Nine
Micah and Mark spent the two-hour flight in the luxury of First Class, sipping drinks, while Micah regaled Mark with tales of his and Nick’s many college “adventures”—andmisadventures.He told him about Nick and Wendy meeting and falling in love, and their repeated failed attempts to set Micah up on a successful blind date.
“What about us?” Mark asked with amusement. “Were we another failed attempt?”
“I wouldn’t say that.” Micah kissed him. “I think it was quite successful. Maybe it wasn’t love at first sight, but it still had its perks.”
“Perks, huh?” Mark squinted teasingly. “Between the sheetsperks?”
“Absolutely.” Micah winked and offered a half-toast with his champagne glass. “And more.” It was on the tip of his tongue to voice his suggestion to Mark right then. He suppressed the notion. When he talked to Mark about possibly developing a deeper relationship, he wanted to do so in private when they had all the time they needed to talk it through.
“And more.” Mark smiled and tapped glasses with Micah.
The plane touched down at ten-thirty and it took nearly twenty minutes to de-board and make their way to baggage claim.
“What time are they expecting us?” Mark walked beside Micah, weaving their way through the holiday gridlock clogging up the airport terminal.
“Around noon.” Micah sought out the signs that directed them to the in-airport car rental desk. Whenever he slowed, people bumped into him. Nick usually picked him up at the airport, and if he needed a car while on the holiday vacation, he used Mark and Wendy’s vehicle. With Mark along, it seemed more convenient to rent a car and have their own transportation.
“How long is the drive to their place?”
“About an hour.” The airport was two towns over from Nick and Wendy’s hometown—which was too small to support an airport of its own. “As soon as we pick up the keys for the car, I’ll text Nick and let him know we’re on the ground and headed that way.”
“Okay-” Mark’s cell went off. He moved out of the flow of traffic to a short row of chairs and placed his suitcase and shoulder bag on the floor. Micah followed and set his luggage next to Mark’s as the other man dug out his phone.
“The rental desk is right over here.” Micah motioned across the way. “I’ll go grab the keys if you want to watch the luggage.”
Mark nodded and answered his cell.
Leaving him to his phone call, Micah approached the rental car counter, gave them his information and produced his driver’s license for ID. The young woman behind the counter was efficient at her job and quickly located his reservation. She smiled and handed him a set of keys. “Here you are, sir. Have a Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas to you, too.” Micah smiled back. He dumped the keys into the pocket of his overcoat and took out his phone. Over by the chairs, Mark was still on his cell, his back turned. Mark hadn’t said who was calling. Looking down at his own phone, Micah began typing out a quick message to Nick. When people started pressing in toward the rental counter, he moved out of the way.
Head down, eyes on his phone, Micah walked forward, his thumbs flying over the on-screen keyboard. He tappedsend—and blindsided a fellow holiday traveler. Hisvictimgrunted, and Micah gasped and stumbled sideways, his phone shooting from his hands like a bullet. “Shit.”
A gloved hand snatched the device out of thin air seconds before it crashed to the hard floor—and was handed back to him.
“Oh, God,” Micah mumbled, embarrassed as hell as he regained his bearings and reached for his cell. “I’m so sorry…” His apology sliced off smooth and abrupt by the pair of emerald eyes staring back at him—delivering the blow of a wrecking ball that knocked the air from his lungs. He staggered back a step as if struck by the stranger—when in reality, he was simply offering Micah’s phone back to him, his hand outstretched and frozen in mid-air.
The two men stood stone still, just staring at one another—bothexperiencing thissurrealimpact.
“Are…are you okay, sir?” The man seemed in a trance, his words unsteady, a rasp to his voice.
Micah blinked, shaken to the core and locked in those soft green eyes, behind which a world of wonder beckoned.What’s happening?His heart beat like a drum, pounding out an erratic rhythm. “Uh…” Micah swallowed hard and cleared his throat. “Uh…yeah…” His hand trembled as he took the phone. “Thank you, for…” He indicated the cell.
The man nodded and, now, they were both struggling not to stare at the other as the moment grew awkward with the unacknowledgedphenomenontaking place.
“I’m…I’m really sorry,” Micah mumbled, quickly taking in details of the man’s appearance; Micah’s height and build and approximate age—and heart-stoppinghandsome. Hair that appeared brown at first glance but highlighted a deep auburn by the airport’s bright lights. He wore an overcoat much like Micah’s own, a loose scarf draped around the collar, and an expensive suit underneath.
“No harm done.” The man fussed with his coat, his mesmerizing eyes darting repeatedly to Micah’s face.
No harm done.
Are you sure?
Micah quaked inside—reminding him of that fleeting moment with Ben last year, yet this was so much more powerful, shaking him to his core.
No…no…this isn’t happening!Micah panicked even as his heart went wild, spinning in his chest, beating at his ribs. He could hardly breathe as time seemed to simultaneously stop and speed up.
