Chapter 12
twelve
I followed Micah and Wells down the path to the beach with a cooler of beer in my hands and three rolled-up towels under one arm. The setting sun hovered over a fog bank out at sea. Bags of wood swung in each of Micah’s hands, while Wells carried a bag of wood and a bag of takeout. All three of us wore jeans and sweatshirts. We set up on the beach in the same spot as a few days ago, and Micah started on the fire, ripping bags of wood open.
I dropped the cooler in the sand and laid the towels out. “Who wants a beer?”
“Me.” Micah held his hand up.
“Me.” Wells plopped down on a towel, almost falling backward. He belly laughed.
I reached into the cooler, brought out two beers, and handed one to Micah and one to Wells. As I rubbed my hands together, I said, “Damn, it’s cold tonight.”
“I thought California was warm and sunny?” Wells’ beer can burst as it opened.
“Not this part.” Micah lit a fire starter under a teepee of wood and sat on a towel. As he gazed into the fire, he cracked open his beer and gulped it down.
After the conversation with Jeff and Wells, I wanted Micah close. “Hey, come here.” I stretched toward him and tugged at his sweatshirt.
With a coy grin, Micah crawled to my side.
I wrapped my arm around his shoulders and placed a quick kiss on his cheek.
As Micah snuck a peek at Wells, he flushed. “So, did you ever get that song worked out?”
“No, Ash is being stubborn about it. He thinks I should just play a stupid rhythm, with like three notes, and I want to do a little more.” Wells hooked a brow at me.
“It’s not that kind of song. All it needs is a solid bass line. It doesn’t need a freaking bass solo behind it.” I scoffed. Maybe Wells would understand better what I was thinking when we got into the studio with Dilan.
The fire lit up, licking at the air above our heads, and crackled in the wind coming off the waves of the ocean.
Wells inched backward on the towel. “Damn, Micah. You trying to burn the whole place down?”
Micah released a soft chuckle. “This is a proper beach bonfire.”
“I’ll drink to that.” I held my beer up, took a long swallow and tugged Micah closer, until there was no space between us.
Micah nestled into my side.
What if Micah didn’t want to be with me after we talked about the possible exposure? What if each kiss I gave him tonight was one of the last? I set my fingers on his chin and drew his face toward mine, placing another, more tender kiss on his lips. As I drew away, my heart ached.
Micah studied me, pulled his brows together, and then glanced at Wells. “When are we going to eat? I’m starving.”
“Oh, here.” Wells opened the bag of takeout and handed food containers to each of us. “Fish and chips. This place better be as good as you both say it is.”
“Oh, it is.” I opened my container and stuffed a French fry in my mouth. My mind drifted back to the fun morning of surfing I’d had with Micah a few days ago. Hopefully, there would be more.
Micah took a bite of fish. “So, tell me some stories about Ash when he was young.”
Wells smiled at him. “Let’s see...” He ate some fish. “Damn, that is good.” He sipped his beer. “Well, Ash was in the theater in high school. He was a little drama boy.” He snickered. “This one time, he was playing Romeo in Romeo and Juliet , and the girl?—”
“Not that story.” Wells loved to tell that stupid story. I tutted.
“Yes, tell me.” Micah drank his beer and smirked at me.
“As I was saying, Ash was playing Romeo, and he had to wear these ridiculous shoes that were way too big for his feet. So, he’d trip over the toe every once in a while, when they were rehearsing.”
“Wells always helped build the sets,” I said. “Because he was terrible at acting and never got picked for any roles.” Got him back . I snickered.
Wells rolled his eyes. “Anyway, when they did the actual play, he tripped over those damn shoes right when he was supposed to kiss the girl. He knocked her right on her ass and you know what she said in front of everyone?”
“What?” With a wicked smile on his face, Micah sipped his beer.
“She yelled fuck . Right on hot mic, right in front of the entire crowd. All the parents were gasping in shock and Ash’s face turned beet red.” Wells leaned in on the towel. “He didn’t know what to do, so he started giggling and the girl started giggling. Pretty soon, the whole place was laughing, and they could hardly finish the kiss, let alone their lines. It was hilarious.”
With a quick smile, I took a sip of beer. “Yeah, that was kind of funny. Once I started laughing, I couldn’t stop. The rest of the play, I was fighting it. Every time I looked at her, it started again.” My brain replayed the panic and embarrassment. God, did I look stupid, and in front of the whole school.
“Who was that girl, anyway? Lisa, or Laura, or L something.” Wells smiled at me.
“Lauren, her name was Lauren.” I strengthened my hold around Micah and stuffed fish into my mouth.
“Oh yeah, you had a crush on her after that, too, as I recall.”
Micah twisted his head to look me up and down. “You did, huh?”
I gave him a shy smile. “Yeah. She was really cute.” But not as adorable as you .
“She rejected him.” Wells took a swig of beer. “He was heartbroken.”
“Really?” Micah snuggled his head into my neck. “I thought you only fell in love once before with a girl you dated for a year.”
“I don’t consider a crush falling in love.” I drank my beer down, then stopped, sputtering. Oh, shit. If Micah was no longer a crush, then I must be in love.
“You okay?” Micah peeked at me.
I nodded and took a deep breath.
“Ash has had a lot of crushes. Seems he’s always crushing on someone.” Wells ate a few French fries. “Merch workers, stage managers, sound technicians, tour bus drivers, bartenders, hotel managers?—”
“You shut up over there.” I glared at Wells.
“No, Wells, you keep going. This is very interesting.” Micah lifted his head to kiss my cheek. In a whisper, he said, “Were you ever crushing on me?”
I spread a sly grin over my lips. “Of course.” I gave him another almost-last kiss on the lips. “Why do you think I was so persistent?” And will be if things go south tomorrow . I couldn’t let him go, not now.
“I’m glad you were.” He placed his hand on my cheek. “But now it’s more than a crush, right?”
As I gazed deeply into his eyes, an ache flickered in my heart. “Yes, definitely more than a crush.”
Micah planted a hard kiss on my lips, then rested his head on my shoulder.
I drank my beer down. Maybe enough beer would make this pain go away. “Anyone ready for another beer?”
“Me.” Wells held up his empty can and threw it at my feet.
I picked up the can, set it inside the cooler, and came back out with two beers. I handed one to Wells and opened my own. “So, Micah, you ever do something embarrassing like that?”
“Of course.” Micah slipped even closer against my side. “But I’m not telling you about it.”
“Guess we’ll have to find a childhood friend to hang out with so I can hear stories about you.” I bumped against Micah, then stuffed more fish into my mouth.
“Why don’t you invite one of your friends over to hang out with us this week?” Wells sipped his beer and ate a few fries. “Then I won’t have to be third wheel and watch you two playing kissy-face.”
I tossed a handful of sand at Wells. “You be quiet.”
Micah stared at the fire. “I-I don’t think I’m ready to invite a friend over.” His gaze darted to me.
Don’t ask, Wells . I sent Wells a knowing look.
Wells breathed deeply, and his smile faded. “Okay.” He drank more beer, then ate the rest of his fish and closed the container.
Micah crept forward on the towel and placed more logs on the fire. “What about you, Wells? Do you have anyone you’re crushing on?” He narrowed his eyes at Wells.
Wells quirked one side of his mouth. “Not at the moment.” He focused on me, and the smile waned. He swigged his beer. “Damn, this beer is going right through me. I’ll be back.” He rose from the towel and walked off down the beach in the dark.
“Come here.” All my attention drew to Micah, sitting so close. I pressed my beer in the sand, then pushed him down on his back on the towel.
“Ash?” He lay on the towel, his hair splayed out around him, his brown eyes gazing up at me.
I lay over his chest, propping on my elbows, and claimed him with a possessive, almost last kiss. Damn, I didn’t want this to end. My heart ached again. “I just wanted to kiss you.”
He kissed me back, letting out a soft moan, and then parted my lips and entered my mouth with his tongue, dancing along my lips. As he broke the kiss, he said, “This is nice.”
“Yeah, can’t wait for later.” I brushed my fingers over his forehead, moving his bangs to the side, then peeked at the dark beach. Where was Wells? Though it shouldn’t matter much, even if Wells saw us like this. It’s not like Wells didn’t see me with multiple people on tour. But somehow, this was different.
Micah grabbed my chin and guided my face back, then placed a passionate kiss over my mouth.
As we parted, I gazed deeply into his eyes. My heart fluttered and butterflies took flight in my stomach. Was this feeling love? Yes. It had to be. The emotion strengthened. Biting my lower lip, I furrowed my brows.
He let a faint smile creep over his lips. “What are you thinking?”
With a sigh, I hung my head, then lowered over him to lay my cheek on his chest. I couldn’t let him know what was going on in my head all night, or I might not have a last night with him. I clung to his sweatshirt, breathing through the tightening in my chest.
“Is something wrong?” He hugged me.
In a small voice, I said, “No.” Something wasn’t just wrong. It might be devastating.
“That didn’t sound very convincing.” He kissed my head.
I rose to sitting. “I’m fine. Really.” I needed this last night with him, if that’s what it would be. I forced a smile and gazed over the sand at Wells, ambling toward us. “Wells is back.” I grabbed my beer from the sand and drank it down.
Keeping his focus on me, Micah lifted to sit with his legs crossed in front of him, then drew me close.
* * *
A few hours later, Micah flicked on the lights in the main room of his apartment, then let me inside.
I waved at Wells, standing in front of my apartment door. “Goodnight.”
Wells waved. “Goodnight. Sleep tight.” He chuckled.
Micah shut the door behind me. “Let’s go to bed.” He flicked the lights back off, took my hand, and guided me into his bedroom.
As I followed him, desire hummed inside my body, swelling my cock. Tonight would be bittersweet. It might be the last time.
When he entered the room, he turned to me, cupped my cheeks, and placed a passionate kiss on my lips. “Lift your arms.”
I’d do anything he wanted. I lifted my arms over my head, my beaded bracelets falling into my sleeve.
He shimmied my sweatshirt and shirt over my head, then tossed them to the floor. My silver necklace dropped around my collarbone. With a sigh, he kissed my neck, then to my chest, and bit at a nipple.
A pulse of pleasure rippled through my body. I groaned as his mouth shivered over my skin.
He licked and teased his way down my chest to the top of my jeans, then slipped his tongue underneath and glanced up at me.
As my breathing became heavy, I placed a hand on the back of his soft hair, weaving my fingers through it, urging him on. “I thought I was the one that owed you a blowjob.”
“Later.” He unfastened my jeans and slid them down my legs, along with my boxer briefs. When he came back to my hard cock, he sucked it into his mouth. As he pumped, he fisted the base and, with his other hand, he fondled my sac.
As sensation shuddered through me, I released a long moan and tipped my head back, shutting my eyes. “Damn, that’s good.”
He groaned over my dick, licking the shaft, and swirling the head, sucking just enough. He moved the hand from my sac to his own jeans and pressed on the swollen cock underneath, obviously enjoying my dick in his mouth.
I rocked my hips in time with his hot, wet mouth. Tension built in my gut, readying for release. “Do you want me to come?”
“No.” He stopped, sighed, and stood. “I want you close, though.” He let a mischievous smile play on his glistening lips.
“Well, then I’m right there.” I placed an urgent kiss on his mouth. “Damn, I want you.”
With his gaze affixed on me, he lifted his shirt and sweatshirt off his body, then dropped his jeans and boxer briefs to the floor and stepped out of them. His cock arced up. Grabbing my hand, he escorted me to the bed, flipping the covers over. “This time, I’m on top.”
My heart skipped a beat. “Does that mean we’re?—”
“Not yet.” He lifted one side of his lips.
I shimmied onto the bed backward, my skin heating.
He positioned himself over me, resting on his elbows on either side of my head. He gazed down at me with big, darkened eyes. “I can’t remember the last time I felt this way about anyone.” He slowly rocked his hips, gliding his solid dick against my hip and my still slick cock against his own.
“Me, either.” Like probably never. Raw pleasure quaked through my already sensitive cock. “Damn it, Micah, I’m getting close again.”
“Good.” His hips stopped, and he brushed my cheek with the back of his hand, the gesture affectionate and suggestive at the same time. As he fixated on me, his eyes darkened further. Placing a long, sensual kiss on my mouth, he parted my lips and claimed me fully.
I groaned, hungry for friction on my sensitive cock. This couldn’t be our last night together. An ache ghosted through my chest. What could I do to stop thinking about tomorrow? I’d lose myself in him tonight. I slid my hand between us and stroked his shaft, craving his response.
He released a needy whimper, parting his lips and shutting his eyes tightly. Rocking his hips in an urgent rhythm, he met my intensity and hunger.
I thrust against his hip, my peak teasing me, taunting me. “I won’t last long.”
With a smirk, he skimmed to my groin, kissing, and nipping my chest along the way. Once there, he devoured my dick and pumped hard, licking down and up the shaft, sucking the head.
“Oh, shit.” I arced my head back, releasing a whimper. My peak came on in a rush of sensation and pulsing pleasure as I spilled into his mouth.
He lapped at my cum, taking it all and swallowing. As it slowed, he crawled over me with his eyelids hooding, his breathing erratic. He flipped to his back. “Ash...”
It was time for him to get what I’d promised. I rolled over him and licked and kissed down his taut stomach, flicking my tongue at the ticklish spot between his hip and groin and then on to his hard cock. I took his shaft into my mouth and pumped, one hand wrapped around the base, the salt and sweet and bitter taste of him filling me.
He released one sharp moan after another, writhing under me.
My free hand fondled his sac, then pressed at his opening, the saliva from my mouth trickling down to slicken it.
He thrust his hips into my fingers, the features of his porcelain face tensing.
Sneaking a finger inside, I curled it just so and stroked his bundle of nerves while licking his cock, down and up, over and over.
He panted, shuddered and squirmed. Breathless, he said, “Oh my God.” He slapped his hands to the back of my head. “Keep going. D-don’t stop.”
Sucking him in to the back of my throat and pumping my fingers inside him, I quickened my pace.
He whimpered, then cried out, his cock hardening further and spurting hot cum inside my lapping mouth, his hips thrusting.
I sucked it all in and swallowed, as if swallowing him whole, keeping him inside, never letting him go. As it ended, I released his spent cock and crept up the bed beside him, over his outstretched arm.
He tugged me in close and placed a kiss on my head. “So, I decided something.”
“What’s that?” I didn’t want this last night, if that’s what it was, to end. I brushed my fingers up his arm, caressing him as if it had the power to keep everything the same between us.
“I like Wells.” He smiled.
Uh, what? I lifted my head to study him. “Like him how?” I narrowed my eyes.
He chuckled. “As your friend. I like him.” He touched his index finger to his lips, a playful look in his eyes. “But I think Wells is really hot, too.” He stole a quick peek at me. “Isn’t that what you told those girls at the taproom?”
I couldn’t help but grin and laid my head back on his shoulder, snuggling as close as I could. “So, you heard that.”
“Loud and clear.” He took a sharp inhale. “But seriously, he really seems to care about you,” he said. “And it seems like he’s gracious enough to step aside and let me be with you. Even though I think it might hurt him a little.”
Wells doesn’t let himself fall in love. I knitted my brows. “No, it doesn’t.”
“Think what you want. I see how he looks at you sometimes.” He drew me closer. “It’s okay. I’m not jealous, anymore.”
“Good. There’s no reason to be.” At least that battle was over. I kissed his chest.
“Hey, can we surf tomorrow morning?”
“Sure, that would be fun.” Maybe surfing would ease the discussion we had to have. I settled in and closed my eyes, my skin still tingling where it touched his.