Page 15 of Filtration Play
“I’ll just get a latte,” he said. So much for something new.
The guy arched his brow, but he turned to the espresso machine and got to work.
“Well, well, well. If it isn’t Oliver Hale.”
The familiar voice sent a shiver through him and the urge to drop to his knees.
He slowly turned around.
Fin stood behind him, a hand on their hip and a fierce grin on their face. Relief slammed him in the chest. Fin’s purple hair had been tamed from the wild tangle it had been after their tumble together, and their defined nose and sharp chin amplified their attractiveness. They wore a purple muscle tee that showed off their biceps and green cargo pants that clung to their muscular thighs, and fuck, they were so damn hot.
“You said this place had good coffee,” he said, his voice coming out a tease unintentionally.
“Mmm, so you happened to come at the exact timeframe we run our munch. Tracks,” they said, their hazel eyes glittering with amusement.
The thread pulled taut inside him relaxed.
“Here’s your coffee.” The guy at the counter passed him a mug rather than a to-go cup. The smirk on his lips told him the guy clearly had his number.
“Micah, this is Ollie.” Fin made the introductions. “Micah’s my underling.”
Micah rolled his eyes. “You mean your coworker?”
“I am your boss, you know.” Fin leaned against the side of the counter. “Where’s the respect?”
“Earn it,” Micah said, his eyes flashing.
“Mmm, you’re asking for it, brat.”
That tone sent a sinful shudder through Ollie, even though it wasn’t aimed at him. Fuck, he wanted it to be, though.
“So, how do you know our Finley here?” Micah asked, a hand on his hip.
“Two guesses,” a deep, booming voice said from behind him. A guy about the same size as him stepped up to the counter. “No offense.”
Amusement bubbled up inside Ollie. “You’re not wrong.”
“Except he’s…well, I was going to say vanilla, but if you showed up here, I’m guessing kink-curious?” Fin asked.
“One of us, one of us,” Micah chanted, and Ollie didn’t hold back his grin. His nerves were starting to transmute into excitement.
The big guy placed a hand on Micah’s head. “Enough, babe. Don’t scare him away.”
“I mean, if he’s met Fin, that’s the biggest scare-off factor around,” Micah said.
Fin snorted. “Don’t be jealous because my brat game is stronger.” They slipped their hand into Ollie’s, and the shock of the warmth traveled right through him. “Come on, let’s get you over to a table.”
The unrest that had been roiling through him when he’d seen the wall of people vanished. Fin had this effortless way of rolling in and claiming their space, and with them by his side, he felt invincible.
“The big guy is Parker.” Fin guided him over to a table with an empty seat. Were they going to drop him there and ditch him? “He’s one of my best damn friends. Micah is his partner.” Fin didn’t explainthe sub or Dom relationship, but the dynamics were pretty clear in the way they’d interacted.
When he’d been with Fin, he’d absolutely been the sub. The mere memory caused his cheeks to heat. He’d never been in that sort of role or interplay before, and fuck, he liked it more than words could express.
He wanted to beg. To be on his knees. To have them towering over him, making him feel vulnerable in a way he hadn’t realized he craved. Ollie licked his lips as they approached a table full of people.
“This is Ollie,” Fin announced and jabbed at the open seat. “Sit here.”
He complied on automatic, even though if he was sitting, where would they go? The idea of Fin walking away caused a spark of nerves, and not just because he didn’t know anyone at the table. Being in Fin’s sphere, having that intense attention on him, brought him to life in a way he’d been missing.
