Chapter 10 #3
Diffused light from the window painted Cosmo in soft strokes, highlighting the smudge of eyeliner at the corner of his eyes, the angular cut of his jaw, and the graceful arch of his neck.
He liked Micah. He didn’t tell him his art was tasteful and refined – he said it was strange.
And Micah’s blown pupil didn’t make him look disfigured, it made him look like Bowie.
This was the closest Micah had been to romance in a long time. The closest he’d been to letting someone in. And he’d be damned if some pathetic ex-boyfriend was going to ruin it.
“You run through my mind constantly.” He brushed a bit of glass from Cosmo’s shoulder, then slid his thumb along the seam of his jacket.
“I want to see your art. I want to get to know you. As far as your ex is concerned, I don’t need to be your inamorato – I’m just an art colleague, your asexual friend who wants to take you on a picnic in a graveyard. ”
“That’s rather morbid.”
“This weekend?”
Cosmo looked like Micah had asked him whether he wanted the arsenic or the cyanide in his tea. “You’re going to ghost me eventually, just like everyone else.”
“I mean…” He gestured to himself. “We’re already doing the ghost thing. And I wasn’t going to let a triviality like death get in the way of my crush on you.”
“I noticed.” Cosmo pulled out his phone. “Saturday. Give me your number so we can make plans. I’ll bring wine and dessert.”
Oh, this was happening. He gave Cosmo his number, then took the blanket back inside. Bits of glass glittered on the hallway floor, but not nearly as much as he expected.
He crept past the mess, peering into the kitchen and bathroom, but they were empty.
Cosmo hung at the doorway, typing on his phone. “Will you be alright in here? I don’t want past-Ximena to mace you while you sleep.”
“Well, what’s a little excitement in my life?” His phone vibrated, and a message appeared from Cosmo:
That was a lot of emojis. Micah opened his keyboard, finger hovering over a kiss-blowing smiley he’d seen Cosmo use so many times on Flashbulb. He clicked it and hit send.
“It’s getting late,” Micah said. “Want me to drive you back to the gallery so you can get your car?”
“I’ll walk. But you can join me.”
Micah locked the door and followed him down the stairs. “Your ex doesn’t hang around the gallery, does he?”
Cosmo sighed. “Unfortunately, yes. Though I haven’t seen him in a while. I’m grateful for Royce. He’s the only one who can scare Zedd away.”
“The director?” When Micah had first walked into the gallery, Royce had snarled at Micah to leave before he even had a chance to explain why he was there.
He was almost certain Royce was the director who asked artists for head in exchange for portfolio consideration, but that conversation with the departed ceramics artist had been so long ago.
“I guess I can’t blame him for being hostile when I show up with flowers and you already get harassed by your ex. He doesn’t ask you to do… like…”
“Do what?”
Micah stared at Cosmo’s lips and swallowed hard. “He treats you professionally, doesn’t he? He’s a good boss?”
“He’s always been good to me. I consider him a friend, honestly.”
It was hard to decide whether that answer was relieving or not. “How friendly of a friend?”
“Why are you asking this? Are you jealous? Because I get more than my fill of that from my ex.”
Micah put up his hands. “No, I’m sorry. I’ve just heard things about him, and I’m hoping that they aren’t true.”
“Are you certain you’re an artist?” Cosmo squinted at him, but an amused smile played on his lips.
“The first thing I learned upon breaking into the art scene is that there are rumors about everyone. And that more often than not, the truth is far more outrageous than whatever gossip is slung at parties.”
“Does that apply to you?”
“No, in fact. I am outrageous, but what you see is what you get, darling. I don’t hide it.”
Micah gazed at Cosmo for a long moment. “I like what I see.”
Grinning, Cosmo linked his arm with Micah’s and leaned into him. They passed rose bushes, their footsteps echoing off the sidewalk. Micah lost himself in Cosmo’s touch, and when Identical Dog appeared on the corner, it seemed too soon.
They stopped at the lone car in the parking lot, and Cosmo turned to him. “Well, my attractive asexual colleague, this has been a hell of a bizarre evening, and I mean that sincerely.”
Now was the point where a date would squeeze Micah’s ass or stuff their tongue down his throat. But if Cosmo tried to shake his hand, that would be even worse.
Micah leaned in for a hug. Cosmo pressed his lips against his cheek, and it sent a spark through his nerves. Micah clutched his jacket and breathed him in.
“Take care of that hand. No more punching innocent balcony railings.” Cosmo stepped back.
“Looking forward to being weird with you again.”
A light flush tinged Cosmo’s cheeks, and his eyes sparkled. Footsteps clacked on the sidewalk behind them. Someone in a hoodie passed by. Cosmo’s smile faded, his expression wary, then he climbed into his car.
Micah waved as Cosmo pulled away. If a stranger on the sidewalk elicited that much suspicion from Cosmo, Micah was going to need to know what this ex-boyfriend looked like – just in case.