Duty and Devotion (17 page)

“That's it?”

“That's it.” Moses shrugged, took his coffee, and returned to his desk.

Evan felt strangely relieved by their exchange.

He stopped by Serena Abbott's apartment during his lunch hour. Griffin buzzed him up.

“Hey, glad you stopped by.” Griffin opened the door, and Evan stepped inside the small studio. Jim was in the kitchenette pouring coffee.

“I wanted to say good-bye before you left. Matt said you're flying out in the morning.” Evan and Jim exchanged nods.

“Yeah, I have some revisions to do now that the screenplay is optioned,” Griffin said delightedly.

“Act excited,” Jim called, and Evan smiled.

“Glad to hear it. Congratulations.”

Griffin gave Jim the finger over his shoulder. “Thank you, thank you. We're going to fly back to Seattle, maybe drive up to stay in Tacoma for a bit. Jim's going to start fishing.”

“I didn't say yes yet.”

“It's either that or crocheting as your post-retirement hobby. Pick one.”

Jim grumbled as he walked into the living room. The bruises had mostly faded, and his hand was no longer bandaged. “Your fine city has been a real pain in the ass, and I can't wait to go back to the left coast.”

“Sorry about that.” Evan put his hands in pockets. “I hope next time you two visit it'll be a bit more relaxing.”

“We'll have to redo the dinner thing,” Griffin said. “I think we all deserve a do-over on that one.”

“Agreed.” Evan felt Jim eyeing him and cleared his throat. “Griffin, would you mind if Jim and I had a moment alone to talk.”

“It's a studio—where do you want me to go?”

Jim motioned toward the bathroom. “There must be more time you can spend on your hair.”

“Ugh, fine.” Griffin bear hugged Evan before he could politely refuse. “Give me a call anytime. I have more dirty doodles for you.”

And with that, Griffin exited the room.

Jim looked after him fondly.

“You have quite the boyfriend,” Evan said. “He was really kind to have lunch with me and, uh—I appreciate it.”

“That was all him,” Jim said, a bit sternly. “He couldn't stand you feeling bad.”

“I know. And I can't stand letting you go back to Seattle thinking I'm a complete prick,” Evan smiled. “I'm sorry for my behavior that first night. I brought every one of my issues to the table, and that wasn't fair.”

“You know Matt loves you, right? That I'm no threat in any way, shape, or form?” Jim sighed. “And maybe it's not for me to say but even when he and I were together that one time—you were there too. He was just—missing you. And I happened to be there, that was all.” Jim gave him a serious glare. “Please tell me you get that. I don't want to stop talking to Matt over this, but I will if it's going to cause problems again.”

Evan shook his head. “It's not. I'm done with that.” His mouth curled into a smile. “Though I'll be honest, this would all be easier if you were uglier.”

“Well it would be easier to dismiss you as an asshole if my boyfriend didn't insist you were just tragically misunderstood.” Jim finally cracked a smile.

Evan stuck out his hand, and Jim clasped it. They shook, firm and solid.

“Thank you,” Evan said, sincerely. “I'm grateful you took care of Matt when he needed it.”

Jim looked momentarily embarrassed. “He did the same for me.”

“Good.” Evan meant it. He let go of Jim's hand and nodded. “Well, I have to get back to work. I hope you'll come back to New York for a less dramatic stay.”

“Probably around the holidays!” Griffin yelled from the bathroom.

“Probably around the holidays.” Jim sighed. Evan coughed into his hand to hide his laughter.

“Let Matt know and we'll set up a dinner. You can come out to Queens, meet the family.”

“Deal.”

Jim showed him to the door, and they gave each other a parting, knowing smile.

“Take care of him,” Jim murmured.

Evan nodded and went on his way.

Chapter Seventeen

Matt came down from his post-workout shower Saturday afternoon and found the house perfectly, eerily quiet. No television, no half a cell phone conversation, no Xbox or stereo. Just the ticking of the wall clock and the hum of the ceiling fans.

“Hey, is this like an episode of the Twilight Zone?” he called, checking around the first floor.

“Which one?” Evan came in from the deck.

“Well clearly not the one where everyone disappears. Where'd the kids go?”

“Ellie and Walt picked them up for the weekend. They'll be back tomorrow night.” Evan was casual but deliberate in the kitchen, putting a pitcher of iced tea and two glasses on a tray.

“When did these plans happen?” Matt smoothed his T-shirt nervously.

“I called Ellie yesterday afternoon.”

“Did I forget something we had to do?”

Evan smiled and flushed, charming the absolutely shit out of Matt.

“I thought we could take advantage of the empty house,” Evan murmured. “Spend the day in bed.”

Matt leaned against the counter. “The whole day.”

“Well we don't have to.” Evan matched Matt's posture. “But if you wanted to…”

“Is this the return of horny beach house, Evan?” Matt drawled, hoping the answer was yes and hoping beyond all hope that the outcome would be very different.

“Nah, it's an improved version.” Evan straightened up and came around the counter, his walk slow and languid. Matt swallowed a moan.

Matt reached for him, but Evan kept just out of his grasp. “Come on. Upstairs. If we start downstairs we'll get distracted.”

“I don't consider sucking your dick a distraction.”

Now it was Evan's turn to smother a groan. “I do. I'd rather have your mouth somewhere else.”

The words were sexy; the blush on his lover's face just made it that hotter. Matt took a step toward the stairs. “Hurry up before I can't walk.”

He kept his hands to himself until they were in the bedroom.

Evan was already undressing, his breathing shallow and eager. Matt thought he might be having the greatest sex dream of all time—but the chill of the air in the curtained room as he pulled off his shirt told him it was all very real.

There were things on the nightstand, noticeable as Evan flicked on the lamp. He pulled down the cover, got an extra pillow—Matt blew out a breath as Evan crawled onto the bed.

He gawked, and Evan smiled up at him.

“You're being a little too calm about this,” Evan murmured. “I'm starting to get nervous. Excuse me—more nervous.”

“I'm trying not to jump you,” Matt said, kneeling on the edge of the bed. “I don't want to mess this up.”

“We do pretty well with everything else. It's just adding something, right?” Evan sprawled on the bed, opening his legs and spreading his arms in invitation.

Matt's IQ dropped a hundred points. His mouth went dry as he trailed a hand up Evan's leg, tracing a loopy circle on his inner thigh.

“Right. Just something extra.”

Evan's legs opened wider.

“What did you do?” he whispered, unable to take his eyes off this intimate posture.

“Research.” A sheen of sweat popped across Evan's body.

“Oh yeah? And what did you decide you wanted?” Matt crawled over Evan, pushing his legs wider with his knees.

Evan reached up and traced Matt's mouth. Matt chased his fingers with sharp, needy teeth, but Evan didn't let him catch a taste until he was ready.

“Go slow,” was all Evan said, so low and quiet that Matt saw the words more than heard them. He sucked two of Evan's fingers into his mouth, eyes closing as he simulated his best blowjob.

Evan's body vibrated beneath him, inside him. He let the spit-slick fingers slide out of his mouth, feeling the trail of cool wetness as Evan traced a line down his chest, his hand curved around Matt's cock.

“Just a little,” Matt exhaled, already rocking into Evan's hand. “I'm gonna need that.”

Evan didn't disagree; he stroked, slow and steady, wet fingertips playing over the head. Matt murmured encouragement before he started to pull away—just enough to keep himself in check.

“My turn.” Matt glanced at the night table to see the lubricant and condoms. He reached for the tube, apprehension flitting through his head until Evan moved restlessly under him.

“Don't take forever,” he whispered, and Matt didn't waste any more time.

His hands shook, with excitement and nerves. The sticky wet lubricant spilled out on his fingers.

“Use a lot, and take your time and…” Evan's breath was shallow. He licked his lips.

“Shah,” Matt said. He kissed the center of Evan's chest, mouthing a damp circle on his warm flesh as his hand slid under his ass. Evan froze, but Matt kept going, moving in tiny increments until he touched the vulnerable pucker of skin.

Evan shivered. His hands went to Matt's shoulders, not pushing or fighting him off but holding on for dear life.

Matt rubbed his fingers in easy circles and pushed the tiniest bit, the gentlest of pressure. He kissed down Evan's stomach, opening his mouth to take the head of his dick against his tongue. His fingers pressed deeper, and Matt swallowed convulsively to keep himself in check.

He kept this up, the easy sucking, the pressure and circling of his fingers. He listened for hesitation or a stop from Evan, but there was nothing but encouraging moans and bitten-off curses.

Matt lifted his head and shifted lower on the bed.

Evan lifted his legs and opened himself to Matt intimately.

It was a second too much, and Matt reached down to hold himself in check before this was over too soon.

He said nothing as his mouth joined his fingers in their teasing preparation.

He held his dick the entire time, as he tasted Evan's body and drew the pleasure out until they were both rocking the bed in anticipation.

“Roll over,” Matt finally murmured, biting and kissing the inside of Evan's thigh.

“Pillow,” Evan choked as he disentangled himself from Matt.

“Under your hips,” Matt finished as he stroked Evan's back. It was slow, and Matt eyed the condom package with wariness; he was terrified the touch of the damp latex would send him shooting before he ever got inside Evan.

“Yeah.” Evan shook as he lay down, moaning as his rock-hard dick touched the pillow.

“Like this,” Matt whispered, opening Evan's legs again. The position was erotic, his lover absolutely beautiful sprawled out on their bed. “I'm going slow,” he said. He rubbed his hands over Evan's strongly muscled back. “Just tell me if you need to stop.”

Evan nodded, his fingers curling onto the covers.

Matt bit the inside of his cheek as he opened the condom's case and slicked it onto his dick, counting and breathing to get it down to the root without losing it.

He kissed the small of Evan's back.

He opened him and kissed the intimate hidden part of him.

He pushed his tongue in and pressed in and found a rhythm that Evan responded to in a second.

He pulled back when Evan cried out.

He held his cock, breathed through the pounding excitement in every fiber of his being and pressed the head where his tongue and fingers had opened.

“Breathe, relax,” Matt choked. The tightness drew him in even as he paused in worry. “Relax.”

Evan shook beneath him. He gasped as if in pain, but he pushed back, and Matt instinctively pushed forward.

They both paused.

Matt pushed again.

Evan moaned loudly, restless against Matt as he pulled closer to the bed, then back again. Matt let him move, let him have this second of control as he held himself still.

Another inch. Another push. Matt's fingers were white against Evan's hips as he felt the internal pressure of his lover's body open to him.

Another inch. Matt looked down to where their bodies were joined and rocked his hips in a frantic motion.

Evan wailed.

Matt stopped as much as he could even as he pushed in a little bit more, and like he'd zapped his boyfriend with electricity, Evan writhed around him and the stream of sound began.

“OhGodohdon'tjust… Right there,” Evan begged, shaking and sweaty beneath him.

“Like that?” Matt's voice was hoarse.

He rocked.

Evan cried out, and one hand frantically slid beneath him.

“Oh yeah, that's right. Touch yourself, baby,” Matt crooned as he rocked, not entirely inside but enough for both of them. The pressure of Evan's tight body clamped down on him, the erotic sight of them being joined, the frenzied motion of Evan's hand as he jerked himself off. Matt held on and rocked and shifted until the bed smacked against the wall and pictures rattled on the nightstand.

“Uhhhh.” Evan's body seemed to erupt, and Matt rode the inner pull of his body through the orgasm, the scent filling the room. He managed a few more shallow thrusts before his balls drew up, and he pulsed into the condom, into Evan.

He grabbed the headboard to keep from falling over, grabbing the base of the condom before pulling out. Evan moaned weakly, and Matt rested his forehead against his lover's shoulder as the condom came off into his hand.

“Fuck are you okay? Oh my God.” Matt exhaled. He thought he might have broken something vital and important in his chest as he struggled to get enough oxygen into his lungs.

Evan just moaned again.

“Tell me you're okay, so I can fall over,” Matt whispered, and Evan nodded, turning his head slightly.

“Holy shit,” he whispered, and Matt took that as an invitation to pitch onto his side.

Evan eventually rolled over, his face flushed red and his mouth struggling to find a way to form words. He lay against Matt's shoulder, aftershocks lingering on his skin. Matt could feel them.

He licked his lips, waited for a reaction.

“Can I ask if it was good for you?” he croaked.

Evan shook his head and laughed weakly. “I—I don't even know what to say. I couldn't stand up right now if I needed to.”

“It was, uh—intense.” Matt licked his dry lips.

“Felt…strange at first, and then”—Evan looked away—“then it felt so good I think I lost my mind.”

Matt's chest puffed up.

Evan elbowed him in the side.

“Listen, I don't want to freak you out or anything, but I might want to do that like—all the fucking time.” Matt sighed. The room smelled like sex. He felt like a god.