Two-Man Advantage

by Toni Aleo

  “Awesome, I guess. We text a lot, about hockey and shit.”

  “That’s good.”

  “Yeah, I think Matty and I are gonna go hang out with Mom and Dad when we get back.”

  “That’s great. I think they’ll love him.”

  He nodded. “Yeah, I want them to get to know Matty since he crashed the wedding they paid for and stole me away.”

  Wren laughed. “It was the only way that could have happened, and I got to reap the benefits, so I’m pretty sure you can get another one out of them.”

  His body shook with laughter. “I don’t see myself getting married. It’s so hard for Matty to come out that I doubt he’d ever want to get married.”

  “You never know.”

  “True.”

  “He is very quiet, though. Like with Alex, he was so in your face, it made sense that you were attracted. Opposites attract. But with Matty, he’s almost stoic. Very laid-back, but he’s cool.”

  Wells smiled. “He’s great when you get to know him really well. He’s private and so damn closed off, but he’s funny and he’s smart. So damn smart, like smarter than you.”

  Wren made a face. “I have a master’s.”

  “Okay, Queen Wren, step down off your high horse, please.”

  She snorted. “I’m just saying. I’m pretty damn smart.”

  “Yeah, but so is he. Like he’s book-smart, but also street-smart. He’s always in control, and if you’ve ever watched him play hockey, he’s insane. So damn good and so damn hot. Jesus, he makes plays out of shit, and I wish I were half the player he is. That’s actually what attracted me to him at first.”

  “How so?”

  “We played his team, and they skunked us. I was trying to score, and he somehow took the puck, knocked me on my ass, took it down the ice, and scored before I even got up.” Wells paused to laugh as Wren just grinned up at him. “You know me, I don’t usually go after NHL players unless I know they shoot for my team, but I had to have him. I’ve been gotten plenty by players on the ice, Vaughn included, but something about the way Matty did it just revved my engine. I knew what hotel they were staying at, so I went over there. One thing led to another, and we were making out in a hallway.” His body broke out in gooseflesh at the memory. “I love him, Wren. I love him so damn much.”

  “He’s wonderful when he talks and jokes. Hopefully, he’ll warm up to us some more.”

  “He will. Just give him time.”

  “That’s not a problem,” she said. “I already love him because you do.”

  Fighting back the grin that wanted to escape, Wells wrapped his arm around her neck, pulling her into the crook of his elbow. “You know, I loved Jensen before you did, so I feel it’s unfair that I can’t say something sweet like that.”

  She snickered. “Well, I mean there is a lot about me that you can be sweet about.”

  He paused, thinking that through before looking at her. “What?” Glaring, she smacked his chest. Wheezing out a laugh, he squeezed her tight. “I’m joking.”

  “Sure you are.”

  “I am!” he said, kissing her temple. “You’re my favorite sister ever.”

  “I’m your only sister.”

  “Which makes you the best.”

  Rolling her eyes, she wrapped her arms around his waist. “I guess this is true.”

  “I mean, it’s nothing to be mad at.”

  “Again, this is true.”

  “I’m so glad we agree on this.”

  “I think it’s a first.”

  “And probably the last.”

  “Probably,” she agreed, and when he kissed her once more on the temple, he wasn’t sure how he got so lucky in life, but he was thankful he was.

  He had it all.

  The family.

  The dream job.

  The love.

  And nothing could touch that.

  When she started to laugh beside him, Wells looked down at her, his brow raised. “What?”

  She shrugged. “Did you ever see our lives playing out like this?”

  He thought that through for a moment. His sister, pregnant and married? Yeah, no, that was never in her cards. But then Jensen was the missing card she needed. He was great and completed Wren. Just like Matty completed Wells. Did he think he’d ever fall for a twenty-three-year-old closet case? No. But now, he couldn’t see their lives any differently.

  It was good, and it would be perfect once Matty was able to come out fully.

  He found himself chuckling. “Never.”

  “It’s a good life, though,” she mused, more to herself, but Wells nodded. “A full life. I’m happy.”

  “Me too.”

  She glanced up at him. “Are you still worrying about that stuff with Matty? How it will all play out?”

  Wells looked away, swallowing hard. Looking out at the ocean, he turned them so they both faced it as their feet sank into the sand, the water kissing their ankles. “Do I still think about it? Yes, but I wouldn’t say I’m worried. I’m confident in us, me and him, but I wonder if he is as secure in us.”

  “Why do you wonder that?”

  He brought his lower lip between his teeth, biting down as he searched for the words he needed. “I watched him with his sister. He was a mess. But when he came out, he did it in this beautifully strong fashion. Though, as soon as Avery brought up their dad, Matty clammed up. His jaw was tight, and he broke out in a sweat. He’s scared of his dad, which is understandable, but his fear is something I don’t know how to fix.”

  “You’re not supposed to fix it, though. He is,” she said in her therapist’s voice. That calm and soothing manner she probably learned when she was getting that “master’s.” “You can’t fight his battles for him, Wells. You can only be the first mate to his captain. Guide him, support him, but this is his ship, he’s gotta keep it afloat.”

  Scrunching up his face, he looked down at her. “What’s up with all these analogies?”

  She gave him a guilty grin. “I read this article and—”

  “Say no more,” he laughed, shaking his head. She had always been reading, while he had always been moving, playing, and causing trouble. He’d calmed down a lot, but even in his wiser years and knowing she was right, he wanted so much to help Matty. To be more than Wren’s example of a first mate.

  “I know you,” she said then, bringing his attention back to her. “I know you want to fix him, you want to fix everyone, but you can’t. Really, you just can’t.”

  He looked away from her with a sigh, not liking her words at all, even though he knew damn well she was right. “I know.”

  She nodded, leaning into him. “It’s hard.”

  “It is.”

  “But it will work out, Wells. I know it will.”

  “I damn well hope so because I love that quiet son of a bitch.”

  She laughed. “And he loves you, truly,” she added, squeezing his center. “But this is going to be an uphill battle of epic proportions.”

  “Again with the analogies.”

  She gave a strained grin. “Sorry?”

  He laughed, holding her tighter to him. “It’s fine. I hear you.”

  She exhaled hard as he laid his head on hers, watching the waves, feeling them as they crashed against his legs. He was peaceful, totally relaxed, but he’d be lying if he didn’t admit he was thinking about Matty, along with everything Wren had said.

  “But I still stand by the fact that I believe you two will be okay.”

  He prayed she was right.

  Seventeen

  Stretching in the bed, Matty extended the motion from his fingertips to his toes. It was a great stretch, but shit, what time was it? With his eyes still shut, he reached for his phone on the nightstand, bringing it to his face, blinking to see it was close to six a.m. Why in the hell was he awake? This was a vacation. He needed to fucking sleep, especially with how much all these people talked. Wells’s family was nice—Matty liked them just fine—but damn, they t
alked all the time. And picked on each other! He wasn’t a stranger to razzing, but for fuck’s sake, he wasn’t sure there was a moment someone wasn’t picking on someone else.

  It was very entertaining.

  But very new.

  Or maybe that was just his fucked-up upbringing. Because in the Haverbrooke household, no one really joked or laughed for no reason when he was growing up. Or, hell, even now. Everyone was in their own rooms, doing their own thing. The only time he saw his mother and father was either at dinner or at a hockey game. They never once put him on the bus or made him breakfast; the nanny did that. That didn’t mean he didn’t love his parents. He did, very much, but they were always busy. So were his older brothers, and all he had was Avery. Until he ruined that too.

  When he realized the bed was empty, he looked around the room to see that, like his teenage years, he was very alone.

  Where was Wells?

  Pushing off the blankets, he got out of bed, naked. The windows were open, letting in the salty air. Anyone could look in, but he wasn’t worried about that. When he looked out at the beach, he saw Wells standing in the water, his arms above his head, the muscles in his back taut and undeniably sexy. Matty reached for a pair of running shorts and watched Wells through the window while he put them on, before going out the front door, shutting it behind him. “Hey.”

  Wells looked over his shoulder, his eyes softening at the sight of Matty. “Hey yourself, lazy ass.”

  Matty sputtered with laughter as he walked to the shore, the water running up on his feet. “Shit, that’s cold!”

  Wells rolled his eyes. “You’re such a baby. It’s great. Especially after running for an hour.”

  As Wells turned, coming toward him, a grin moved across Matty’s face. Running did Wells’s body so fucking good. His torso was cut and defined, his pecs thick and mouthwatering, but those shoulders? Yeah, they had Matty’s cock hard within seconds. “Fuck, you’re hot.”

  Wells smirked. “I know.”

  Rolling his eyes as Wells reached for him, pulling his body against him, Matty let out a little sound of distress. “Dude, it’s cold!”

  “No, it’s not. Come here, I’ll keep you warm.”

  Wells wrapped his arms around him tightly, his lips pressed to Matty’s nose, and Matty let his eyes drift shut as he wrapped his own arms around Wells. “Why are you up?” he found himself asking.

  “Couldn’t sleep.”

  “Why?”

  “Don’t know. I think it’s sympathy pains for Wren. She just went to bed about an hour ago.”

  Continuing to hold Wells, moving his lips along his chin, Matty asked, “Is she okay?”

  “She’s fine. The baby is huge, and he’s keeping her awake.”

  “Oh,” Matty said on an exhale. He didn’t know anything about babies or any of that stuff, but it didn’t sound like fun, that’s for sure. Kissing Wells’s chin, he whispered, “You should have woken me up. I would have worn you out so that you could sleep.”

  Wells chuckled, his body shaking against Matty’s. “I didn’t even think of that. I figured you needed your sleep.”

  Pulling back, Matty made a face. “Sleep, or sex with you…I’m choosing sex.”

  “Hey, the morning is young,” he reminded him, and Matty grinned.

  “So true,” he said, moving his hands down Wells’s back, gripping his ass through his thin shorts. “So, should I take you here? Or give us some privacy back in our love shack?”

  That had Wells laughing from his gut. “I can’t believe you called it that.”

  “But it is,” Matty interjected, chuckling a bit. “We’ve only fucked and slept in that thing. It’s a love shack.”

  Shaking his head, Wells sighed as he squeezed Matty in his arms. “I love you.”

  Matty beamed, pressing his chin into Wells’s. “Good.”

  “Are you having fun?”

  Matty nodded, their noses moving together. “Yeah, it’s wonderful.”

  “You love everyone, right? They adore you.”

  He chuckled. “I’m sure they do.”

  “They do,” he asserted, and Matty shrugged. “They all hated Alex.”

  “Because you two didn’t belong together.”

  Wells paused, nodding his head slowly. “Touché. But honestly, they do love you.”

  A small smile pulled at Matty’s lips. “Well, that’s great to hear.”

  “And you like them, right?” Wells’s eyes were so full of hope, almost a need for Matty to accept his family. It wasn’t that he didn’t—he thought they were fine—but it was hard to say he loved them. He really didn’t know anyone yet, and he knew that was his fault. He didn’t talk like they did; he watched, always ready to somehow divert a question he didn’t want to answer. He overthought the whole thing, and he knew it was a personal flaw he was working on.

  “I like them just fine.”

  Wells’s shoulders fell as he held Matty’s gaze. “I know they’re a lot.”

  Matty nodded. “They are.”

  “But they are the best people I know, honestly.”

  Matty’s lips quirked as he nodded. “I know, Wells, they love you very much.”

  “They do, and I love them.”

  “I think they’re great,” he finally said, and that had Wells’s eyes sparkling as he pressed his lips to Matty’s in a long, lusty kiss. Matty wasn’t lying, but he wasn’t going to say he thought they were immature. Who was he to talk? He was younger than all of them, and he sure as hell didn’t have his personal shit together like they did. The only thing he really did have was an awesome career, and then Wells.

  He’d always have Wells.

  Pulling back, Matty pressed his hands into the small of Wells’s back, bringing him in closer. When he found Wells was as hard as he was, he had to hold back the urge to drop to his knees in that ocean and take him down his throat. Opening his eyes as they parted, Matty met Wells’s dark gaze. “I’m about to take you in this ocean.”

  Wells grinned, shimmying his shoulders. “I feel, if we turn like this—” He moved them so that his back was to the huts before tapping Matty’s shoulders. “No one can see us.”

  Matty laughed as he looked past Wells’s large shoulders to where the huts were bathed in the rising sun. “They might hear you, though.”

  Wells scoffed as he held Matty’s gaze. “Shut up, get on those knees, and suck me.”

  “Hey, I’ll kick your ass. Don’t tell me what to do.”

  Grabbing Matty’s jaw, he pulled his boyfriend to him, his eyes dancing with laughter as his thumb dug into Matty’s chin. “You’re mine. Get on those knees and suck me.”

  “I almost believed you were the power top for a minute there.”

  Wells rolled his eyes. “Don’t start with those stupid terms. We fuck, we love, and we get each other off. That’s that.”

  Pursing his lips, Matty nodded in agreement. “Touché,” he said before dropping to his knees. “So you want me to suck you right here?”

  Wells pushed his shorts down, and his cock came out in all its gorgeous glory. Matty wasn’t a sentimental guy, but even he appreciated the sun kissing Wells’s cock, the way it shadowed his amazing abs as his eyes sparkled, meeting his own. “Right here,” Wells demanded, moving his hand through Matty’s hair. “And I want you to take me to the back of that thick throat of yours.”

  Matty was throbbing and burning all the way to his core. Even with the cool waves moving along his feet and up his thighs, he was hot.

  Wells made him burn with a desire that no man had ever awakened.

  Moving his hand to the base of Wells’s cock, he took him hard, his eyes never leaving Wells’s as he hovered his mouth over him. Wells’s lips parted, his eyes so damn dark as he tried to thrust into Matty’s wanton mouth, but Matty held him, not allowing him to move. Reaching inside his own shorts, Matty took his cock in his hand just as he moved his tongue along Wells. Stroking himself, he moved Wells’s length into his mouth, taking him
to the hilt, sucking him so hard that it made Matty stroke faster on his own cock. He wanted to come badly, but he wanted to make sure that Wells got his too.

  When he was met with soft moans, Matty felt his gut tighten as he moved up and down Wells’s shaft, faster and with more desperation. He was crazed, wild, and totally into it. Wells tasted like salt, smelled like the ocean, and it was almost magical.

  By the way Wells was carrying on, Matty was pretty sure Wells was feeling all that and maybe more. Matty felt his own release coming, his cock throbbing in his hand as he did all kinds of naughty things to Wells. Sucking, kissing, running his teeth up and down his length, it was mind-blowing, and soon, he was blowing his load so hard, lights went off behind his eyes.

  Wells must have seen it happen because when Matty paused, groaning harshly with Wells’s cock in his mouth, he took ahold of Matty’s head, his fingers biting into his scalp before he started to fuck the hell out of Matty’s mouth. His cock slammed into the back of Matty’s throat, gagging him but also driving him insane over and over again, prolonging his release. It only took three pumps before Wells was groaning Matty’s name, filling his throat with his release as he arched into his mouth, pushing his cock even farther down Matty’s throat.

  Jerking a little more, Matty squeezed Wells’s thighs before moving his cock out of his mouth and falling back on his haunches. Watching as Wells gasped for air, a sneaky little grin on his lips, Matty swore he fell again. It was insane; how many times could you fall for a man? And if this was how it was going to be the rest of his life with Wells, Matty didn’t want anything else.

  Just Wells.

  As Matty stood up, Wells reached for him, wrapping his arms around him before their lips met. Their kiss was demanding, their tongues dancing together as the sun rose and the water swirled around them. He could stay like this for the rest of his life, in the ocean, Wells in his arms. But before he knew it, he heard, “Wells, your shorts are down. Wait, ew, are you two fucking? Abort! Go back in the hut!”