“Should we rescue him?” Andy asked, watching as Tory circled back toward Ethan like a particularly well-dressed shark.
“Absolutely not,” Matt replied, pulling Andy closer. “This is the most entertainment I’ve had since getting out of the hospital.”
The evening progressed in a blur of expensive wine and even more expensive laughter. Daniel’s kids and Aria had finally crashed from their sugar high, all three of them curled up likecats on one of the oversized sofas. Aria was nestled between Ella and Logan, her little tiara slightly askew, while Sophie took pictures that would undoubtedly become future blackmail material. James kept glancing over at his sleeping daughter with soft eyes, even as Mia and Savannah had him cornered in an elaborate discussion about interior design that had him looking increasingly alarmed.
Matt watched it all from his vantage point, content to have Andy warm against his side and his family safe and happy around him. Even the sight of Xavier subtly maneuvering closer to Ryan throughout the evening couldn’t dampen his mood.
“I swear to God, Ethan, if you don’t go talk to him, I will tell him about the shrine of magazine clippings under your bed,” Fin’s theatrical whisper carried across the room.
“I do not have a shrine!” Ethan hissed back, though his face suggested otherwise. “And they’re business articles. For research.”
“Right,” Fin drawled. “Because normal people ‘research’ shirtless charity calendar photos.”
Matt couldn’t help it—he burst out laughing, nearly choking on his drink. Andy patted his back, trying and failing to hide his own amusement.
“Your best friend’s quite the matchmaker,” Matt managed once he’d recovered.
“Oh, you have no idea.” Andy grinned. “He once tried to set me up with our mailman because, and I quote, ‘he has good benefits and strong hands from carrying packages all day.’”
“Should I be jealous?”
“Of Mr. Smith and his arthritis? Probably not.”
The cool evening air beckoned through the open balcony doors, and Matt found himself craving a moment of quiet with Andy. He stood, tugging Andy with him, ignoring his mother’s knowing look as they slipped away from the party.
The Las Vegas skyline sparkled before them like a carpet of stars brought down to earth, the desert wind carrying the faint scent of night-blooming jasmine from his mother’s prized garden below. Matt wrapped his arms around Andy from behind, pulling him close against his chest.
“So,” Matt murmured against Andy’s ear, “want to tell me about Fin’s master plan to marry his brother off to a billionaire?”
Andy laughed, leaning back into Matt’s embrace. “He thinks he’s being subtle about it. Yesterday, he actually made a pros and cons list. Pros included ‘probably has a yacht’ and ‘definitely knows what wine goes with fancy cheese.’”
“And the cons?”
“‘Might be too tall for kitchen counter makeouts,’” Andy quoted. “Apparently, Fin’s worried about the height difference. Tory’s got almost half a foot on Ethan.” He smirked. “I told him he shouldn’t worry about that. After all, you’ve got several inches on me, and we manage just fine with… creative positions.”
Matt’s laughter rumbled through both their bodies. “Should we tell him Tory’s been asking about Ethan’s work schedule for weeks?”
“God, no.” Andy turned in Matt’s arms, eyes sparkling with mischief. “Let him think his masterful plan is working. It’s the most fun he’s had since he tried to train his goldfish to do tricks.”
“How did that work out?”
“Let’s just say the funeral was very tasteful.”
Matt pressed a soft kiss to Andy’s temple, breathing in the familiar scent of his shampoo mixed with the desert night air. Below them, the party’s warmth and laughter spilled out through the French doors, carrying snippets of conversation—Tory’s deep laugh, Ryan’s animated voice as he chatted with Xavier, and what sounded suspiciously like Fin giving Ethan a pep talk about “seizing the moment and the billionaire.”
“Speaking of seizing moments,” Andy said, his tone shifting to something more serious despite his playful smile. “I talked to Eddie about upgrading your security.”
“Andy—”
“Nope, not negotiable. Eddie’s already assigned four new personal bodyguards to your detail. They’ll work in rotation, two at a time, more… closely than your usual security team.”
Matt raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been plotting with my head of security?”
“Obviously. Also, I’m developing a security system specifically for you. Eddie thinks it’ll complement the current protocols nicely.”
“I already have?—”
“Matt, you once ditched your security team to get coffee at three in the morning.”
