And Matt loved him for it.
“Five minutes,” Vic promised. “You can deliver hercat while I carry the bags, and we’ll pick up where we left offonce she’s in.”
With a stretch Vic stood, and Matt stole one last,lingering kiss as he recinched the belt on his lover’s robe.Holding onto the loose end of the ties, he let Vic lead the wayinto the kitchen. At the sink, Matt stopped and tugged on the belt,bringing Vic back to him for another kiss. “Make it quick,” hemurmured against Vic’s lips. “I hate waiting.”
While Vic dressed, Matt rinsed the breakfast dishesand deposited them into the dishwasher. He was bent over, tuckingthe dishes into the lower rack, when Vic came back, dressed injeans and a crisp white undershirt. With the flat of his hand, hesmacked Matt’s ass playfully. “Don’t forget to bring the cat,” hesaid, heading for the front door.
“I didn’t think you’d let me.” Matt wiped his handson a dishtowel, then scooped the cat off the dining room table.
It began to purr the moment he touched it, and in hisarms, it rubbed its head underneath his chin as if it’d known himfor years. “Good kitty,” he murmured, scratching it behind theears. His voice took on a childish quality, as if he were talkingto a baby. “I don’t know why Vic won’t like you. You’re so soft, sopretty. Such a good kitty, aren’t you? Aren’t you?”
In his mind, his lover’s gruff voice spoke up throughthe telepathic bond they shared. ::If this is the way you talk to all animals,:: Victhreatened, ::we’re never getting apet.::
Ignoring him, Matt made kissy noises as he cuddledthe cat. “Don’t listen to him, Tibbles. He’s just jealous I’mloving on you right now and not on him.”
Matt laughed at the groan his lover directed his way.::You’ll be petted and cuddled soonenough,:: he promised. ::You’re not the only one with a spoiled pet.::
::I didn’t mean itlike that,:: Vic answered. He stood outside on the curb;leaving the door to their apartment open, Matt wandered out to thelanding and could just see the gleam of sunlight off the top ofVic’s bald head through the window above the outside door.::I meant—::
But whatever he planned to say disappeared as a latemodel white Cadillac slid to a stop in front of their building.With the cat in his arms, Matt waited at the top of the stairs asVic helped Mrs. K with her groceries. Well, “help” was exactly theword for it—the landlady was in her seventies, and probablycouldn’t lift the first bag. So all she did was open the trunk; Viccarried everything himself. She stood on the stoop and waited forhim, then held the door open as he stepped inside theirbuilding.
Before Vic could start up the stairs, however, Mrs. Kslipped in front of him to lead the way. She took the steps one ata time, leaning heavily on the railing as she hoisted herself up.Only once both feet were on the step would she advance to the next.And the next. And the next. Vic glowered up at Matt as he trailedslowly behind her, frustration darkening his eyes. Matt buried hisface against the cat’s neck so their landlady wouldn’t see hissmirk.
Step by shuffling step, Mrs. K neared the landingwhere Matt stood, but she didn’t look up to see him until shereached the top step. “Marvin!” she said, smiling not at him but atthe cat he held. “I see you found Tibbles.”
“It’s Matt,” he answered gently. She always got his name wrong. Did he looklike a Marvin to her?
With a frown, Mrs. K pushed her thick glasses up onher thin nose and peered at the cat. “No, that’s Tibbles,” sheannounced. “I’m sure of it.”
Behind her, Vic coughed to cover his laugh.
Narrowing his eyes at his lover, Matt threatened, “Doyou want to carry thecat?”
Vic shrugged, rustling the paper grocery bags he heldin both hands. “My hands are full.”
Nodding at the cat, Mrs. K asked, “Be a dear andbring him up for me, will you?”
Without waiting for an answer, she started for thenext flight of stairs. This time Vic managed to get in front of herand, with his long strides, reached the door to her apartment wellbefore she even started up the steps. But Matt wasn’t so lucky—hehad to trail behind, the cat growing restless in his arms, as sheslowly ascended. More than once he let out an annoyed sigh, but itdidn’t seem to make Mrs. K move any faster. At the top of thestairs, Vic had deposited the groceries in front of the door andnow leaned over the railing, smirking, as Matt glared at him.::Hurry up, slowpoke,:: Victeased.
There was no way to edge around the landlady withoutknocking her down. ::Next time carryher up with the groceries,:: Matt told his lover.::This can take allday.::
Vic’s eyes twinkled with suppressed laughter.::You can’t rush an oldlady.::
Finally Matt reached the landing. As Mrs. K shuffledto her door, jingling her keys to find the right one, Matt steppedup to Vic and foisted the cat off onto his lover. Vic tried to backaway and couldn’t—the railing creaked beneath his weight. The catclawed at the front of his shirt as he grappled with it. “Matty,what…”
“Your turn.” Matt waited until Mrs. K ducked into herapartment before he planted a quick kiss on Vic’s cheek. “Ask herif we can have pets.”
“What?” Vic juggled the cat in his arms, tryingunsuccessfully to hold onto it. After a few wiggly moments, itleapt out of Vic’s embrace and bolted for the open door. Brushingoff the cat hair left behind, Vic said, “I’m not asking her that.We don’t need a pet.”
For a long moment, Matt just stared at Vic, the lookon his face neutral. He didn’t have to pout or beg to get hisway—after a minute or two, Vic sighed and ran a hand over hisscalp, as if smoothing back hair he no longer had. “No.”
Matt didn’t answer.
Turning his attention to the groceries, Vic gatheredthe bags in his arms and followed Mrs. K
