Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 3

"Me too," he says, kissing Noah's neck. "Thinking about skipping my run, but then I'll have all this excess energy..."
    "I'm sure we can find a solution for that."
    Before Noah can say anything else, Aaron rolls away from him and hops out of bed with a little extra bounce and heads toward the bathroom. When he doesn't return immediately, Noah sighs and throws back the covers, willing himself to get up and go after him.
    He finds Aaron at the sink brushing his teeth.
    "Gotta be minty fresh," he says around his toothbrush. "I'm totally getting lucky."
    Noah catches sight of his own stupid smile reflected in the mirror and wraps his arms around Aaron's middle, pressing his forehead against his back. Aaron's skin is still sleep-warm, and he smells really good, like aftershave and happiness.
    It is way too early for Noah to be awake.
    ****
    Aaron is sprawled out on the couch, ostensibly watching the game, but mostly he's just waiting for Noah to finish the phone call with his parents. Noah sticks his tongue out when he turns and catches Aaron watching him, and when he walks by the couch to get his coffee from the coffee table, Aaron holds out his hand and Noah takes the opportunity to twine their fingers together. Just for a moment, just in passing, but it's enough to make Aaron's chest ache with how stupidly happy he is.
    Noah hasn't told his parents the news yet, and Aaron isn't sure if that has to do with nerves, or if his mom has just gone off on one of her tangents about work, or baseball, or whatever the topic of the day happens to be. Noah hasn't actually said much, so Aaron guesses that's the most likely scenario.
    When Noah does finally tell them, he has a huge grin on his face, which morphs into a look of amused confusion at whatever they say in response. "You guys don't sound all that surprised," he says. At their answer to that, Noah shoots Aaron a dirty look.
    "You already said yes," Aaron whispers. "No take-backs."
    ****
    "Noah, there you are! I was hoping you'd be here already! Aaron, this is Noah. Noah, Aaron."
    Aaron smiled at the guy in front of him and said, "Nice to meet you." He then turned to Katie, his smile widening. "Can I talk to you for just a quick sec?" He pulled her away from the waiting area into the little alcove where the restaurant's payphone was.
    "What is wrong with you?" He hissed as soon as they were out of earshot. "Don't even," he said at her faux innocent look.
    "You wanted to meet him, right? Well, you just did. And now you're blowing it."
    Granted, Aaron might have mentioned that he thought Noah was pretty hot when he'd seen him at Katie's birthday party blowout, but that was a far cry from asking her to set him up in the most painfully obvious way possible. "Okay, fine, but that was beer fantasy talking. In reality, guys like that think I'm a meathead."
    "But you're not," she pointed out, as though that was a reasonable argument.
    "So?"
    "So here's your chance to prove it."
    "Yeah, thanks. I always make a fantastic impression when I'm put on the spot." Aaron needed new friends. His smile felt strained as they rejoined Noah and Katie's boyfriend, Steven.
    "Hey, so I forgot about that thing with the..." Steven said with a nonsensical hand motion that Aaron presumed meant, 'I just want to make it really clear that I am completely full of shit right now.' "We have to… y'know." More gesturing.
    "Right." Katie nodded and started edging towards the door. "You can get a ride home with Noah, right Aaron? Awesome."
    She didn't bother waiting for an answer before shoving Steven out the door in front of her. Aaron was going to kill them both.
    "So, uh, I'm really sorry," Aaron said, unable to look at Noah directly. "I didn't realize this was going to be the world's most awkward set-up."
    "Me neither." Noah sighed and said, "I'll take you home, I guess?"
    "Sure. Or...." Aaron said before he could talk himself out of it.
    "Or?"
    "We could stay and have dinner." Aaron shrugged. "I mean, we're here already, and we have reservations. For two, I'm assuming, considering the subtlety of the evil masterminds who plotted this." When Noah looked like he was about to say no, Aaron said, "My treat. I promise you'll either have a really good time, or it will be the worst date in the history of the world."
    "How is that incentive?" Noah asked, but he was smiling.
    "It'll be a good story to tell later on. If you're not having a good time, I will do what I can to make you completely miserable. Cross my