Amusement tinged Vic’s response. ::Yeah,like when I said don’t feed the dog this late at night?::
Matt dipped into Vic’s mind to gauge hislover’s emotions. In any other relationship, such a playfulexchange could so easily be taken the wrong way, with one of themhurt by the other’s careless banter. But the moment Matt immersedhimself in Vic, a wave of love overpowered him, so all-consumingthat it took his breath away. No matter how Vic teased him, Mattknew without a doubt Vic loved him completely and nothing wouldchange that.
At his feet, Sadie begged for more food. Mattdropped another half cup into her bowl, then put the bucket away.Scratching behind her ears, he told her, “You heard the big guy.That’s it. You’re going to get me in trouble.”
She glanced up with a look that said he coulddo that well enough all by himself.
On his way out of the kitchen, Matt pulledthe louver door shut behind him. It wouldn’t keep Sadie in—thedoorway leading to the dining area was still open—but it mightdistract her enough to buy him some time to get down the hall. Afew short steps later, he stood outside the bathroom door. Holdinghis breath, he placed his forehead against the wood grain andlistened, one hand on the knob and the other raised to knock.::Vic?::
From inside the bathroom, he heard thetelltale gurgle of water as Vic shook his razor clean in the fullsink. When he spoke, his voice sounded impossibly close. “Let meguess. You want to come in.”
That was all the invitation Matt needed. Theknob turned in his hand and he eased open the door, peeking aroundit with a sheepish grin already sliding into place. But whatever hemight have said to apologize for not listening dried in the back ofhis throat when he saw his lover. Vic was a big man, sexy in hisstrength, and the muscles in his bare arms bunched where he leanedagainst the sink. Tattoos rippled along his pale skin when hemoved. His bald head was covered with shaving foam, though therazor had cut one swathe through the white cream just above hisleft ear. He wore nothing but a pair of boxers so thin, Matt couldsee the darkness of his cock coiled between his legs.
Lust flooded Matt. Stepping into thebathroom, he shut the door behind him and let out a low, randy wolfwhistle that made Vic smirk. “God, you are hot.”
“You’re just saying that so I won’t be mad,”Vic teased.
With a frown, Matt asked, “Are youmad?”
Vic laughed as he swished the razor in thesink full of water. “No. I can’t be mad at you. You know that.”
Sidling closer, Matt wrapped his arms aroundVic’s ample waist and rested his chin on Vic’s shoulder. “Then see?It worked.”
Vic planted a quick kiss on the tip of Matt’snose. “Love you,” he murmured. The words rumbled through Matt’schest and he hugged Vic closer, but to his surprise his lover triedto shrug him off. “Now let me shave.”
Without thinking, Matt plucked the plasticrazor from Vic’s hand. “Let me.”
Vic sighed. “Matty…”
But Matt was already nudging him aside toshake off the razor in the sink. “Oh, please. I’ve been doing thissince I was twelve. Trust me.”
“You’ve been shaving since you were twelve?”Vic asked, incredulous.
Matt shrugged. “I didn’t have to. I just usedmy father’s razor every now and then to feel more grown up. Thething is, by the time I actually had anything to shave, I waspretty good at not cutting myself. So trust me. Sit.”
Vic glanced around the small bathroom,skeptical, until Matt pointed to the edge of the tub. “Right there,big boy. Back that ass up and plop it down.”
“Matty, I can do this myself,” Vic assuredhim, but he did as he was asked. With a disgruntled sigh, he tuckedhis chin and rolled his eyes up to look at Matt, giving him along-suffering look. “Seriously. If you leave me alone, I’ll bedone in fifteen minutes. We can play then.”
“Or we can play now.”
Standing before Vic, Matt guided his kneesapart and stepped into the space between them. He touched Vic’scheek with one hand, steadying it. When Vic leaned into him, Mattgently touched the razor to the edge of the already shaved areaabove Vic’s ear. One long, careful stroke, and he cleared off theshaving cream from the next small section of Vic’s scalp. He shavedanother swathe, then awkwardly turned to rinse the razor in thesink. “There’s my man,” he said softly.
Through the T-shirt he wore, he could feelVic’s breath flutter along his stomach. As he pulled the razoralong Vic’s crown, Vic leaned forward, forehead against Matt’schest just below the breastbone. Vic’s hands toyed with the hem ofMatt’s shorts, his arms on either side of Matt’s thighs, hemminghim in. At first, Matt concentrated on the shaving—God forbid heaccidentally nick his lover—but when Vic started nuzzling hisstomach, he laughed. “Don’t move so much! You’re going to make memess up.”
He tried to step back but found his shirtcaught in Vic’s teeth. “Vic!” he cried with another laugh. “Letgo.”
Vic tugged on the shirt with a shake of hishead. ::Take this off.::
Dropping the razor into the sink, Mattobliged. The T-shirt came off easily over his head and he tossed itinto the corner by the door. Cool air prickled his skin, causingthe hair on his chest to puff out. He smoothed it down with bothhands and left a dark smear where his wet fingers touched.“Happy?”
“Very.” Vic reached forward, snagged Mattbehind the knees, and pulled him close again. This time hisforehead rested on Matt’s bare skin, and his tongue licked out totrace the finely defined muscles in Matt’s abs. As Matt fished therazor out of the water in the sink, Vic held him tight and pressedhis cheek flat against Matt’s belly. “Hurry up, will you? This ismaking me horny.”
“What doesn’t?” Matt countered, but he shookthe excess water off the razor and resumed shaving.
Each
