Jackson hugged Day close. “Yeah, I live in Miami year round. I keep the apartment in LA because that’s where my family still lives, so I do longer stays there when necessary. I have properties all over. Some of them double as safe houses, but Miami is my home.”
Day’s heart sank. “Oh.”
Had Day known that? Had he referenced his life in Miami? Day couldn’t remember. He wasn’t sure what he thought about that, so he just settled back against Jackson and closed his eyes, ignoring the way Jackson’s lips skimmed across his hair.
* * *
Jackson’s Miami apartment was just as upscale and fancy as his place in LA, but it looked far more lived in. While there was a place for everything, mail was stacked on the counter, there were pictures of his family everywhere, and there were two small dishes on the counter. “You have a cat?”
Jackson shrugged. “Does anybody reallyhavea cat? We’re more like roommates. I found him outside when he was a kitten. His name is Kevin. He’s kind of a dick. I’m almost positive he likes my housekeeper more than he does me.”
Day looked around for any sign of Jackson’s asshole cat, but it was quiet. “Your cat’s name is Kevin? Why?”
Jackson grinned, pulling a bottled water from the fridge, taking a swig and offering it to Day. “You’d have to ask him. We should get ready. I don’t want to be late for my tongue-lashing.”
“Sounds kinky,” Day murmured, setting the bottle aside and wrapping his arms around Jackson’s neck, jumping to wrap his legs around Jackson’s waist, leaving him no choice but to catch Day or let him slide down his body like a stripper pole. Jackson chose to catch him, capturing Day’s lips in a slow, dirty kiss until he was whining.
After a moment, Jackson smacked Day’s butt, and he lowered his feet back to the ground. “You go get ready in the other room. You are too tempting.”
It was a ridiculous lie, but Day blushed anyway, feeling floaty. Jackson had said there was no dress code for the restaurant, but when Day went to spy on him, he’d swapped out his jeans and sweater for a pair of tight-fitting maroon pants, a thin untucked white button down shirt and another pair of insanely expensive shoes.
Day, on the other hand, had pulled his nicest pair of white jeans from his bag and paired it with a button down Hawaiian shirt covered in cheetah print and flowers before shoving his feet into brown loafers. He’d bought it four years ago for Sarah’s luau themed birthday party. It had lived in the back of his closet since. He sprayed his hair back off his face, brushed his teeth, and called himself done. It wasn’t like there was anything to shave off his chin.
When Day met Jackson back in the kitchen, a fat ginger cat sat on the counter, Kevin presumably. He eyed Day warily as he ate his food, like Day might steal it. “Your cat is huge.”
“Don’t fat-shame my roommate. Kevin is his own man. He does as he pleases.”
Day rolled his eyes. “Does anybody else know what a dork you are underneath all that swagger?”
Jackson picked Day up and plopped him on the counter, making Day a head taller than Jackson. “Only my family…and you.”
Day cupped Jackson’s cheeks in his hands, enjoying the feel of his beard on his palms. “Why me? You don’t even know me.”
“Because I know I’ll never get to know you if I don’t let you know me. The real me. The dork who likes musicals and names his chunky cat Kevin because that was the name on the delivery bag I found him sleeping in. I also play a mean game of Dungeons and Dragons, and I cheat at Monopoly.”
Day’s heart squeezed up into his throat, forcing him to swallow hard. “Everybody cheats at Monopoly,” was all he could think to say.
“You look really hot tonight,” Jackson said, punctuating each word with a lazy kiss. “How about when we get back, you let me peel you out of this outfit.”
“We’ll see,” Day said, leaning down to give Jackson one last kiss before saying, “We’re going to be late.”
“Nah, the restaurant’s only around the corner,” Jackson said, contradicting his own words from earlier.
Day smirked at him, shaking his head. “Come on, Daddy. We can’t be late. This guy’s already mad at you.”
“Come on, you little tease,” Jackson growled, spanking Day’s ass hard enough to sting, causing him to bite back a moan.
The walk to La Mar was nice. The Florida weather was balmy but not so humid that it made Day sweaty or sticky. They walked hand in hand with nobody so much as batting an eye at them. It was only two blocks, but in that time, the sky shifted from blue to pink and orange fire, and the city lights seemed to spring up around them.
“Have you ever had Peruvian food?” Jackson asked.
“No. I’ve never been anywhere but LA and Idaho, and I can’t afford to get experimental with food choices. If I’m feeling fancy, I eat my ramen noodles out of a bowl instead of the styrofoam cup.”
Jackson leaned over and kissed Day’s temple. He didn’t say anything, but it felt like an apology.
Once they reached the restaurant, Jackson held the door open for Day, and they were met by a bubbly blonde girl. “Welcome to La Mar. Do you have a reservation?”
“Avery, party of four,” Jackson said, flashing the girl a bright smile.
