by Megan Slayer
“I don’t want to be with Aaron. He’s cranky and I can’t handle working with the man I’m sleeping with. It doesn’t work. Is he a whiz with a crankshaft? Yes. I trust him with any car repair, but not a relationship. As for you…I’d like to date you.” Matt chuckled again. “Just meet me at my house. I’ll be home by then.”
“How? You’re not supposed to be driving.” Even if he hadn’t taken any more of the pain meds, he probably still had some in his system. Driving—even with one arm—wouldn’t be a good idea.
“Aaron’s taking me home. He says I’m useless here. Plus, I’ve got a meeting with the police.”
“Oh.” He shrugged into a new T-shirt and switched his sleep pants for boxer briefs and a worn pair of jeans.
“Yeah, Jordan Hargrove’s coming over. Him and someone else. I can’t remember.”
“Cool. I like Jordan.” He unballed his socks. “Give me fifteen to twenty and I’ll be there.”
“I’ll see you.” Matt hung up, leaving Aiden in silence.
Aiden waited until the phone went dark before he sat on the edge of the bed. A date. A walk. Matt liked him—at least enough to give him a try. He should have his head examined. As fast as the twosome was going, he didn’t want it to stop. After the disasters of his past, he’d sworn he wasn’t going to try again. The fumbling and quickness of Matt made him remember the fun of dating. Maybe Matt felt beholden or an attachment because Aiden was his doctor. He didn’t want to think about that right now. He’d rather focus on the good feelings and keep them going. He needed companionship and wanted it with Matt—at least for now.
Half an hour later, Aiden drove down Oakdale Avenue past the split-level houses that lined the street. He’d gone down this road a few times to reach the freeway, but he’d rarely noticed the homes. Each of them had seemed to look the same. Maybe he hadn’t been looking close enough. Now he had to pay attention if he wanted to find Matt’s house. He hadn’t seen any fences other than wooden ones.
He kept driving until he came to the curve at the city-limits sign. Where was Matt’s home? He noticed the grove of trees on the left side of the road and how the pavement changed from perfect and well-kept to crumbling on the edges. The scene reminded him of Cedarwood—for all the worries of the city council, the town looked great, but if one peeled back the layers, they’d see just how much work Cedarwood had to go. The Gay Alliance had done wonders and reduced the violence and protestations against the LGBTQ community, but there was more work to do.
Aiden slowed down a little and surveyed the landscape. A series of stone pillars caught his attention. The fence. He turned on his signal and veered left. Sure enough, there was the house. He’d seen the place a few times and wondered who lived there. The wrought iron and tall trees concealed the home from the street for the most part, but what he could see reminded him of a Gothic church, all tall windows, pointy eaves and dark colors. He pulled into the driveway and stopped in front of the imposing gate. Good Lord, does a vampire live here? Someone looking for locations to shoot a horror movie would have a field day with this place.
He hadn’t expected Matt to live at this particular house. His nervousness overwhelmed him. Was he supposed to ring the bell? Was there a bell? An intercom? Aiden opened his car door and considered his options. He’d have to look for button or something.
“Hi.” Matt stood on the other side of the fence. “I told you it was a crazy fence.”
“You weren’t kidding. It’s original.” He stood beside his car. “This place reminds me of a vampire house.”
Matt laughed. “Next time I’ll have the gate open. I thought you weren’t going to show. I usually leave it closed so I can keep out the nosy people who think it’s a horror house or whatever. Give me a minute and you can pull up to the garage.” He disappeared behind the fence and the gate swung open.
Aiden climbed back behind the wheel and drove forward to the garage. He parked, then left the vehicle.
“I can see why people would think this is a scary house. It’s spooky.” Aiden folded his arms. “I got stuck in traffic. The soccer games just got out and everyone seemed to be leaving the fields at the same time.”
“I forgot about that.” Matt grinned. “My house does have the spook feel, but it’s not that bad. Come along and I’ll show you around.”
“Done.” Aiden stood beside Matt. “I’ve got to ask—do you have vampires or something? Tell me you do the place up right at Halloween.”
Matt closed the gate. “I do. I love to dress up like a vampire and scare the hell out of the trick-or-treaters. Whoever makes it to the main gate gets a full-sized candy bar. Not too many make it, though.” He nodded to the house. “I get the strobe lights going, fake spiderwebs everywhere and lots of dark netting. The ambience is fantastic.”
“So you’re the spooky-vampire type, or do you sparkle? You don’t strike me as a romantic vampire.” He walked along the property with Matt, but instead of looking at the scenery, he only saw Matt, the way his shirt clung to his muscular frame and how his jeans stretched across his ass. Even the sling made him handsome. He knew how to work his look.
“I have to be scary. That’s the only kind there is. Don’t tell me you prefer the sparkly ones.” Matt snorted. “Those are awful.”
“No, I’m not big on being scared, but vampires should be dangerous—not cutesy.” He loved watching the old black-and-white movies featuring the original monsters and the vampires ranked at the top.
“Good.” Matt’s eyes flashed. “I can’t be with someone who won’t dress up with me and be scary.”
“Right.” He wasn’t sure what to say. First, who’d said he’d dress up? And second, where did Matt get the idea they were going to last beyond Halloween? Good God, the man was pushy and more than a little forward. “Do you ever sparkle?” He chided himself for the silly question, but he didn’t do well under pressure.
“I do when I’m at the clubs, but I haven’t gone in ages. I like the music and the dancing, but the expectation to hook up drives me nuts.” Matt stayed in step with Aiden. “Do you club?”
“Not since college and that was only a handful of times. I’m usually at the hospital taking care of the club goers who had too much fun. The music and dancing are great, but when you see the aftereffects of that good time and all the bad that can happen, it makes one think twice. Well, it did for me.”
“Makes sense.” Matt moved a tree branch out of the way and half the leaves tumbled off. “Did you put yourself through college?”
“And med school.” Aiden breathed a sigh of relief. This he could talk about. “My folks didn’t care if I was gay, purple, bi or anything. As long as I was happy and true to myself, they were happy. What they couldn’t afford was college. Dad was a lawyer and did the best he could to keep the bills paid. Once my mother left, that was that. She never looked back. He met Keye and we all moved forward. I kept my grades up and went for every scholarship I could find. I’m up to my eyeballs in debt from my student loan, but between grants, scholarships and those loans as well as working in college, I managed. I can’t complain. I’m doing what I love and I’m happy.”
“Sounds like. I don’t regret what I’ve done either. It’s made me who I am.” Matt stopped at the porch. “I just realized we got back to the house. We’ve done a lap around the property and I bet you’ve seen nothing. Sorry.”
“It’s all good. I got caught up and haven’t asked how you are.” If Matt wanted to talk, he’d open up in his time—not Aiden’s.
“Such a bad doctor.” Matt chuckled. He strode onto the porch. “I’m feeling good. I’m not pushing, but I’m not taking the pain meds, either. I don’t see the need. Yes, things hurt, but it’s not unbearable. Besides, taking those drugs makes me nauseated.”
Aiden stared at him. Matt had been shot and beaten up. He should be on some sort of pain management—not nothing at all. “Do you need something else? I’m sure we can find something that won’t make you sick.”
Matt shook his head. “Nah. I’d rather not take something and risk side effects…you know?” He went quiet and bowed his head.
Aiden wanted to press but didn’t. He had the feeling there was more to the story, but he wouldn’t push—emotionally or physically. “Looks like we’ve had that walk.”
“We did.” Matt gripped the door handle. “Why don’t you come in?”
“Sure.” He followed Matt into the house and, as he stepped over the threshold, a strange feeling came over him, as though he was on the cusp of something big. He and Matt had fallen into conversation so easily and acted like old friends, even though they’d just met. He liked it. What bothered him was Matt’s tendency to talk in terms of relationships and the future, like they were already together. They weren’t. Not really. Things could be great for now, but the fall would come. He’d find something messed up with Matt or Matt would see something in him…and they’d split.
What annoyed Aiden more was the confusion. Part of him wanted to put distance between him and Matt. He didn’t need the distraction or to get his heart broken—and that would happen. It always did. The rest of him wanted to give Matt a try. The odd pairing worked for him and he liked how Matt made him feel giddy and excited.
What should he do? Hold back or go for something possibly very special? He wasn’t sure, but he didn’t have much time to think. When Matt met his gaze, another piece of Aiden’s resistance melted. Try as he might to fight his attraction, he was already hooked on Matt Phillips. He just had to hope the fall wouldn’t be a true disaster.
Chapter Four
Matt breathed a sigh of relief. Aiden had come over and the conversation wasn’t contrived. It flowed well. Beyond that, Aiden turned him on. He’d always been a sucker for the clean-cut types and Aiden fit the bill. He liked Aiden’s slender but muscular runner’s body, his piercing blue eyes and the way he carried himself with confidence. A shiver ran the length of Matt’s spine. He’d been looking for someone like Aiden—smart, sophisticated and with his head on straight—for ages. He just hadn’t expected that person to be a sharp dressed doctor type.
“Can I get you something to drink?” He ushered Aiden into the living room. “Sit. Make yourself at home.”
“Thanks.” Aiden stood in the middle of the nearly empty room. “I take it you don’t spend much time in this room?” He gestured to the lone chair. “Did you forget, or wasn’t furniture for this space important?”
Matt stood rooted to the spot. Well, fuck. He’d been so wrapped up in his thoughts and desires and hadn’t realized he’d set Aiden up in the emptiest room in the house. “Join me in the kitchen. I promise there’s more than one place to sit.” Maybe he could salvage the moment in there.
Aiden followed him into the kitchen. “Hey. Stools.” He winked. “It took me forever to buy the furniture for my townhome. I had milk crates holding up my coffee table for the longest time. My friend Melissa used to give me heck because I wasn’t interested in decorating.”
“Melissa?” He didn’t want to show his hand or his jealousy. He pulled two glasses from the cupboard. “A friend?” God, he sounded like an ass.
“We were close in college.” Aiden shrugged and plopped onto one of the stools. “She got married and her husband hated me.”
“Jealous?” Not that he wasn’t feeling a little of the green-eyed monster making its appearance. He was. He filled one glass and offered it to Aiden. “I’ve had my share of dealing with jealousy from the partners of my friends. It’s not fun.”
Aiden nodded. “He thought Melissa loved me more than him. Not the case. I was never a threat. We’d go out and I’d stick up for her, but I never put the moves on her, either. She knew she’d be safe and there was a better chance we’d both go for the same guy than anything. But Declan didn’t care. She loved him and when he voiced his opinion, she listened. Once they were married, she went along with his line of reasoning—probably because it was easier than going against him.”
“Was he dangerous?”
“No. Just set in his ways.”
Matt rounded the counter and sat beside Aiden. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d invited someone over. “Well, that sucks. You should be able to rely on your friends. Not that I can talk. Aaron is reliable in the shop, but he’s getting weird on the relationship front.” The more he thought about Aaron, the more he wanted to put distance between them.
“She’d been pulling away for a while before they got married. She told me that it didn’t bother her that we weren’t going to get together, but I knew otherwise. She got me drunk exactly once and tried to kiss me. I didn’t give her what she wanted. No boner, no kissing back, just me lying there. When I sobered up, I apologized and tried to explain. She said she understood, but she didn’t.” Aiden toyed with the condensation on his glass.
“You shouldn’t have to apologize. If you’re not into someone, then you’re not.” He believed what he’d said, although he wanted Aiden to fall for him. He nodded. He’d known a few misguided souls too. Trying to let them down easily rarely worked. He sipped his water. His shoulder ached, but he refused to take the pain meds. Addiction ran deep in his family and within him. He’d rather not tease the beast. Christ, he was messed up. He wanted a man who might not want him back, had given said man advice and a shoulder to cry on, so to speak, and had more demons than most people should. He groaned. No wonder he couldn’t keep a boyfriend.
“You’ve overdone it.” Aiden abandoned his glass. “Let me look. Have you taken acetaminophen at least? Something for the pain I can see you’re in?”
Not yet, but Matt would get one of the low-dose pills. “I’m fine. I’m just…” Worn-out but not ready to accept defeat.
Aiden checked the dressing and his brow crinkled. He met Matt’s gaze. “You did too much.” He sighed. “But your wound looks good. No extra bleeding and it’s starting to heal.”
“Good.” He drank more water to hide his wince. “I’m not ready to quit, though.”
“You should rest. Lie down a while.” Aiden patted Matt’s thigh. “It’ll be worth it.”
Matt set the glass on the counter. “Come with me. I’ll do what you say, but I want you with me.” Correction—he needed Aiden with him. The attraction wasn’t just physical. He craved Aiden’s attention and wanted to know they could give a relationship a try.
“Matt… We’re going too fast. You need to get better, not think about sex or me.” Aiden withdrew his hand. “I gave you the wrong impression. I’m sorry.”
Matt swiveled on his stool and stilled Aiden with his free hand. “You’re not telling me something. One minute, you’re here and it seems like this is something that could happen. Now you’re saying I’m going too fast. I never said we’d fuck. I believe I wanted you to lie down with me. Two of us, on the bed and talking. I like spending time with you, and if I have a problem, you’re right there. I don’t care if you’re a doctor or a janitor. I like you.”
Aiden pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’re a distraction. You’re dangerous.”
His fury picked up. He hadn’t realized he’d been irritated until now. “Because I have tattoos?” he snapped.
“No.”
Matt tried to keep himself in check, but his frustration got the better of him. “Isn’t that how it works? The truth comes out. You just wanted a tough guy for now.”
“I didn’t say that.” Aiden recoiled from him.
“I’m too dangerous for you. That’s what you said. I’m a nice guy with ink on my body and piercings in my skin. I’ve got issues, but I’m not awful.” Holy shit, he had to stop while he was ahead. He’d already gone too far.
Aiden left his stool. “Okay. You’re tired. You’re hurting.” He nodded but didn’t look at Matt. “You’re not thinking clearly and could use a rest. I’m going to head out. Get some sleep, take the stress off your shoulder and call me later.” He still didn’t meet Matt’s gaze as he left the kitchen.
Damn it. Matt left his seat and hurried afte
r Aiden. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine.” Aiden’s smile was tight and the lines around his eyes deepened. “Get better. I’ll check on you in a few days.”
“Wait.” He touched Aiden’s arm. When Aiden faced him, he gave into his urge to kiss Aiden. He mashed his mouth down on Aiden’s. Instead of pulling away, like he thought Aiden might, Aiden kissed him back. He didn’t touch Matt, but he wasn’t fighting him.
Matt moaned, but not because of the pain. He wanted more from Aiden. Maybe he was moving too fast. He didn’t care. He wanted to be with Aiden.
Aiden broke the connection first. A blush streaked across his cheeks and his eyes widened. “I should go.” He nodded again and didn’t look back. Within moments, he stood beside his car. The poor doctor seemed confused.
Matt sagged against the main pillar of the porch and groaned. He should check on Aiden and follow him to be sure the doctor got home okay. But he couldn’t drive. Beyond that, he’d pushed too hard and hoped for too much in a short period. He’d thought he knew how Aiden felt and what he was doing. He’d believed he’d found something special. He still did. Aiden was unique. He was smart, funny and had a good head on his shoulders. Then there was his look—the man was gorgeous…and cautious. Matt didn’t fault him for his restraint. He rather liked how Aiden didn’t rush as much as he did. He just wished he knew how to get his attitude in check and for Aiden to trust him. Well, shit.
Aiden had said he’d check on him in a few days. Not good enough. He’d give the doctor time to simmer, but every cell in his body screamed for him to chase. He sighed. If Aiden wanted to lead the way, then Matt would follow.
* * * *
Twenty-four hours later, Matt didn’t feel any different about Aiden. He still wanted Doc Cedarwood. Although he’d thought about his plans all night, he wasn’t sure how to convince Aiden they should take a chance.
He’d cleaned up the house as much as he could and even shopped online for furniture. The prices bothered him and he hadn’t purchased anything, but he’d looked. Once Jordan stopped by and he’d given his statement…yet again, he decided to follow Aiden’s directions and got that rest.
