Page 54 of Grind
Once they settled together, the burning desire from earlier lay dormant, but Ezra rested his head in the crook of Frank’s arm and watched him in the glow of the magical moon. On a night like this, the impossible seemed more within his grasp, and when their eyes met again, Ezra’s heart did a little dance.
Frank hadn't snapped.
He’d stayed calm and made sure Ezra was okay despite him having spoiled this evening’s plans.
“This is the best date night in the history of date nights. Minus the fire, of course.”
“Aw, Ezra… You’re too kind. I bet you’ve been treated to many five-star experiences.” Frank said and kissed the side of his head as he held Ezra close.
There it was, Frank undervaluing his efforts again. He was such a confident man in some matters, yet somehow infuriatingly self-deprecating in others.
“You didn’t pay someone to do this. You took the time from your day to do something that would make me happy,” Ezra said, raising himself on one arm to pin Frank down and make sure he understood. “No one ever did that for me before.”
Frank stroked his face, meeting Ezra’s eyes. “I don’t believe that. No boyfriend desperately trying to get your attention with a hand-knit scarf?”
Ezra chuckled and rubbed stubble on Frank’s cheek, floating in his arms on this imaginary, yet very real, boat. “I already told you I never had a boyfriend. And… well, for many of the men I was meeting up with, treating me was more about the way they felt about themselves than it was about me. They took me to a five-star hotel becausetheywanted to be in a five-star hotel.”
But Frank was different. Even when he'd been actively paying to meet Ezra, he always acted as if he were the one who needed to earn Ezra’s attention, not the other way around.
“Is this what you always do for the boys you date?” Ezra went on with a small smile.
Frank shook his head and pulled away just enough to open the bottle of wine. “You overestimate my dating life. I’ve been too busy for a boyfriend. Especially when I was saving to pay for my sister’s treatments. Before that, I had several long-term partners. One cheated on me. One was very submissive and wanted me to dom him, which isn’t really my thing. One got sick of living here and wanted to move, but I didn’t. We tried to compromise for a while. He put up the picket fence, made a vegetable garden in the backyard, but we clashed about the way he spoke of the place I call home. At some point the resentment just became too much.”
Guilt sank deep into Ezra’s flesh as he remembered the angry comments he’d made about this place in that first nerve-wracking week, but he no longer hated it here. In fact, he felt quite at ease around people who didn’t care about his exterior nearly as much as those he knew in his former life. The junkyard hid exciting possibilities, and while a part of Ezra still dreamed of California, and a lifestyle that would eventually lead him to the security and agency he craved, there was comfort in knowing that the man he slept next to cared for him and didn’t see him as a commodity.
“I’m sorry. They were clearly very stupid. You need to pick better.”
Frank stalled with the wine in his hand. “I forgot the glasses.”
Ezra shrugged and grabbed the bottle to drink straight from it. Because, fuck it. He wasn’t too dainty to enjoy some booze like this. All that mattered was that he could enjoy this moment with Frank.
“Do you like it? I chose a Californian wine.” Frank smiled and took the bottle once Ezra was done with a few gulps.
Ezra chuckled, loving the tartness on his tongue. “I’ll let you in on a secret. I know nothing about wine. I pretty much only distinguish between those I like and those I don’t, so when I buy, I just go for fancy-looking labels,” he said, pushing his nose against Frank’s arm.
Frank whistled. “Oooh! Not as classy as he pretends to be. Naughty, naughty. What next? Are you going to tell me you don’t know which cheese is which? Should I have put those little name cards on the plate?” he teased.
Ezra laughed and kissed Frank’s cheek, eager to melt into his body. “I am much better with cheese, actually,” he said and took the bottle from Frank to warm up with a few more sips. “And with watches,” he said, showing Frank the Rolex he’d given Ezra on what they’d thought would have been their last night together.
“I’m happy you kept it,” Frank said and leaned away for a piece of cheese.
Ezra snorted. “Are you kidding? This is my life insurance. If worse comes to worst, you’ll save me just to retrieve the watch.”
Frank laughed and squeezed him closer. “Dumbass. Better tell me what cheese this is, because if you can’t, this date is over.”
Ezra made a show of a loud inhale. “Outrageous!" But he did take the morsel straight from Frank’s thick fingers, making sure to give them a teasing lick. “Mm, Manchego.”
It was most definitely Brie.
Frank eyed him in silence. “Good, you can stay.”
Ezra wiggled his brows, wordlessly calling him out, but this game didn’t matter as they sat together under a canopy of stars, floating toward some distant shore where reality did not have bearing on dreams.
Ezra leaned in, pushing his hand under Frank’s shirt. It was cold against his scorching hot stomach, and the shocking difference made Frank stir against Ezra as they slotted together like the only puzzle pieces needed to make a full picture.
“Jag! No, look. Why didn’t you say they were on a date?” Dane asked in a hushed tone, pulling Ezra out of this little magic cocoon of tenderness.
Jag had no such qualms as he circled the boat to show himself at the bottom of the scrap mountain. “No, it’s fine, there’s more people coming.”
