Better than Sex (San Francisco Sex Gods #1)

Chapter 17

SEVENTEEN

Mickey

Once the tab for their Sunday brunch had been settled, the guys lingered over coffee, laughing at a story Blake told about his eccentric roommate. Mickey quietly excused himself and slipped out of the diner, hands in his pockets. He wasn’t in the mood for the long walk to Underdogs for his volunteer shift, so he decided to try his luck and see if he could catch the train. With a huff, he kicked a rock into the street.

Before their food had even arrived at the table, Xander was talking about sex. He asked Spencer if he could invite one of his clients to Spencer’s party, someone he said needed an “injection of vitamin X.” When Spencer asked if he could keep it in his pants for one night and be present for their guests, Xander reminded Spencer of the year he’d disappeared in the middle of his party to have a threeway.

There was no longer any doubt that sex would be going on at this party, right under the guests’ noses. But instead of being excited by the possibilities of what might happen, Mickey was nervous. Which was ridiculous.

You’re a grown man. It’s just sex.

Although Spencer and his friends seemed to accept him, he was so different from them. For his new friends, sex was easy. No big deal. As casual as shaking someone’s hand.

But it was a big deal for him.

Mickey sighed and hung his head. He’d missed out on countless experiences that other gay men took for granted. Just once, he wished he could get his act together and be like everyone else.

“Mick!” Spencer’s shout was accompanied by the smack of his steps on the pavement.

Surprised, Mickey turned to see his friend waving at him. He stopped so Spencer could catch up.

“Hey, are you okay? You were quiet at brunch.”

“I’m good.” Mickey smiled, but Spencer’s grimace let him know it wasn’t convincing.

“I think the guys have given you the wrong idea about my party. I’m just having some friends over. It’ll be a great opportunity for you to meet other guys in the community. Can we get together this week and talk about it?”

“Just us?”

When Spencer nodded, butterflies flew loop-de-loops in Mickey’s stomach. “Well, Greg is off on Tuesday and Wednesday this week, so after Logan’s had lunch, I could get away for a bit.”

“Perfect! I have a photoshoot in the Castro on Wednesday. There’s an ice cream shop in the neighborhood called Rainbow Sprinkles. We could meet there at two?”

Mickey stood with his mouth hanging open, then caught himself and snapped it shut. “Yeah. Yes, two o’clock.”

Spencer smiled. “Great. I’ll see you on Wednesday.” He waved goodbye and headed up the street in the opposite direction.

Mickey stumbled toward the train stop in a daze, trying to comprehend what had just happened. He pondered their interaction on the train ride, a jumble of thoughts crowding his mind. Is this the next step in my sex god education? Is Spencer trying to cheer me up because I seemed down?

Is this a date?

As soon as he stepped off the train, Mickey called Jazz.

His friend answered the phone with a muffled shout. “ Izzy, please don’t climb on the table! ” After a frustrated sigh, she lowered her voice and apologized for yelling into Mickey’s ear.

Mickey dove right in, impatient for Jazz’s take on his situation. “So…Spencer asked me to meet him for ice cream.”

“He asked you out?”

“I don’t know.” Mickey chewed on his thumbnail. “It could just be a get-together, like the night at the Rumpus Room.”

“But it’s only the two of you?”

“Yeah?”

“I think he asked you on a date.”

“You think so? But Spencer doesn’t date. He told me so.” A pressure was building in Mickey’s chest, a mix of excitement and curiosity, with a healthy dose of terror thrown in. “Oh brother. What if this is a date, and he wants to sleep with me? I’ve been watching porn, but I still have so many questions.”

Mickey practically vibrated with energy until that pressure building within him erupted like a lava flow of words. “Should I buy sex toys to practice? I’ve always just used my hand. Oh god, I don’t want Logan finding a disembodied penis in my room. I don’t even know if I’m a top or a bottom. Spencer asked me once and I still don’t know the answer. What lube do I need to buy for anal sex?”

“Mickey, honey—"

“What if I don’t like the taste of semen?”

“Wait. You’ve never tasted your own cum?”

Mickey’s face crinkled with disgust. “Ew, gross! Why would I do that?” He groaned when he realized the answer to his question about semen was sometimes literally in his hands. “Oh…right.”

His friend’s laughter eased the mood. “You’re getting ahead of yourself. It’s an ice cream date. I don’t think it’s leading to sex. And even if it does, Spencer knows you’re a virgin. He won’t expect you to know everything. Just be yourself.”

“Because that’s gotten me so far,” Mickey grumbled. Before Jazz could protest, he added, “Got to go, I’m at Underdogs.” They said their goodbyes and he promised to call her later.

When Mickey stepped through the shelter’s door, Keith looked up from his post at the front desk and broke into a wide smile.

“Hey, nice shirt. Is it new?” Keith asked.

“Oh, thanks.” Mickey ran his hand down the front of the tight blue Henley. Spencer had encouraged him to buy it, even though Mickey thought the shirt was too revealing. The soft, thin cotton clung to his body, accentuating his pecs, and the open neckline showed a lot of chest hair. He was leagues out of his comfort zone, but he was making an effort to wear the clothes Spencer had picked out for him. “Yeah, it’s the first time I’ve worn it.”

Keith came out from behind the desk. “Have you been working out?”

“What?” Mickey looked down at his body, but all he could see was his soft belly. And the nubs of his nipples poking through the fabric. Mortified, he crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head.

“You look good, man.” Keith gave his bicep a friendly squeeze and nodded toward the visiting rooms. “C’mon. Let’s get you set up with Pepper.”

He led Mickey to the largest visiting room since they were alone at the shelter. “I’ll put you in the Presidential Suite today.”

“Ooh, fancy,” Mickey joked. He’d never been in this room before, since it was usually reserved to impress clients who were thinking of adopting. From the looks of it, the loveseat and chair were relatively new. They were upholstered in a black and white swirl pattern that did a surprisingly good job of camouflaging dog hair.

“Be right back,” Keith said, ducking out to get Pepper.

After brushing off the chair’s cushion Mickey took a seat. He whipped out his phone and fired off a text to Jazz.

MICKEY

Keith asked if I was working out. Then he touched my arm

Seconds later, Jazz’s reply came through.

JAZZ

He’s flirting with you

Mickey dropped his phone on the cushion between his legs. Flirting? Is it because of my shirt?

He peeked at his chest and his nipples were still visible, pushing against his shirt and drawing attention to how the fabric strained across his chest. Spencer would probably tell him it was sexy, but it made him self-conscious.

“Go down,” he whispered, pressing on his nipples in an attempt to make them less prominent. But instead they tingled and started getting hard. “No, no, no, go down.”

An excited yip announced Keith and Pepper’s arrival. Slowly, Mickey lifted his gaze to find Keith studying him with a knowing smile. His face flushed with heat. “Oh sugar beet.”

Keith patted Pepper’s flank twice and dropped her lead. She bounded over to Mickey, her tail wagging wildly, and licked his face.

“Who’s a good girl?” Mickey said as he nuzzled her nose.

Pepper put her paws on the cushion to either side of Mickey’s legs and rested her head in his lap. Mickey stroked the top of her head, and although she closed her eyes, her tail steadily thumped on the floor.

Keith strolled over and crouched down next to the chair. “I’m telling you, Mickey, she’s not like this with anyone else. Have you given any thought to adopting her?”

“I don’t know.” Mickey scratched behind Pepper’s ears and was rewarded with a contented whine. “I have, but my apartment is so small, and it’s not really my house. And Logan…” He paused. “It’s important not to introduce a lot of variables into his life while he's grieving. He's so much better than when I first met him. But he has his moments, when the grief hits him, and he's, um, loud. Wild. I don't want Pepper to be re-traumatized.”

Keith hummed. He kissed Pepper’s paw. “Having a pet in the house might help him.”

He had a point. Pets – especially dogs – could often help with the grieving process. “Maybe. I can talk to Greg.”

"You have some time to decide. She's not ready for our adoption program yet. But she'll need a loving home soon, and you two have such a strong connection.” Pepper walked over to the toy pile, came back with a squeaky rubber chicken, and plopped it onto Mickey’s lap. “With more socialization, she’d be able to live in a home with a child. As long as you were there.”

“I can bring Logan by for a visit. See how they get along?”

“Perfect.” Keith stood and brushed the dog hair off his pants. “I have to get back to the front desk. I’ll give you two some time together. Let me know if you need anything.” When he got to the door, he said, “You look good, Mickey. For real.” He smiled before disappearing into the hallway.

Mickey chuckled and bit his lower lip. Spencer was working his magic. He’d received more attention from men in the last two days than he had in all his previous twenty-eight years combined.

He squeezed the rubber chicken a few times, and it’s squeaking caused Pepper to perk up. He tossed the toy a few feet away and she ran to fetch it. After scooping it up in her mouth, she trotted back with her head held high.

“Good girl.” Mickey scratched under her chin. “Would you like to come live with me?”

Pepper chewed on the toy, making it squeak a few times.

“Because I would like that.” He tossed the chicken for her again. It wasn’t a good idea to get his hopes up. His first priority had to be Logan, so if Greg thought the adoption wasn’t a good idea, he wouldn’t pursue it.

But he was getting attached to Pepper, and he couldn’t stand the thought of her going to a home where she wouldn’t receive all the love she deserved.

His phone pinged with a notification. Pepper hurried back, her tail wagging with interest, and dropped her toy at his feet. When Mickey unlocked his phone, a laugh burst out of him. Spencer had set up a calendar event for Wednesday, in all caps:

ICE CREAM WITH MICK! :)

With a fond smile, Mickey pulled up the group picture the guys had taken on their night out dancing. He zoomed in on Spencer’s face until it filled the screen. In a whisper, he asked Pepper, “This is the guy I like. What do you think?”

She licked his hand, then curled up at his feet to chew on the squeaky chicken.

Mickey reached down to stroke Pepper’s flank. “I’ll take that as a stamp of approval.”