Eight
“Hey. Nick.” Micah propped the phone in the docking bay and went about packing his clothes. Nick watched him through the video message. “I’m just getting packed now.”
“So, out with it,”Nick demanded playfully.
Feigning ignorance, Micah cast a grin at the phone. “Out with what?” This call andinquirywere expected.
“You know what.”Nick paused, watching him move back and forth between the closet, bureau and the bed where the suitcase lay open.“You seem awful smiley and chipper.”He grinned.“Did we pick a winner or what? I haven’t met the guy, but our mutual friends insisted he wasn’t only a great guy—but crazy sexy.”
Micah chuckled. “Mark is great. I certainly wasn’t disappointed.” In fact, throughout their date night, Mark had been about as far from disappointing that a man could get. They’d made love multiple times before dawn and then had a couple more sessions before Mark left the apartment—promising to call and let Micah know if he would be joining him for the holidays.
That was a week ago, and Mark’s call had come in two days after their date night. After speaking with his parents about possibly not making it home for Christmas because he might be spending the holiday with another man—and then having to listen to their bigoted reprimand—Mark eagerly accepted Micah’s invite.
“Great, huh?”Nick grinned.“How great? All night long great?”
Micah laughed. “Um…”
“You horny devil!”Nick hooted.“You did the deed with him! Yes! I knew he couldn’t resist your sexy ass.”
“You are so weird, Nick. Most straight guys cringe at the thought of gay sex.”
“Hey, you’re my best friend. I want you happy and satisfied.”He winked at Micah.“If you know what I mean.”
“Uh, yeah,” Micah laughed. “I got it. But just so you know…” He walked over to the phone. “Mark and I aren’tdating.We’re just friends…withbenefits.”He held Nick’s stare. “He isn’tthe onefor me. And I’m not thatonefor him, either. We are both aware of this. Right now, we’re just enjoying one another’s company.”
“Well, he must be kind of special if you’re bringing him home with you for the holidays.”
“He is special.” Micah went back to packing. “A specialfriend.We’ve already established what kind of relationship we have, so I don’t want you and Wendy trying to make something more of it, all right?”
“Us?”Nick asked innocently.“Poke our nose into your private life? Never.”
Micah chuckled and shook his head. “No, never. Not you two.”
Nick laughed.“So, your flight is in the morning?”
“Yes. It’s early, so we should be there by noon.”
“Do you need me to pick you up at the airport?”
“No,” Micah said. “I reserved a rental car. We’re good to go.”
“Great,”Nick said.“Well, I can’t wait to meet your new friend—and see you again, of course.”He smirked.
“And I can’t wait to see that baby girl of yours,” Micah told him. “The last time I saw her, she was just a few days old. I bet she’s growing like a weed.”
“Oh yeah.”Nick beamed with fatherly pride.
“How’s Eli taken to being a big brother?”
“Oh man,”Nick laughed.“He spoils her rotten. We had to limit him when it came to buying Christmas gifts for her or we would’ve been deep in debt by the new year.”
“About what I expected of him.” Micah nodded. “He was sure excited when she arrived. I can just imagine what it’ll be like when she starts dating.” He grinned. “Eli will be screening all her prospects.”
Nick groaned.“Please—let’s not talk about her dating yet. For now, I want to stay in my little daddy bubble and pretend that nightmare isn’t coming.”
“Ah, don’t worry. I’m positive she will be a smart, level-headed young lady who can distinguish between the good guys and the bad guys.”
“It isn’t just about that,”Nick mumbled with a pouty smirk.“Her dating at all is going to kill me.”
