“Matt,” Vic moaned. His steering wheelworked, didn’t it? So it had cracked over the years, a result ofVic’s super strength and any number of odd powers he’d manifested.The duct tape held it all in place.
But Matt shook his head, adamant. “We’regoing out. We look good. I’m in an awesome mood and you’re hot asshit. We’re not driving down Cary Street in your car, I’msorry. I want us to make an entrance.”
Vic narrowed his eyes, not buying it. Matt’sJaguar put Vic’s Toyota to shame. “You want to show off.”
“I do,” Matt admitted. Sidling up to Vic, heleaned against this lover’s side and laid his head on Vic’sshoulder. The warmth of his body did terrible things to Vic’sblood, and the smell of burning rubber drifted up from the soles ofVic’s shoes. “Everybody, look at me. I have a kick ass car and thesexiest man in the city. I’m getting drunk and then getting laid.Eat your heart out.”
Personally, Vic wasn’t a fan of sports cars.They were too damn small, for one thing, and too low to the ground.As Matt drove, Vic felt every bump and pothole in the street. Theshocks on the Jag were horrid. Add a fifty pound dog into whatpassed as the back seat of the car, her whole body pushing againstVic’s seat so she could stick her head out the window, and theexperience of riding with Matt was far from pleasant. The stereorocked, the bass loud and pounding around them. But a very smallpart of Vic did like the way other drivers glanced at them,just out of the corner of the eye at first, then doing a doubletake or slowing down to get a better look. When Matt had shiftedthe car into gear, he slid his hand over Vic’s thigh, angling forVic’s crotch. Catching Matt’s fingers in his own, Vic raised themto his lips and kissed the back of one finger before opening hismouth to nip at the knuckle.
Beside him, Matt laughed. Because theycouldn’t speak over the driving music, Matt opened his mind tocommunicate directly with Vic’s. ::Change of plans. Let’s orderin and fuck on the floor.::
::What about showing off?:: Viccountered. Now that they were already in the car, he didn’t mindthe thought of dining out. Plus they had brought Sadie along, andthe dog adored car trips. If they turned back now, she’d probablywhine the rest of the evening.
Matt squeezed Vic’s hand in his. ::See howeasy she weaseled her way into our lives? She has youtrained..::
::She has you trained,:: Viccountered. ::I’m not the one thinking about ordering her aplatter of ribs when we get to the restaurant.::
Matt laughed but didn’t deny the thoughtflittered around the back of his mind.
The next exit off the Powhite Parkwaydeposited them at the start of Carytown, a one-way street ofeclectic shops and restaurants at the bottom of Richmond’s FanDistrict. Vic lowered the music as Matt eased off the gas. DoubleT’s was at the far end of Cary Street, serving the best barbeque intown, and Matt slowed as they neared the restaurant, eying the carsthat lined the curb in the hopes of snagging a parking spot. Asthey eased along, Vic pointed at the glowing taillights of anunwieldy SUV along his side of the street. Some drivers sat idlingat the curb, lights on though they had no intention of moving. Vicdipped into the driver’s thoughts, just a quick scan, and toldMatt, “Let her in. Then you can take her spot.”
Matt did just that, stopping in mid-trafficand turning on his signal to show others he planned to park. TheSUV didn’t move at first, the woman inside preoccupied with digginga tube of lipstick out of her purse. So Vic sent a mental prodtoward the driver. ::Go.:: In the SUV’s side view mirror,Vic saw the woman jump as if goosed, but she checked the road, sawMatt waiting, and floored the pedal.
The Jaguar slid in the empty spot. “Goodcall.” Matt pulled up the parking brake, turned off the car, thenleaned across the seats toward Vic. “Come here, you. Kiss mealready.”
He didn’t have to ask twice, but Vic hadn’tmanaged a quick peck before someone else wanted in on the action.From behind them Sadie leaned forward, pushing her head between thefront seats, her wet nose cold where it nuzzled Vic’s cheek. Hebrushed her away, only to have her lick his hand. “Sadie!”
Scratching the dog’s ears, Matt snickered.“She wants some lovin’, too.” In a childlike tone of voice hereserved specifically for talking to Sadie, Matt cooed, “She lovesher some Vic, don’t she? Don’t she?”
Sadie woofed softly, encouraged, as her tailthumped off the leather seat. When Vic rolled his eyes, Mattlaughed again. Leaning over the gearshift, he caught Vic’s chin inhis hand and turned his lover toward him to claim a realkiss this time. He held onto Sadie’s collar to keep her frominterrupting them again.
* * * *
Like most of the restaurants along CaryStreet, Double T’s had outside dining on a wooden patio thatoverlooked the sidewalk. Because they had Sadie with them, Mattstayed outside while Vic went in to tell the server they wished toeat outside. The dog lay with her head on her paws around one sideof their small table, and Matt scooted
