Monster mash, p.20
Monster Mash, page 20
Ben nudged a water bottle into my hand and I took it, offering it to Ezra. “What changed?”
“Everything,” he said, and paused to chug half the bottle. He was still smiling when he lowered the bottle. “You changed everything, Matteo. I realized that today. I’ve been so caught up in my own fear of losing you that I was pushing away the best thing that’s ever happened to me. You.” He took a deep breath. “Your love is so sweet, it makes me want to dance.”
For once, it was me blushing when the crowd unanimously cooed, “Awww.”
Still grinning widely, Ezra took my hand. He stepped in and stood up on his tiptoes to press a kiss to my cheek. “We still have some things to talk about,” he said quietly, “but I wanted you to know how you make me feel, Matteo.”
“You could’ve waited for tomorrow,” I pointed out. “I was planning on making you breakfast.”
“And you still can,” he said, running his hands over the dirty front of my apron. “But let’s have dinner tonight and talk somewhere quiet.”
“Where at?”
“You pick.”
I lifted an eyebrow. “You sure you want to give up that much control all at once?”
His eyes lit up with familiar heat and he smirked. “I think I’m ready to give up a lot more when it comes to you.”
“Kiss already!” Ben shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth. “Kiss! Kiss!” He pumped a fist in the air.
The crowd took up the chant until it was a dull roar echoing through the shop.
“What do you say we give the people what they want?” Ezra said.
I grinned and leaned down to kiss him amidst cheers and clapping from my patrons. For the first time in days, I had the feeling that everything was going to turn out just fine.
Matteo took me to a fish and chips place down on the boardwalk, a little bar with outdoor seating. The outdoor area was mostly empty, so we sat there, enjoying the evening sea breeze and the sunset. On any normal date, the aesthetic would have been romantic enough to sweep me off my feet and straight into bed. With Matteo, I wasn’t even sure we’d make it back to my bed.
But we needed to get this conversation out of the way first.
He ordered fish and chips with spicy ketchup for both of us and folded his arms on top of the table, meeting my eyes. “So.”
“So,” I agreed. “Where do we start?”
“With an apology.” He reached across the table to take my hand. “I never meant to hurt you, Ezra, but I did. I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness but—”
“Just stop, Matteo.” I squeezed his hand. “You have it. And we were both in the wrong. I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did and pushed you away. I needed you, but I wasn’t sure how to tell you that. I had convinced myself already that you were ready to move on.”
“No,” Matteo said quickly. “I’m not going anywhere.” He pulled his hand back. “I imagine you have questions. I’m happy to explain if you want to know more.”
I sucked in a breath and nodded. “I think I need to. I don’t want there to be any resentment over this. Best we clear the air now completely.” I chewed on my bottom lip for a moment while he waited patiently for me to put my thoughts into words. “I suppose the most obvious question is why? Is it for the money?”
Matteo nodded. “That’s how it started. Beefcakes is doing well now, but it wasn’t always. Once upon a time, I was just a dumb kid with a dream and a dollar. I needed a lot more dollars to open a bakery in L.A. My family has money but…” He sighed and looked away. “They aren’t accepting of who I am, so we parted ways. I had to find my own way in the world, and the world’s expensive.”
I nodded, understanding completely. I’d been lucky that both my parents had left me a sizeable inheritance, and Enchanted Moments.
“But it’s not just the money,” Matteo said, picking up his lemon water to sip it. “I don’t want to make it sound like I didn’t have a chance. I did it because I liked doing it, Ezra.”
I was quiet for a moment. The next question was the one I was dreading the most for some reason, but it needed to be asked. “What do you like about it?”
He shrugged. “The fantasy of it, I guess. Call it a fetish or a kink or whatever, but I’m into it. Being watched. Knowing someone wants me enough to spend money to see me and hear me.”
“You’re an exhibitionist.”
“Of a sort,” he agreed. “But it’s this specific thing. And I can live without it. It’s not worth losing you over.”
I licked my lips and shifted in my chair. “Is it…strangers? I’m sorry. I’m just trying to understand.”
“That doesn’t matter to me. Honestly, I kind of don’t think about who’s on the other end. It’s about the performance itself and being paid to do it. But that doesn’t matter now. I’ve given that up, Ezra. You asked me to, so I did.”
I considered what he was saying carefully. As uncomfortable as it made me that he made the videos in the first place, I wasn’t foolish enough to believe his desires and needs would just go away. That was the sort of thing that could breed resentment in a relationship, and eventually it’d lead to a breakdown in communication.
I put my fingers on my glass of sweet tea, turning it in a circle. “I’m not comfortable with you making public videos, Matteo.”
“I won’t make any,” he promised.
“Let me finish.” I met his eyes. “But if it’s something you need, I think there are ways we can explore that together going forward. Ways that we both agree on.”
He blinked as if he hadn’t been expecting that answer. “Really?”
“I don’t see why not,” I said with a shrug. “You’re forgetting that I was watching you.”
“You were?”
I blushed and squirmed. “I was CastleLuver.”
Matteo chuckled. “Well, damn. I was wondering how you figured me out.”
“Anyway, a performer needs an audience. I’m sure we can arrange some very sexy video calls a few times a month. If you put on a good show, it’s only proper to tip, isn’t it?”
His brows furrowed, and he looked me up and down. “You’re serious?”
“Have you ever known me to be anything other than serious?” The chair creaked as I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table and my chin on my palm. “I meant what I wrote on that note earlier, you know. I know we haven’t known each other very long, but these last two weeks have been the best in my life. I feel like I wasn’t really living until the day I walked into Beefcakes.”
Matteo grinned and tipped his head to one side. His horns briefly framed the setting sun like a halo. “Feeling’s mutual in both respects. I was sort of floundering before you walked in. Feels like I woke up from a long sleep. I know you wrote it, but I’d sure like to hear you say it out loud. If you don’t mind.”
I reached across the table and Matteo met me halfway, our fingers intertwining. “I love you, Matteo Reyes.”
He smiled warmly. “And I love you, Ezra Higgins.”
We leaned across the table to catch each other’s lips briefly, but had to part when the server skated up with our dinners.
“And just so you know, Sugar,” Matteo said, squeezing his lemon wedge over his battered fish. “If you ever want to do a sexy little dance for me and strip, I absolutely will not complain.”
I laughed and flushed. “I’ll keep that in mind. Maybe after this?”
He turned his head, looking out over the beach. “Actually, I was thinking about a walk down the beach after this. Then some long slow kissing in the sand while the tide comes in.”
I hummed in agreement and dipped one of my chips in the spicy ketchup. “Then maybe back to your place this time?”
“My place?” He lifted an eyebrow. “And what will we do there?”
“That depends on if you have any whipped cream or chocolate syrup to spare,” I said, considering the chip.
A cockeyed grin appeared on his face. “You know, I think I do. I might have a couple of silk ties somewhere, too, if you were serious about giving up more control.”
My breath caught in my chest and I had to bite my lip to keep a moan from escaping. I couldn’t stop myself from imagining myself tied up and at his mercy while he licked all manner of sweet and salty things off of my body. “Fuck me,” I muttered. “You’re a right bastard for making me hard in public, Matteo.”
His grin only widened. “I live to serve.”
After dinner, we went down to the beach for a walk. There were other couples taking in the sunset, and some of them cast us long, curious looks. It wasn’t often one saw a human and minotaur couple, I supposed. I was worried at first that all the glances would make Ezra uncomfortable again, but he didn’t seem to mind.
He paused at the edge of the sand and lifted his foot, pulling off his shoes.
“What are you doing?” I tipped my head to one side.
“Nothing like a little sand between your toes,” he said and then laughed. “Although I’m not sure it’s as pleasant on hooves.”
“I don’t mind it,” I said with a shrug.
Ezra tied his shoes together by the shoestrings and draped them around his neck before intertwining his fingers in mine. “You know, I haven’t ever really been out here when I wasn’t working.”
“Really?”
He shrugged. “Sometimes couples have photoshoots at the beach, but I’ve never had any reason to come out here by myself. It’s kind of nice.”
“Even better with company,” I added, lifting his knuckles to my lips.
Ezra blushed and glanced toward one of the other couples walking on the beach, his brows coming together slightly.
“You sure you’re okay with this?” I asked.
He flashed me a bright smile. “Yeah, it’s just going to take me a little while to get used to being seen.”
“We’ll go slow with that.” I squeezed his hand, and he squeezed back appreciatively. “How was your spa day? Get everything sorted out with the tuxes?”
Ezra let out a small groan. “The spa was gorgeous. No lie, it’s nice to have famous friends. I might get a little spoiled. As for the tuxes, it’s mostly sorted. This wedding has been one small disaster after another.”
I listened as he talked about work, how he wished he hadn’t had to rush to get everything done on Adam and Inzo’s timeline. They were eager to tie the knot, but their timeline was insane, especially considering the wedding was going to be filmed. Apparently, some network had roped Adam and Inzo into co-hosting a cooking contest to find the next culinary superstar, and the producers wanted to cut in scenes of their wedding for one of the episodes. It was Ezra’s first time coordinating a wedding with television producers, and it was frustrating the hell out of him.
No wonder he was so stressed. I hadn’t realized there was so much on his plate.
“Have you thought about expanding Enchanted Moments?” I suggested.
Ezra sighed. “I’d love to. Right now, it’s just me and Gary, but we’re booked up for over a year and I’m starting to realize I just can’t do this by myself. Problem is, all I can afford is that tiny office and there’s no space for anything else. We don’t even meet our clients in the office because it’s so cramped.” He looked up at me. “I really need this wedding to go off without a hitch, Matteo, because if it does, that opens up a whole new future for Enchanted Moments.”
I nodded. “Well, you can take worrying about the cake off your plate. I’ve got it covered.”
“Thank you,” he said, leaning into me. “Now if I can just get the caterer, the photographer, and everyone else on board, we’ll be golden.”
We came up on a line of beach huts and I had an idea. I glanced around to make sure no one was paying too much attention before quickly wrapping an arm around Ezra’s middle and pulling him toward one of the beach huts. He let out a surprised squeak as I pinned him against the side of one, his feet dangling off the ground. His gasp turned into a groan when I kissed him.
Ezra threw his arms around my neck, fingers digging into the back of my head. “Matteo, don’t let me go.”
“Never,” I promised. “As long as you hold on to me, Sugar, I’ll always hold you up.”
He made a small sound like a whimper in the back of his throat and hooked his legs around my waist, holding onto me with everything he was. I moved one hand to his perfect ass, both to hold him up and to cop a feel slyly. He laughed as if I’d tickled him and squirmed so much I nearly dropped him. So that I didn’t, I shifted my weight back and wound up losing my balance, anyway. I fell on my back in the sand, and he landed on top of me, laughing like he didn’t have a care in the world.
My grin faded when he sat up, the lighthearted moment gaining weight when I saw him framed against the fading light. Bathed in blue shadow on one side and the dying glitter of the setting sun on the other, and with stars over his head, he was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, especially now that he was smiling. I reached up to cup his cheek and his laughter stopped short, though his smile didn’t fade.
He turned his head and kissed my palm. “Take me back to your place.”
“Now?”
He nodded and slid off of me, dusting sand from his palms before offering me a hand. I got up, ignoring his hand to take him instead. He let out a mock scream as I threw him over my shoulder and left him there, walking back toward the car.
“I didn’t mean carry me!” he shouted, but I could tell from his tone he was more amused than upset. He didn’t even seem to care that people were turning their heads, watching us.
“By the time I’m done with you, that’ll be the only way you get around. You’ll be too sore to walk.”
He snickered. “Promises, promises.”
“I mean it. If you’ve got plans tomorrow, you’d better cancel them now.” I lowered him to stand in the sand, took his phone out of his pocket and shoved it at him.
He stared at the phone in his palm. It had always been his crutch, an escape when things got too heavy, and a rather annoying interruption, but I understood. He needed that phone.
Ezra looked up at me, smirked, and tossed it over his shoulder. “I can’t think of anyone I want to talk to that isn’t you.”
“No important calls to make? No last-minute details to iron out or work-related emergencies?”
“Nope.” He hooked an arm around mine. “I’m all yours. Now, take me home and make me forget how to say everything except your name.”
I grinned ear to ear, tail waving. “Gladly.”
We made it about three steps before he pulled away and ran back to grab his phone from the sand. He dusted it off and walked back, blushing slightly. “What? It’s an expensive model!”
I laughed and put an arm around him, drawing him in for a kiss. “Just put it on silent, Sugar. That’s good enough for me.”
The first time I’d been in Matteo’s apartment, I hadn’t really looked around. The design matched the rest of him, though: easygoing and modern with a touch of chaos.
He left me alone in the apartment after giving me a quick tour and went downstairs to the bakery to get a few things. I made my way around the living room, pausing to adjust how a blanket was thrown across the arm of the sofa. He had photos on his wall of other minotaurs all gathered in front of buildings, at tables, at the beach.
His cousins, I realized as I recognized Ben in one of the photos. I picked one up, my chest warming as I took in Matteo’s proud smile as he held up a decorated cake while Ben held a chainsaw as if he were going to cut the cake with it.
He’d said the rest of his family didn’t approve of his life, so he’d left them behind, but he was still close with his cousins. Seeing him with his family made me ache slightly for mine. Mum would have loved Matteo. Dad would’ve been wary for a while until he saw how happy I was and then he would’ve come around.
The door to the apartment opened and Matteo came in, carrying a tote bag.
I held up the photo. “Ben’s your cousin?”
“Second cousin,” Matteo confirmed with a nod. “The other one in that photo is Zane. He’s my step-cousin. And that one’s Nikki. She has a little coffee shop with her wife up in Sacramento. You’ll like Nikki and Laura. They’re amazing. Other one there, Valentino, he’s kind of a dick, but if you ever need help moving, him and his wife Beth own a moving company in Santa Clarita.”
“You have a pretty big family,” I observed, putting the photo back.
He swept in to pull me to him for another kiss. “You’re a part of that family now, Ezra.”
My throat was suddenly tight. I’d been alone for so long. After losing Mum, I thought it would be that way forever. I’d forgotten what it was like to be a part of a family. Maybe I wouldn’t be good at it. Maybe they wouldn’t accept me. I was a human, after all.
Matteo seemed to sense what I was thinking. He tipped my chin up so I had to look at him. “They’ll love you as much as I do.”
“I don’t want to think about all that,” I muttered and buried my face against his chest. “Tonight, I want it to just be us.”
“It’s just us tonight, Sugar,” He promised. “You want to take a bath? Get all the sand and sweat off while I get everything ready?”
I nodded.
Matteo made me a hot bubble bath and brought me a glass of wine to help me relax while he went into the bedroom to make it presentable. I didn’t think it looked that bad when I glanced in, but he insisted.
“I could get used to this treatment, you know,” I called from the bathroom.
“That’s the idea.”
I heard him kick something and shut a door and had to smile at myself. He was going to such lengths to make me comfortable. I’d never had someone treat me like I mattered so much. He didn’t know it yet, but there was no way I was ever letting Matteo go again. I just hope he isn’t too keen on a big wedding.
I didn’t bother getting dressed, coming out of the bathroom naked to lean against the doorway, the nearly empty wine glass in my hand. Matteo was just finishing installing an under the bed restraint system, the black Velcro cuffs stark against his red, white and blue quilt. On top of the quilt, he’d laid out one of those washable, waterproof pads, the kind specially designed for messy, kinky sex. My cock twitched and started to harden as soon as I spied bottles of chocolate and caramel syrup on the bedstand.
