Reign or Shine

by H J Welch

  But they were still on slightly unstable footing after not seeing each other for almost two days, and Cas didn’t want to spook the good mood out of Matty. So they chatted a little about how Finley was getting on with her course, and how thrilled she’d been to get her luggage back, especially her precious bow. Matty chatted about all the requirements for transporting what was essentially a weapon on a plane as he shifted effortlessly between the pan with the brewing chicken curry and the simmering rice. His fingers glistened with various sticky juices where he’d been handling the ingredients for the sauce, and Cas longed to lick them clean again.

  Instead, he made sure their glasses stayed topped up, and put a playlist on his phone of easy-going music to (hopefully) set the mood. As the light faded outside the window, Cas lit a bunch of candles, making his living room far more intimate than any fancy restaurant would have been.

  There was so much he longed to tell Matty about his real life. He wanted to moan about all the bullshit his brothers were putting him through, despite him actively trying to step back and stop fussing over them. He wanted to laugh about the circus that was the full-on preparation for the ball, and maybe get a little sympathy for having to dress up in traditional Rosavian formalwear. If he was brutally honest, Cas was convinced he wore it the best of all his brothers. It took a certain style to pull off those rose-patterned pants.

  But he couldn’t mention any of that, not if he wanted to avoid being caught out in his lie-by-omission. So he kept Matty talking with questions he genuinely wanted to know the answers to, long after Matty had served up their delicious-smelling dinner and they were seated at the dining table. Cas was fascinated by Matty’s daily routine in New York, although he kept insisting that Queens wasn’t really the city and his life wasn’t all that exciting.

  He didn’t seem to understand that he was free. No one knew who he was. No one had tried to map out his destiny since birth. He didn’t have a country weighing down his shoulders.

  But Matty worried about money. A lot. And more importantly, his sister was incredibly sick. Cas felt like he despaired of his brothers nonstop these days, but the thought of any of them becoming ill chilled him to the bone.

  He’d walk the world to ease their pain.

  It was so tricky, walking this tightrope of truth with Matty. But at least Cas had let slip earlier that he had a little brother in Wren, so he was honestly able to tell Matty how he’d feel if he became sick. It made him feel like the two of them had something real.

  Cas remembered Matty saying the other day about how he’d love to try living somewhere else for a while, if only he had the money.

  Somewhere like Alpina? a voice at the back of his head whispered. But that was crazy. Matty had a whole life in America. There was no way he’d be interested in really uprooting everything to come live here. Besides, that was the last thing Cas wanted, anyway. He’d be tormented if he knew Matty was so close to him, and yet still so far away.

  “So where would you like to live?” he prompted as they ate their curry – which was delicious. It had definitely been the right decision to let Matty take over cooking. Cas gestured to their food, the delicate blend of spices dancing on his tongue. “Somewhere in Asia?”

  Matty laughed and shook his head. “Oh, I don’t know. Anywhere, I guess. I just feel like I’ve coasted along my whole life. I need to start taking charge of my destiny more, and for some reason, I feel like that would be easier to do in a new place.” He looked out over the city through the window. “Like I could be a different kind of me. I…I like who I’m becoming in Alpina.”

  Cas knew exactly what that felt like.

  “Cheers to that,” he murmured as they clinked their glasses together.

  “How about you?” Matty asked after he took a sip.

  Cas blinked. “Me what?”

  Matty shrugged. “Did you always want to live in the city? Where did you grow up?”

  Danger! Danger! Cas really didn’t want to lie to Matty, not once. But he was going to have to be careful to sidestep anything that might give him away without looking suspicious.

  He smiled and shrugged. “Yeah, I grew up in the suburbs,” he said, which was kind of true. “But I feel like I’m only just getting to know the city properly.” Also true.

  Matty nodded. “Is that through your job? What was it you said you did again?”

  Fuck. Cas knew all he’d said was that he was well off in an attempt to get Matty not to worry about money. “I do public relations for an old family company,” he said, relief washing through him. That was pretty much accurate. “Lots of schmoozing,” he added with an eye roll. Thinking about how he’d not long ago had to entertain that sleazy Grechzen ambassador Gustav von Jansen for a whole evening when Leo had bailed was a particularly rotten reminder of how true that could be. He smiled and leaned into Matty. “You’re much better company than the pompous asshats I usually have to deal with.”

  Matty blushed. “Thanks,” he said sweetly. Thankfully, after that the conversation switched again to one of the plays Matty had been working front of house on before coming to Rosavia. “They always let us watch the dress rehearsals for free,” he said eagerly. Cas knew he’d promised not to overwhelm Matty with expensive gestures, but he loved the idea of taking him to the theater sometime.

  After they’d had their fill of curry, Cas added fresh blueberries to their bubbles and revealed the rich chocolate cake he’d ordered to be delivered earlier for their dessert. The ganache shone as Cas cut them each a thick slice, then added a healthy measure of cream to the bowls.

  “Oh my god, you’re going to kill me!” Matty protested, clutching his stomach. But he was grinning, so Cas didn’t think he was really that stuffed.

  He quirked an eyebrow as he sat back down, just around the corner from Matty, at his dining room table. “I assure you, this is the specialty of the best bakers in the city,” he said, which was true. Even the chefs in the palace couldn’t quite get the balance of flavors that Pierre’s did. “I promise you.”

  Without stopping to think too much, he reached over to Matty’s bowl, which was a comfortable enough distance away for him to pick up Matty’s fork, cut off the tip of the cake slice, then held it up and let the excess cream drip off.

  Then he met Matty’s gaze, asking without words if he could feed him the morsel.

  Never mind the cake. It was possible to cut the sexual tension between them with a knife. The candlelight flickered shadows across Matty’s face, his blush still clear on his pale skin. He bit his lip and fluttered his eyelashes, but then he looked into Cas’s eyes again as he leaned forward, wrapping his lips around the fork prongs, dragging the moist cake into his mouth.

  Jesus Christ. There was absolutely no point in Cas pretending he wasn’t immediately fantasizing about that being his cock Matty was taking such care over. And that was before Matty let out a ball-tingling moan, his eyelids closing as he covered his mouth and the residual chocolate on his gorgeous pink lips.

  “Okay,” Matty said hoarsely. He reopened his eyes and licked his lips as he finished chewing and swallowed, dropping his hand to his chest. “I take it back, you were right. That’s the most incredible thing I have ever tasted. I’m happy to die by chocolate.”

  Cas carefully looked down at the fork in his hand, then dragged his gaze back up to Matty. He also was not going to pretend he wasn’t getting distinctly uncomfortable in his trousers.

  “Is that so?” he murmured, hopefully making it crystal clear there was something else he’d quite like Matty to taste. But just in case there was any room for doubt, he cut off another sliver of cake, this time placing it on his own tongue and then sucking the fork clean.

  And then sweet, shy, cautious Matty exploded from his chair, knocking it to the floor as he launched himself around the corner of the table, straight into Cas’s lap, flinging his arms around his neck, knocking over at least one glass flute, and crashing their mouths together in their first messy, but glorious, kiss.
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  Chapter Nine

  Matty

  Regular Matty had finally given in and let Vacation Matty take the reins. Apparently, this was the result. Finding himself straddling Cas’s lap in the blink of an eye, his hot lips pressed eagerly against Matty’s, his hands gripping Matty’s back, and his hard cock digging into Matty’s inner thigh.

  Vacation Matty needed to take charge more often.

  Cas moaned as their lips moved together, his tongue chasing after Matty’s, the rich chocolate lingering on both their mouths. Cas’s grip tightened on Matty’s back, dragging him closer so they were chest to chest. Matty’s hands drifted upward to run his fingers through Cas’s hair and clasp the back of his neck. All of Matty’s skin was burning with desire and the desperate need to still be closer.

  It was as if he’d been holding his breath for this moment since he and Cas had first laid eyes on each other in that sporting goods store. He suddenly felt more alive than he had in years.

  They broke apart, panting and staring into each other’s eyes. “Hi,” Matty said weakly with a chuckle. “Uh, sorry for, uh…”

  But Cas laughed. “I haven’t been so thoroughly tackled since my lacrosse days at school.” He rested their foreheads together and grinned. “This was much better,” he added in a whisper.

  Matty sighed and closed his eyes, relishing the feel of Cas’s strong hands rubbing up and down his back. His breath held a tang of the sweet wine and chocolate dessert, mingled in with his spicy rich cologne. Matty ran his hand along Cas’s neck and shoulder, tracing the solid muscles of his deltoid and biceps. Underneath his thighs, Cas’s legs were equally firm, supporting Matty’s weight with ease.

  He’d pictured being pinned down by this solid body an inordinate number of times over the past few days. Now it might actually be about to happen.

  Matty shivered in anticipation, but Cas’s expression immediately became concerned. “Are you cold?”

  Matty laughed. He dropped his face into the crook of Cas’s neck and wrapped his arms around his shoulders, sighing as he watched Cas’s pulse thrum. “You’re so thoughtful,” he said softly. “I’m fine. Perfect, actually.”

  Cas rested his cheek against Matty’s hair, still caressing Matty’s back. “I like taking care of you,” his said, his voice a low rumble.

  “I’d noticed,” Matty said, then bit his lip. “No one’s ever made me feel like this before, Cas. So…treasured.”

  Cas kissed the top of his head. “Can I treasure you some more in my bedroom?”

  His words were soft and without pressure. Matty had been longing for just this: the two of them, alone and intimate. But still, he felt a very slight spike of fear and hesitation. Regular Matty didn’t do one-night stands. But that was because he preferred to sleep with men he knew and liked. And he definitely knew and liked Cas. So Vacation Matty took the wheel again, relaxing his body and reminding him this was exactly what he wanted, what he’d been craving.

  “Yes, please,” Matty said, nodding against Cas’s warm neck. Then he raised his head so they could look at each other again, thrilled when Cas leaned in for a chaste kiss on the lips.

  “There’s something about you, Matty Doyle,” Cas said. Matty didn’t understand why, but his words seemed so heavy and laden with another meaning. But then Cas shook his head and smiled. “Isn’t it funny how many little things happened to bring us together? How we ended up in that spot at the same time?”

  “I guess fate works in strange ways,” Matty said as he rubbed the back of Cas’s neck.

  Cas hummed in pleasure, then glanced around the room. “I hate to be a spoil-sport, but would you help me blow out all these candles?”

  Matty laughed as he hopped off Cas’s lap. “It’s okay, I’d rather your gorgeous apartment didn’t burn down with us in it,” he joked, huffing on the candelabra sitting on the dining table. “Besides, they worked wonders for your seduction efforts. I can’t say I’ve ever thrown myself at anyone quite like that before.”

  He blew out a couple more of the cream pillar candles before he felt a hand running up his spine. He turned to see Cas had stood and was looking at him with a warm smile and something else dancing in his eyes. Something deeper.

  “Did I really seduce you?” he asked, sounding amused. But Matty shook his head.

  “Not really, sorry,” he said softly, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “You didn’t really need to do all that much in the end. I was kind of a sure thing.”

  He’d never been good at playing hard to get, and he didn’t particularly want to mess around with any games now. Not when he and Cas only had a limited amount of time together, anyway. He wanted them to be honest and open. So his heart leaped with joy at the smile that crept over Cas’s face, dazzling in its intensity.

  “In case it wasn’t obvious,” Cas whispered back, “I was a sure thing, too.”

  Matty felt woozy with happiness and desire as he and Cas did their best to keep their hands off each other for long enough to make sure all the candles were properly extinguished. Matty was almost sad to leave the incredible chocolate gateaux after only one bite, but he knew there was more in the fridge.

  Maybe they could have it as a snack…later.

  His stomach flipped as he properly acknowledged to himself that he meant post-sex sustenance. This was really happening. Cas was really leading him toward his bedroom, their hands looped together, with Cas glancing over his shoulder at Matty, just like he did when they’d had their picnic by the log cabin.

  He was so stunningly gorgeous, like a work of art. Matty still couldn’t believe someone so beautiful would be interested in plain little him, and he thanked his lucky stars. He was done questioning why. Like Finley had said; once you had a target in your sights, you should fire. Otherwise you might miss your chance.

  Matty had almost let Cas slip away once. He wasn’t going to do it again.

  Matty couldn’t see much of Cas’s room beyond the fact that it was large and had an equally huge king-sized bed. The only illumination was coming from the twinkling city lights through the floor-to-ceiling windows. They were so high up that Matty didn’t feel like anyone could peek in on them. It was like being on top of the world, and not just from the view. Matty heart sang as Cas turned and walked backward, holding Matty’s hands as he led him to the bed.

  Cas was choosing Matty. And Matty was choosing Cas right back. He thought of their talk of fate or destiny ensuring that they crossed paths at just the right time. The universe had indeed been kind to him for once.

  They laughed as they tumbled onto the mattress together. Cas rolled them so they were side-by-side while they kicked off their shoes, kissing messily. Matty trembled as Cas’s hands found their way under his Henley, skimming the ticklish skin of his abdomen. He wasn’t nearly as buff as Cas, but he was very glad in that moment he wasn’t in bad shape. He wanted to feel worthy of all of Cas’s ministrations.

  He hummed as Cas kissed his neck, their legs tangled together. He could honestly just imagine them making out like this until they fell asleep, like he was a teenager again. But he wasn’t so shy anymore, and he was already feeling desperate for release. He did wonder idly if falling asleep was even on the cards. Could he stay the night? He hoped so. He hated the idea of traipsing back to his basic hotel room.

  First things first. He needed to focus on the here and now and truly be present, not worrying about later. This was a gift, and he needed to cherish every single moment. He nuzzled his nose against Cas’s, loving when Cas then kissed down Matty’s jaw and throat. When he pushed Matty’s Henley further up, Matty automatically raised his arms to allow Cas to strip his top half naked.

  He realized that his skin was prickled with light perspiration as the cool air hit it. His nipples went rock hard, a fact Cas obviously didn’t miss. He grinned as he dropped Matty’s shirt over the side of the bed, then leaned down to capture one of the raised buds. Matty gasped as Cas’s tongue swept over the sensitive skin, then he grazed his
teeth over the nub, sending sparks of pleasure straight to his cock.

  “Yes,” Matty groaned. He carded his fingers through Cas’s thick dark hair, drinking in every sensation as he writhed under Cas’s touch. When Cas’s hand reached between Matty’s legs and palmed the bulge there, Matty yelped and jerked, needy for more. He kissed Cas’s mouth frantically, nodding as little breaths escaped his lips. “Please, Cas.”

  Cas’s eyes were blown with lust. Matty was doing that, and pride squirmed in his belly. “Can I top you?” Cas asked, his voice low and primal sounding. “I want to take care of every little thing for you.”

  Usually, Matty took a while to work up the courage to try anal with someone new, but he felt so safe with Cas. He cupped his hands on either side of Cas’s freshly shaved face. He nodded as he looked into his eyes. “I trust you,” he whispered in the near darkness, then captured Cas’s mouth for a searing kiss.

  But Cas pulled back, their lips coming apart with a little ‘pop.’ Matty’s stomach dropped as for a second, Cas just stared at him. He seemed almost panicked.

  “A-are you okay?” Matty asked, worried that he’d said something wrong.

  Then Cas blinked, like he’d just come out of a trance, and he smiled. “Yes, sorry – sorry. I’m great.”

  He kissed Matty’s cheek, nuzzling their noses as he captured his lips and slowly helping Matty to relax again. Matty had no idea what that moment had been about, but he’d meant it: he trusted Cas not to mess him around, even if this was just a vacation fling. So Matty forgot about the strange look and instead tried to get his hands either under Cas’s shirt or his fingers to unbuckle his belt. Neither task was going very well.