Page 110 of The Home Game

“Don’t forget married!” Matty said and a weird little flutter went through Antoni.

“Right, we’re married,” he added. “And I’ve changed in gym locker rooms plenty of times.”

Hell, in the pre-kids times, he’d picked up guys at his gym … oh God but he didn’t need to be thinking about that right now.

“It’ll be fine,” Antoni said firmly, hoping that if he said it enough, it would eventually be true. “We’ll um … spend the next few days getting comfortable together, yeah?”

“Perfect.” Matty’s smile was brilliant. “So, go get out of that suit. It looks great on you but it’ll look even better off.”

Matty’s eyes widened. “Okay, um, that did not come out quite the way I meant. Just, uh, you’ll be more comfortable in something casual, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Antoni rasped.

Dazed, he walked over to the dresser and pulled it open, pulling out some soft pajama pants, a long-sleeve tee, and a hoodie.

Head down, he undressed, not sure if the prickling awareness on the back of his neck was from Matty’s gaze or his own imagination.

When he stood there in his underwear, he glanced up and caught a glimpse of Matty in the mirror, hastily turning away.

Antoni ducked his head again, hiding a smile.

Okay, so they were both … looking a little. It didn’t mean it was going to lead to sex. Antoni didn’t want to assume anything at this point. But at least it made him feel like this wasn’t all one-sided.

Like he hadn’t imagined the soft brush of Matty’s tongue earlier or the way heat had sizzled through his body every time they touched.

Antoni tugged on the pants and tee and it wasn’t until he put the hoodie on that he realized it was Matty’s.

It was black, with a little Fisher Cat logo on the chest right over his heart. But Carlson stretched across the shoulders, boldly declaring who it belonged to.

Antoni shivered. He hadn’t thought about changing his name. He couldn’t picture being Antoni Carlson, that felt a bit strange. But maybe … maybe Carlson-Bianchi or Bianchi-Carlson didn’t seem so weird.

Not that he … why would he change his name? He was being silly, like when he’d been a teenage kid with a crush, doodling his name beside someone else’s in his journal. The boy in his math class who he’d imagined kissing. The hot actor who he’d thought about when he was alone in his room. The singer whose deep voice had made shivers go through him.

But Antoni wasn’t a kid anymore and that was a step too far, right? This was … this wasn’t that kind of relationship. That kind of marriage.

It was … God, what was it, even?

Antoni looked over at Matty who tugged sweats over his full, round ass with a mesmerizing little shimmy.

Antoni looked away, his voice coming out rough when he said, “So, uh, what do you want to do tonight after we get our suits hung up? I mean, it’s been a long day but it’s not that late. I’m not ready to go to bed yet.”

Oh God, did that sound suggestive? Or was that his imagination? Was the fact that he wanted to go to bed with Matty making him feel like everything had some hidden meaning?

Why was this so fucking awkward?

“Yeah, I’m not tired yet,” Matty said, rocking back and forth on his heels. “Even if I did miss my nap today.”

Smiling, Antoni cleared his throat. “Do you, uh, want to watch an episode of Northdale Heights?”

Matty offered him a little smile, hands tucked into his white hoodie pockets. “Sure. Should we get snacks and some water?”

With an amused shake of his head, Antoni gathered up his suit. “You are insatiable!”

Matty made a funny little noise.

Antoni glanced up, hastily adding, “I mean, you need to eat like twelve times a day! You’re worse than Reese was at two months old!”

“Reese and I understand each other,” Matty said in a lofty tone, walking toward the closet, his suit draped over his arm. “Just because you don’t understand us …”

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