55. Ciaran

55

CIARAN

E ver since we left Drew's apartment, every cell in my body was aware of Matthias Vaulteneau. For the first time in my life, my mind, heart, and cock were all in agreement.

I knew precisely how far away he was from me. At present, standing in the elevator, with our shoulders and arms touching, he was exactly zero inches away from me.

A fertility statue, of all things, kept us from devouring each other.

I knew what his smiles meant.

What his hooded, sexy eyes were telling me.

What his body was saying.

I felt him thrum . Like, his body was vibrating. Each breath was a coded message for how much he wanted me.

The feeling was mutual.

I wanted him.

Desperately.

I wasn't sure how far I was willing to let things go tonight, but I wanted to discuss options with him.

The elevator was fast as it brought us to the very top of the building and I observed Matty's reflection in the shimmery walls. They weren't mirrors, but were shiny enough to witness Matty's expression after I told him I was going to pick the bedroom we were going to sleep in.

Sleep in together .

That message had to be clear.

Matty swallowed hard, like he was new to this sort of thing.

"If…if you're sure, Ciaran," he said, looking at me like I'd offered myself as a sacrifice to the gods. "I mean, it's been a long night and I wouldn't blame you if you wanted some privacy to be alone with your thoughts after, you know, everything."

Matty was as sexy as sin but he was also just so fucking adorable. I wasn't experienced when it came to romance and things like that, but I knew him .

Matty was nervous. And Matty was never nervous.

"Why, did you want to be alone?" I asked with a touch of uncertainty.

Had I read him wrong?

"No," he rushed out, his voice an octave higher than usual. Then, in a more practiced tone, he said, "No. I don't want to be alone at all. I want to be near you…all night."

My stomach did funny things at his words. My cock twitched, too.

The elevator opened to reveal a magnificent two-story penthouse apartment.

"Whoa," I said as I walked into the glorious space.

Low lights were strategically placed throughout the apartment so that overhead lights were not needed upon entry. I was afraid to blink, lest I miss something.

The main floor was one large open space consisting of a living room with oversized creamy couches, an elegant dining table long enough to hold twelve guests, and a kitchen with a large island. The bedrooms must be on the second floor.

In the far corner, where the two windowed walls met, sat a baby grand piano. Two wide marble columns, possibly part of the building's infrastructure, added another layer of sophistication to the unit.

The entire far wall was a series of continuous windows and balcony doors. It was still very dark outside. From this angle, I could see where the moon hung low in the sky as it kissed the top of the mountainous peaks of the Red Rock Range.

Without ceremony, I dropped our bags near the stone staircase and went straight for the windows to take in the breathtaking view. I didn't go outside since I couldn't distinguish the windows from the balcony doors in the low light, but given the wraparound windows, I had a clear view of multiple mountain ranges west of Las Vegas, the lights of the Strip, and even parts of Nellis Air Force Base.

I thought Drew's place was spectacular when he'd first invited me, but this…this was impressive.

"I could get used to this," I said to myself.

Behind me, Matty chuckled. While I'd been ogling the view, he'd stored the statue in the closet and secured the elevator entrance. Not even the cleaning crew could barge in on us.

A moment later, as he came to stand next to me, he handed me a chilled bottle of water.

"Have I finally found something that impresses you?" he joked. His hand found my lower back and I took a steadying breath as heat spread through me. Matty added, "Thought I'd never see the day Ciaran Galbraith was dazzled by Vaulteneau wealth."

"Technically," I said, turning to meet his gaze, "I'm impressed with the view . Surely you're not suggesting the Vaulteneaus created the mountain ranges?"

"Ouch," Matty scoffed like he'd been wounded, though his bright smile belied the action. "You always keep me on my toes."

That gave me pause. "I have been giving you a difficult time ever since we met, haven't I?" I cracked open the water and drank it in one go. I didn't realize just how thirsty I was because it was the best thing I'd ever drunk in my life.

"You're not an easy customer," Matty agreed. "But that doesn't mean I want you to change. You challenge me."

He smoothed the hair off my forehead. I felt little drops of heat everywhere his fingers touched me.

"I suppose being torn away from my home made me a little cranky those first few days. Sorry."

I didn't know precisely when we were in each other's arms, but we were looking at each other instead of the view. There was nothing urgent or sexual in our embrace.

For my part, it seemed like we were becoming reacquainted before we took the next logical step. Perhaps Matty sensed I wanted to go slow. I think he wanted to go slow, too. I liked that we were in tune. So much had happened in the last few hours that neither of us were the same person since leaving Malibu.

"It's not like I was a delightful host when you arrived. In your defense, Ciaran…" he whispered, his fingers hooking into the belt loops at my hips. There was no mistaking the bulge growing in his pants. "I was hungover that morning."

I laughed. "Terrified of meeting your new stepbrother?"

The faint glow of the moon combined with the penthouse's low lights illuminated the darkening bruises and bright red cuts on Matty's face. We were close in height, so I had a full view of each contusion, lesion, and discoloration. I studied them like they were points on a map.

He had the air of a bruiser, a ruffian, and attired as he was in a black suit and white shirt, it added an element of danger to our coupling. He didn't appear to be in any pain, for which I was thankful.

"Terrified, no." His lips quirked into an easy smile. Heat radiated from his chest and I wanted to press even closer. "I was wary . I didn't know what to expect. But that was before I got to know you."

"And now?" I asked.

"You terrify me for other reasons."

"Oh?"

His voice was raw when he said, "You make me want to impress you, which is…" He paused. "Highly unusual for me. That's how I know this thing between us is real. I mean," he said, quickly amending, "it's real for me." Matty's cheeks turned scarlet. "I don't want to put words in your mouth."

"You're not putting words in my mouth, Matty." His expression instantly relaxed and a hitch formed in the back of my throat. "This is definitely real for me, too." I think I love you , I thought. I wasn't brave enough to say it. Instead, I said, "I really want to kiss you." Matty's face darkened with lust and he made a little noise in the back of his throat that sent a zinger straight to my hardening cock. "I want to do more than that actually. But," I added, holding up a hand, "we should get you patched up first." He glowered at me and I nearly laughed at how quickly his expression could change. "Does this penthouse castle have a first aid kit?"

"You," he said, his mouth twitching, "are a tease."

Matty took my hand and led me upstairs to the primary bathroom. When he flicked on the light, the brightness stung my eyes, but after blinking rapidly a few times, I adjusted quickly.

The bathroom boasted of a ginormous bathtub, a separate walk-in glass-paneled shower, gleaming white cabinets, his-and-her sinks beneath a large wall-length mirror, and, of course, a toilet behind a privacy half-wall.

The fixtures were, as expected, luxurious.

"Drew did a number on you," I said, giving his face a fresh inspection now that I could see it more clearly.

His lip was split in the corner, his swollen jaw was a blend of black and red, and the cut in his hairline looked angry. Matty's arms were scratched up, too. I thought he'd end up with a black eye, but Drew's punches hadn't found purchase on that part of Matty's face.

Matty opened a cabinet drawer and retrieved a first aid kit. "Yeah, well, he'll look worse." There was nothing boastful about his statement. "Plus, he'll be hobbling around for a while."

"No doubt," I agreed, "but it's not him I'm worried about."

Matty cocked his head. "You're worried about me?" He looked at himself in the mirror and waved a hand in front of his face. "Most of this is superficial, though my jaw hurts." He gingerly cupped the offending area to confirm his hypothesis. "I may have a loose molar."

"Okay, maybe ‘worried' is too strong a word." I opened the kit and sifted through its contents while Matty sat on the edge of the tub. "Do you think the first aid kit has a tooth extraction tool?" I laughed at Matty's horrified expression. "Kidding, of course."

"Sure hope you're joking."

I ran a soft washcloth under hot water, wrung it, and dabbed it at Matty's cuts and scrapes to remove dried blood. He winced a few times but never complained.

"You know," I started, "I've never had someone fight over me. I feel responsible for your cuts and bruises."

"In case it wasn't clear," he said, his trusting eyes finding mine, "I wanted to beat his ass for my own reasons, too. But I sure as hell wasn't about to sit there and let him insult you or insinuate that his actions over the last three years were your fault."

I felt too emotional to respond to that.

Once Matty's wounds were clean, I opened an antiseptic wipe and gently applied it to all his open cuts.

"Jeez," Matty breathed out as I attended to the cut at his forehead. "That seriously stings."

"Sorry," I said as I made quick work of applying antibacterial ointment and a Band-Aid to his forehead. I also placed a Band-Aid at a particular deep cut on his left arm. I sat back on my haunches. Even banged up, Matty was handsome. I imagined a mafia prince. "Thank you for defending me, Matty. Thank you for having my back."

"I'll always have your back, Ciaran."

Then, a heartbeat later, Matty started laughing at our image in the mirror.

I went to the sink to wash my hands. I spoke to his reflection in the mirror. "What's so funny?" I asked.

"Do you know the Disney film Beauty and the Beast ?" he asked. "You know, the cartoon. Belle and the furry Beast guy, and the talking clock and candlestick?"

"Um, yeah, I think so." I turned to face him as I dried my hands on a fresh towel. "Can't say I've seen it recently."

Matty was still sitting on the edge of the tub as he launched into his story.

"There's a scene where Belle tries to escape the Beast, because, you know, she hates him and because he doesn't know how to hold a spoon. She leaves the castle but almost immediately she's surrounded by all these hungry wolves who are like, Yum, tasty snack . It's the middle of winter. They start attacking her but the Beast arrives in the nick of time to save her, but he earns a few nasty wolf bites as a result. He passes out or whatever, and somehow little ol' Belle loads him on Philippe's back." Matty paused. "Philippe's the horse, by the way."

"I gathered as much," I said with a wry grin.

Matty was animated when he told stories. I didn't want him to stop. It kinda melted my heart.

"Anyway," Matty continued, "when they get back to the castle, she patches him up. They do some bickering, which my mom called ‘foreplay,' which I think checks out. As Belle cleans his wounds, she thanks the Beast for saving her life, and they become friends before falling in love at the end. It was my mom's favorite film," he said by way of explanation. "That's why I remember it pretty well." Matty rubbed the back of his neck. He cleared his throat. "So, yeah, that's why I laughed. You patching me up reminded me of that particular scene."

It took me a second to realize that Matty had told me something deeply personal and important about his relationship with his mom.

I wanted to ask about the "falling in love" part of his story, but I didn't want to rush things.

"I have a few memories like that with my dad," I said instead. "Mostly fuzzy memories of watching him put together model airplanes."

"I'm sorry he passed away but I'm glad you have memories of him."

"Thanks."

Matty smiled, stood, and inspected my medical handiwork in the mirror. "You're pretty good at fixing me up. First the KT Tape and now this."

Turning, he leaned against the counter beside me, his gaze heated.

His fingers brushed mine on the counter and my heart thumped.

"I have a serious question," I said. "Between the two of us, who is the Beauty and who is the Beast?"

I meant it as a light, teasing question but Matty didn't even hesitate when he answered, "I'm definitely the Beast, Ciaran." He stepped in front of me, his lips hovering inches away. "The things I want to do to you are downright beastly."

"Oh." I let out a soft moan. My eyes fluttered closed just as his lips found mine. The kiss was gentle, probing, remembering. He pressed himself against me and I felt the hard length of him through my jeans. "Does kissing hurt your lip?" I asked.

"A little," Matty admitted as he slanted his head to deepen the kiss, his stubble scratching my skin. He nibbled my lower lip. "But it hurts worse not to kiss you."

Matty clearly had a way with words.

"I can't argue with you there."

"Is this okay?" he asked, his hips rocking into mine. The friction was divine and my balls tightened, aching to be touched.

I nodded. "More than okay." I might pass out, actually.

Matty's hands skimmed up my back to my neck, then down the front of my chest. Then his fingers were at the hem of my shirt. "Can I remove your shirt?"

"Yes," I breathed out in response because I wasn't sure I was capable of stringing together multiple words.

Matty pulled away only long enough to remove my shirt, as well as his own, before crashing back into me. Skin on skin, his lips, tongue, and teeth lashed at my mouth, my throat. My knees were threatening to buckle.

My fingernails scraped his lower back, pulling him even closer, and he moaned in my ear. "God, I love it when you do that. It's so possessive."

A quick sliver of confusion sparkled in my brain. A hazy memory came to me. I'd done this before, but when?

The question fled my mind the moment when Matty's thumb flicked over one of my pebbled nipples. I cried out in unexpected pleasure.

"Fuck that feels amazing."

There was a throbbing ache everywhere …a deep, profound need within me that I could not articulate with words. It wasn't just in my groin. My fingertips tingled, my ears rang, my vision blurred. Butterflies invaded my stomach while my heart skipped multiple beats.

"More," I whimpered, not even sure what I was asking for.

Without a word, Matty ducked lower to suck my nipple into his mouth as he pinched the other. Pleasure zinged down my spine. The stubble on his jaw scratched my chest, which was a very new sensation.

My fingers dug into his hair. I couldn't look away even if I tried. Watching his tongue swirl around my nipple was incredibly erotic and I didn't want him to stop there.

He pulled back, a question in his lust-filled eyes. He looked approximately two seconds away from losing control and literally ravaging me. It reminded me of our first kiss, back in his bedroom closet.

"What's your line?" Matty asked roughly.

My brain wasn't working. "Huh?"

"What can we do? How far can we go? What are you comfortable with? It's completely your decision." His questions were rapid-fire fast.

In one of our earlier fumblings, when I was still confused about my feelings for Drew, I knew I couldn't take things too far with Matty.

Now, however, after gaining the closure I needed, I was more certain, and more comfortable, in taking things to the next step.

"Kissing and touching," I answered. "Lots and lots of touching. And I want to see all of you. I want to press myself against you. Maybe…maybe explore you with my hands? The rest makes me a little nervous, Matty."

"I understand." He swallowed and I wanted to suck on his Adam's apple. "I won't press you for anything you're not comfortable with."

"Can we take it one step at a time? Maybe discuss it before something new happens?"

"I want what you want." Matty's eyes flicked to the shower. It was large enough for five people, with multiple shower heads. Plus it had a bench.

"We could wash each other," Matty suggested.

"What?" Strangely, the idea hadn't entered my mind until now.

He grinned at me. "We could turn it into a dare. I dare you to take a shower with me, Ciaran. If something doesn't feel right to you, tell me and we'll stop. You can veto anything at any time, even if you say yes at first but change your mind."

Matty couldn't be more perfect, even if he tried.

"Dare accepted," I rasped out, loving that he wasn't putting too much pressure on me. I was nervous and excited at the same time. "That sounds amazing."

Matty stepped away and smiled like I'd given him a Christmas gift.

Then his hands went to his pants and he started undressing in front of me.