V: Vic and Matt Series

The V in Valor-4

Matt didn’t bring up the question of a pet again. He didn’t have to—he had Vic thinking about it, and he knew Vic would give him what he wanted in the end. And to be honest, Matt wasn’t exactly sure what he wanted was a pet. His lover’s immediate refusal upon seeing Mrs. K’s cat sprawled out on their kitchen table had been the only reason Matt pressed his point in the first place. If they got a pet, he wanted it to be a mutual decision, not a knee-jerk reaction. So Vic didn’t like cats; so what? There were other animals they could keep if they chose.

By Monday morning, getting a pet was the last thing on Matt’s mind when he woke. His arms were still tight around Vic’s waist, his nude body pressed against his lover’s, in a pale imitation of the way they had held onto each other while making love the night before. Then Vic had been on his stomach, his thick c**k throbbing between himself and the mattress, his pillow tucked under his head and gripped in both arms. Matt had straddled him from behind, and each hard thrust that drove his d**k into Vic’s ass was matched with a lusty moan deep in the back of Vic’s throat. His lover bit at the pillow in his arms and raised his hips off the bed to meet Matt as they f****d. Just before Matt had come, he’d lain down above Vic, covering his lover’s body with his own, and shoved in as far as he could go. His arms had eased beneath Vic’s shoulders and their fingers laced together. At the last possible moment, Vic had turned to kiss Matt, and Matt’s orgasm tore through them both, triggering Vic’s own.

In the early morning stillness, it took Matt a moment to extract himself from Vic, both physically and mentally. As quietly as he could, he showered and dressed, then ate a quick breakfast of frozen waffles that he washed down with a cup of strong coffee. Leaving the coffeemaker on to keep the rest of the java warm, Matt ducked back into the bedroom for his gym bag. In the darkness, Vic was nothing but an indistinct shape on the bed, his nakedness buried under the blankets.

Matt stopped by his lover’s side and pulled the top cover back just enough to expose Vic’s tattooed and pierced brow. Kissing his forehead, Matt murmured, “Love you, big guy. Have a good day, you hear?”

Vic groaned and rolled toward the sound of Matt’s voice. Through the blanket, Matt felt hidden hands rub over his lower back. Before they could catch hold of him, though, he stood and laughed. ::Much as I’d love to,:: he told Vic silently, ::I’ll never hear the end of it from Roxie if I’m late again. She says I’m lying when I tell her it’s your fault. Says no one can have s*x as much as I claim we do.::

Despite all appearances, Vic’s mind was more alert than his body at this hour. ::No wonder she’s always thinking of d**k when she sees me,:: he groused. ::Is that all you two talk about?::

::Your d**k,:: Matt admitted. He reached out and tickled Vic through the blanket, hoping his hand was in close proximity to his lover’s genitalia. By the way Vic shifted and the sudden surge of desire that colored his thoughts, Matt suspected his aim was true. ::It’s one of my favorite topics of conversation.::

::At work?:: Vic shifted again, trying to catch Matt’s hand between his legs.

Matt pulled it back in time. ::Anywhere. Love you.::

Another kiss, this one on the bridge of Vic’s nose, and a third when his lover pulled the blanket down and puckered up. “Tastes like syrup,” he muttered. “Now I want pancakes.”

“There are waffles in the fridge.” Matt smoothed a hand over Vic’s brow, reluctant to leave. The rumpled sheets made the bed look so inviting, and he knew just how warm and cozy it’d be to strip down and tuck himself in next to his lover…

But he was running late for work. “See you tonight,” he called out, pulling the bedroom door shut behind him to keep out the light from the hall.

::Love you,:: came Vic’s mental reply. His thoughts were tinged with exhaustion, and by the time Matt locked the front door to their apartment behind him and headed down the stairs, Vic had fallen back to sleep.

At the gym, Roxie was already behind the reception counter when Matt entered. “What did you do, spend the night?” he joked as he swiped his key card to enter the employee’s area.

The button that buzzed the door open was under Roxie’s desk; she hit it as he swiped his card, effectively canceling his request for entry. The door stayed shut when Matt hit it with his elbow. “Roxie, come on. I’m just kidding.”

“You walked me to my car yesterday,” she muttered. “You know I went home.”

Matt shrugged. “You could’ve snuck back in after I drove off, I don’t know. Let me in.”

“Stop picking on me then.”

He waited until her attention was diverted to her computer and tried his card a second time. No dice. She probably had a knee pressed up against the button, keeping him out. “Roxie,” he whined.

She shook her head, her dyed red hair flipping from one shoulder to the other. “That might work for your man of steel,” she joked, “but your superhuman powers of persuasion are lost on me. How is Vic doing, anyway?”

“I left him asleep in the bed,” Matt admitted. He jiggled the door handle, as if that would help. “And if you don’t open up, I’ll head back home and join him.”

Roxie laughed. “You guys rut like rabbits. How he manages to sit in the driver’s seat all day after that, I can’t imagine.”

Before Matt could think of something pithy to say in response, the door opened behind him and he stumbled back into the hallway that led to the employee locker room and the pool where he worked. As the door eased closed, he started down the hall, eager to hide in the pool’s admin office and, with any luck, avoid Roxie the rest of the day. But before the door shut completely, she called out, “What, no thank you? See if you get a donut now.”

Matt turned in mid-step, heading instead for the short corridor that led to the reception area. Pushing through the swinging door that put him out behind Roxie’s desk, he tucked his key card in his back pocket as he surveyed the cluttered spot around her computer. Sure enough, a box of Krispy Kreme donuts sat unopened underneath the counter, where it wouldn’t be seen by patrons and any employees who might enter the gym through the front door. “Thank you,” he said, nodding at Roxie in a mock bow. “I’m forever in your debt. Tell me you have Boston cream.”

Sinking into her seat, Roxie opened the box, displaying an assortment of a half dozen hot, fresh donuts. There were two chocolate-covered ones in particular that caught Matt’s eye. “Just for you,” she said as she held out the box. “I figure if Vic likes you, you can’t be all bad.”

“Ha ha.” Matt snatched both donuts before she could change her mind and take them back. The first bite was heavenly—the thick, sugary cream inside melted in his mouth. Much better than the waffles had been, for sure. “You’re the greatest, Roxie.”

Loftily, she replied, “I know.”

As Matt finished off the first donut, Roxie turned back to her computer to resume checking her e-mail. Matt glanced at the screen and looked away quickly before she could accuse him of reading over her shoulder. Then he noticed a chunky black picture frame sitting by her keyboard. In the frame was a photo of a small black and white kitten stretched out across a windowsill, soaking up bright sunlight. Pointing at the frame, Matt asked, “What’s this?”

Roxie didn’t look up from her computer, where she was now scrolling through her own f*******: profile. “A picture.”

Sometimes Roxie could be particularly stubborn. He knew it was a picture. “Of what?”

Now she gave him a sidelong look that made him feel stupid. “A cat.”

“No, I mean…” He sighed and bit into the second donut. “Never mind.”

Too late. Roxie closed her browser window and turned to pick up the frame. “This is Miss Priss. Isn’t she cute? I got her a few months’ back.”

“I didn’t know you had a cat. We had one this weekend.” At the odd look Roxie gave him, Matt recounted what had happened, going into great detail about Vic’s discomfort around the animal. “He’s not a cat person, that’s for sure. You should’ve seen the look on his face when I made him hold it.”

Roxie laughed as she looked at the photo. “That’s it, the wedding’s off. It would’ve never worked out anyway. How can you not like cats?”

“What wedding?” Matt reminded her, “It wouldn’t work out because he’s already shacking up with me. Hands off, sister.”

Roxie gave him a withering look. “Oh, please. This is Virginia, Matt. You can’t marry him. Let a girl dream, will you?”

He felt like a jealous sibling when he pointed out, “Dream all you want, honey. He’s still mine. Unless you manage to grow an added appendage somewhere—”

“Enough.” She covered her ears with both hands, which made Matt smirk in triumph. Who was being childish now? “I don’t need your wildly homoerotic evil tainting my innocent thoughts.”

Beneath his breath, Matt muttered, “They’re tainted enough already, I’m sure.”

He had to jump back to avoid the small fist swung his way. “You’re lucky you ate those donuts, mister,” Roxie warned, “or I’d take them back.”

“Indian giver!” he cried.

With a laugh, he pushed through the door before she could stand and swing again. When he finally reached the pool’s office a few minutes later, he turned on his own computer to find a message from Roxie in his inbox. You’re lucky I don’t buy a big strap-on dildo and steal your man!! He’d leave you for me in a heart beat.

Matt grinned as he typed a short response. Keep telling yourself that.