∞∞∞
The next day—after minimal sleep—Micah waited until noon before driving over to Sal’s house. Wendy had graciously prepared a hot lunch for Micah to take with him and share with Graham and packed it in a nylon cooler to keep it warm.
Uncertainty knotted his gut when he pulled up to the house and discovered an unfamiliar car in the drive. The rental Graham had been driving yesterday was nowhere to be seen.
Micah left the nylon cooler in the front seat and approached the front door with a modicum of anxiety. Everything was still fresh and new between him and Graham—and it was too easy to worry that something could go wrong and rob him of his miracle. Something as simple as an unknown vehicle parked in the spot where Graham’s car should have been put him on edge.
He paused at the front door, glanced at the strange car again, took a deep breath, and rang the doorbell. From deep inside the house, footsteps ventured his way. The door opened a moment later, and Micah took a step back, his heart suddenly hammering as Graham stood before him in a plain white t-shirt and jeans, his clothes dusty and deep auburn hair slightly unruly with specs of sawdust flakes.
Micah swallowed, completely taken in by the “working man” look on Graham. He wasn’t much for watching porn, but he had his moments and recalled a scenario in one video that involved a sexy carpenter. His loins sizzled at the memory of how that scene played out.
“Micah?” Pleasant surprised lit up Graham’s face. “I wasn’t expecting to see you until this evening.” The man’s chest rose and fell a little quicker as his emerald eyes caressed Micah’s face.
“I know…” Micah swallowed, unable to get theadultscene out of his head. “I’m sorry for just showing up. I should have called…”
“No. It’s fine.” Graham stepped back and opened the door wider. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Micah didn’t immediately enter as he glanced back toward his car. “I…I brought lunch…if you haven’t eaten already.”
“I haven’t.” Graham smiled softly. “That sounds great. Thank you.”
Micah nodded at the strange car. “Is that…yourcar? It isn’t the same one from yesterday.”
“Seth took the rental back to the airport with him and turned it in. I went down to the car lot this morning and leased this one.”
“Oh, I see.” Relief washed through Micah and he felt a little foolish that he had been worried at all. “I’ll go grab our lunch.”
Graham nodded, his smile resting on his lips. He stood at the door while Micah retrieved the cooler and came back. “Sorry about…” Graham indicated his dusty clothes. “I was working on the back room.”
He wassorryabout his look? Micah shivered as he stepped past him and into the house.
If you only knew the effect that “look” is having on me…you wouldn’t be apologizing.
