Damon had turned to face him when Micah yanked his arm away, but he froze when his words reached his ears. His stern gaze wavered, before eventually dropping. Like Damon suddenly found the ground interesting – like Micah had somehow hurt his feelings, which was stupid. Micah wasn’t about to apologize for pointing out the realities of his (pretend) profession.

Even if some deeply buried part of himself hated disappointing Damon for whatever reason.

Luckily, he didn’t have to say anything. Damon squared his shoulders before lifting his gaze from the ground, drilling Micah with his blue gaze. “I’m sorry.” He sounded painstakingly sincere. “I know next to nothing about you and your life, and you know even less about mine. I’m not trying to judge you or make you uncomfortable.” He ran an agitated hand through his hair. “I know this is weird – you probably think I’m crazy – but for reasons I can’t explain, I feel… drawn to you. I haven’t stopped thinking about you since Saturday. I need to help you. I know it doesn’t make any sense, but I can’t help but feel validated since the universe has seen fit to throw us together again.”

Micah snorted, even as his heart fluttered at the man’s proclamation that he’d been on his mind since their last meeting. “The universe? How do I know you’re not just some depraved stalker?”

Damon frowned, and Micah knew he wasn’t imagining the hurt on his face now. Guilt made his stomach churn. “Sorry,” he muttered, knowing what he’d said had been uncalled for. “I know you’re not a stalker. Just some weirdo who gets his rocks off helping charity cases like me.”

Damon’s frown didn’t lessen, but after a moment, he sighed. “Will you come with me then? Just to get out of the cold and eat something, at least? No strings attached, obviously.”

Micah’s answer should have been an immediate “no”. Instead, he hesitated like the goddamn fool that he was.

Misreading the reason for his wavering, Damon immediately tacked on, “We don’t have to go to my place or anything. I have a standing reservation at a nearby hotel if you’re more comfortable with that.”

“Say no, you idiot,” Tessa hissed in his ear, and Micah opened his mouth to do just that when-

“Please.”

It wasn’t fair, the way that word rolled off his tongue, and Micah really couldn’t be blamed for what happened next. He dared anyone to deny this man anything he asked for when he pleaded like that. “Okay.”

An “f-bomb” went off in his ear, but Micah steadfastly ignored it.

“I- really?” Damon seemed surprised, like he’d been gearing himself up to have to convince Micah further. “You’ll come with me?” he sought to clarify.

Micah shuffled from foot to foot. “Well, it is cold,” he allowed.

The grin that lit up Damon’s face was bright enough to power the solar panels of all of the city’s skyscrapers, and Micah felt vaguely dazed. “I’ve got to go get my car. Promise me you’re not going to go anywhere,” he ordered.