Eighteen
Micah unpacked the plastic food containers from the nylon cooler and set them on the counter. “Wendy didn’t know if you were a meat eater, so she included a couple of vegetarian dishes as well.”
“That was very thoughtful of her.” Graham rested his elbows on the counter across from Micah, his gaze resting longingly on his face. “For the record, I do like meat.”
Micah cast him a quick a smile. “So, do I.”
From the tingle in his belly button, Graham thought maybe they had just exchanged a sexual innuendo without even meaning to. “Wendy sounds like a wonderful woman.”
“She is, absolutely.” Micah peeled off the tops of the containers.
“Mm.” Graham looked with interest at the food giving off a mouth-watering aroma. “That smells delicious.”
“Wendy is a great cook.” Micah looked up and smiled. “Nick really hit the jackpot with her.” He laughed softly. “Not just because of her culinary skills, of course. She’s an amazing woman all around.”
Sliding one of the containers closer, Graham picked up a fork. “I can’t wait to meet her.” He dug into the glazed pork dish and moaned with the first bite. “This literally melts in your mouth.”
“She’ll be ecstatic that you like it,” Micah chuckled. “She loves to cook for people.”
Graham licked his lips. “If all her food tastes this good, she could go into business. Has she ever thought about opening a restaurant?”
“It’s actually kind of a dream of hers. Someday. She likes being at home with Eli and Mary while they’re little. But she has been taking some online culinary courses.”
“That’s great.”
Micah took small bites from his own container, a small smile playing at the edge of his mouth.
Pausing between bites, Graham asked, “What?”
“Nothing,” Micah laughed quietly without looking at him.
“Come on, tell me.”
“It’s nothing.” Micah pursed his lips. “Wendy just asked if you were…drop-dead gorgeous.”
Graham lowered his fork, a slow grin spreading across his face. “You lied and told her I was, right?”
A shaky breath escaped Micah and he met Graham’s teasing stare. “I didn’t have to lie.”
You’re killing me, baby.Graham leaned a bit more weight on the counter to keep from wilting to the floor. “Well…” he went back to poking at his food. “If asked…I wouldn’t have to lie, either. About you, I mean.”
“You just feel obligated to say that.” Micah suppressed a smile, his eyes on his meal.
“Yeah…” Graham sighed with a soft chuckle. “That’s it.”
Micah’s sudden appearance at his door had been unexpected—though not unwanted. Last night had been a restless night. His mind refused to shut down and let him sleep. His head had been filled with fantasies—both sweet and sexy—of Micah Rose. Graham awoke this morning to anachingbody and the desperate need to rush over to Micah’s house first thing, just to make sure he was real and not just yesterday’s sweet dream.
He had resisted all urges to call Micah or show up in person—though every fiber of his being begged him to do so. It was a stroke of luck that Micah had given in to his own urges and come to Graham. Outwardly, he thought he was doing well at keeping it cool. Inwardly, he felt like a giddy little kid on Christmas morning who discovered that Santa had brought him exactly what he asked for.
∞∞∞
While eating lunch, Micah surveyed the kitchen. There was a lot of counter space and plenty of cupboards. The stove was gas rather than electric. The floor tile was in good condition as was the wood fixtures. At most—where the kitchen was concerned—it just needed a hearty cleaning and possibly some fresh wood stain.
“Is there much to do on the place before it’s marketable?” he asked Graham. They had finished their meal and Micah gathered up the empty containers. He motioned to the sink. “Mind if I go ahead and wash them?”
“I’ll help.” Graham smiled and led him to the sink, plugged the drain and squirted in dish soap then began filling the basin with hot water. “The house is basically in good condition. A thorough cleaning and keeping heat going would get rid of the stale odor of sitting empty for months. I was just doing some touch-ups around the place. The den—that I was working on today—needs the window frames sanded down. And there’s some minimal water damage in the corner of the ceiling. I need to check it out as soon as possible and make sure there isn’t a leak.”
Micah dumped the containers into the sudsy water. “You know how to do all this hands-on stuff?” He began scrubbing the dishes and dropping them into the rinse water where Graham then dried them.
