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)
His parents had been his only example for most of his childhood. Grump had never spared Matthew the truth about what really happened to them.
Tommy Finn had fallen for Lily on their first date and she’d loved him madly, despite his gambling problems. They had three children and were blissfully happy, until money got tight and sweeping the addiction under the rug stopped working. Wanting to give his family more than his job would allow, he’d started borrowing from unsavory characters, thinking a few good runs of luck would even things out. That luck never showed up. When he finally came clean, Lily was so determined to help him that she went with him to work out a payment plan instead of staying home with her children.
“What happened?” Oliver asked softly.
“My father couldn’t pay his debts and my mother was collateral damage. But at least they died in each other’s arms.”
Grump had always believed she’d brought her death on herself after seeing her husband fall. That Lily had loved him too much to go on without him. Maybe it was true.
Oliver pressed himself against Matthew’s back, and he leaned into that heat.
“You think they chose each other over you.”
“I know they did.”
“I lost mine to an impatient driver and a slow red light. Senseless. I was a baby, so it doesn’t compare, but no child ever wants to lose their parents.” He hesitated. “Until recently? You mean seeing your cousins find happiness? Your brother falling in love?”
“I mean you.”
Matthew dragged him onto his lap and wrapped his arms around him. Oliver could have struggled, but he leaned against him instead. Giving him what he needed.
But his words were troubled. “You didn’t know me a week ago, Matthew. Didn’t know you’d like sex with men a week ago.”
“Telling me to slow down?” Matthew smiled against his skin. “I can do that. As long as you’re willing to stick around for a while so we can see where this goes.”
“Are you asking me out again?”
“Oh, we’re not done with our first date yet, Legs. But I think it’s safe to say that you’ll be seeing a lot more of me.”
“If I agree to that, you know my family isn’t like yours. My life isn’t like yours. Things could get complicated.”
“Grand. I’m brilliant at uncomplicating things.”
Oliver rubbed his ass on Matthew’s lap, making his erection flex in reaction. “What is it about you, Finn? Why do I want to say yes?”
“Black sheep, easy virtue, boring job, and good in bed? I’m the whole, impossible-to-resist package, remember?”
“You shouldn’t be,” he murmured. “You should be the last person I want, especially now. When you said you weren’t gay, I thought it had happened again. That you were just another aggressive straight guy who wanted to get in my pants.”
“You’re not wearing pants,” Matthew said helpfully, sucking on the skin of his neck. “And I believe we’ve established that I’m not straight so much as adaptable.”
He stopped kissing Oliver and leaned back, looking into his eyes as his words sunk in. “Especially now? Another aggressive straight guy?”
Oliver scowled. “Are you always going to ask this many questions?”
“Probably, but I’ll make up for it. Now tell me this prick you tried to compare me to doesn’t have something to do with you borrowing Ruben’s car to show up at my brother’s gym.”
Based in his expression, Matthew had a feeling he wasn’t going to like the answer.
Chapter Five
Rory: If you go down the handcuffs-and-leather-paddle-road, don’t be too rough with him. He looks like he might bruise easily. Then again, he might like that kind of thing. If he does, I want details.
Robert: Leather paddles? Matthew, this was a bad idea. Under no circumstances should you take any more advice from your cousin. I’m not sure how Rig and David deal with him on a daily basis, but it’s just a coffee date, for God sake. Try to keep things in perspective.
Rory: Consent, Matthew. Always get consent.
Robert: Leftovers might not be enough to put up with this shit.
Matthew reached down to help Oliver off the mat. “That was good. Lord knows you’ve got the strength to do this, Legs. And the agility. It’s your reaction time that could use a little work.”
Oliver glared up at him balefully. “If I’d gotten enough sleep, my reaction time might be better.”
Matthew tried not to smile at that. His fault. After their talk, he’d taken Oliver again in the shower. Then woken him up a few hours later with a blowjob that Oliver had been inspired to reciprocate. He’d reciprocated so well that Matthew had lost time, forgotten his name and possibly seen God.
And now this. Before the sun was up, he’d decided to drag Oliver over to the gym to show him some defensive moves.
“We have the entire house to ourselves,” Oliver had argued. “Show me here.”