Page 26 of Third Crime's A Charm
“Matteo…” Truman sighed heavily. “I told you I acted…poorly before and I regret being hasty, but you did try to steal from me. Couldn’t we both admit that we made mistakes and start over?” A good lawyer never admitted to being at fault unless a gun was held to his head.
Matteo said something probably derogatory in German, then took off his shirt. It received a quick fold before it was tossed on Truman’s lap. He hadn’t realized the front of his trunks was tented, he was so taken by Matteo’s ingenuity and genuinely enjoyed giving him a massage. Clearly, he hadreallyenjoyed it. Matteo took off his sunglasses, his knowing grin an accusation as he threw them at Truman.
“Save it. I’m going for a swim,” Matteo said and headed for the pool, offering Truman a view of his perfect ass in his short, white trunks. The white practically glowed against his tanned skin and the fabric clung to his tight, round ass, making Truman whimper as he bit a knuckle.
“We should have gone skiing. He’d have a reason to wear a mask and I wouldn’t see so much of his body and his ass.”Another pained sound rattled from Truman when Matteo dove into the pool, disappearing beneath the surface for several moments before popping up at the far end. He got out and went to get the skimmer off the back fence and Truman let out a muffled curse as Matteo made his way around the pool. “Dear Lord, I hope no one’s looking.”
Hewas certainly looking because Matteo’s wet trunks were practically translucent, leaving nothing to the imagination. The crack of Matteo’s ass and the outline of his bulge and sac were indecently obvious and had Truman’s undivided attention. There were only a few stray leaves on the surface of the water and the skimmer was returned to the rack on the fence. Matteo dove in and swam back to Truman. He swept the hair out of his face and smiled as he folded his arms on the edge of the pool.
“You should join me,” Matteo called, his brow arching as he dared Truman.
“I should…” he agreed. The neighbors and Donna expected them to swim and fool around but Truman wasn’t sure if he was that brave, given his current state.
There was no telling who was watching, though, so Truman mustered his courage as he unbuttoned his shirt and left it on the hammock. He kept his sunglasses on for protection and sat on the edge next to Matteo, then slid into the water.
Matteo went right into Truman’s arms, humming as their limbs tangled and they danced away from the edge. “Feels nice, doesn’t it?” he purred against Truman’s cheek and nipped his earlobe.
He wasn’t talking about the water or the weather but the alluring slide of bare skin against skin and the feel of their hard-ons being pressed between them. Matteo’s fingers followed the water as it trailed down Truman’s back and gripped his ass. His lips glided along Truman’s cheek.
“What happens to the star after I hand it to you?” Matteo’s tongue flicked between Truman’s lips when they parted and teased his tongue, offering more if he was willing to share. They might have looked like they were fooling around in the water but they were both playing with fire. Truman was aching to see how far they could take this but he couldn’t tell Matteo about Peter Lonsdale.
The poor sap knew the walls were closing in on him and Truman recalled the fear in Peter’s eyes when he learned his uncle was talking to the feds. Peter was a child compared to Marty and Truman and had done his best to keep his nose clean. He just had the awful luck to have been raised by a heartless pig like Marty. His uncle had looked after him and sent him to law school but Marty had always intended for Peter to work for him. Marty got his way and made Peter’s life a living hell. That wasn’t enough for Marty, though. He intended to ruin the rest of Peter’s life and the only one who could stop Marty was Truman.
“You don’t believe me when I tell you it’s going to a better cause?” Truman asked, spearing his fingers through Matteo’s hair and sucking on his lower lip. It was so full and soft and made it hard to think of anything but kissing Matteo when he was speaking. Truman angled his head and stole a kiss while Matteo was still willing. A leg hooked around Truman’s waist, locking them together. “Fuck, you feel so good and you taste like heaven,” Truman groaned and lapped hungrily.
“What’s your definition of better, Truman?” Matteo pulled his lips free, but rested his forehead on Truman’s and pinned him with a hard stare. “Who will I be helping, by helping you?” He gave his hips a few cruel thrusts, grinding against Truman’s now straining erection.
“This person doesn’t even know I’m helping them but they’re…a civilian and they’ve never hurt anyone.” That was as much as Truman was willing to divulge. He couldn’t risk Matteodeciding he had a better cause than Peter or thathewas a better cause and keeping it for himself. But Truman was reasonably certain Matteo would approve and want to help Peter. Just not certainenoughto take the risk. “The starwillgo back to Austria. It will be the first condition of any deal I make with the DOJ.”
“You still don’t trust me but I’m supposed to trust you?”
“Fine. Where are you getting the fake?” Truman countered, bluffing because he knew Matteo wouldn’t give up his accomplices either. For a moment, Truman wondered if Matteo was protecting another partner—another lover—and was stunned at the sudden rush of jealousy.
Matteo started to pull away but Truman’s arms tightened. “You know more than Neville!” he whispered urgently. “I’m trying to convince the world we’re in love so no one connects you to this but you’re not the only person I have to protect. The less each person knows about the other players, the better.You’resafer this way,” he stated with a reassuring squeeze.
“Or…” Matteo grabbed Truman’s face and kissed him roughly, venting his frustration and disappointment. He was panting and glared as he caught his breath. “You like holding all the cards and keeping them against your chest so you can play us against each other,” he accused. “And youalwayshave to be in control.”
“How do I prove I’m doing this to protect you and this other person?” Truman demanded, desperate for a way to resolve their quiet feud.
“To protect me?” Matteo’s eyelids fluttered and he was stuck for several moments before he eased out of Truman’s embrace. This time, Truman let him go, sensing that Matteo’s temper had just been triggered. “You blew that with this,” he said as he pointed at his face. Matteo splashed playfully before falling back, under the water, and swimming away. He got out at the otherend and casually strolled past Truman, flaunting an obscenely visible dick print. “Think I’ll take a nap on the hammock.”
“I won’t bother you,” Truman promised and did a few laps before heading back inside.
He kept his distance for the afternoon, pretending to be tied up in case research while Matteo continued to scribble in his note pad. They resumed their routine of flirting and touching when they sat down for dinner with Donna but they were distant behind closed doors and as they got ready for bed.
“Goodnight, Matteo,” Truman said wearily as he turned off his lamp.
He couldn’t shake the feeling that, like the proposed heist, every moment in the hammock and the pool had been planned and that Truman had played into Matteo’s hands. But somehow, Truman had fouled or broken the rules again. Neither had truly gotten what they wanted and Truman was still the bad guy.
“Goodnight.”
Eleven
An afternoon with Truman could give a man whiplash. When they were alone and could speak freely, Truman flattered one moment, then talked in riddles the next. Whenever Matteo thought he’d gotten past Truman the attorney, and was connecting with someone real and decent, he came away feeling like a fool.
He’d been touched and ridiculously pleased that Truman had seen something more in him. Matteo had never wanted his intelligence to be noticed, but it tooka lotto impress a man like Truman Tennyson. For a moment, Matteo thoughthemattered to Truman and was more than a common criminal.
Was it all an act?
