V: The V in Vulnerable

by Snyder, J. M.

  V: The V in Vulnerable

  By J.M. Snyder

  Published by JMS Books LLC at Smashwords

  Book 5 in the Vic and Matt: V series.

  Visit jms-books.com for more information.

  Copyright 2010 J.M. Snyder

  ISBN 978-1-61152-020-0

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  Cover Design: Written Ink Designs | written-ink.com

  Image(s) used under a Standard Royalty-Free License.

  All rights reserved.

  WARNING: This book is not transferable. It is for your own personal use. If it is sold, shared, or given away, it is an infringement of the copyright of this work and violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

  No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review.

  This book is for ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It contains substantial sexually explicit scenes and graphic language which may be considered offensive by some readers. Please store your files where they cannot be accessed by minors.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Published in the United States of America.

  NOTE: Readers can learn more about Vic and Matt’s super-powered relationship online at vic-and-matt.com.

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  Other books in this series:

  V: The V in Valor

  When one of the landlady’s cats gets loose, Matt broaches the subject of getting a pet with his lover. Vic doesn’t want the added responsibility, but the discussion raises questions of long-term commitment both men have been contemplating but neither is quite willing to address yet. Then Vic interrupts the bullying of a stray dog, and his perspective changes.

  V: The V in Vengeance

  Vic and Matt are slowly adjusting to life with a new addition to their little family—Sadie, the mutt Vic rescued from bullying kids. As they settle into a routine, Matt finds himself dwelling on a more tangible way to show his feeling for Vic. Though living with a superhero isn’t always easy, Matt wouldn’t trade his lover for the world. Especially when vandals strike.

  V: The V in Vigilant

  When Vic has a rough day at work, his lover Matt puts their telepathic connection to good use, tapping directly into Vic’s needs to provide some relaxing downtime at home. However, their sensual message turns to serious talk, and Matt finally asks Vic the question he's been wrestling with for the past few months.

  V: The V in Virtue

  Vic and Matt swear off intercourse for the week after Christmas to come together in an orgasmic union at midnight on New Year’s. When Matt’s coworker Roxie invites them to a year-end bash at her place, their plans for a quiet celebration alone seem thwarted. But Vic manages to make the evening special.

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  The V in Vulnerable

  By J.M. Snyder

  Sunday evening found the Braunson-diLorenzo household in a state of domestic bliss. The dinner dishes were washed and drying on the counter in the kitchen. The television was on low, the channel turned to a Nascar race. In the living room Matt relaxed in Vic’s oversized recliner, feet up, a bowl of seedless grapes on his lap. On the couch, their dog Sadie lay curled on the cushion closest to Matt, head in her paws, gaze trained on Matt’s hand as he raised the next couple of grapes to his mouth. The patient look in her large eyes said she didn’t know if those little green balls were tasty or not, but if he was eating them, then she wanted some, too. Unfortunately he was glued to the TV screen and didn’t see her sad expression, so her attempt at begging didn’t work.

  In the bathroom, Vic stood in nothing but a pair of thin boxers and studied his reflection in the mirror. Sunday was his night to shave, and nothing escaped his razor except the thin goatee he wore trimmed close around his mouth. The hairs on his arms and legs were pale and blond, almost nonexistent, and he wasn’t one of those guys who had much on his chest, so he didn’t bother wasting his time on those areas. But everything else would have to go.

  He stared at his body critically, raking his gaze over the week’s growth. Dark shadows itched along his crotch, and the crown of stubble along the back of his head reminded him just how badly his hairline had receded. He never really had much to start with; as a kid, he’d favored buzz cuts because they made him look tough. Sometime during his early twenties he had noticed there was less and less to cut, until finally he said the hell with it and took a razor to the rest. He loved his appearance, particularly the way his bare skin showed off his tattoos, but he hated the upkeep. Electric razors didn’t shave as close as he would have liked, and invariably he nicked himself with the cheap disposable ones. If he lived alone, he probably wouldn’t bother with the weekly ritual.

  But there was Matt to consider.

  Before they met, Vic only shaved if he were heading out to the clubs or looking for sex. Now with Matty in his life, Vic didn’t need to look good for anyone else but his lover. He could’ve stopped shaving altogether, to be honest, but Matt loved the feel of Vic’s smooth skin. A few nicks here and there were worth the price of Matt nuzzling into Vic’s nuts, growling playfully as he rubbed his cheeks over Vic’s newly shaved balls. “It makes you look so damn big,” Matt often told him.

  How could Vic not want to hear that?

  Reaching into the cabinet under the sink, Vic shook out a new razor from a pack of disposables. The can of shaving foam Matt used every morning already sat on the back of the toilet. Vic turned on the faucet, one hand under the spigot so he could tell when the water was warm enough for him. He liked it to be scalding when he shaved—it invigorated his scalp and stung his cock, but felt incredibly good. He could spend almost an hour in the bathroom on Sunday nights, first shaving and then in the shower rinsing off. More than once he’d been interrupted by Matt coming in to use the toilet, and the shower’s spray would turn to fire the moment Matt flushed.

  As he leaned over the sink, waiting for the water to heat up, Vic called out to his lover with his mind. ::Matty? You need to use the bathroom before I start?::

  The telepathy they shared was a gift, one Vic wouldn’t give up for any reason. It allowed the two men a deeper intimacy than they would have had otherwise, and their relationship flourished because of it. There were no secrets between them. If Matt were upset, Vic only had to glance through his lover’s thoughts to learn the reason why, and they each knew exactly how the other felt whenever their minds brushed together. It still staggered Vic at times to see just how sexy Matt thought him to be, and Matt never wondered about Vic’s own feelings because they were a constant between them. Just a taste of the love they shared was enough to fuel their desire for one another, even years after they first met. Time had mellowed the passion, perhaps, but their telepathy kept the lust burning.

  That wasn’t to say they didn’t have their moments. Most of the time Vic thought they had an edge on other couples, but men were the same the world over, and when Matt’s attention was focused on the television, no amount of telepathic ability could distract him. Maybe if Vic shucked off the boxers and stood in the hall naked, Matt might notice. But his mental question only received a shift in Matt’s consciousness so subtle, Vic might have missed it if he wasn’t waiting for it. A glance away from the TV screen, a faint awakening as if coming out of a trance, then Matt reached for the remote and thumbed down the volume as if that would allow him to hear Vic better, even though they weren’t in the same room. ::What?::


  Cupping his hands under the spigot, Vic splashed hot water on his face and gasped as it trickled down his neck and chest. ::Do you need to pee?:: he asked, bluntly this time. ::I’m going to shave.::

  Like a man just waking from an unexpected nap, Matt blinked and shook his head. ::Oh. No, go ahead. I’ll just come in if I have to go.::

  Vic groaned, a low warning sound in the back of his throat, but didn’t respond. If there was one thing he’d learned from loving Matt, it was that some arguments weren’t worth pursuing. He could allow himself to get mad at every little thing, but Vic wasn’t that type of guy. Most things rolled off him without a second thought, and he’d rather have Matty in his arms every night than go to sleep angry over something as stupid as flushing the toilet while he was in the shower. Scalding water wasn’t going to kill him, but losing the special bond he shared with his lover just might.

  * * * *

  Matt wasn’t necessarily a fan of racing. But he had turned on the television in the hopes of watching The Simpsons and got Nascar instead. There was nothing else on so he didn’t bother changing the channel. Now after an hour of nursing his second beer, he didn’t really see the need. The alcohol made him drowsy and the remote sat on the coffee table, too far away to reach without getting up. He was already settled, a bowl of grapes on his lap, the dog resting on the couch…admit it, he told himself, scooping another handful of grapes into his mouth. You’re too damn lazy.

  Aloud, he answered himself. “Damn straight.” He needed this downtime. Monday morning came all too soon.

  When his fingers scraped the bottom of the bowl, he held up the last grape and waggled it in front of Sadie. “You don’t like grapes, do you, girl?”

  The look on the dog’s face suggested otherwise, but Matt popped the grape into his own mouth and leaned back in the recliner as he stretched. What he needed now was a long swig of beer to chase down the fruit. But when he reached for his can, he found it empty. No matter how far back he tilted his head, he couldn’t get more than a warm drop for his troubles. “Fuck.” He squeezed his fist, crumpling the can, then set it in the empty bowl. He needed another drink. With a slight pout, he called, “Vic?”

  No response.

  Reaching out with his mind, Matt brushed over his lover’s consciousness. So Vic was still in the apartment, at least. ::Hey, sexy. Where’d you go?::

  Annoyance flickered over Vic’s thoughts and was gone before Matt could think to comment on it. ::I told you. Bathroom. I’m shaving.::

  Matt’s scalp tingled as if Vic’s hands had smoothed over it, rubbing cool shaving cream into his skin. The sensation was maddening. Suddenly Nascar was nothing but background noise as Matt’s libido heated beneath his lover’s thoughts. ::You’re in there all alone, wet and naked, and you didn’t invite me?::

  ::Matty,:: Vic warned.

  With a laugh, Matt pushed the recliner into a sitting position. From the couch Sadie perked up, gaze glued to the empty bowl in Matt’s hand. Ignoring her, he grabbed the remote and turned off the TV. But when he headed for the kitchen, she started to slide off the couch. “Stay,” he told her.

  She didn’t listen. Before he even reached the dining table, he heard the soft thump of her paws hitting the ground.

  ::Can you work your magic and tell the dog to leave me alone?:: Matt muttered to Vic. He dropped the bowl into the empty kitchen sink with a clatter, then fished out the crumpled beer can and tossed it into the recycling bag beside the trash. ::She thinks I’m going to feed her or something. She won’t listen to me.::

  From down the hall, he heard Vic grunt. ::Funny, I seem to have that same problem with someone else I could mention.::

  “Hey!” Matt cried out loud. At the kitchen doorway, Sadie dropped to her haunches, ears flickering at the sharp sound of his voice. For a moment he frowned at her—what had Vic meant by that? Matt listened to him, mostly. Well, when it counted, at any rate. So Matt hadn’t really paid attention when Vic said he was going to shave. He did it every week at the same time, and he always asked Matt the same thing before he started. You need to use the bathroom? I’m going to shave. Of course Matt would eventually tune him out. If he had to piss, he’d just duck in, use the toilet, and be gone before Vic even knew he was there.

  Sullen, Matt pouted as he grabbed the large bucket of dog food off the top shelf of the kitchen pantry. Sadie watched with interest as he scooped out a large cupful of kibble and emptied it into her bowl. Before he could move aside, she nosed him out of the way to eat. ::I listen to you when it counts,:: Matt muttered.

  Amusement tinged Vic’s response. ::Yeah, like when I said don’t feed the dog this late at night?::

  Matt dipped into Vic’s mind to gauge his lover’s emotions. In any other relationship, such a playful exchange could so easily be taken the wrong way, with one of them hurt by the other’s careless banter. But the moment Matt immersed himself in Vic, a wave of love overpowered him, so all-consuming that it took his breath away. No matter how Vic teased him, Matt knew without a doubt Vic loved him completely and nothing would change that.

  At his feet, Sadie begged for more food. Matt dropped another half cup into her bowl, then put the bucket away. Scratching behind her ears, he told her, “You heard the big guy. That’s it. You’re going to get me in trouble.”

  She glanced up with a look that said he could do that well enough all by himself.

  On his way out of the kitchen, Matt pulled the louver door shut behind him. It wouldn’t keep Sadie in—the doorway leading to the dining area was still open—but it might distract her enough to buy him some time to get down the hall. A few short steps later, he stood outside the bathroom door. Holding his breath, he placed his forehead against the wood grain and listened, one hand on the knob and the other raised to knock. ::Vic?::

  From inside the bathroom, he heard the telltale gurgle of water as Vic shook his razor clean in the full sink. When he spoke, his voice sounded impossibly close. “Let me guess. You want to come in.”

  That was all the invitation Matt needed. The knob turned in his hand and he eased open the door, peeking around it with a sheepish grin already sliding into place. But whatever he might have said to apologize for not listening dried in the back of his throat when he saw his lover. Vic was a big man, sexy in his strength, and the muscles in his bare arms bunched where he leaned against the sink. Tattoos rippled along his pale skin when he moved. His bald head was covered with shaving foam, though the razor had cut one swathe through the white cream just above his left ear. He wore nothing but a pair of boxers so thin, Matt could see the darkness of his cock coiled between his legs.

  Lust flooded Matt. Stepping into the bathroom, he shut the door behind him and let out a low, randy wolf whistle that made Vic smirk. “God, you are hot.”

  “You’re just saying that so I won’t be mad,” Vic teased.

  With a frown, Matt asked, “Are you mad?”

  Vic laughed as he swished the razor in the sink full of water. “No. I can’t be mad at you. You know that.”

  Sidling closer, Matt wrapped his arms around Vic’s ample waist and rested his chin on Vic’s shoulder. “Then see? It worked.”

  Vic planted a quick kiss on the tip of Matt’s nose. “Love you,” he murmured. The words rumbled through Matt’s chest and he hugged Vic closer, but to his surprise his lover tried to shrug him off. “Now let me shave.”

  Without thinking, Matt plucked the plastic razor from Vic’s hand. “Let me.”

  Vic sighed. “Matty…”

  But Matt was already nudging him aside to shake off the razor in the sink. “Oh, please. I’ve been doing this since I was twelve. Trust me.”

  “You’ve been shaving since you were twelve?” Vic asked, incredulous.

  Matt shrugged. “I didn’t have to. I just used my father’s razor every now and then to feel more grown up. The thing is, by the time I actually had anything to shave, I was pretty good at not cutting myself. So trust me. Sit.”

  Vic
glanced around the small bathroom, skeptical, until Matt pointed to the edge of the tub. “Right there, big boy. Back that ass up and plop it down.”

  “Matty, I can do this myself,” Vic assured him, but he did as he was asked. With a disgruntled sigh, he tucked his chin and rolled his eyes up to look at Matt, giving him a long-suffering look. “Seriously. If you leave me alone, I’ll be done in fifteen minutes. We can play then.”

  “Or we can play now.”

  Standing before Vic, Matt guided his knees apart and stepped into the space between them. He touched Vic’s cheek with one hand, steadying it. When Vic leaned into him, Matt gently touched the razor to the edge of the already shaved area above Vic’s ear. One long, careful stroke, and he cleared off the shaving cream from the next small section of Vic’s scalp. He shaved another swathe, then awkwardly turned to rinse the razor in the sink. “There’s my man,” he said softly.

  Through the T-shirt he wore, he could feel Vic’s breath flutter along his stomach. As he pulled the razor along Vic’s crown, Vic leaned forward, forehead against Matt’s chest just below the breastbone. Vic’s hands toyed with the hem of Matt’s shorts, his arms on either side of Matt’s thighs, hemming him in. At first, Matt concentrated on the shaving—God forbid he accidentally nick his lover—but when Vic started nuzzling his stomach, he laughed. “Don’t move so much! You’re going to make me mess up.”

  He tried to step back but found his shirt caught in Vic’s teeth. “Vic!” he cried with another laugh. “Let go.”

  Vic tugged on the shirt with a shake of his head. ::Take this off.::

  Dropping the razor into the sink, Matt obliged. The T-shirt came off easily over his head and he tossed it into the corner by the door. Cool air prickled his skin, causing the hair on his chest to puff out. He smoothed it down with both hands and left a dark smear where his wet fingers touched. “Happy?”

  “Very.” Vic reached forward, snagged Matt behind the knees, and pulled him close again. This time his forehead rested on Matt’s bare skin, and his tongue licked out to trace the finely defined muscles in Matt’s abs. As Matt fished the razor out of the water in the sink, Vic held him tight and pressed his cheek flat against Matt’s belly. “Hurry up, will you? This is making me horny.”