Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 35498 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 177(@200wpm)___ 142(@250wpm)___ 118(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35498 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 177(@200wpm)___ 142(@250wpm)___ 118(@300wpm)
He couldn’t lose this now. One date, one kiss, one thunderbolt from the blue and Matthew knew he wouldn’t have this with anyone else. Wouldn’t want to.
He’d be lying if he said it didn’t scare him. But the idea of not feeling this again was infinitely worse.
He kissed Oliver’s shoulder. “You still with me, Legs?”
“I’m not even back in my body yet,” he said softly, staring at the ceiling. “I’m not usually so…vocal.”
“I liked it. Especially the part where you were screaming my name.”
He grinned weakly. “Heat of the moment, Finn. Don’t get a big head about it.”
Matthew brushed his hardening cock against Oliver’s hip. “Too late.”
Oliver groaned and he chuckled in response. “I like having you in my bed.”
“It’s a nice bed. Feels new.”
Matthew narrowed his eyes. “There’s no way you could tell that.”
He placed his lean arms behind his head and smirked up at him. “There isn’t a single lump or dip in this thing. The bounce factor is off the charts and I’m very sensitive. Prince-and-the-pea-level sensitive.”
Matthew stared until Oliver started to laugh. “Fine, there’s a sale’s tag still attached to the frame.”
He shook his head. “If you noticed that tag, I need to up my game. I say we practice every day. All I have to do is get my sister to think moving out is her idea, add a few more locks and we can christen every room in the house.”
Oliver’s smile wavered. “You wouldn’t do that to her.”
Matthew sighed. “You’re right, damn it. We will have a few new house rules, however. No more wild parties. And she can have her girlfriend for a sleepover whenever she wants, as long as I can have you.”
Oliver’s eyes widened. “Your Calamity has a girlfriend?”
Matthew nodded. “She prefers matching sets, and she used to have a boyfriend as well, but they fought, I suppose. I haven’t seen him for a few months.” He paused. “Nobody else in the family knows that. Back home we got used to keeping personal information hidden, so it couldn’t be used against us. Or to hurt William.”
It would break his brother’s heart to know he hadn’t been able to shield them as much as he’d thought.
“I don’t think a lot could hurt him. I saw your brother nearly fell a giant redhead like a tree last week,” Oliver offered into the silence.
Legs was obviously paying more attention than he’d realized.
“That would be cousin Brady.”
“He was really good, but your brother still managed to run circles around him. How did he learn to fight like that?”
Matthew traced lazy patterns on Oliver’s chest. “I told you most of my dirty secrets at coffee. That one isn’t mine to share.”
Oliver bobbed his head in understand, turning to nuzzle Matthew’s neck. “One of my uncles boxed when he was young. Pretty good at it, from all the stories I’ve heard. He hangs out at the boxing club in my neighborhood, offering tips.”
This new insight felt important. “Is that what made you want to learn how to fight? Your uncle?”
“He’s why I signed up at Finn’s,” Oliver sighed. “I didn’t want the whole neighborhood knowing what I was doing. Telling my grandmother. They wouldn’t understand.”
Matthew wasn’t sure he did either. “That you wanted to learn? Why not?”
He didn’t answer.
“Well, William wants to train you. He’s been waiting for you to ask him, and you’ve already seen how good he is.”
Oliver lifted his head to meet his gaze. “Let’s talk about something else, okay?”
“No,” Matthew lowered his voice, striving for calm. “Talk to me, Oliver. Tell me what this is about.”
“You’re so stubborn. Most of the men I’ve been with don’t want to know the details. Especially after they’ve gotten what they wanted. You admitted to that yourself. What’s different now?”
Matthew lowered his hand to grip Oliver’s growing erection. “For future reference, don’t tell me about your previous conquests while we’re naked in bed. And this is different for both of us because we fit. Because it’s right.”
Oliver started to look away. “Okay, you’re obviously caught up in the afterglow of your first—”
“No.” Matthew reached up to grip Oliver’s chin. “I know all the excuses. I’ve used them. But none of them explain away what I’m feeling, and I won’t deny it just to make you comfortable.”
He let him go and sat up, running his hands through his hair. “This is a day of firsts for me, isn’t it? I never thought I would be the one demanding to be in a relationship. That I’d want more than sex.”
“Is that what’s happening?”
Matthew shook his head. “I’m fucking that up too. Brilliant. Until recently, all I knew about love and commitment was that I wanted no part of it. Feeling that much, enough that you’d rather die than be without that one person? It’s selfish to everyone else, isn’t it?”