Page 116 of Except You

He seems contrite. He seems to really want to make this work.

It’s a start. It’s what I did with Magnus, and I’m so thankful it was enough to get my foot in the door.

Sometimes sorry doesn’t cut it, but there are other times when it’s just the perfect start to making amends. That’s what this is. A start.

“Thanks for letting me stay,” Matt tells me as he rinses out the shaker he used to make Coop’s martini.

“Yeah. Thanks for helping and not being an asshole.”

He grins at me. “I have to admit, it’s weird as fuck, seeing you with a man, but I can get used to it. I’m determined.”

I nod and shove my hands in my pockets, not sure what to say.

“Thanks.”

“Yeah, thanks for opening the door for me and letting me help you guys.”

“Sure thing.”

We’re silent for a moment, and then Matt blurts, “Is it better with a guy? Shit. Is it?”

I arch an eyebrow at him and he grins.

“Sorry, I’m so damn curious.”

I run a hand through my hair, feeling a little nervous at the question. “I’m not talking about this with you, but yeah, it is. It’s better with Beau. Everything is.”

He nods. “I don’t get it, and won’t pretend to, but that’s cool.”

He shuts the faucet off and turns toward me, drying his hands. “You going to tell Mom and Dad about this? Mitch?”

My chest tightens at the question. “Not until I have to. I don’t want the drama.”

“Yeah, I get that. Um, I took your advice, and I reached out to Magnus. Haven’t heard back.”

“It’ll take some time, but don’t give up. I’m seeing him Saturday.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Matt looks thoughtful after that and is mostly quiet. When the food is delivered, the four of us sit out back, a fire in the fireplace, Doggo asleep at our feet, and at this moment, all feels right in the world.

Chapter Twenty-One

Max

“Ithink Coop has a crush on Matt,” Beau says with a laugh early the next morning, the two of us still curled up in bed. His body, which smells deliciously floral, is spread across mine, his hand in my hair, the other playing with my earlobe.

“I don’t know why. He’s an asshole.”

Beau pauses a moment and then says, “I mean, he’s cute, so I get it.”

I grumble and my boyfriend leans up, pecking me on the nose. “Not any cuter than you though. You’re definitely the cutest.”

I’m mollified by those words and bring him in for a long kiss, our tongues tangling as it deepens.

Pretty soon, Beau is straddling me, our clothes off, my cock shoved up his ass. His hands are on my chest as he relentlessly rides me. I can do nothing but just hold on to his hips and let him set the pace. And it’s frantic, needy. His hard dick bobs up and down as he slams down onto me, our skin slapping, our moans loud and unhinged.

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