Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
Matt had barely made it through the front door before his mum enveloped him in a hug.
“Well?”
He laughed. “Hello to you too.”
“Don’t ‘hello’ me. I’ve been waiting to hear all about the reunion. And you didn’t call once during the whole trip.”
Dad appeared in the doorway with a mug of tea. “That’s probably down to one of two reasons. Either it was so awful he wanted to erase it from his memory…” He took a sip. “…or everything else he got up to in London completely overshadowed it.”
The corners of Matt’s mouth twitched.
Dad had no idea how right he was.
He dropped his overnight bag at the foot of the stairs. “Can I at least take my shoes off first?”
“No,” Mum said firmly. “Tell me how London was.”
He smiled. “It was brilliant.” Dad raised his eyebrows, and Matt snorted. “Not the reunion. The rest of it.”
“How many people told you that you look like me?”
He groaned. “I lost count.”
Mum laughed. “I said as much.”
Matt pulled a face. “‘You must be Jeff’s lad.’ ‘You’ve got your father’s smile.’ ‘You look exactly like he did at your age.’”
Dad folded his arms with obvious satisfaction. “Good genes.”
Mum snorted. “Delusions of grandeur, more like.”
“And why did neither of you warn me about Rachel Turner?”
Dad flushed. “Still a riveting conversationalist, is she?”
Mum nudged him with her elbow, almost making him slop his tea on the floor. “She wasn’t that bad.”
Matt stared at her. “You could record her voice and market it as a treatment for insomnia. You’d make millions.” He followed them into the kitchen.
“So what else did you do?”
“Afternoon tea at the Savoy—”
“Ooh, I’ve always wanted to do that.” Mum glared at Dad. “You’ve been promising to take me there for years.”
“How about when I retire?”
She rolled her eyes.
Matt helped himself to coffee as he gave them the edited version of the trip. Then Mum launched into a description of a trip to Marwell Zoo with Jamie the previous day, and how captivated he’d been by the binturong, the monkeys, and especially the red pandas.
“Steggie has been replaced,” she told Matt. “Now he has Panda.”
He laughed. “So Steggie was what Granddad would’ve called a five-minute wonder.” He stilled. “How is he, by the way?”
Dad’s face tightened. “I was at the hospice this morning. I’m going back there now.
They don’t think it will be long.” Mum went over to him and hugged him, her cheek pressed against his.
Then Dad straightened. “I think what I’m dreading most is what happens when he finally goes. Clearing that house will take forever.”
“I’ll help.” Matt had a lot of good memories tied up in that house.
He hasn’t gone yet.
Only, Matt knew he was mentally preparing himself for the inevitable.
He sat at the table. “Okay, show me the photos from the zoo.” Mum blinked, and he laughed. “I know what you’re like when Jamie’s around. You take a gazillion pictures.” He glanced towards the door. “Where is the little tornado, by the way?”
“At the park with Zach. Beth’s asleep upstairs. She didn’t have a good night.” Mum got her phone out and started scrolling.
Matt gazed at photos and laughed in the right places.
He was doing his best to listen, but every few seconds, his mind wandered, taking him to multiple memories.
The piano in the American Bar. The photographs.
Owen laughing so hard he nearly spilled his daiquiri.
The shower. Owen’s mouth on his cock. Owen’s shaft in his hand.
The way Owen had smiled that morning as though nothing awkward had happened.
No—as though nothing awkward could happen.
“Matt?”
He blinked. “Hmm?”
Mum was staring at him. “I asked if you’re all right.”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“You seem miles away.”
He gave her an apologetic smile. “Sorry. I’m just tired.”
Dad studied him for a second. “Long couple of days, huh?”
“Yeah,” he agreed.
It wasn’t a lie, just nowhere near the whole truth.
The front door opened, and seconds later, Jamie came charging into the kitchen, followed by Zach’s useless request for him to be quieter. The little boy waved a red panda in the air, and Matt did the uncle thing, admiring it, stroking it, and pretending to wince when it ‘bit’ him.
Zach stood in the doorway. “We’ve got a budding artist. Did Mum show you?” He pointed to the fridge, where two sheets were held by magnets. One was mostly green scribble, the other red.
Matt chuckled. “Let me guess. Steggie and Panda?”
Then Jamie asked about a thousand random questions, climbed into laps, and generally made it impossible for anyone to have a calm adult conversation for more than a minute.
After two emotionally huge days in London, the constant noise, questions and toddler energy were too much.
Matt stood. “I think I’m going to get a couple of hours on the dissertation while I’ve still got the momentum.”
Dad nodded. “Tell Owen thanks again.”
“I will.”
It wasn’t until he’d collected his laptop and was heading out the door that Dad’s words hit him.
He knew I was going next door.
Except Matt’s real destination wasn’t the barn.
It was Owen.
He had no idea what plans Owen had for his day, but he didn’t intend disturbing him. The idea was to slip through the side gate and head for the back garden, set up the laptop, and get his head down.
Yeah right.
Part of him hoped to be distracted, too.
Owen stood on the patio, mug in hand, watching a squirrel balancing on the bird feeder, its nose buried in one of the feeding ports.
“They make squirrel-proof feeders, you know.”
Owen jumped. He gave Matt a mock glare. “Next time, make more noise. That way you’re less likely to give me a heart attack.” He smirked. “Wow. You lasted less than half an hour. Is that a record?”
Matt chuckled. “Am I okay to use the barn?”
“You don’t need to ask. There’s water in the fridge if you want it. And there’s a fan now, in case it gets too warm in there.”
He smiled. “Thank you. What are you doing?”
Owen grinned. “Recharging my batteries. I’ll be by the pool if you need anything.” He pointed to the barn door. “Whip officially cracked.”
Matt gave a mock salute, then headed over the lawn.
Inside, the barn smelled of timber. He set up the laptop, opened it, and found the chapter he wanted to work on. He produced five sentences in about ten minutes, deleted most of them, wrote another sentence, deleted that too. After twenty minutes, he’d managed to write one paragraph.
His gaze drifted to the glass door. Beyond it, the pool sparkled in the afternoon sun. Owen was stretched out again on his lounger, a book balanced on one knee, absorbed in whatever he was reading.
Then Matt realised Owen was naked.
He had to smile. At least now I’m not surprised. He returned his attention to the screen.
Five minutes later, he was gazing out of the windows again.
This was getting ridiculous.
Before the London visit, curiosity had plagued him.
Now he’d crossed a line. Sleeping with Owen only intensified his fascination.
If his mind kept defaulting to the sex, Matt’s body kept defaulting to wherever Owen was.
Fuck it.
He closed the laptop and walked out into the heat and sunlight.
Owen glanced up from his book with a grin. “Couldn’t resist, huh?”
It was then Matt noticed another lounger next to Owen’s. “Is that for me?”
He nodded. “But if you want to become a member of the Owen Lane Sun Worship Society, you have to abide by the rules.”
Matt blinked. “There are rules?”
Owen grinned again. “Well, only one.” He looked Matt up and down. “No clothing allowed.”
Matt’s breath caught in his throat. “I see.” His heartbeat raced. “Do I need to pay for membership?”
“Yes, but we’ll decide on the fee later.”
He had a good idea what that might be.
Matt pulled his tee up and over his head, then tossed it onto the paving slabs.
His fingers trembled as he unbuttoned his shorts.
He knew it wasn’t the thought of nudity that affected him—been there, done that—it was the illicitness of being naked in Owen’s garden, knowing his parents were only a stone’s throw away.
Knowing they could come over at any minute.
He dropped his shorts to the ground, then slid his briefs down to his ankles, his cock springing up as it was freed.
Owen smiled. “We seem to be similarly afflicted.” He palmed his own stiff shaft. Then he gestured to the lounger. “Lie down on your back.” He picked up the bottle that stood next to his own lounger.
Matt peered at it. “Sunscreen?”
Owen chuckled. “I don’t want you going home with burnt bits. That would take some explaining.”
Matt lay down, his dick hard against his belly.
Owen grabbed a cushion, dropped it to the ground by Matt’s head, then knelt. A moment later, the scent of coconut permeated the air as Owen slowly ran his hands over Matt’s shoulders.
“That reminds me of being a kid,” Matt murmured. “Mum always used a sunscreen that smelled like this.”
Owen’s wry chuckle sounded near his ear.
“That’s probably because it was a popular brand back then.
I still like it, but I have to search harder to find it nowadays.
” Warm, slick hands slid over Matt’s chest, and he shivered when Owen’s thumbs brushed his nipples.
Owen used firm strokes, applying the oil to Matt’s abs, then his arms, making sure it was rubbed into the skin.
It was sensual overload, the feel of those strong hands, the scent surrounding him, the smell of Owen as he leaned over Matt, a combination of sun-warmed skin and sweat. Matt closed his eyes against the distraction, biting his lip when Owen slid lower down his torso—
Ignoring his cock completely.
Then Owen got up and changed position, kneeling at the foot of the lounger. He applied a little more oil into his cupped palm before taking Matt’s left food and massaging it, sliding slick fingers between his toes, kneading the ball of his foot, rubbing his ankle…
Matt’s first foot massage had him hard as steel.
“If you’d told me how much I’d like that, I wouldn’t have believed you.”
Owen laughed as he began work on Matt’s right foot. “We all need new experiences.”
He chuckled. “You’ve given me quite a few of those.” He let out a quiet moan as Owen pushed his thumbs into the sole. “God, that feels good.”
“It’s supposed to.” Owen’s hands were on his calves now, his strokes firm and steady. Matt was so relaxed, he couldn’t have moved if he’d tried. He watched Owen rubbing slick palms over his thighs, thumbs digging into the quad muscles, moving in slow, mesmerising circles.
Then Owen’s fingers nudged his sac, and Matt was alert in an instant.
Owen leaned forwards, his lips scant inches from Matt’s dick, his gaze locked on Matt’s face.
All Matt could manage was a nod.
A heartbeat later, Owen’s mouth enclosed the head of his dick, and Matt had to stifle a moan. Owen didn’t even pause, but bobbed his head, taking Matt deeper, flicking the frenulum with his tongue before giving his shaft the same treatment.
That feels even better than it did last night. If such a thing were possible.
Granted, Matt’s experience thus far was limited to being on the receiving end of two blowjobs, getting halfway through giving Owen a hand job, and two very slippery showers, but he had no doubt there was more to come.
What shocked him was how much he wanted it all.
Matt brought his hands to Owen’s head, keeping him there, Owen’s movements gaining in speed, humming around Matt’s length, making him tingle all over his body. His heart raced, his breathing shallow, and he absolutely did not want this to stop.
Then Owen paused and looked up, his lips shiny.
“Want to try?”
Oh God.
“Yes.”
Owen got to his feet, his cock stiff, and Matt swallowed.
How much of that can I take?
Owen raised the head end of the lounger. He knelt on it, his hand shifting lazily along his length. “Don’t run before you can walk, okay?”
Matt managed a smile. “Small bites, right?”
Owen gave a comical wince. “Preferably not. Watch the teeth.”
He inched forward, straddling Matt’s chest, his cock painting Matt’s lips with pre-cum, his eyes focused on Matt’s.
Another new experience, one Matt had been imagining since Owen had sucked him in the hotel room.
He opened his mouth, Owen pulled the foreskin back, eased the head between his lips, and Matt got his first taste of a guy’s cock.
A very fat cock.
Matt moaned around Owen’s girth, and Owen brought a finger to his lips, his eyes wide. He pulled free, and Matt stared at him.
“Okay, we need to rethink this.” Owen bent down and kissed him, his tongue exploring Matt’s mouth. Matt cupped Owen’s head, trembling.
“I’m sorry.”
Owen’s eyes widened. “Hey, we’re not stopping—we’re just taking this indoors.” He pulled back far enough to look Matt in the eye. “Unless you want me to stop?”
Matt shook his head. “I want this.”
There’d been a time when every feeling demanded analysis.
Somewhere between the pool, the Savoy, the dissertation, the laughter, and a hundred ordinary moments in between, the research had quietly become a conclusion.
Matt wanted as much as Owen was prepared to give.