Reunited: Matchmakers Book 4

by Declan Rhodes

  “Do you need any help here?”

  I startled Kenneth. He turned sharply on his heel. His eyes opened wide, and I watched as he scanned my body from head to toe. Then his gaze came back to rest at approximately chest level.

  When I suddenly understood why he was so transfixed, I wanted to turn tail and run back to the bedroom. I didn’t think about the fact that I’d wandered out into the kitchen in only pajama pants until Kenneth refused to look away from my body. He was fully dressed exactly like the night before. My next impulse was to try and cover any part of my body with wildly flailing hands. It only took seconds to realize the attempt was absurd. Kenneth saw it all in the past except for the few stray gray chest hairs.

  “Damn. Did I wake you?”

  After I considered a lie for a brief moment, I said, “Yeah, but I should have expected that. It’s not a new experience. Remember that morning at Sanibel Island in Florida? You tried so hard to be quiet, and then you spotted a bug. I woke on the first morning of vacation to the slap-slap sounds of the flyswatter—over and over again.”

  A sheepish grin spread across Kenneth’s face. “I’d forgotten about that, but—in my defense—it was an ugly moth. I worried that if I let it go, it would fly to the bedroom and wake you up.”

  “So, you got out ahead of the bug and did the job yourself. Is that the lesson from that day?”

  Kenneth held his arms behind his back. I wondered whether he struggled to stop himself from reaching out to touch me, or if that was only my imagination. I blinked when I thought about how he used to let his hands move over my torso with a light rubbing, kneading motion while we cuddled up and kiss. Fuck! I’ll make myself hard in the pajama pants.

  “As long as you’re up, how about some coffee?” Kenneth turned toward the coffeemaker. He made a fruitless attempt to glance over his shoulder at me discreetly. “I could whip an omelet up for you, too. I saw some diced ham and good quality cheese in your fridge.”

  I couldn’t deny that I enjoyed the attention. I’d worked hard to keep my body in shape and fight against the early signs of aging. Many of my friends carried bellies that started to bulge as they grew older. Mine was still firm. Plenty of intense abdominal work in the gym kept it that way. I paid my trainer well, and he delivered results.

  When the coffeemaker beeped, I stepped up close to Kenneth to grab my mug. When he sensed my approach, he stepped to the side to give me at least three feet of clearance. I fought the desire to reach out and tear his shirt open and send buttons flying. I knew that kind of impulsive behavior would only lead to dark corridors neither of us necessarily wanted to visit.

  Instead of sending us headlong into a morning of gropes and moans, I grabbed the coffee, poured in some cream, and retreated to the kitchen table with a spoon and mug in hand. The slight wiggle in Kenneth’s backside as he turned on an angle and twisted his omelet pan to swirl the liquefied egg almost derailed my plans.

  After he set my plate in front of me, to my surprise, Kenneth reached out and touched my face. He said, “I sell concealer that would take care of that. Those dark circles age you. There’s no reason that you have to look like you haven’t slept for two days.”

  “You really know how to hurt a man first thing in the morning.”

  Kenneth grabbed a mug of coffee and sat opposite me. His gaze started to drift downward, and then he pulled it back to stare into my face. “I only want to help your face match all of the rest. I think you’re in even better shape than when we were a thing.”

  I loved flattery. Everybody who knew me well understood that. Any time the atmosphere grew tense at Match Made, Blake and Iris knew that it was time to try and appeal to my vanity to smooth over the strained atmosphere. I didn’t try to raise the erotic temperature of the morning with Kenneth, but my next words possibly came out that way.

  “From what I can see, you’ve kept yourself in shape, too. Unfortunately, that shirt covers up most of what you’d have to show. I was on a cruise not long ago, and most of the guys with great bodies were younger than us. We’re ahead of the crowd.”

  Kenneth blushed. “That’s a wonderful compliment. I visit the gym regularly, too—at least four times a week. It’s not easy, but I don’t need to tell you that.”

  I wanted to fold my arms over my chest and bark out an order that my trainer gave me one day out of the blue. “I want to see the results.” He didn’t have a sexual interest in my body, but he insisted that I peel off my shirt and allow him to inspect the muscle development.

  I fought to keep my mouth shut and rose to refill my coffee. Kenneth slapped the right side of his chest. “My trainer has me focused up here right now. He thought I was a little unbalanced because of all the stationary cycling I did over the winter.”

  The moment I turned back to the table, my hard cock drew my attention below my waist. Without any thought, I let out a small groan. My hand began to move down to cover the tent in my pajama pants, but I knew that motion would only draw more attention.

  Kenneth tried to look without looking. He failed. I found my way to my seat as quickly as possible to hide what was happening—knowing that he was watching only made it worse. While I sipped my coffee, I pulled my feet up onto the sofa and my knees as close to my chest as I could get them.

  I heard the telltale sounds of a deep breath, followed by a slow exhale. Kenneth rose to place his dishes in the dishwasher. When he returned, he put a hand on my shoulder. “Can we share one more hug before I go?”

  I glanced down at myself. “I hope you don’t mind me half-dressed like this. I feel like I don’t have myself together yet.”

  “Did you think I didn’t notice when I thought about the hug? Honestly, Daniel, it takes every ounce of my fortitude to keep from ogling you nonstop. I feel ridiculously fortunate that you came out here without a shirt on. That means that you won’t get away without me hugging a bit of that flesh.”

  I’d had enough. “Damn you.”

  Kenneth attempted an innocent gaze. “What’d I do now?”

  “Bastard.” I rose to my feet, faced Kenneth, and reached out for his shirt. I resisted the temptation to tear it from his body and opened the first two buttons instead. I reached inside and kneaded his right pec muscle. “I don’t think friends are supposed to do this, but damn you. We have to be at least slightly equal.”

  “Give me that hug!” We reached out and held each other tight. I sensed the desperation. I tried to avoid the impulse to push my pelvis forward, but I was only slightly successful. Kenneth had to know the impact he had on me. It didn’t take a genius to figure that out.

  I gazed into his eyes. Big questions and an air of expectancy filled them. He wanted the followup kiss. There was no doubt. I leaned in close, but then I couldn’t do it. My heart was too fragile. We’d taken a lot of steps forward, but I wasn’t there yet. I couldn’t.

  Instead, I took one step back, held onto Kenneth’s forearms, and whispered, “Progress.”

  I hoped for a smile in response, but I didn’t get it. At least the neutral expression wasn’t an outright frown. As I sat back down at the kitchen table, I watched Kenneth finish up with his dishes and make one last trip to the bathroom. “You’ll text?”

  “Of course, I will, and you have to send me a message when you get home. It looks like the roads might still be a sloppy mess out there. Be careful. Please. I don’t want to lose you. Again.”

  12

  Kenneth

  All the way down, alone inside the elevator as it descended through Daniel’s building, I could only think about his face and his breath on my neck when we hugged. We were so close. Twice! Our lips nearly touched. He wanted it, too, but something stood in his way. A wall rose between us at the last minute both times.

  I tried to leave the building, and I couldn’t. I had to figure out what to do about Daniel. In the lobby, I paced back and forth in front of the doors. I glanced at the security desk and watched the doorman look up at me twice, but he didn’t say anything. I hop
ed he didn’t think that I was lying in wait for a resident. If he were the same person stationed at the desk when I arrived with Daniel, he’d know how I fit in with the residents of the building. Unfortunately, I couldn’t remember whether he was the man on duty or not.

  Daniel’s body was even more striking than when we dated before. He nearly had a full six-pack of ab muscles, and his chest was solid without an ounce of fat. I never considered myself a muscle freak, but the sight of Daniel so fit put my whole mind and body on full alert.

  I considered whether I should take the elevator back upstairs, knock on the condo door, and plant a kiss on Daniel’s lips as soon as he saw it was me. I’d make it happen so rapidly that it would be impossible to stop me. Unfortunately, that kind of impulsive behavior wasn’t in my repertoire. I never took action like that.

  As I paced more, I began to second-guess my restraint. What’s the worst that could happen? He could kick me out and tell me never to try and kiss him again. The result of that scene wouldn’t be much different from what I suffered through for the past ten years. It wasn’t fun, but I’d survived. No, with my business to focus my attention, I’d thrived.

  On the other hand, if Daniel loved the kiss, he might take me to his bed. I stomped a foot on the tile floor. I told myself to stop dreaming and smiled weakly when the doorman expressed concern.

  It was time to leave. If I lingered too long, I’d still be around when Daniel came down on his way to work. I’d have to explain myself, and that would only make matters significantly more complicated. Patience, Kenneth. Patience.

  Before I reached the door, another man entered the building and swept by me. He wore a long black felt overcoat and sleek leather boots that rose up his calves. He was young. I suspected the late 20s. The stranger marched up to the security desk and—without a break in his movements—hugged the doorman.

  A conversation began in earnest. I was too far away to understand any of the words, but the new arrival touched the doorman’s body frequently as he spoke. Fingertips grazed a shoulder. Two hands straightened the collar of the shirt beneath the security company’s standard jacket. The sweetest gesture was a tilt of the head to the side while a hand snaked out to rest against the doorman’s cheek.

  A few seconds later, business concerns entered my head. I’d never gotten around to the one work-related question I intended to ask Daniel. I wanted to know whether any of the successful Match Made couples could feature in advertising for my brand. As I watched with interest, I knew that the couple in the condo tower’s lobby might render my question moot.

  I decided to approach the men, and I quietly strode across the lobby, careful not to let my shoes clack against the tile. The doorman recognized me. “Aren’t you a guest of Mr. Cummings?”

  “I am. I was fortunate to spend the night here. He offered his guest room so that I didn’t need to drive back to Chicago last night in the snowstorm.”

  “He’s a good man. I’m not surprised by the generous gesture.”

  I didn’t want to get into a discussion about Daniel’s relative merits. I knew that he was exceptional. I’d never have dated him for two years if he weren’t.

  “I have a question to ask that might be awkward in the lobby of a building like this while one of you are working.”

  “But you’ll do it anyway?” I spotted a playful sparkle in the eyes of the doorman’s partner.

  “Yes, I’ll proceed without your permission. My name’s Kenneth Taylor.” I reached out to shake hands.

  The doorman responded, “Ethan, and this here is Seth. Watch out for him. He likes to be funny and a little snarky, so sometimes you need to take what he says with three or four grains of salt.”

  Seth pouted.

  I continued the lead-in to my question. “Neither of you is likely to know me by name, but you might know my business. I proceeded to describe my products, and I watched as Seth’s eyes open wide.”

  “That’s you?”

  “Indeed, it is, and I’m looking for local men to help promote my products.”

  My words set off a vehement negative headshake from Seth. “If this is some sort of merchandising scheme, and you want us to host weird product parties for our friends—no, I say, no.”

  “I’m talking about TV commercials. They will only be shown here in southeastern Wisconsin and Chicago markets, but I need appealing faces. They need to be both memorable and approachable. I think the two of you might be perfect for the roles.”

  Ethan and Seth turned to face each other first and then pivoted back to me. Ethan spoke for the pair. “You’re kidding.”

  Seth took over. “I don’t think he is. Remember, you did that modeling gig a couple of years ago. The photographer said you were a natural. I always thought you should have gone down to Chicago to see if you could interest more hot-shot photographers.”

  “Yeah, he flattered me, and then he paid me next to nothing.”

  Seth pointed at Ethan. “I think he’s your man, but you need to pay him well.”

  “What about both of you? I want some fresh-faced couples, and the two of you will keep the viewers riveted. I can set up a meeting with my advertising crew. Are you interested?”

  Seth snickered. “The two of us a couple? You’ve got to be…” He glanced at Ethan. “I mean, I guess it’s not too hard to believe that it could happen, but no. We’re only friends.”

  “But would you be okay with acting as a couple in commercials? It happens all the time. I think it’s safe to say the vast majority of couples shown in TV commercials aren’t dating or married in real life.”

  “Will I have to kiss him?” asked Seth.

  “Maybe…”

  “Oh, ick, but I guess I can manage.”

  I said, “I’m only joking. If there’s a kiss, my staff will teach you how to fake it the Hollywood way.”

  Seth gave Ethan a playful shove on the shoulder. “This is exciting. And you said you run that business? Like, you’re the man at the top? You act like such an ordinary guy. Aren’t billionaires supposed to be ruthless, nasty, and, well, evil?”

  I laughed. “I’m hardly a billionaire.”

  “Maybe if you sharpen up your cruelty creds, you’ll be on your way.”

  Both Ethan and Seth were great fun in a three-way conversation. As they spoke, I tried to imagine how they would appear on a TV screen. I had no doubts that they would instantly connect with viewers. Their body language was open and inviting while they were playful with each other. I’d found two impressive spokespeople.

  Ethan broke up the small gathering. “I think this is a lot of fun to consider, but I’m still on the clock here. Why don’t the two of you move on across the lobby if you want to keep talking? Kenneth, it’s great to meet you.”

  I shook hands with Ethan. “You’ll hear from me soon. I need to head back to Chicago in a few minutes, too.” As I turned to walk to the door, Seth followed me.

  Another resident immediately engaged Ethan’s attention while Seth spoke in a softer tone. “Is there enough money involved that it will be worth our while? I hate to raise that topic right now, but I know from bad experience that it’s far too easy to wander into raw deals after a conversation like this.”

  “I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. If you can share your cellphone number, I’ll put you in touch with the advertising guys. You’ll have plenty of time to back out if this isn’t for you. Let us know if that’s your choice, and we’ll have no hard feelings. If you have specific concerns about me, I can also connect you with plenty of people who will vouch for my honesty.”

  “It was an overnight adventure. Tell me what happened. A general outline is fine. I don’t need all of the gory details.”

  Sean offered me coffee moments after I walked through the front door of my house. He’d made sure the driveway and front sidewalk were both clear of snow. It was a significant storm. Snow drifts along one side of the house piled up at least four feet deep.

  “What is there to tell?” I s
ettled myself into my favorite easy chair. “We had a pleasant evening.”

  “Pleasant? Is that how you describe it? You spent the night alone in his condo. He’s the man you dated for two years and never managed to remove from your heart.” Sean sipped his coffee and leaned forward.

  “There was progress.”

  “You make it sound like you spent the night in negotiations about the next steps in the expansion of your business. I don’t believe that. It was an evening of two men alone who…like each other.”

  Sean had me on the spot. “Okay, yes, it was more than pleasant, but it was much less than you’re thinking. Daniel did agree to come down here, and I hope to have the house to myself. I’ll try to convince him to spend the night. If I do, then perhaps we’ll make more...progress.”

  Sean glanced around the room. “I...uh...live here.”

  “How about a sumptuous room in River North for the night? I’ll toss in dinner at a James Beard award winner’s restaurant and at least three treatments at the hotel spa.”

  “You drive a hard bargain, Mr. Taylor, but I can’t turn that down. You’ve got a deal. I’ll leave for a week if I can get more compensation like that.”

  “Good try, Sean. It’s only a night, and I won’t pretend like you don’t exist. I only think that Daniel is more likely to accept my invitation if he knows the entire night is private. I want to take the next steps forward and put the past behind us. I’m confident. We’re on our way.”

  13

  Daniel

  “I don’t know whether you intend to ask for my advice or you only want to think out loud, but I say go for it. You’ve got a new opportunity, and if I put 2 and 2 together to make 4, it all adds up to the fact that you still love him.”

  I winced. Blake was right, of course. I still loved Kenneth. He never lost his place in my heart despite my efforts to fight against it for ten long years. The romantic side of me insisted that I throw myself at him and beg for a new attempt at dating. The rest of me was terrified.