“You heard the lady.” Mike shrugged.
And then his hand was suddenly on Ezra’s jaw, warm fingers brushing against Ezra’s freshly-shaved, oversensitive skin. Ezra’s heart lurched, his ears pounding and his head light as Mike leaned in, the tiniest of smiles playing around his lips.
He was just pretending, Ezra knew, but the touch of Mike’s lips against his was plenty real. Just slightly parted, soft and sweet, a little hum sounding in the back of his throat. Ezra parted his own lips, stomach flipping as he tasted the lemonade Mike had been sipping on his mouth. He was warm, and gentle, and so perfect Ezra could have burst with the sudden joy of it.
Mike started pulling back too soon, just when Ezra was really getting into it, and left him wanting more.
Damn.
If this was what afakekiss was like, how much better would a real one have been? Mike was warm and solid against him, everything Ezra had ever imagined he’d be, the excitement of it making his spine tingle and his heart thunder in his chest.
Ezra’s breath hitched as the kiss broke, Mike’s nose brushing against his own. A little curl of arousal tightened around the pit of his stomach, long-forgotten want surging up inside him as though he wasjusthaving his first daydream about how nice it would have been to kiss Mike.
He hadn’t expected it to happen like this. Not in a million years.
But now that it had…
Forgetting it was going to be difficult.
Mike laughed nervously as he backed away, cheeks flushed. It took him a half-second too long to move his hand away, but Ezra didn’t exactlymind.
He could have gone for doing that again.
He could have gone for grabbing Mike by the collar and pulling him back in, licking his way into his mouth, curling his hand around the back of his neck. Shoving a hand into the back pocket of his jeans to grind their hips together and squeeze his ass and make it clear how happy he would have been to take Mike home with him.
Even now, even after all this time.
It was like they were right back to where they’d been when they left off. Ezra had never really gotten over Mike. He’d just forced himself not to think about it.
Now he wouldn’t be able to think about anythingelse.
Ezra wasn't sure what to think when he looked at Rachel and saw her mouth hanging open, surprise written all over her features.
She hadn't believed it.
She'dexpectedto catch Mike out in the lie. She'd been trying to embarrass him on purpose.
Maybe for Rick's benefit, maybe just for the sake of being mean. Ezra had always thought she had a mean streak, that whatshouldhave been friendly teasing sometimes took on an unkind edge with her.
Well, served her right.
He grabbed Mike's hand again, making a show of grinning up at him with adoration in his eyes. If it was a choice between playing up their brand new fake relationship and letting Mike get hurt, there was no contest.
Mike got hurt enough. Ezra wasn't going to add to that.
“Thanks for setting him free to come back to me,” Ezra said. “I owe you one.”
“Uh.” Rachel blinked at the two of them. “Sure. Glad you're happy.”
Her smile didn't reach her eyes, but Ezra figured she'd get over it. She’d brought this on herself, in any case. Mike didn’t deserve cruelty.
He stroked Mike's knuckles, half for show, half to reassure him that he really was on board.
“We should say hi to Oscar,” Rachel said. “And meet this Ryan guy. Gotta make sure he's good enough for him, right?”
“Ryan's great, actually,” Ezra said. “But yeah, don't let us keep you. I'm sure Oscar's excited to talk to everyone he hasn't seen in forever. He sees me all the time.”
“You two be good,” Rachel said, grabbing Rick by the arm.
“We'll at least be careful,” Ezra said, pressing himself up against Mike's side to let them past.
Mike swallowed audibly beside his ear.
“I'm in so much trouble, aren't I?” he asked.
“You're definitely gonna owe me,” Ezra responded. It wasn't as though he could just tell Mike that he was completely fine with this.
They werefaking, after all.
No matter how hot that kiss had been.
