Page 112 of The Home Game

Was he really complaining about a chance to get close to the gorgeous, sweet man he'd married? No, he definitely was not.

Matty wrapped an arm around him and pulled him closer.

Antoni tilted his head and rested it against Matty’s shoulder. For a while, they watched in silence, taking sips of the bubbly wine and enjoying the drama on the screen.

“Damn it, I can’t reach the chocolate,” Matty grumbled.

Antoni lifted his head. “It’s right there!” He looked pointedly at where it rested on the coffee table in front of Matty.

“Yeah, but my hands are full.” Matty grinned, holding up his glass and squeezing Antoni’s shoulder simultaneously.

Antoni hid a smile, endeared by Matty’s playfulness. “Oh, fine. I’ll grab it.”

He reached forward and snagged the box of artisan chocolates off the table with his free hand, then set the box on Matty’s thigh before getting situated. Matty pulled him close again.

“Now what?” Antoni asked.

“Guess you’ll have to feed me,” Matty teased.

“Only been married for a few hours and he’s already getting demanding,” Antoni shot back but he couldn’t stop smiling. Maybe it was the wine. Maybe it was just … Matty.

Antoni got the lid off with one hand and peered at the chocolates. “Which one do you want?”

“Surprise me.”

Antoni picked one at random and lifted it to Matty’s lips. He took a bite, then immediately made a face. “Blech. Bourbon.” He chewed and swallowed quickly, washing it down with some Champagne.

“You don’t like it, huh? That’s what you get for saying ‘surprise me’, you goof,” Antoni pointed out, amused. He took the half Matty hadn’t eaten and popped it in his mouth. Yum. “Oh well, more for me.”

Matty laughed. “I’m glad someone likes it.”

This time, Antoni flipped over the lid to check the guide that showed what each flavor looked like. “How about apricot brandy in dark chocolate? And what the hell? Are these all boozy? Was my mom trying to get us drunk or what?”

Matty laughed. “Apparently. Apricot brandy sounds good though.”

Antoni fed it to him, drawing in a sharp breath when Matty’s tongue grazed the tip of his finger.

“Yum,” Matty said. “I like that one. You eat the other half though.”

Antoni ate it, licking his fingers clean of the softening chocolate after. Oh wow, it was good.

“So why don’t you like bourbon?” he asked, picking out a peach and Champagne flavor wrapped in milk chocolate to try next. He ate half of it, nearly moaning at the taste. Holy fuck that was amazing.

“I got stupidly drunk on bourbon after I signed my first AHL contract.” Matty made a face. “And got really sick after. I can’t smell it without remembering and …”

“Ahh,” Antoni said. “Yeah, I think we’ve all been there when it comes to drinking. Mine was cinnamon schnapps. Here, try this one. Peach and Champagne. You’ll like it.”

He offered a bite to Matty who took it carefully from his hand, his gaze never leaving Antoni’s. This time, he licked Antoni’s fingers more deliberately and Antoni’s body warmed.

It suddenly hit Antoni the way Matty had carefully, sweetly orchestrated all of this. Finding an excuse to cuddle close and for Antoni to feed him chocolates …

His jaw dropped. “Oh my God. Matthew James Carlson, you’re trying to seduce me, aren’t you?”

Matty grinned. “Maybe. Is it working?”

“It might be.”

But before Antoni could open his mouth to talk about it, a moan from the TV made him turn his head.

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