“Emimi!” Damien shucked off his suit jacket and squatted down, opening his arms. Emily rushed into them. “What trouble did you get into today? Did you give your dad a hard time?”
“No.” Emily hugged him, then hopped back. She held the tablet to her chest. “I was a good girl… sorta.” After a moment spent in consideration, she flipped the screen around and held it up to Damien. “Say hi to Grammie.”
“Hello, Mimi!” Clarissa sounded as cheerful as ever. “I’m Grammie. It’s nice to meet the man Emily has been talking so much about.”
“Only good things, I hope.”
“She definitely didn’t reveal your evil plan to take over the world by harnessing the power of her cuteness, if that’s what you’re getting at.”
With Damien around, there were too many distractions to get more work done. Matthew closed his laptop and set it aside, then stretched his arms high over his head and climbed off the pullout bed to welcome his lover home. He slotted against Damien’s side and slipped his arms around his waist, kissed his cheek, then turned his head to greet Clarissa. Her hair was up in a loose bun and by the looks of it, she was on the couch in her pajamas. “Hi, Grammie.”
“Look at you!” Clarissa cooed. “You’re glowing. Having a gorgeous man on your arm is a good look for you.”
Damien winked. “I’m New York’s number one most irresistible accessory.”
“Mimi, you talk funny.” Emily spun the tablet around so the screen was pointed at her. “Doesn’t he talk funny, Grammie?” Before Clarissa could respond, Emily forged ahead with the next topic of conversation. “Wanna hear ’bout the names I gave the penguins at middle park?”
She wandered off and climbed onto the pullout bed, bringing Clarissa with her.
“Well, that was the shortest introduction in the history of ever.” Damien leaned in to whisper in Matthew’s ear, “That was your mom, right? Did I make a good impression?”
“My mom’s not in the picture. That’s Alex’s mom, so she’s technically Emily’s great-grandmother.”
“Great-grandmother?”
“Families get weird when your dad marries someone half his age.” Matthew wrinkled his nose. “And I guess it’s getting weirder yet now that we’re together.”
“Speaking of weird families…” A seriousness came over Damien that Matthew rarely saw. “Tonight is my father’s birthday. I was thinking that it would be a great time to introduce you… and to share our big news. Are you interested?”
“Interested? Are you kidding?” Matthew latched his arms around Damien’s neck and leaned in close to nip his earlobe. It might have been his imagination, but he thought he felt Damien shiver. “I’d love to meet him, Daddy. It would be an honor.”
* * *
Later that night, once Emily was soundly asleep, Matthew crawled onto the bed and sat next to Damien, who was tugging at his sleeves to get the seams of his shirt to line up with his shoulders.
“You look fine,” Matthew said. He smoothed the front of Damien’s shirt.
Damien shot him a look.
“What? I’m telling the truth.” Matthew cozied up to him, twining his legs with Damien’s in a bid to distract him. By the way Damien reached around to cup his ass, it seemed to work. “Besides, your dad isn’t going to notice if your shirt is wrinkled or not.”
Damien uttered a mangled sound of pleasure and betrayal, not all that unlike a bear with a full stomach that had just stumbled into a honey factory. He slouched onto the headboard, bringing Matthew down with him so they were chest to chest, then kissed him slowly and passionately. Matthew melted into his touch, matching his passion. By the time the kiss ended, Damien seemed much more at peace.
“Better?” Matthew kissed the corner of Damien’s lips.
“Marginally.”
“You liar.” Another kiss. Matthew wove his fingers through Damien’s hair, aware that he’d be responsible for fixing it before Damien called his father. “If you’re not careful, Emily’s going to catch wind that you’re lying and she’s going to come chop you. I’ve seen her do it. The boyfriend before you? Chopped right in half.”
“I’m terrified.” Damien turned his head and captured Matthew’s lips again. Matthew didn’t try to stop him. Damien’s touch was a drug, and now that he’d had a taste of it, his body craved more. Their passion rekindled just like it had been before—slow and steady, but smoldering. It fed into Matthew’s addiction, both sating his need and amplifying it.
Did they have time for a quickie before Damien made his call?
God, he hoped they did.
His hand strayed down Damien’s side until it found his belt, but as soon as his fingers made contact, Damien took his hand and guided it away. The kiss ended. Matthew groaned. He would have liked to say that it was a dignified sound, but the reality was that it was woefully petulant.
“After the call, baby.” Damien slid out from beneath him and sat up straight. He brushed at his shirt several times to chase away perceived wrinkles. “You can take comfort in knowing that it’s going to be awkward as fuck talking to my dad with a raging boner.”
