Page 34 of Matteo's Mettle
“Okay,” I lower my chin, tilting my head appreciatively. “Thank you. I’ll talk to him tonight.”
Anticipation simmers beneath my skin for the rest of the day.
* * *
“I’ve got a surprise for you,” Matt says by way of greeting when he opens the front door to his place.
He gave me a key last week, but I haven’t used it yet. To be honest, while it feels like I’ve practically moved in, I still don’t feel right just waltzing on in. Besides, watching his eyes light up every time he opens the door to find me on the other side makes the idea of using the key less inviting.
We kiss before I say, “And I kinda’ have one for you, too.”
His brow furrows as he registers my hesitance. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” That much is certain. I’ve given it a lot of thought over the course of the day, and no matter what happens with my job, I’m not leaving Matt. “I just need to talk something over with you.”
“That sounds fucking ominous.”
“Language.”
Beneath his beard, his lips quirk. “Sorry, Daddy.”
We move into the living room and sit together on the couch. Usually, I’d pull him into my lap or kiss him senseless after a day of separation, but I need to face him right now. I need to see his thoughts play out in his expressions because I know him well enough that he’ll try and keep any negative ones from me, still so afraid that I’ll walk away if things get too difficult.
“What’s going on?” he prods while I consider how to broach the subject.
“So…Stan called me into his office today,” I begin, then forge on before he can leap to any incorrect conclusions, “and offered me a pretty big promotion.”
The worry which had begun to build in his eyes clears immediately. “That’s awesome!”
“Yeah…” Scratching the back of my neck, I watch his face fall again.
“Why aren’t you excited about this?”
With a heavy sigh, I admit, “Because they want me to take the Office Manager position at the new location.”
“The new…oh.” Matt knows about the company’s expansion because I’ve mentioned it a couple of times in passing. His face falls and I know where his thoughts are going. I expected as much. Hell, mine would have gone the same way if our roles were reversed.
I reach for his hand, squeezing it. “I’m not leaving, sweetheart.”
Confusion contorts his handsome face. “Really?”
“Really.”
Now there’s guilt in those green eyes of his and it pains me to see it. “But-”
“No. No buts. I’ve already told my boss I’m not ending my relationship and my life here for a promotion.” Running my free hand through my hair, I shrug. “I didn’t want to keep this from you, though.”
Secrets tend to ruin relationships. I’ve seen it enough in my life. Secrets, albeit in regard to infidelity, destroyed my parents’ marriage. Having watched them fail spectacularly at communicating, I’ve never wanted to repeat those mistakes. So far, I think Matt and I have done well not to fall into that trap. Now’s not the time to start.
“London…” Matt shakes his head in disbelief. He sounds awed and horrified all at once. “This is too good an opportunity for you. You work so hard. You shouldn’t let it go.”
“I’m not taking the job if it means having to let you go,” I reiterate, warmed by the relief that flickers over his face. “Stan said that they’d look into how flexible they could be. Maybe that means fly-in fly-out or working remotely or something. But if they can’t, I’m still choosing you, sweetheart.” I can’t help grinning at him now, because this is the part that I’ve been focused on all day. The pinnacle that everything has boiled down to. “I love you, Matt.”
A myriad of emotions swim in his eyes at my declaration, but he doesn’t leave me hanging. A huge smile tugs his lips upwards, and he brings our foreheads together. “I love you, too.”
We’re kissing before anything more can be said. Even though these feelings have been building for months, putting the words out there seems to add even more intensity to the meeting of our lips. We kiss slowly and deeply, as though rediscovering each other. I pull Matt into my lap, guiding his strong thighs to straddle mine, gripping and squeezing his ass over his jeans as I grind up against him with our mouths fused together. Beard burn be damned, I never want this kiss to end.
Most evenings when I come over after work, I help Matt get into his little space and we’re content to spend the most of our time together as Daddy and boy. But today I’m glad he’s big. I’m glad we’ve been able to talk and exchange mutual declarations of our feelings.
