Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
M atthew lay on his side in post-orgasmic bliss, cuddled against Del's strong body with his head resting on the man's shoulder. His breathing and heart rate had finally returned to normal, but the remnants of subspace made him feel drugged as endorphins still flooded his system.
After walking into Matthew's apartment and shutting the door, they hadn't gone any further before Del pinned him against the wall and kissed him until his toes curled in his shoes. The Dom had quickly stripped them both, then pushed Matthew to his knees so he could fuck his mouth. It hadn't taken long for Del to blow his load down Matthew's throat. The sub liked to think that was due to a combination of the man being so hard and hot for him, his talented tongue, and his ability to deep-throat without choking.
Before Matthew was able to gloat, Del had dragged him into the shower, where he tortured the submissive. He'd grabbed his toy bag from his car after Matthew had parked next to it in the lot. While water pelted Matthew, clamps pinched his nipples and balls. A cock ring went on next, followed by a prostate massager being shoved up his ass. Del had edged him over and over, until Matthew was a babbling and begging mess, before finally allowing him to come. Matthew didn't think he'd ever climaxed as hard as he did then.
Once he was strong enough to stand without help, Del cleaned him up and toweled them dry before steering Matthew into the bedroom. As exhausted as he was, Matthew couldn't fall asleep. Honestly, he didn't want to. Not when the most incredible man he ever met was in his bed.
Tracing random shapes on Del's chest with a single finger, Matthew lifted a leg and draped it over the other man's thighs. They fit together perfectly as if they'd been made for each other. Everything had happened so fast that Matthew was afraid to say the words that were on the tip of his tongue. He was in love with this man. He had to be since he'd never felt like this before. Images of the two of them sharing new experiences, having kids someday, growing old together, and more flashed through his mind. Del was the yin to Matthew's yang, the sun to his moon, the cream to his coffee, the peanut butter to his jelly. Okay, subspace still scattered his thoughts a little, but despite that, he knew Del was the man, the Dom , he'd waited for all his life.
Del ran his hand over Matthew's hip. "There's something we need to talk about, pup."
"Uh-oh. That sounds ominous." He felt, rather than heard, Del's soft snort.
"You like that word, don't you?"
He pushed onto his elbow and stared down at Del. "When you use that serious but sexy voice and say we have to talk about something? Uh, yeah, that's the only word that comes to mind. I don't know if whatever you're about to say is something good or if you're about to tell me this thing between us was fun while it lasted and then kick me to the curb."
Before the last syllable was out of his mouth, Matthew found himself flat on his back with Del's bigger body on top of him. The Dom scowled. "I have no intention of kicking you to the curb, pup."
It occurred to Matthew to retort that since they were in his apartment, that was probably the wrong idiom to use, but Del didn't give him a chance to say anything, crushing their mouths together in a searing kiss. Seconds, minutes, hours, or maybe even eons later, Matthew panted for oxygen when Del pulled away. "I love you, Matthew. I know that sounds crazy because we've only known each other for a short time, but I've never felt this way. And I've never said those words to anyone in my life other than my mother. I can't imagine my life without you. Can't remember what it was like before I met you. You're mine for as long as you'll have me. I'm hoping it'll be forever."
Gaping, Matthew stared at him. His brain had short-circuited just as it'd done during his earlier orgasm. "L-love? You love me? D-did I hear you right, or am I dreaming?" He pinched his own nipple hard and yelped. "Nope! Not dreaming."
Del laughed. "No, you're not dreaming or hearing things, pup. Maybe my timing is wro??—"
"No! I mean, I—I love you too. I think I fell in love with you the first night we met when you grabbed my wrist and brushed your thumb over it." He could still remember the shiver that went down his spine and the tingles he'd felt all over. Then again, those things happened every time Del touched him.
Leaning down, Del kissed him again, then rolled onto his back, taking Matthew with him until they were in their original position. "Okay, now. About that thing I wanted to talk about??—"
"You mean it wasn't the fact that you love me?" He tilted his chin so he could see Del's face.
"While that was an important side subject, and it makes what I have to say a little easier, I hope??—"
"Sir, you're scaring me now." Matthew had never heard his Dom sound so unsure of himself, and worry flooded him. They'd just said "I love you" to each other, so why did it feel like a bomb would explode in the room?
Del took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I told you I create apps and do coding for a living through my own company."
"Right. While I wasn't paying attention." When Del growled and pinched Matthew's side, he squealed and tried to shift away. "Sorry! I'm paying attention now. I promise."
"Good." Pulling Matthew closer again, Del brushed his lips across the younger man's forehead. "So, about three years ago, I created a fitness app. It gained popularity, and another company approached me last year to buy it. I was surprised, but after months of negotiations, we completed the sale. That was right before I moved here."
"Wow, that's great." Matthew didn't know what else to say. Other than using apps, he had no clue what went into creating them. "But why didn't you keep it? I mean, don't you make money through in-app purchases and advertisers?"
After a few heartbeats, Del responded, "Matthew, I sold it for six hundred fifty million dollars."
A deafening silence descended over the room. Matthew tried to comprehend what Del had said and thought he was hearing things again. Maybe he should make an appointment to see an audiologist.
"Pup?"
Confused, he sat up, his gaze darting around Del's face. "I'm sorry. It sounded like you said s-six hundred fifty . . . m-million dollars."
"Yeah, that was pretty much my reaction at first too."
Matthew's eyes widened. "You're a . . . a . . . a . . ." He gulped, unable to say the word on the tip of his tongue.
"A millionaire. Yes. Actually, a multi-millionaire." Del ran a hand down his face. "God, it's still so weird to say out loud or even think about."
"Whoooooa." Dumbfounded, he sat stock still and tried to think of something to say. His brain was fried from the shock. "I—I—I think I'm speechless for the first time in my life."
A bark of laughter erupted from Del. "Well, if that's the case, I'm honored to be the cause of it." He pulled Matthew back down to rest against his side. "Very few people know. My two best friends, Randy and Brian, the owners of The Covenant, whoever did my background check for the club, and people at the company that bought it from me. Oh, and my fucking father knows."
"How did he find out?" From what little he'd heard about Del's sperm donor, there was no love there—just well-deserved hate. He couldn't imagine Del telling the man he was now a millionaire.
"I'm not sure. The only thing I can think of is he somehow discovered that DelTech is my company and heard about the sale when it was announced to the media. Showed up at my apartment in Ohio the next day, demanding five million dollars. Said he deserved it since the only reason I was alive was because he got my mother knocked up."
"What a fucking asshole! I hope you kicked his ass!"
Del smirked. "In hindsight, I wish I did. Instead, I slammed the door in his face and called the cops when he wouldn't leave. Got a restraining order the next day and decided to move."
"What made you pick Tampa?"
"One of my best friends was a Major League baseball player, and I came down here almost every year to watch the pre-season games. I liked the area, so I decided to move here."
Matthew popped back up into a sitting position again. "Wait a minute. You're good friends with a Major League player? Who?"
"He's retired now, but Brian Hendrix."
This time, he jumped off the bed, ran his hands through his hair, and paced the room. "Okay. I'm not asleep, so that means I'm in some sort of parallel universe where my perfect Dom just told me, A—he loves me. B—he's a goddessdamn multi-millionaire. And C—he's best friends with Brian Fucking Hendrix! The Brian Hendrix who won three World Series rings, Most Valuable Player in two of them, played in eight All-Star games, and was Rookie of the Year in his first MLB season."
Del chuckled. "Do you know his stats off the top of your head too?"
He stopped short, put his hands on his hips, and glared at Del. "If you want me to, I can rattle them off. Oh, my goddess!" He pointed at the man laughing in his bed. "If you ever introduce me to him, you'll have to pick me up when I faint. He was my favorite player for years. I cried when he announced his retirement."
"If you tell me you had a crush on him, I'll never introduce you."
Climbing onto the bed, he crawled over Del's naked body and kissed him. "Can I add something to our contract?"
"What?" Del asked warily.
"You don't tell me about your past crushes, and I don't tell you about mine?"
Del swatted Matthew's ass. "Brat."
"But I'm your brat."
Flipping their positions, Del ground his erection against Matthew's. "Damn right, you are."