung over the back. The kitchen was across from it, catty-corner to where we stood by the door. It was all dark wood cabinets and quartz counter tops, the island holding the giant farm sink that I thought he'd love. There were bar stools under the island, and a small coffee cart off in the corner that Micah had always wanted.

The biggest draw in the open space were the floor to ceiling windows that slid open onto a large patio with a white, iron railing. The view framed the city skyline and the river below it, the lights of the buildings reflecting on the smooth surface of the water. It looked like a painting. Every time I stood there looking out, it reminded me of him and I would bask in our happiest memories.

I stood still as Micah ever so slowly ventured into the room, coming to stand right in front of the windows and gazing out at the city. I saw his reflection in the glass and could almost make out his shiny, glazed eyes.

“I picked it with you in mind,” I murmured behind him, taking a couple of steps closer. “When I saw it, I knew it had everything that you would love. I knew you wanted a mounted TV, a bar stool island, a farm sink, a coffee cart, and a great view to look at while you work and drink your coffee. The bedroom even has a giant bay window with plenty of space for a desk in front of it, like you always wanted.”

He turned slowly to face me, espresso orbs glossy with tears. “I rented it for us, M. I didn't know if I'd ever see you again, but I wantedthis place for us. Every decision I make from here on out will be for you and us.”

When he didn't move or breathe, I took a gamble and closed the distance between us, leaving only a couple of inches. I saw his breathing catch in his throat and my own stuttered to match, making swallowing a difficult feat at the moment.

I reached up and ran my knuckles across his cheek in the barest of touches. My heart skipped a beat when he leaned into my touch, his eyes closing and releasing a single tear. “Give me a chance to earn your heart back, M. I need it to be mine again because I'm so fucking lost without you.”

He peered back at me, a vulnerability so plain on his handsome features that it hurt to see. “How can I trust that you'll keep choosing me? That you won't find an easier option later on if you get scared again?”

“Because you're wrong, M. We are not an option, we are not a choice to make. We are inevitable. It was always going to be you and me, baby. There was no other way our story could end but together. My heart has no other choices or options because it was only ever meant to be yours.”

More tears escaped down his cheeks and his piercing eyes stayed riveted to mine. No words were spoken, no noises made. We simply stared at one another. Nothing needed to be said at that point.

Our hearts had always understood each other in the silence.

Micah nodded his head so minutely I almost doubted I saw it, but I felt it in my core. He was giving me a chance. Without a second of hesitation, I crushed my lips to his and my world righted itself in a single heartbeat.

My head spun and my heart thrashed in my chest, all the pieces snapping back into place in perfect harmony. I released a deep groan that was swallowed by Micah's sweet, soft mouth and he echoed with a moan of his own. My tongue ran across the seam of his lips and when he parted for me, my tongue speared inside looking for its mate. They ran together gently, reacquainting themselves as we took the time to devour each other for the first time in almost two months.

His hands dove into my hair, anchoring me to him and I wrapped my arms around his lithe body. Our kissing was savage and fierce, a clash of teeth and tongues and groans that had my blood boiling and my cock filling. Micah finally pulled back to catch his breath. “Take me to bed, Bash. Make me yours again,” he whispered.

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