Damon had no idea how accurate that statement was, evidenced by the scowl that transformed his face. “Don’t make excuses for her. Caprice had no right to speak to you the way she did, and I… I had no right letting her behavior slide for as long as I did.” Damon ran an agitated hand through his hair. “Goddammit,” he muttered under his breath.

Micah couldn’t help but notice how much more expressive – more animated – the man became when it was just the two of them, and even though he had no right to feel any kind of way about it, satisfaction warmed his insides that Damon felt so comfortable around him, anyway.

Then the man spoke. “This entire dinner was a mistake.”

Micah stiffened.

Just like that, the warmth was gone, and he could suddenly feel just how cold it was, standing outside on Damon’s balcony. The words were a harsh reminder of the deal they had struck in Micah’s apartment on Wednesday evening.

One event. One dinner – as a test run. That was it. And then this… this quasi-relationship, or whatever it was he had with Damon, had to end. For both their sakes. Micah just never thought that Damon would be the one ending it.

Ignoring the fact that it felt like his heart was being squeezed in a vice, Micah pushed himself off the railing. “You’re right,” he said, trying to sound cavalier, “this isn’t working.”

“What?” Damon looked startled, and then a bit panicked. After two long strides, he was within arm’s length of Micah. “No. I know I fucked up, but that’s no reason to end our arrangement.”

Micah was confused, but he refused to let himself feel that spark of warmth again. “You just admitted yourself that this dinner was a mistake.”

Damon frowned. “Yes, but only because I didn’t think things through. I should have had you meet my family one at a time, or planned to host the meal at a restaurant where Caprice would have been forced to be civil. I never should have subjected you to her vitriol. It’s my fault. I… I didn’t protect you.”

Damon sounded truly heartsick over it, and as endearing as that was, it was also a little ridiculous, in Micah’s opinion. “She said some mean things,” he pointed out. “It’s not like she stabbed me with her dinner fork. I’ll get over it.”

Damon’s frown didn’t dissipate. “So… you’re not upset, then?”

“Not really. I mean, sure, the thing with Caprice was embarrassing, and your uncle’s obnoxious, but the rest of your family was pretty nice. That doesn’t change the fact that we only agreed to one dinner, however. Or did you forget about the deal we made at my apartment?”