“I like this one,” I responded, referring to the one she had shown us.
It was basic. Squared off around the edges with a smooth, matte finish. Matt nodded in agreement. “Me too.”
“Wonderful. You’re too easy.” She smiled and looked at the tag on the back of the box. “The cost is thirteen hundred per band.”
I started to retrieve my wallet when Matt put his hand on mine. “Fin… I’ve got this.”
Although it killed me not to settle the bill, I had to let him pay. He had asked for my hand in marriage. I was traditional enough to know what that meant.
Pressing a soft kiss to his lips, I mumbled, “thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” His voice was a near whisper. “Kathy, we’re ready to be sized.”
Chapter Ten
“You okay?” I asked.
Matt had been quiet, keeping (barely) casual conversation since we’d left the jewelers. He insisted it wasn’t his parents. It wasn’t Carl. It wasn’t the ring.
I let him take a long shower alone even though I was dying to touch him. To kiss him.
“I’m fine, Fin. Better than fine.”
He met me at the foot of the bed, brushing the hair from my face before taking my lips in a soft kiss. That same kiss quickly elevated as he kneaded the muscles in my neck with his rough hands, pushing his tongue into the cavern of my mouth.
My hand gently slid down his chest, responding to the hot, damp skin beneath my fingertips. He gripped my waist, rubbing his towel-covered torso against my jeans. His hard cock drove me crazy beneath that towel, grinding into mine as I moaned aloud.
The kissing. Jesus. Matt put everything into that kiss – biting, licking, sucking on my lips until I was near breathless. He quickly lifted my t-shirt at the hem and tossed it onto the large dresser. In the mirror, when he lowered his lips to my neck, I noted the way his back muscles flexed as his tongue provided a slow torture over my skin.
His lips moved back to mine as he slowly tugged on my lower lip with his thumb. It was like something out of a film – a casual move – making my dick instantly stand at full attention. Matt urged the tip of his thumb inside before sucking my lower lip completely into his mouth. Fingers ghosted over my nipples, squeezing one gently between his thumb and forefinger.
His hand moved to the band of my jeans, popping the button before sliding his palm inside of my briefs. He stroked me once with a low groan before lifting both of his hands to my face, deepening the kiss. “I love you,” he whispered between breaths.
With one hand on his chest and the other wrapped around the back of his neck, I pulled him in to give him the same treatment, my tongue moving with his in a synchronized pattern. When we pulled away for a second, I quickly took the opportunity to rid him of that towel, giving it an energetic tug. He was completely erect, his perfect cock teasing my stomach with a low methodical rub.
He squeezed me tightly in his arms, nearly crushing me as our lips fused together in want. Within seconds, he was on his knees, taking my jeans and briefs off in one deliberate move. His warm tongue swirled at the head; attentively placing wet kisses down the shaft before advancing back up to swallow me whole.
I threw my head back for a moment before lowering my eyes back down to watch him. The noises he made – sucking aggressively – were intoxicating as my fingers found their way into his hair. One of his hands searched my chest, rubbing my sternum as the other drifted lower to massage my quickly-tightening sac.
When he looked up at me, I couldn’t help but lower my head, taking his lips with mine. The kiss was leading, our tongues ripe with desperation. He moved back down, taking the head into his mouth as I brushed a thumb over his bearded cheek.
He was so fucking beautiful, I couldn’t believe he had chosen me.
He stroked me in tandem while sucking steadily, staring up at me with those crystal eyes as I fought tears. “Matt,” I choked out.
He stood with leisure, drawing me into a long, seductive kiss. It took less than thirty seconds before I was the one on my knees, worshipping his thick cock with my determined mouth. My eyes gazed up at his face as I licked the underside, flicking my tongue over the salty slit. I swallowed him in, focusing on breathing in through my nose, as I took him deeper – nearly touching the back of my throat.
“Jesus, Fin,” he stammered, his chest heaving with desire.
His fingers lightly traced my shoulders as he breathed in short gasps. I reached around to massage his backside, pulling him deeper into my mouth. He tossed his head back, his entire body arching with lust. I gave tiny swallows as I moved up his shaft, stopping at the tip for one long suck.
He lifted me into his arms and placed me gently onto the mattress. “On your stomach,” he instructed.
I lay down, gently raising my arms above my head as I felt him spread my knees with his thick palms. His tongue traced between my cheeks as his hands lifted my hips, rubbing gentle circles into my thin frame. He tormented me with each stroke of his tongue as I moaned uncontrollably, begging him to continue. “Please… please…”
He gently tugged my dick with his right hand, slowly stroking it with his thumb as his mouth continued to caress my sensitive hole. I nearly lost consciousness when he dragged his tongue the entire length, licking and sucking every inch of me. Pressing my face into the mattress, I tried to focus on anything but my release.
Seconds later, he flipped me onto my back and covered me with his hard, strong body. If I wasn’t close before, I was in that moment as he slid his cock alongside mine, grinding in a precise sequence. His lips were wet with lust as I wrapped my long legs around his back, arching off of the mattress until our chests touched.
“Do you want me to fuck you?” he asked with a smile.
“Fuck yes. Condom. Now.”
He quickly tore open the wrapper and rolled it onto his immense cock, taking a moment to slick himself with lubricant. Two fingers pushed inside, preparing me for…
“Oh, fuck!”
My dick was achingly stiff, rubbing between our bodies as he pushed his cock inside repeatedly. He stroked me as he thrust, whispering into my ear. “You like this? You like it when I fuck you? Hmm? You like my hand wrapped around your long cock?”
Oh, God, yes.
“Yes…” I groaned. “Oh fuck, Matt…”
“You drive me crazy.” He lowered his lips to mine in a soft kiss as he slowed his hips to a lazy roll, instantly turning the moment from animalistic rutting to lovemaking. “I’ve never wanted you more.”
His hand continued to move between my legs, stroking… stroking… stroking…
“Matt… I’m coming…”
Short bursts of semen erupted between us as Matt continued to thrust, his chest surging with exhaustion. He groaned loudly before stilling inside of me, the feel of his release nearly pulsing through my well-worn body.
He laughed amid breaths, alternating between kissing my neck and lips.
“I think we both needed that.”
“God, yes,” I agreed with a short cough.
“You hungry?”
“Another shower first?”
“Yeah, I’m—”
There was a quiet knock at the door. Matt glanced at me for a moment before whispering, “You expecting someone?”
♂♂
“Shit,” I grumbled, jolting from the bed and into the bathroom.
Matt yanked the condom off, shucked it into the small bin, and tugged on his jeans as I closed the door behind me. All signs led to our intimate activities, from the heady smell of the suite to the rumpled hair – not to mention the pink tint of sex flush covering my entire body. I breathed deeply and splashed a bit of cold water on my face before tugging a full-length white bathrobe over my shoulders.
Matt’s mother spoke softly, but it was her.
Shit. All of my clothes were on the other side of that divider.
“Matt?” I called meekly.
“Yeah?”
“Can you bring
my bag in here?” My voice was brimming with embarrassment. The last thing I wanted his mother to see was my post-coital rat’s nest, nearly every long piece of hair standing on end. When Matt slipped through the door, I pointed to my head and whispered, “I’m going to shower. Be out in a few, okay?”
He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me in for a wet kiss, lowering his hand to cup my backside. “Hurry.”
I took my time, regardless of his request, shampooing my hair twice and sifting conditioner into the ends. The water was hot, beating against my freshly washed skin. I stood under the spray for one final rinse before turning the knobs.
I dressed quickly, letting my hair fall into natural, wet curls around my face. Sore with carnal consumption, I smiled softly into the mirror as the memories of Matt filled my psyche.
Turning the door, I sucked in through my teeth before plastering on a smile for our guest.
“Mrs. DiFiore.”
“You can call me Pam, if you’d like. My gosh… you look so young.”
I smiled, disregarding her comment. “Pam. Thank you for coming.”
Since Matt and Pam were sitting in the only two chairs, I took a seat on the edge of our unmade bed, pulling the covers with a speedy yank to cover the condom wrapper peeking out from the corner. The small bottle of lubricant was there too, the shiny black lid taunting me as I calmly nudged it under the duvet. The scent of sweat and lovemaking wafted through the small space, only masked by the essence of the almond oil that Matt had used between us.
Jesus.
She turned her attention to me. “I wanted to apologize for my husband and son earlier. Their behavior was appalling and I hope you can forgive us.”
“There’s nothing to forgive. You’re here now. We were talking about food earlier. Have you eaten?”
She looked over at Matt. He nodded and she responded, “No, I haven’t eaten much today. I’ve been sick with disgrace.”
“Ma,” Matt said softly. “It’s fine. I knew they weren’t ready, but I came anyway.”
“I should have contacted you sooner. You’re all by yourself in St. Louis.”
“No, I’m not,” he returned. “I have Fin.”
She faced me again. “You’re very beautiful. I bet you hear that all the time.”
I blushed and let out a small laugh. “Only from him,” I responded, gesturing toward Matt.
“I’m sure that’s not true.” She stood nonchalantly, gripping the handbag at her side. “Should we go out somewhere?”
“Maybe Isabela?” I suggested. “My dad said—”
“Oh, no,” Pam answered. “That’s much too expensive, Fin.”
“It’s fine, really.”
“What about pizza? Squirrel Hill?” Matt offered.
I felt immediately ashamed of my costly invitation; suddenly appreciating the differences between the family I knew versus the working-class one Matt was accustomed to.
Pam smiled. “We haven’t eaten pizza together in a long time.” She exchanged a look with her son, briefly wiping a tear away. “Look at me. I’m a mess.”
Matt wrapped her in a hug; she returned it, clutching her son’s back in anguish. She let out a high-pitched whimper, sinking her head into the crook of his neck. “Shhh, Ma. It’s alright.”
“It’s not alright,” she wailed. “I should have stood up for you. I should have fought for you.”
“Come on, Mom. Let’s go eat.”
♂♂
“You should have seen him with Carl today, Ma,” Matt said, giving my hand a squeeze.
Pam looked down at our fastened hands for a moment, an expression of discomfort on her face as she glanced at the table next to ours. “Is that right?” she said, cutting a small bite of the pie with a knife and fork.
“He was brilliant.” Matt stroked his thumb over mine as I attempted to release our locked fingers. He squeezed once before letting go.
“Matt,” Pam said softly, looking around for the tenth time. “Do you have to – I don’t know – hold hands?”
“Yes,” he responded. “You hold Dad’s hand.”
“Hardly,” she mumbled.
“Yeah, well, you used to. Fin is my fiancé. Sometimes I want to hold his hand.”
“Just not here, maybe. Tony’s an old friend of your dad’s,” she said, gesturing to the older man behind the counter. “We’ve known him for—”
“A long time – yeah, I know, Ma.” Matt picked up another piece of pizza and carefully cut a bite off of the end. “I’m not ashamed of him.”
Pam cleared her throat and turned to me. “So, I don’t even know how you two met.”
“I’m a teacher too. We met at the school.”
“Oh, what do you teach?”
“Piano, mostly. I was hired to teach both piano and theatre, but it’s a small school, so there’s not much of a theatre department.”
She chewed while nodding, watching Matt as he rubbed my neck. He touched me often, but that moment was the first time I’d felt discomfort with his affection.
“You’re a pianist, then?”
I leaned forward a bit. Matt’s hand moved with me, tracing small circles over my right shoulder blade. “Yes,” I said, clearing my throat. “I’ve been playing since I was three. Classical, mainly.”
She nodded. “So, when is… the wedding?”
“Christmas,” Matt answered, smiling widely.
“This Christmas? That’s only two months away.” She fidgeted anxiously with her wedding ring, twisting it back and forth. “I’m sorry, Matthew. I wish I could understand this. I’m trying, but—”
“Pam,” I interrupted. “You don’t have to say you’re sorry. This,” I said, gesturing between us, “is hard for a lot of people to understand. I’m lucky to have parents that support us, but I hid from them for a long time, fearing the same things that Matt did. Telling others is difficult; being open about who you are – just because you aren’t like everyone else – is complicated. I’m open with my personal life, but there are still people who won’t approve. That’s okay, though. It’s okay if you don’t get it. I will tell you though that I do love him. You should know that.”
“I want to be there,” she said softly. “Would that be alright?”
“It’s in New York,” Matt responded. “But we’ll pay for you to be there. We can buy plane tickets and a room for you and Dad.”
“Your father won’t be with me.”
“Oh. Well, that’s okay too. You’ll love Fin’s parents.” Matt took a long swallow of water, glancing uncomfortably toward the table. “He looks skinny… Dad. Like really skinny, Ma.”
She waved a hand dismissively in front of her face. “Marc has asked about you, you know.”
“I’m sure he has,” he deadpanned.
“He has, Matthew. He only acts like that in front of your father. He’s asked me if you were okay a hundred times.”
“And what did you tell him?” he barked. “The truth is you can’t tell him shit because you’ve never contacted me. You’ve not checked on me once since the divorce. Not even a phone call.”
“I tried,” she responded, her eyes wet with moisture. “I’m ashamed of the way I handled things. And you’re right about me. I couldn’t tell him anything because I’m a coward, but at least he asked. He misses you desperately.”
Matt looked over at me with glassy eyes as I subtly ran my fingers down his back, rubbing his spine with my thumb.
“I appreciate you saying that, Mom, but he knows where I live. If he was that desperate to see me, he could have reached out by now. After today, I don’t think I would want to see him.”
“Matt,” she whispered.
He leaned in and spoke softly. “Today, my own brother called me a fag. Thirty seconds later, he followed it up with the lovely sentiment about how much I love cock. I’m not exactly feeling very forgiving right now. I hope that’s okay with you.”
A tear slipped down her cheek as she nodded gently. “I understand. I g
uess the important thing is that you’ve found each other.”
I glanced at Matt before he casually leaned in to kiss my lips. “I love him more than anything.”
She smiled timidly, her eyes filled with distress. “I know.”
♂♂
“I have to know,” Matt whispered, tracing his fingers down my chest. “Why do you work?”
I laughed. “Seriously?”
“I mean, it would be so easy just to fuck around and play games on the Xbox or something.”
“I don’t have an Xbox.”
He pushed me gently before pressing an open-mouthed kiss against my navel. “You know what I mean, Fin. That much money? I can’t believe you never told me.”
“You freak out when I want to pay for Starbucks. I wasn’t sure how to casually roll ‘hey, I’ve got five million dollars’ into the conversation.”
“Fine. So, why do you?”
“Because I like that job. I love to play piano… it’s more than a hobby for me. It’s always been something I’ve loved. Now, I get to teach it to other people.” I shrugged. “The kids seem to like me.”
“They love you.”
I leisurely dragged my fingers up his arm, resting them on his shoulder. “Why didn’t you ever tell me? About Carl? You never told me about the tampering accusation.”
“I told you he ruined me.”
“I guess I thought you meant by outing you.”
“The team wouldn’t terminate me for that. He had to come up with something he knew was a league no-no.” He shrugged. “I told you, it is what it is. I don’t blame the team; they were put in a difficult position.”
“You could sue Carl for defamation of character.”
He tilted his head back, pulling me in for a slow kiss. “Can we not talk about that anymore?”
“We need to consider it.”
“The only thing I need to consider right now is getting you all the way undressed. This underwear is in my way.” He tugged at the cotton briefs as I pulled away.
“I mean it, honey. That is a serious accusation. Even if he retracts, you may not be able to work in the league again.”
Fin&Matt Page 11
