Sixteen

Cam

Friday couldn't have come fast enough, for both me and Micah.

Of course, our reasons for our impatience were quite different. While I was excited about the date, Micah was more in the 'let's just get it over with' mindset at the moment, and I couldn't figure out how to change his mind. Or if I should even try.

I'd hinted at Ember a little that Micah might need some extra care and attention, and I hoped he'd understood. I wouldn't mind if Ember focused more on Micah. I just wanted Micah to be happy.

The only reason I was pushing was because I knew Micah's hesitation was based in his insecurities and not actual disinterest. He wanted to get to know Ember, wanted to strengthen their bond. He was just afraid of rejection.

As his mate, it was my job—a job I was happy to do—to make sure he was loved and cared for in the best possible way.

I'd felt protective of Micah since the day we met, since the day I realized what a gentle soul he was. We were still kids back then, and I'd still been discovering myself, but I'd known even then that we would be the best of friends, and that I wanted to keep him safe and happy our whole lives.

It wasn't that Micah was weak. He was the strongest person I knew. He'd had to be, growing up with such sorry excuses for parents. Yet he hadn't let it break him, and now I wanted to make sure nothing ever would. Micah deserved all the love and care in the world, and I was going to make sure he got it.

"Hey," Micah greeted as he stepped into the living room, tugging at the button-down he wore. I'd gotten ready first so I could look for the harness since neither of us could remember where we put it during the move, but now I thought I should've waited for Micah.

"What are you wearing?"

Micah glanced down at himself, and while the pale blue button-down and dark jeans looked great on him, they weren't his clothes or his style. They were mine.

While I had no problem sharing my clothes with Micah—actually, it made my possessive dragon side very happy when he did—I had a feeling he wasn't wearing them because they were my clothes, but because he didn't want to wear his.

"It doesn't look good?" He frowned, tugging at the shirt once more.

"You'd look good in a burlap sack, Micah. That's not the problem. Why aren't you wearing your clothes?"

He shrugged, avoiding my gaze, but I knew the answer anyway. He was afraid. He didn't want to give Ember a reason to dislike him.

He glanced away, probably because he'd heard my conclusion.

Dumbass , I thought fondly, and his eyes flicked up to me. Out loud, I added, "Don't you know how hot you look in your clothes? And also, Ember's already seen your style, remember?"

When Ember crashed into the backyard a few days ago, Micah had been wearing his favorite shorts and pink crop top, and I'd caught Ember admiring him more than once.

"Really?" Micah asked, and I blinked, wondering which part he was replying to. "He, um, he didn't hate it?"

Deciding the distance between us was too much, I took a few steps, bringing us in touching distance. Gripping his chin lightly, I leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss on his lips, feeling him shudder under my touch. Fuck, he was so reactive. I loved it.

"He loved it, princess. And soon enough, he's gonna love you. Come on, let me pick out a proper outfit for you."

Micah sighed loudly, but didn't stop me from taking his hand and leading him back to our bedroom. Digging through the closet, I found my favorite one, and turned around with a smile.

Micah's eyes widened as he saw the clothes, and he shook his head. "Isn't that a bit too much? We don't even know where we're going."

Clicking my tongue, I closed the closet door, pressing forward. Micah didn't move back, and our lips hovered inches apart as I gazed at him. "It's not too much, Micah. It's just enough. It's perfect."

Micah blinked, and a trembling breath escaped his lips, as if he'd realized I wasn't just talking about the outfit.

"Now," I said, taking a step back and breaking the moment, "are you going to put it on yourself, or do I have to do it?"

Scowling, Micah grabbed the clothes from my hand, turned to put them on the bed, and started undressing.

I stepped back to lean against the closet and watch unabashedly as he revealed his pale, smooth back. The faint scars on his skin made my blood boil as they always did, but I forced myself to look past them, to focus on the sexy-as-fuck man I loved so much because I knew he was sensitive about his scars. It was why he hadn't asked Uncle Raph to remove them, because he didn't like bringing focus to them.

Micah had to sit on the bed to slide on the skintight leggings, and I licked my lips as the black fabric hugged his firm thighs and his soft bulge. Fuck, watching Micah dress was one of my favorite activities, right below watching him un dress.

Micah, used to my staring, continued dressing, sliding on the corset-style dress and turning his back to me expectantly.

Hurrying forward, I grabbed the zip, my thumb trailing over the skin of his back as I slowly pulled the zipper closed.

Turning him around with my hands on his shoulders, I let my eyes trail over him, and hoped he could see and feel my admiration.

Micah was the sexiest man on the planet, and never more than when he was dressed like this. The day Micah had discovered his love for all things femme was one I would never stop feeling grateful for.

The outfit I'd picked out reminded me of something Wednesday from The Addams Family would wear. You know, if she wasn't a kid but still had that vibe going.

The leggings clung to Micah's skin, and with his black boots, I knew it would make his legs look phenomenal.

The dress clung to his upper half, the corset-style stitch making his waist look narrow while his hips looked wider, enhancing that femme look he had going.

It ended mid-thigh in black ruffles with white edges, and I had to ignore the temptation to stick my head under that skirt, pull down those leggings, and suck his cock into my mouth.

When I glanced up, Micah's cheeks were flushed red, telling me he'd heard my rather frisky thoughts.

Unrepentant, I merely grinned at him before dragging him over to the mirror. "Look at you, princess. You're stunning."

Micah's eyes met mine in the mirror before moving over his form as I slid my palms down his arms, then to his waist before stopping at his hips. He was the most gorgeous man I'd ever seen, and how lucky was I to call him my mate?

"You wanna put on some makeup?" I prompted, and he shot me a hesitant look before nodding, his own sense of style not allowing him to go out without completing the look.

When Micah was done, Ember wouldn't know what hit him.

Ember

Meeting at an abandoned warehouse probably wasn't the best way to start this date, but it was the closest place I could find with a big enough empty area for Cam to land, so that was where I was meeting them.

I'd arrived fifteen minutes early just so there would be no risk of them arriving before me, and I waited just at the edge of the clearing, my eyes scanning the sky every few moments.

I'd thought about this date over and over in my mind since I asked them out a few days ago, trying to make sure they'd enjoy every moment of it. I'd planned something that both Cam and Micah would like, but after only meeting them once, I wasn't confident in my ability of getting it right, despite all the conversations we'd had over the phone in the days since we first met.

Hopefully, they'd give me a second chance if I failed.

I felt Cam's magic before I spotted him and the slim figure on his back, and I watched them descend from the sky, completely in awe of Cam's dragon form.

I'd been too stunned from my crash to take it in the other day, but now I did.

The rays of the evening sun glinted off his purple scales, his wings large and powerful as he made a controlled landing.

I walked closer to them as they landed, gazing up at the dragon that was close to eight feet with his head lowered. He was three times my width, and only magic could hide away this beautiful dragon behind the equally beautiful man.

Rushing forward, I held out a hand to Micah, and he blinked at it in surprise before taking it. I helped him off Cam, and then watched as he removed a harness off his back with practiced moves. Clearly, they were used to flying places together.

As soon as the harness was off, Cam shifted back to his human form, his sparkling green eyes the only thing that remained unchanged, though the pupils did turn round from slitted in his human form.

My eyes slid to Micah, and I got my first good look at him. He was, without a doubt, the most beautiful man I'd ever seen.

While Cam was classically handsome, Micah was beautiful . The dark shadows over his eyelids and the faint makeup on his cheeks just emphasized his beauty, and his clothes? Wow.

I was speechless as I gazed at him, and I hoped he was reading my thoughts, because I wanted him to know what I thought of him, even if I couldn't yet verbalize it.

"Stunning, isn't he?" Cam piped up, making Micah blush, and I nodded quickly.

"Beautiful," I murmured, and Micah's eyes snapped to mine, searching.

Cam nudged him, giving him a look that I thought said, 'See? I told you!' and I wondered if Micah had been worried about my reaction.

Reaching up, careful to make sure Micah knew what I was about to do, I cupped his cheek, his skin smooth beneath my palm. He glanced up at me, his dark eyes peering into mine.

"You look amazing, Micah. I've never met anyone quite as lovely as you."

Micah's cheeks heated up under my touch, and he swallowed hard.

"Thank you," he said in a soft voice, and then his eyes flicked over me. "You're very handsome." His cheeks heated up even more, as if he was embarrassed by the admission, and I smiled widely, dropping my hand before he became too flustered.

"He's right. You look hot," Cam added with a grin, and I gave a soft laugh. I found Cam very refreshing. He was cheerful and so very unafraid. Then again, he was a dragon, and dragons were known to be fearless, sometimes to their own detriment. I'd need to be careful about that so Cam didn't get himself hurt.

"Ready to go?"

"Hell yeah!" Cam said while Micah nodded, and I led them to my car. There was a moment of indecision over who would take shotgun before Cam asked if they could both sit in the back seat.

"Of course."

I opened their doors for them, which Cam seemed to find amusing, and then walked over to the driver's side.

"Where are we going?" Cam asked as soon as we were on the road, and I chuckled, knowing that this wasn't the last time he'd ask me that question.

"It's a surprise I'm hoping you'll both enjoy."

Cam's eyes gleamed with mischief, but he didn't press further as he settled back into his seat.

As I drove, I snuck glances at them in the rearview mirror. The two men were as different from each other as two people could be, and yet they were so very close. It was beautiful to watch them interact with each other, and a part of me was afraid they had no need for me at all.

Fate thought they needed me, though, so I wasn't going to let my fears stop me from getting to know them better, from doing all I could to make my place in their relationship and in their hearts, starting with the best first date I could come up with. I hoped they enjoyed it.