Nineteen
The soft towel absently twisted in Micah’s hands when Graham peeled off his wet t-shirt. Micah stared longingly as his bare, glistening flesh. He swallowed and stepped up behind him and began to dry his back, slowly rubbing the towel over his damp, strong muscles. Graham stood unmoving, a light tension in his body. Dragging the towel along the furrows of muscle that flanked his spine and down to the small of his back, Micah gently squeezed his hips through the soft cotton material and pressed his lips to the nape of his neck.
A quiet, uneven breath shuddered out of Graham. He turned slowly, and the towel fell from Micah’s grip as he rested his hands tentatively on the man’s bare waist.
Graham gazed into his eyes—a world of fantasy and wonder churning, beckoning within those emerald depths—and gently cupped Micah’s neck, sliding his fingers up into his soft hair. His tender touch caused Micah’s heart rate to climb higher, pumping faster and harder. Micah clutched his waist tighter as Graham came closer, head titling in.
Oh, God…yes.
His eyelids fluttering just a bit before drifting close, Micah parted his lips, his entire body aching for that one coveted kiss. Graham’s bare flesh burned his fingertips as Micah gripped harder, subconsciously pulling his hips closer until their midsections grazed together, bringing both men to full awareness of the other’s arousal.
Graham trembled beneath Micah’s touch as his lips brushed his mouth, drawing a long moan from Micah as the two men melted into the kiss, falling deeper and deeper, drowning in one another. Micah eased his grip on Graham’s waist and curled his arms around his body, pushing into the kiss as if it was the one thing keeping him breathing—keeping himalive.
“Micah…”Light shivers coursed through Graham and his palms glided over Micah’s cheeks, thumbs caressing his warm face. His lips trembled on Micah’s mouth as his words shuddered out of him. “There’s so much I still want to tell you,” he whispered and gingerly delivered another kiss. “You don’t know just how much you really mean to me.”
Show me.The thought rushed through his mind and headed for his lips. About time those two small but oh-so-powerful words slid down his tongue—Graham engulfed him another passionate kiss andsuckedthe request right out of his mouth.
When Graham released him and drew back, Micah was trembling, his thoughts a tattered mess and incapable of forminganywords at the moment.
Graham’s heated emerald eyes caressed Micah’s flushed face then slid lower to his open shirt. He touched his fingertips to his chest and trailed them down Micah’s body, slowly unfastening the few remaining buttons. His breath uneven, Graham peeled his shirt open wider without removing it. “You are a beautiful man, Micah Rose,” he whispered with a tremor. Micah had barely absorbed his words when Graham’s lips touched his throat, gently tugging his skin.
“Mmm…”Micah swallowed thickly and rubbed his palms along Graham’s forearms, thrilling to feel of the soft hairs gliding beneath his touch, craving for Graham’s hands to explore his body. Micah caressed over his biceps, shoulders, and cupped the back of his head. His fingertips played with the damp tips of auburn hair where the water had got him.
A strong hand scooped beneath his open shirt and flattened against his lower back, supporting him as he was gently taken to the soft carpet before the fireplace.
∞∞∞
I love you, Micah.
Graham kissed and caressed his warm flesh, savoring each taste and touch.
I love you so much.
He pressed his lips to Micah’s navel as he rubbed his hands tenderly up and down his body. Micah moaned and trembled with tense anticipation. He was ready to be loved by Graham—in every way that a man can be loved by another.
Graham tentatively descended, pressing soft kisses to his lower abdomen, following the path of dark hair that led from his belly button and trickled under the band of his pants. Micah’s stomach quivered beneath Graham’s lips and he slid his fingers into Graham’s hair, his tension mounting as Graham went lower, dropping light kisses all over his swollen arousal.
A sharp, quiet breath caught in Micah’s throat and he gripped Graham’s hair a fraction tighter. When they made love—Graham wanted Micah to himself all night long. He wanted that night to be tonight and believed it would be. But Micah had to go home soon before they could begin their “official” date. It wasn’t time to take that final step—but they both needed something to hold them over.
Atasteof the passion that awaited them.
Graham moved up over the top of Micah, allowing his hand to gently glide between Micah’s thighs, tenderly rubbing him with just enoughpromiseto bring a shaky whimper to Micah’s lips.
“Will you stay with me tonight, Micah?” he whispered against his trembling lips—andmassagedaway any potential doubts Micah might have.
There was no hesitation in Micah when he replied with a broken breath – “Yes.”
“I want it to be perfect,” he breathed softly into Micah’s mouth and kissed him, his passion strong yet tender. “Until then…may I love on you just a little bit?” He moaned and lightly squeezed Micah’s hardness.
Micah swallowed hard, his breath coming quicker, hips lifting to Graham. “Yes…”he whimpered, a desperate plea in his voice.
Graham kissed him and softly sucked his lips as Micah pushed into the passion, his fingertips gliding along Graham’s ribs, inciting shivers that tingled all through his loins.
∞∞∞
Micah could hardly catch his breath. Nothing he had experienced with other men came close to affecting him to this depth. Was this the difference between mere sexual intimacy—andemotionalintimacy? Loving a man from the heart took on an all-new level of intensity. It overwhelmed him, consumed him—enrapturedhim.
Graham touched him with such tenderness andlovethat he felt as if he were floating inches above the thick, soft carpet. In some ways, it was like a surreal dream and he felt far away…yet every sensation was crystal clear—his senses more vivid than ever before; the heat from the fireplace just a little warmer, the light breeze outside and the tick of snow against the windows…
