Ethan
ETHAN
They did eventually find their way to Matt’s bedroom. However, it required them to pick themselves up from the floor first and find their clothes. According to Matt, he also needed to get his legs working properly again, a statement that had inwardly pleased and just a little smug.
“I could always carry you,” suggested.
“How about you don’t?” Matt chuckled, pulling on his pants and leaving them undone. “I think I can manage the stairs, thanks.”
sighed. “Don’t say I didn’t offer.”
He was led up the stairs and into a small hallway. At the top, a closed door lay to their right, with another set of doors further down the hallway on the left. Matt motioned to the closed door and put his fingers to his lips before continuing.
“Bathroom,” he said, pointing to one of the doors.
Matt’s room was much like the rest of the house, on the small side but clean and well cared for. The desk in the back left corner was perhaps the messiest, cluttered with a laptop, strewn with paperwork and folders, and a few books stacked in the back corner. A small shelf on the back wall held a few items. Another picture of Matt’s mother, though this one also had a far younger Calvin grinning beside her.
On the shelf below was a menagerie of seemingly random items. A piece of bark, deep red and dry to the touch. A rock with the impression of a fossil in it. A bottlecap, a shiny if somewhat scuffed piece of foil, a pink pearl, a small, dried daisy chain, and finally, something he recognized.
“Hey, I know this shell,” chuckled. “You picked this up on our date.”
Matt smiled, closing the door to the room behind him. “I keep things from memories I think I’d like to keep.”
“That you like to think you’ll keep?” asked.
Matt shrugged. “Some memories aren’t worth holding onto, so they get taken off the shelf. But if something feels right, I like finding and keeping stuff. And sometimes, it works.”
“What’s with the bottle cap?” asked.
“From a beer I had the night I saw Cade and Elias kiss for the first time. They were, uh, fake dating at the time, long story, don’t ask. But that kiss was, well, it was something. It was the first time I started to suspect there was more than just fake dating going on, even if they didn’t know it,” Matt shrugged. “Reminded me of them and how love can really sneak up on you.”
“And the foil?”
Matt ducked his head. “Some weird snack Cade found at one of those random corner stores. He and Elias thought it sounded up my alley, though I couldn’t tell what the thing’s flavor was. None of the writing was in English, and the taste was...weird.”
“So why keep it?”
“It was the first few months I was working at the station, and I hadn’t felt like I’d connected with anyone. They decided to buy it on the way to their shift, knowing I’d be there.”
tapped the foil, smiling. “They made you feel included. Like you had a place.”
“Yeah, and that was before they discovered how great dick is,” Matt said with a chuckle.
turned, knowing he’d see that impish twinkle in Matt’s eyes. Sure enough, the man’s eyes glittered as he watched . He was beginning to understand how much there was under all that sweetness. Oh sure, he never doubted for a moment that Matt was kind, and he was definitely forgiving if his interactions with Keith were any indication.
However, the more time spent around Matt, the more he began to see the layers underneath. He had a playful side and a quiet, unassuming wit that flashed out at the most surprising times. There was a solidness, a soft confidence about him that was growing to love. Even down in the living room, Matt had been playful and cute, but he’d also been bold and hadn’t shied away.
Matt cocked his head. “What’s going on in your head right now?”
“I’m thinking about the living room,” admitted.
Matt grinned. “Quick recovery time, eh?”
“Hey, a guy can get mentally turned on at the thought of a hot guy beneath him,” shrugged.
“Or on top of them,” Matt said.
“That too.”
And while the idea of another round was tempting, wanted nothing more than to curl up against the man. He reached out, taking Matt’s hand and pulling him toward the bed in an alcove in the corner. Matt came willingly, dragging back the blankets and dropping onto the bed.
was right behind him, immediately laying on his side so he could curl behind Matt’s back. He smiled when he realized the other man slid into place perfectly and pulled the blankets around them.
“God, you’re warm,” Matt murmured, scooting back closer to him.
“Is that a bad thing?” asked softly.
“Not even close,” Matt told him, wrapping his arms around ’s arm and sighing heavily.
“Good,” murmured, squeezing him.
Several minutes passed before Matt spoke again. “Thanks for coming over.”
pressed a kiss to the back of the man’s head. “What do you mean? I loved being here.”
“Well, I know it can be a little strange. Coming to someone’s childhood home and meeting their parent, especially on the second date,” Matt said softly.
snorted. “You and your dad live together, so you can be there for him like he was for you growing up. I don’t see anything wrong with your living with him, and I don’t find it weird meeting him.”
“Even if he was grilling you about us?”
“Even then.”
“I can’t tell if that’s a good sign of your understanding or if you’re as crazy as him.”
chuckled. “If so, what does that make you? You were raised by him, live with him, and now you’re dating me.”
“Guess I’m officially crazy then. I’m okay with that,” Matt said in a thick voice.
smiled, listening to the man’s breathing deepen and the time between breaths slowly grow longer. He hoped he’d done what he’d set out to do, taking care of Matt. In truth, he hoped he would have the chance to keep caring for Matt. Feeling him so relaxed, seeing the smile on his face, and hearing his low, deep breathing was more than could have asked for.
* * *
Movement beside him stirred from the depths of sleep. He grunted, trying to stop the wriggling mass beside him so he could continue sleeping. That, of course, did nothing as the movement grew stronger.
“Uh, uh,” grunted.
Matt’s laughter was soft and thick. “You have to let me up, . Otherwise, we’re going to end up with a problem.”
rolled atop him, pinning Matt. “What kind of problem?”
Matt said nothing for a moment before reaching between their bodies. It took a minute, and had to shift his hips, vaguely wondering what Matt was doing. When a warm hand slipped beneath the hem of his underwear and wrapped around the girth of his morning erection, his mind stirred to life quicker.
“Good morning,” murmured, pushing himself into Matt’s hand.
“Oh sure, now you’re nice and awake,” Matt complained, though he followed it with a heavy chuckle.
shoved the back of Matt’s underwear down, grabbing one side of his ass. “Mm, you feel good, and you’re making me feel good.”
“Aren’t you grabby in the morning?” Matt noted.
“Says the man who grabbed me first.”
“Okay, make you a deal. We finish what we started, but then you have to let me up.”
buried his face into Matt’s neck, biting the warm flesh and sucking. The soft moan Matt gave was more than enough to wake up the rest of the way. He ground himself against Matt, reaching to wrap his hand around the man’s shaft.
“We have to be quiet, though,” Matt said in a rush. “Quieter than last night. Someone’s up.”
“So am I,” growled, making Matt laugh.
Ultimately, they managed to be quiet, though not completely silent. When they were done, sweat covered Matt’s forehead as he hopped out of bed with a laugh, patting ’s stomach. Matt pulled on a pair of lounge pants and darted into the hall. heard the door across from the hall open and realized why Matt had wanted to get up so badly.
“Mm, good idea,” he grumbled into the pillow, feeling his bladder calling for attention.
Not that he was looking to go back to sleep. He had always been able to operate on minimal sleep, and he felt like he’d had a lot more than that. A smile crossed his face as he flashed to his recent wake-up call.
“Better than coffee,” he said to his lap as he sat up, rubbing his face.
“You know,” Matt said as he entered the room. “Normally, I’d call that blasphemy, but in this case, I’ll make an exception.”
“Do you need to check on your dad?” asked.
Matt snorted. “He doesn’t like me to cook breakfast. He prefers it when Holly cooks. So he has her come over for a couple of hours every morning before she goes to another place for an actual shift.”
“Have a problem with Holly?”
“No, she’s great. I just don’t like her because, apparently, she cooks a better breakfast than me.”
laughed, pulling Matt down and kissing him. “Well, if it makes you feel better, there’s no one else I want making my pot pies in the future. Or picking the best seafood places in town.”
Matt snorted. “Flattery will get you everywhere, sir.”
“Will it? Well, I’ll have to up my flattery game and make sure I’m doing it right.”
“I think you have a pretty good handle on it.”
Matt wrapped his legs around ’s waist, sitting firmly in his lap. Among all the other things he was learning about Matt, he was also becoming aware of how cuddly he was. Not that would complain. The feel of the man in his lap was comforting and strangely familiar as if Matt belonged there.
“I’ve been hearing movement up there,” Calvin’s voice called up the stairs.
“Yes,” Matt called back. “You okay?”
“I’m fine, but I made sure Holly cooked enough for both of you. So if you want a warm breakfast, get your butts down here. Clothes aren’t optional,” Calvin told them.
“That man is trying to drive me to drink, I swear,” Matt muttered.
“I think it’s nice that he’s so cool with everything,” told him honestly.
Matt snorted. “You say that, but you haven’t had to hear him talk about how I deserve to settle down, how I need a man who treats me right. Ever since I came out to him, he’s tried to find me a ‘nice boy.’ I think he believes anyone under the age of like, forty, is a boy.”
chuckled, rubbing Matt’s back in slow circles. “He’s right, though. You do deserve those things.”
Matt leaned back, watching him, a small smile on his face. “Are you throwing your name in the hat?”
“If you’re willing to pick my name out of the hat, I’d love a chance,” said.
Matt watched him, green eyes sparkling, though this time without mischief. knew they barely knew one another, and there was a lot, maybe some not-so-good things, they had to learn about one another.
Yet some part of him quickly realized that the more time he spent with Matt, the more it told him how well they fit together. Matt might have caught ’s attention with his striking looks, but his good heart and accepting soul drew him in. It was the first thing since he’d returned to the States for good that made him feel like he might have a warm and loving place. And something to look forward to.
“Let’s go get some breakfast,” Matt said, smiling warmly. “And maybe we can slip it into the conversation to Dad that you and I have decided you’ll stick around for a while.”
grinned. “Deal.”