Page 38 of Extraction Play
Micah let out a whoop, and he began hurling pillows anew. Pixie ditched the blanket and scrabbled for the nearest one to her, just to toss another his way. Laughter shook her shoulders as lightness poured over her like sunshine, the first that had pierced through in a long, long while.
Eva crossed the space between them and picked up pillow after pillow, holding her own against Micah while lobbing a few blows in Pixie’s direction. For at least five minutes, the room filled with shrieks, thumps, and the occasional curse. Pixie snagged any pillow in sight at this point and blindly tossed it forward.
Heavy breaths resounded through the room as they slowed down. Pixie hurled herself onto the couch with abandon, and Eva claimed the loveseat. Micah settled into his spot, a wild, incandescent spark in his eye that was purely her best friend. Even Eva seemed transformed from when she’d walked through the door, her features softer and an enigmatic smile lingering on her lips. One Pixie found far too attractive.
Pixie locked eyes with Eva. “Welcome back.”
Chapter Fifteen
From the second Eva got back to Pixie and Micah’s apartment, she’d been launched into the pace of life here, which was bustling.
It came as a huge relief, because she was determined to take tonight off from worrying about the future after how rough yesterday had been. Fuck Jack. Fuck Sienna. Fuck Reno for good measure too. She doubted she’d return.
“Are you sure I’m not crashing?” Eva asked Micah again as the Uber zipped through the streets of San Francisco.
Micah gave her a pointed look. “Excuse me, who’s going to pay for my drinks if you don’t go? I’m just a lowly barista, whereas you’re some moneybags supply chain manager.”
“I’m pretty sure you’ve got a boyfriend who’llcover your ass.”
“Besides, Nolan told me to drag you out, and it’s his birthday we’re celebrating, so it’d be rude not to show up,” Micah said as if she hadn’t said anything.
The crew here reached out left and right, inviting her out when her crowd from back in Reno remained silent. She’d stupidly tried to contact Benny and Cara, two of her closer friends from that circle, telling them she’d be in the area last night. She got a “Sorry, busy” from Benny and nothing from Cara. Both of them had been eager and responsive with plans when she and Jack had been together, so she took the cue for what it was.
Another rejection.
“I’m surprised he didn’t want to go to a fancy kink night for his birthday.” Eva smoothed down her black skirt. Ugh, a few fuzzies had already latched onto the fabric.
Micah shrugged. “Noles likes good food and drink, and he’s been working at Whipped for a while, so he’s got a steady stream of entertainment in that regard.”
Eva shook her head. Sometimes she could barely believe the place existed, but after attending one of the Play Nights, she could attest it was very, very real. She’d liked getting to explore the Reno kink scene, but the one Meg and her crew ran felt leagues more comfortable than being surrounded by strangers in darker and busier settings.
“Is Pixie going?” she asked. Yeah, she was playing with fire with that one. However, not long after she’d gotten home, Pixie had to run out to get some new paints and errands, and Micah had sprung the bar night on her.
“She better be,” Micah said, his eyes growing a little more intense. “Girl needs to stop drifting on us.”
Curiosity burned through her, but she suspected his comment had to do with the loneliness Pixie emanated. Eva had only met her a fewweeks ago, but it broadcasted loud and clear. And with everything they’d shared in such a short time, she’d felt more connected to her than people she’d known for years.
The Uber pulled to a stop in front of a high-rise, one of the buildings San Francisco was littered with.
“This is our stop,” Micah said. Once the driver put the car in Park, Micah hopped out. Eva slipped out the other side, her white heels clacking on the asphalt.
Arc-En-Ciel was on the top floor, a queer-friendly rooftop bar with quality cocktails and small plates, plus a mix of cozy and sophisticated ambiance that reminded Eva she wasn’t in the small potatoes town she and Micah had grown up in. He’d dressed up tonight too in a lavender lacy shirt with a low neckline and slate pants that hugged his slender legs. It was clear how much he’d blossomed here. He would never have dared to wear anything like that when they were younger. Fierce warmth burned inside her, a “fuck you” to parents who should never have had kids in the first place.
Micah slowed closer to the door, so Eva stepped forward to go in first. Air-conditioning blasted in her direction. She hadn’t missed the hesitation in his gaze. This was a far cry from where they’d grown up, yet despite the flash of the city and the chaos, she’d rather lose herself here than stand out in Genoa, where everyone knew how ashamed Mom and Dad were of their freak kids.
The lobby of the building was all dark carpet and smooth black fixtures, and she led the way to the elevator.
“Kinda wild both of us are in the same city,” Micah said. “It’s been a while.”
“Look, you were the only reason I visited home as much as I did. Mom’s voice still lives in my ear, so whyadd more in real time?”
The elevator door binged open, and she stepped in, followed close behind by Micah.
“You couldn’t pay me to go back there now,” Micah said, corrosive bitterness in his tone. “Denial was the sole thing keeping me in place, and now that’s gone.”
Eva picked at her nails, the guilt flooding her. Except she couldn’t summon the words to admit it to him. “Good thing we’re far the hell away.”
“So, are you going to stick around San Francisco?” he asked, hesitation in his voice.