“Well… we kissed again after the wedding, and then Mike freaked out and ran away,” he said. “But then he showed up the next day, and we talked, and there was… he started it…”
“Uh huh.” Oscar nodded.
“Hedid,” Ezra insisted. “I was as shocked as you are but I wasn’t gonna say no, was I?”
“Guess not,” Oscar said. “I… wow. So just the one time, or…?”
“He came back again yesterday afternoon. The sex was incredible, by the way. Both times.”
Ezra had barely been able to stop thinking about it. He’d had to jerk off last night before he could get to sleep, the memory of Mike’s body under him keeping him up. Every little sound he made etched into his brain, the way he’d been so eager and so gentle at the same time, begging for more, gasping and moaning and pushing back onto Ezra’s cock like it was the best thing that’d ever happened to him.
“Wow.” Oscar blinked at him. “You just got this glazed look in your eyes, so Iknownow that you’re not just making shit up.”
“I’m really not,” Ezra said. “Kinda wish Iwas.”
Oscar raised an eyebrow.
“It wouldn’t be nearly as complicated if I was just making shit up,” Ezra explained, sighing. “I mean, it’s great? I’m so excited I might actually explode. I can’t stop thinking about him. But…”
“But?” Oscar prodded.
“I shouldn’t be telling you this,” Ezra said, suddenly worried that he’d said too much. “And it’s really important that you don’t tell anyone else, okay? Mike’s not ready to be… y’know,out.”
“Okay.” Oscar nodded, just once, and there was a note of caution in his voice.
“What?” Ezra asked.
“How doyoufeel about it being a secret?” Oscar asked, his eyes open and soft, genuine concern in them.
Ezra took a deep breath and then let it out slowly, sinking deeply into the wonky kitchen chair and making it rock back on uneven legs. That was the question, wasn’t it?
“Mike’s my best friend. Or was. And I think we could have that back, and I think he genuinelywantsto have it back, too,” Ezra began, not entirely sure where he was going with this.
Oscar would listen anyway. He always did.
“And he’s definitely attracted to me. He rang my doorbell and then tackled me into the house to kiss me. I don’t think anyone’s actually ever wantedme, specifically, that much in my life. And that feels so good. And it’sMike.”
Ezra paused to consider what he wanted to say next, figuring that he was never going to have a better opportunity to get all his feelings out in the open.
“I want to be with him,” he said. That was the bottom line. If there was even the slimmest chance this could work, Ezrawantedit. He’d always wanted it.
“I know,” Oscar said patiently. “I’m just thinking about Josh.”
Ezra swallowed. Yeah. He’d thought about Josh, too. He’d tried to push the thought out of his mind, but…
Well. He’d been here before, hadn’t he?
“Mike’s different,” Ezra said. “He’s not keeping me a secret because he’smarried.”
“Yeah, I know. And I like Mike, and I know he wouldn’t actually hurt you on purpose. I’m just… mentioning it, I guess. Ignore me. If you’re happy, I’m happy for you.”
“I’m happy,” Ezra responded. “Or Icouldbe happy, I think. With Mike.”
“Good.” Oscar sipped his coffee. “Because I will kick his ass if he hurts you again like last time.”
“He won’t,” Ezra said, more certain this time. Mike wouldn’t hurt him on purpose. He’dneverhurt Ezra on purpose.
And he’d apologized. That counted for a lot.
Besides, Mike wasn’t going to keep him a secret forever. Just until he was ready.
Ezra could wait for that.
