Tricks for a Heart [mlm]

Chapter 12

I wake up with a conviction that I've been dreaming all along. But I second guess myself because I'm sure as hell the mattress in the bed at my place doesn't feel this good.

It's like waking up in a hotel room, even. Unless I'm dreaming a dream within a dream, I'm sure whatever recollection of last night is real. Although that's quite a lot to take in right now.

The other side of the bed is cold, though. So if the hot passionate night with Luqman is a fluke, then I've probably checked myself in a hotel or something. Or worse, Luqman had checked us in an Airbnb and bounced. But as I pull myself up and squint to reorient myself, I hear a sizzling sound from outside the room.

The door is slightly ajar, and I smell aromatic spices from here. I get out of bed and take a peek outside—Luqman clangs and beats the skillet in his hand to a cooking pot in front of him, humming to a random tune. He's in nothing but a boxer brief that he slept in yesterday, his skin smooth and gleaming in the light that pours into the house. His figure is lean from the back, and the brief encapsulates his gorgeous, muscly buttocks, giving me the most perfect view to wake up to.

I wash my face and rinse my mouth first before revealing myself in the kitchen. Again, with a sight of Luqman Tajuddin in front of me, it doesn't register how real last night was. There's so much light now inside the house, and there's enough of it to allow me to see more of his glistening olive skin. To think such a man had snuggled with me to sleep yesterday is pretty wild.

He's hyper-focused on frying pasta noodles in a pot. I walk slowly and wrap my hands around him from behind, squeezing myself tight to him, and sniffs his shoulder. He smells minty and fresh.

I feel him jerking just a little, and maybe he's going to retaliate against this. But he pulls my hand and kisses it before he says, "Good morning!"

His voice makes me smile because he sounds so genuinely charmed at my presence. "Morning, handsome."

"You woke up just in time because breakfast is ready," he says cheerily again. "But it's just ... quick-fix aglio olio though ... I don't know whether you'd like it—"

"Ah, take a break, Luq," I say, pulling myself off him. "Feed me, Master. I'm going to love everything you honor me for!"

I'm heading to the plate rack to serve the meal for us when Luqman gets jumpy and reaches to plant kisses on my cheek. "Silly, adorable and a smartass," he says. "Can you pick just one because I can't resist so many good things from you."

"Why should I make your life easy?" I say. Of course, I've meant that playfully. The truth is I would never pull a sass like this with a random hook-up. Maybe it's the familiarity that gives me comfort.

"Right ... don't," Luqman says, grinning as he fishes a tong from inside a drawer beside me. He scoops a serving for both of us and loads them onto our plates.

Now we're eating at the table, which has many condiments and ketchup that Luqman has relocated to the island counter. He makes me hot sweet tea while he drinks a cup of black coffee. He's much more beautiful in the morning light, and instead of looking away, I decide to enjoy staring at him without guilt or shame because there's nothing to lose.

He looks away. "Adam ... you're making me shy ..."

I laugh. "You're very adorable, that's why."

He smiles and reaches out to pinch my cheek. "Now you know exactly how I felt throughout those years in school."

"It's pretty hard to believe that you liked me, and I didn't even know it," I tell him.

"I guess if you paid enough attention, you'd notice." He grins at me and I exhale out of relief. I've never felt this good and serene for a long time. Looking at Luqman sitting here adoring me while eating a meal he prepared for us really sends all kinds of butterflies in my guts. I can go for another or two rounds of kisses and cuddles with him.