Truth & Tenderness (19 page)

“If I can get out earlier, I will,” he murmured, but Matt smiled.

“Come get me when you’re home,” Matt said. He made no attempt to kiss Evan, who experienced a sense of sad gratitude when Matt walked away.

M
ATT
CHECKED
in with Jim after a few hours of calls to clients. Jim hadn’t heard back from the Ashland PD, but according to the UPS website, they signed for the evidence two hours ago. Before Matt called, Jim had basically paced the entire property when he wasn’t getting a crash course in parenting thanks to Sadie.

Griffin and Daisy were outside by the pool, apparently arguing about her getting a divorce lawyer, as Jim reported to Matt from his perch in the kitchen—mostly to make sure no one got shoved underwater.

“You gonna end up on my couch again?” Jim asked sternly.

Matt leaned back in his chair until he found the comforting creak. “No. Because I hate the way the kids felt when I did,” he sighed. “I don’t want to fight in front of them, but—they lost their mom so violently and so suddenly. There’s this whole abandonment thing, I think…,” Matt started, then stopped when he realized Jim was laughing through the phone. “What?”

“You’re such a good dad.”

Matt bounced in his chair, squeaking it until Jim was concerned it would break. “Why is that funny?” he asked, a twist in his chest at how pleased that made him feel.

“Because you’re Matt, and when we met, I’d have been concerned about your ability to keep a fern alive. Hell, mine too. Which is why we’re friends. And now you’re all Dr. Whoever on TV, being a mature… dad. It’s weird.”

“You’re weird.”

“Hey, you’re my role model. For, uh, when I’m in your shoes.” Jim coughed dramatically.

“Seriously?”

“What are your feelings regarding Uncle Matt?”

Matt sniffed. “There’s a branch in my eye.”

“Such an incredible asshole.”

“Can I call godfather now?”

A
FTER
THE
chat with Jim, Matt cleared up his desk, then headed upstairs. It was almost ten, the kids were in bed, and Evan was still not home.

Matt pretended this was a test from the universe.

Shower, bed. Tomorrow was another day to hoe the row of being a responsible adult.

E
VAN
MANAGED
not to slam the front door as he got home two hours later than he intended to. Casper had forgotten to mention the meetings after hours, the ones Evan needed to attend to keep the major real estate players in Midtown happy. Evan had tried to keep his temper, because they were friends and he knew Casper was still struggling, but Jesus Christ.

Why today.

He blew through the first floor as fast as he could, dropping his things in their proper places before heading upstairs.

Matt’s car in the driveway was reassuring. The touches around the first floor—dinner in the microwave, the back door locked, the lights out—told him Matt had gone through the nightly routine already.

Half the ride home, Evan had been freaking out that he’d come up to an empty driveway. Or Matt and his bags sitting in the living room, waiting to end things once and for all.

He wouldn’t do that to the kids, Evan knew, but he really wanted Matt to be waiting—and staying—for him as well.

In the bedroom, he heard the shower going and relaxed another tick. He followed the sound, debating his next move.

Should it even be a move?

When he reached the bathroom door, he made his decision. Through the thickening film of steam on the shower door, Evan saw the water trickling over his lover’s soft skin and strong muscles, and he acted without conscious thought. Evan stripped out of his pants and T-shirt, then slid back the shower door.

Matt didn’t turn around when Evan climbed into the shower. He kept his head tilted out of the stream of water, his arms against the tile, open and inviting. Evan said nothing, just ran a hand down Matt’s back. It made him shiver with anticipation, even in the middle of all the steam.

Evan stepped in behind him and stood still, listening to the thundering patter of the water as the spray bounced off Matt’s chest, splattering back to hit his own skin.

Then he slid his splayed fingers slowly around Matt’s waist and down over his thighs. He ran the tips of his thumbs down the length of Matt’s dick and leaned in against his back, breathing in the steam as Evan’s lips teased behind his ear.

Goosebumps rolled over Matt’s skin. He melted against Evan, breath catching as they connected. Evan rubbed his dick up against Matt’s beautiful round ass. He pulled Matt suddenly back at the hips so they were pressed tight against each other. He moved his lips lazily along the back of Matt’s neck.

This wasn’t their normal routine, but Evan felt challenged to do something. If he couldn’t show up on time, he was going to let Matt know how he felt with more than words.

Murmuring Evan’s name, Matt reached behind him with both hands, finding Evan’s hips and pulling him closer. He tilted his head to give Evan access, pushing back with intent that Evan responded to with a snap of his hips. Water splattered over them as Evan mouthed the warm expanse of Matt’s shoulders.

He trailed his fingers up over Matt’s stomach while cupping and gently squeezing his cock with his other hand. The familiarity of Matt’s body soothed Evan, sparked his nerve endings. His anticipation built; he ground his hips, tugging and stroking Matt, their movements getting rougher, sloppier.

He wanted more.

Evan slid his hands onto Matt’s shoulders, then down along his arms, ending with his hands resting on top of Matt’s, holding them against his hips. They rocked against each other, Evan angling his dick between the globes of Matt’s ass. When Matt bent forward and pushed back, Evan groaned.

He knew what Matt wanted, and suddenly it connected in some sort of wild and ridiculous meaningful act in his mind.

The rub of flesh against flesh nearly shorted out Evan’s brain—he knew what he wanted to do to Matt, for Matt—but God. He bent his knees slightly, then stroked up, and they almost went down in a pile under the rush of water. The sensation became a need as he slowly pulled away.

Matt reached back for him, but Evan was already on his knees.

“Mmm, what you do to me,” Evan whispered as he turned Matt toward him, guiding hands on his hips. He looked up, the water hitting Matt’s shoulders and raining down on Evan.

Whatever dizzying hunger was running through Evan’s mind and body, Matt’s expression captured it perfectly. Evan didn’t wait—not when they were both starving for it. He swirled his tongue against the head of Matt’s cock, brazenly maintaining eye contact.

Evan ran his lips along the length of Matt’s dick. Matt’s dick.
His
dick. The thought came into Evan’s head unbidden and fierce.

With that in mind, Evan curled his tongue around the head and let the hard wet rod slide deep into his mouth, then drew back, flicking his tongue against the underside, licking him slowly. He repeated the pattern over and over, his gaze fixed on Matt’s face, watching his every gasp and moan.

Evan knew Matt was holding back—he could feel the strain of his body, the rigid way he held his breath—but Evan knew all the secrets. He knew how to suck the smooth head in just enough and hold until Matt trembled. Evan wrapped his fingers around Matt’s dick as he lavished attention on the head, rolling his hand up and down the length. Then he hungrily sank back down, sliding his other hand behind Matt’s ass, working a finger inside to tease his hole.

Evan tightened his lips against Matt’s cock as a grin filled his face. Matt’s immediate physical reaction was too obvious to ignore. Evan pulled back again and pressed a kiss to the base of Matt’s dick, wriggling his finger farther inside.

And then Matt took over. Evan opened his mouth wider, teasing with his finger, letting Matt have his way.

Matt dropped his hands to either side of Evan’s face, shivering. The water had started to go cold, but Evan didn’t blink or complain—he just relaxed his jaw, his throat, and stared up at Matt with absolute adoration.

He didn’t have to wait long. Matt was long past being patient or gentle. He gave over to Evan’s acquiescence and pumped his hips with abandon.

I
N
BED
,
Evan didn’t want anything. Matt kept sliding his hand between Evan’s legs, but Evan pushed him away gently, distracting him with kisses.

“Why don’t you want me?” Matt whispered, biting at his jaw and neck. “I want you.”

“You had me,” Evan croaked in return. He took Matt’s hand and wrapped it around his throat.

Matt laughed and moaned, pressing Evan into the mattress. “Is this so I’ll forgive you for being late?” he teased, tightening his grip just enough to make Evan raise his hips off the bed.

Evan shook his head, lost for a second in the combination of Matt’s blanketing heat and the dizzying relief of Matt’s hands on him. “No.” He coughed a little, the burn of his throat worth it. “Maybe.”

“Jerk.” Matt moved his hands then, surging up over Evan and pinning him to the bed. “Maybe I don’t forgive you yet.”

Evan struggled just enough for Matt to know he was game. “You trying to fuck another apology out of me, Haight?” he whispered.

Matt’s smile turned wicked.

T
HE
BAR
crawl wasn’t anywhere Matt wanted to be. Another GOAL activity for the young single and those reentering the dating scene. Two new recruits to the organization were supposed to be chaperoning the thing, but one broken leg (skiing) and a concussion (jerk who didn’t want to stop punching another jerk) had left GOAL in need of responsible adults.

Apparently Evan owed Jesse a favor.

So Matt, in jeans and a tight black sweater, hustled a group of twenty-two singles, as they grew more and more inebriated, through the streets of the Village.

“Where now?” he asked Evan, who was soberly manning the map, checking locations on his phone.

“Around the block—we’ll be sampling tequila.”

A “woo-hoo, yeah” chant started up behind them. Matt wished he had a nightstick. “How is this an intelligent exercise in meeting people? There’s going to be a bunch of hookups; then everything is awkward at the barbecue next month,” Matt whispered. “Not to mention the NYPD’s finest lurching down the street, publicly intoxicated.”

“Well if you hate it, show up at the events committee and make suggestions,” Evan said, giving him the cross father look.

“Oh, you did not just tell me to put up or shut up.”

“No,” Evan said slowly. “I told you to come to the meetings and make a suggestion.”

“Here’s my suggestion—herding drunks around is a shitty way to spend a Saturday night.”

At the next bar, Matt found a corner table while their group bellied up the bar—literally—for a tequila sampling.

“I know how this ends,” Matt muttered to himself as he flipped through his phone. He and Jim had exchanged e-mails earlier in the day; Jim would be flying out to Oregon to meet with the Ashland PD himself, in hopes of pushing the department to reopen the case of the murdered coed, with Tripp as their prime suspect. Griffin was staying at the house with Daisy and Sadie, and Matt had promised to check on them while pretending he wasn’t checking on them at Jim’s behest.

He got it—he totally did.

On to sports scores, he missed the arrival of Casper Vaughn. One second Evan was chatting with the bar owner. The next Evan was crowded into the corner with Casper.

Overdressed douche bag.

Matt stuck his phone in his pocket, then sauntered over to where the two men were talking. “Oh hey, Casper, great to see you,” he said, wrapping one arm around Evan’s waist. “Getting back on the horse—that’s fantastic.”

Evan elbowed him in the stomach, but Matt didn’t let go.

Casper looked at him like Matt had just crawled up from the sewer.
Yeah, son, the feeling is entirely mutual.