The Making of Matt (26 page)

“Is that a yes?” he whispered, breathless. “Can I move in with you?”

“Let’s go to bed. To
our
bed.”

Grinning devilishly, Alex pushed me off his knees and rolled me onto my back. “I can’t wait that long. I’m going to fuck you right here, right now.”

Impatient fingers nipped at each other’s pants. I got through his button first, urging his pants over his firm ass and pushing them down his legs as he kissed and sucked at my neck.

I groaned in anticipation when his thumbs dipped inside my waistband, then almost had a heart attack when Alex jumped off me, tripped over his pants and fell to the floor.

“That freakin’ dog licked my ass!”

My heart racing from a mix of fright and laughter, I looked down at Bruce, and cliché as it sounds, he gave us the damn puppy eyes – a guilty expression that was too adorable for me to even contemplate being mad at him.

“Maybe I
can
wait until we get to
our
bed after all,” Alex said, clambering to his feet and taking my hand. So much blood had rushed to my dick I wasn’t sure I’d be able to walk in a straight line, but I was determined to try as I pulled out of Alex’s grasp and raced him to the top of the stairs.

**********

I wanted to stay in bed with Alex forever, missing him even when he went to the bathroom, but being the more sensible of the two of us, Alex insisted we head to the club the next day. I walked toward the building with his hand in mine, squeezing it tighter as we strolled past a scattering of photographers. Alex straightened his fingers, trying to pull away, and it stopped me in my tracks.

“This isn’t so much an announcement as confirmation,” I said, projecting my voice as I turned to the press.

“Matt, what are you doing?” Alex whispered in my ear.

I replied with a simple smile before continuing. “Confirmation that, yes, I
am
in a relationship with this wonderful man right here. I haven’t been hiding my sexuality from you all. I haven’t been living a lie or fighting being gay my whole life. Truth is, this has never happened to me before, and I don’t just mean falling for a guy. Yes, I’m in love with a man, but I didn’t fall in love with his dick…”
Well, not
just
his dick.
“…I fell in love with his heart.”

I looked to Alex and stroked along his flushed cheek with the back of my hand. “So follow me, don’t follow me, but know the Matt Carter you used to chase has gone. You won’t find scandal, exclusives, or photos of me fucking shit up. On an exciting day, if you’re lucky, you might just catch me doing this…”

Cameras clicked, lights flashed and a growing crowd started calling out questions as I took Alex’s shocked face in my hands, pressing my lips to his. Pulling back, I stared right into his eyes, into his soul. “I love you, Alex, and I want the whole fucking world to know that you’re mine.”

Turning back to the crowd, I wondered how the hell even
more
journalists had managed to arrive so quickly. “And, yes, you have my permission to use the headline ‘
Sawyer Knight adds another member to his rim raiding crusade
’.”

Alex swatted my shoulder. “You can’t say things like that!” he said quietly, hiding his embarrassment with a hand over his face.

Grinning, I winked at him. “I’m Matt freakin’ Carter. I can say whatever the fuck I want.”

“Matt! Matt!”

“Does this mean you’re gay?”

“What do you think of the new equality laws?”

“Are you officially coming out?”

“Matt! This way!”

“What do you think your mother would say?”

“Is this why you left Belle Anderson?”

With my hand on the small of Alex’s back, I ushered him toward the club entrance, ignoring the majority of the incessant, mostly inane, questions. Two of them caught my attention, though, and I felt compelled to answer for myself as much as the public.

My hand propping open the steel door, I briefly turned back to the clamor of the crowd. “My mom’s proud of me,” I said. “I hear her telling me every day. She loved Alex and, honestly, I think she’d be overjoyed that I’ve finally found someone willing to put up with my bullshit.”

Some scribbled ferociously on scraps of paper. Others shoved Dictaphones at my face. “Lastly, yes, I’m officially coming out. Coming out as a man in love. Interpret that however you want. The only label I give myself is…lucky.”

Clicks, flashes and questions continued to choke the air but I’d said all I needed to. Urging Alex inside, I followed and closed the door, punching the lock code into the keypad behind me.

Alex stopped, turning to me and placing his hands on my hips. “I think I just fell in love with you all over again,” he said, the blush fading from his cheeks.

“You’re not mad? I didn’t realize I should’ve asked you if you were prepared to have your name tossed all over the magazines until I’d already started. By then, I was on a roll and-”

“I’m not mad,” he whispered, cutting me off by placing a finger over my lips. “I fell in love with
all
of you, Matt. Your kind heart, your humor, your mind…” He ran his palm down my torso. “… And your body, your inability to say more than three consecutive words without dropping the F bomb or insulting somebody, and yes, even the fact you don’t possess the power to think before you speak. You’re the most infuriating, sarcastic,
loveable
asshole I’ve ever met, and what you did out there encompassed all the things that make you
you
. The only thing I’m feeling right now is
pride
.”

“And horny,” I teased, cupping his blatant arousal. I took a step back, knowing if I didn’t I would end up fucking him right there without a second thought to whoever else might be in the building. “What about your parents?”

“I spoke to my mom while you were in the shower this morning. Told her everything.”

Ouch.
“How’d it go?”

“Surprisingly well. Talking to her, I started to realize that the issues I’d always seen in my parents were really my own. I always believed they couldn’t accept me or my illness and for the first time I saw the real problem. I
thought
they couldn’t accept me. Truth is I never gave them a chance to because
I
was too busy struggling to accept
myself
.”

“Wow,” I breathed.

“She wants to meet you.”

Whoa.
I’d done some crazy shit in my life but the thought of meeting his parents was possibly the most terrifying of all. “Fuck, meeting the parents feels awfully grown up.”

“I’m sure you can fake being an adult for a few hours. For
me
.”

“Maybe we should role play first. Try and establish some kind of brain to mouth filter.”

“Oh, Matt,” Alex chuckled. “I find it adorable that you think that’s even possible.” He leaned forward, his smile wide, and brushed my lips with his. “Come on,” he added, cocking his head. “Time to work.”

Several hours later, bar stocked and lights switched on, people lined up outside even though the doors didn’t open for another hour. I bought this club on a whim, something to pass the time. I never dreamed it would become such a significant part of my life. I enjoyed going to work every day. I was proud of my business and the people who’d helped it succeed.

I heard Bruce’s familiar yelp before I noticed that Sawyer had joined us. The sound made my heart twitch. I’d fallen hard for the cute little shit machine.

“How’s my big boy?” I cooed, prying him from Sawyer’s arms and kissing all over his head while I carried him to the office. “Have you missed Daddy? Huh? Daddy’s missed you.”

Setting Bruce loose on the office floor, I looked up at Sawyer who stared at me like I was an imbecile.

“You do know it’s an animal and not a human baby, right?”

“Shut the fuck up, dude.
He,
not
it
, will hear you. You didn’t let him on the sidewalk, right? He needs his next shot first.”

“No, but I’m afraid he might need some psychotherapy. I forgot to say
please
when I asked him to sit.”

“Funny,” I muttered.
Asshole
. “I’m laughing inside. What are you doing here?”

“Elle called and asked us to meet her here. Jake’s on his way.”

“I fucking knew it,” I said, clicking my fingers. “She’s knocked up.”

“
What?
No way. She’s my best friend. I’d have noticed.”

“You mean you
haven’t
noticed that she’s been a grouchy motherfucker for weeks now? Just the other day she almost ripped off my dick because I said she looked hot. I wouldn’t mind but I meant
warm
. There’s no other explanation. Either she’s pregnant, or coming out as a beaver basher, but statistically, I think you’ve converted enough of us already.”

“So I hear. I read about your little speech earlier. Good for you, dude.”

“Can you imagine what Claire would say if she still managed us? My balls would be in a pickling jar right now.” I smiled, picturing her stern,
not again, Matt
, face.

“Don’t need to. Claire’s the one who told me about it. She called me a couple of hours ago.”

“Oh yeah? How is the old battleaxe?” I said it with affection. For all the shit I gave Claire over the years, she was like a second mom to me while we were on the road.

“Amused. She can see the funny side now you’re not her responsibility anymore.”

Bruce nuzzled at my ankles and I gave him a pat before heading for the door. “I’m gonna fetch Alex and tell him Elle’s good news.”

“Hundred dollars you’re wrong,” Sawyer said, proffering his hand.

“Two hundred and we got a deal.”

Nodding confidently, Sawyer shook my hand.

You’re going down, motherfucker.

When I reached Alex in the basement I found him wincing and rubbing his back. “Think I’ve pinched a nerve or something. Will you rub it for me?”

“How weird. I think I’ve pinched one, too. I’ll rub yours if you rub mine?”

Alex moaned in relief as I drew circles on his back with the heel of my palm. “Where’s yours?” he asked.

“My dick.”

He rolled his eyes and shoulder bumped me. “I can’t believe I actually fell for that.”

I told him about Elle and we headed up to the office. The regular bar staff and door bouncers had arrived and were waiting around on the main floor for us to open.

In the office, Jake arrived first, followed by Ryder. Mason was heading a photo shoot in Sawyer and Jake’s studio so couldn’t make it. After clueing them up, Jake and Ry agreed with Sawyer, but Ryder placed another bet on Mason’s behalf as the only other person who sided with me.

I was anxious for Elle to arrive, not only to gather my winnings, but because if she didn’t get here before opening I wouldn’t have adequate time to gloat.

When Elle eventually strolled through the door, hand in hand with Kip, I sat back in my leather chair behind the desk and rubbed my palms together.

“Why do you all look so…” Elle pouted while she searched for the word. “
Eager?
”

I winked. “Just happy to see you, fuck bunny.”

“Um,
okay
,” she said, raising a suspicious eyebrow. She totally stole that look from Sawyer. “Kip and I have some news for you.”

Here we go. Show me the money, assholes.

Elle clamped her hands together and bounced slightly on her toes. “We’re having a baby!”

“Boom!” I yelled, jumping to my feet and taking a bow. “Pay the piper, motherfuckers!” I sang, rubbing my fingers against my thumb.

“What’s going on?” Elle quizzed, her brow furrowing in confusion.

“I just made eight hundred dollars, that’s what.”

“Six,” Sawyer cut in. He pointed to himself, Jake and Ry as he spoke. “Two times three is six, dude. Alex didn’t bet.”

“
Bet
?” Kip repeated, laughing. Elle, however, crossed her arms over her chest and scowled at me.

“I’ve known for ages,” I said, grinning like the winner I was. I pointed at Elle’s cantankerous expression. “Look at her face. She’s been walking round like a psychopath on her period for weeks. It was obvious.”

Fearing Elle might actually kill me, I walked cautiously over to her and threw my arms around her waist, “Congratulations, girl,” I said, lifting her off her feet and spinning her around. “Shit! I didn’t squash it did I?”

I panicked as I placed her back on the floor. I took the snicker and roll of her eyes as a
no
.

Stepping to the side, I wrapped Kip into a tight hug, clapping his back. “If it comes out with light-brown hair and devilishly good looks I swear it’s a coincidence. Well done, dude.”