Kiss Me

Part Nineteen

Henley

"Matt, dinner!" I called out. He peeked around the door from the restaurant's kitchen. He didn't seem very happy about it. "What?"

"Nothing, let me just get my coat."

"Fine." I huffed and knocked the front of my foot off one of the bar stools. He's a strange one, really. One minute he's all smiles and the next he's floating around like the rest of us are invisible.

"Let's go." He grumbled and held the door for me. I sniggered a little and moved past him. "Shit, it's cold bud."

"Yeah, snow is predicted tomorrow."

"Hopefully, then maybe we don't have to go to work."

I pulled my scarf tighter around my neck and nudged Matt. "You tired?" I asked.

"You can say that. Maybe I need a holiday."

"Somewhere hot?"

"Obviously. Why would I go from bitter cold to bitter cold? Are you mental?"

I laugh. I've missed his cocky attitude as of late. He's been a bit too withdrawn, I don't like it. "Well, let's get back quick. I'm starving."

"What's on the menu?"

"Ribs," I said smiling. "Aya's a great cook."

Nudging me from my thoughts, Matt chuckled. "Better than constantly living off takeaways, am I right."

"Says you."

He laughs again. "Well, I'm shit at cooking. Don't wanna die at such a tender age."

"You know, your self deprecating way too much."

He snorts at my statement. "You've been on the dictionary too?"

"Funny. Really funny."

"That's shits addictive."

"And you're a moron."

"At times…."

I cut in with a short jab to his ribs. "Stop it, I'm joking. And lately I don't think you are. So stop putting yourself down," I paused to shoot him a quick glance. He looks so down. "Hey, you've not mentioned anything more about the guy you met. How's it going?"

"Ahh, well. You know me."

I shook my head in disapproval. "No Matt, lately I don't know you. What's up?"

"Nothing. Hey, do you think Aya will want some fancy chocolates?"

"Why are you changing the subject?"

"I'm not," he said, waving his hands in front of him. "Just wondering if Aya would want chocolates, is all."

"Yes he would," I bit out. "But I'm talking to you, so…"

He ignored me and walked away. Fucker is deliberately avoiding me. "Henley, I'm going in here, wait for me." I slouched against a metal railing and pulled my phone from my pocket and decided to text Aya real quick.

Me: I'm on my way back with Matt. How's dinner coming along? Xxx

I stare at my phone. Like I do everytime I message him. Waiting. I'm good at waiting now.

Beautiful: Dinners going great! Smells so damn good. Tell me how lucky you are to have me. ;)) Xxx

A rumbled laugh spreads through me. I'm so fucking lucky.

Me: I will not add to your growing ego beautiful. LOL ...See you in ten. Love you. Xxx

I pocket my phone when I see Matt bowling from the store. "You good?" I asked.

"Good, let's get to yours. I'm cold and extremely hungry."

We ended up walking in silence the rest of the way which is too much for me. I'm not used to it and I aim to find out what the fuck is up with him. But not before I suck the breath from my beautiful guy. "Hey baby," I called out as I walked in. "Damn, food smells top notch."

"Hey," Aya squeaked and appeared from around the hall. "There you are." He said and tried, but failed to bounce up to me. He still hurts. I shook off the curveball thoughts my mind threw at me and, instead of treading through questions, chose to get my guy and get my fucking lips some satisfaction. It had only been a few hours since I last saw him, but those demanding fuckers needed what they needed.

"Matt, go through," I nod to him. "I need to kiss the shit out this guy," I chuckled. Matt huffs and left us alone. "Now, where's my kiss?"

"Mmm, right here." He said and crushed his lips to mine. God he tastes like wine and Aya, such a tempting taste. "You can't eat me up, yet."

"I like the yet bit."

"And so you should."

"Let's go through."

Aya walked ahead of me and up to Matt. When Matt gave him a kiss on the cheek, he teased, "Oh, keep going. Henley. Dude. Fuck off. We need a minute. He needs to see what a real man is like." He pretended like he was ravaging his neck and Aya laughed easily as Matt playfully nuzzled him.

I felt no jealousy. None. In fact, I liked seeing how well he fit into my life and how my people loved him as much as I did. His presence wasn’t through telling my friends and family about him, finally they saw his magic firsthand. Of course they loved him like I did, he was magnificent. And when it came to his laughs, in those days, I wasn’t picky. I’d take hearing him giggle, no matter where it came from or who was making him happy. Watching him come back to life was something I wouldn’t take for granted.

"I’m feeling good. You were right Henley," he said to me, waving Matt away. "Cooking again feels good. It all feels so good."

"Hey guys," I looked up after slipping my shoes off to see Z standing in the living room doorway. "I'm staying over, hope you don't mind?" He smiled, then suddenly his eyes flit to Matt and his cheeks blushed a shade of embarrassed pink. Ahhhh ...now I see.

"Matt, you gonna stop over?" I asked, trying to get a reaction from him. But as per usual that guy is good at hiding shit and he shakes his head and makes himself right at home on my couch. "That's a no, right?"

"Obviously," he cleared his throat when Z approached the couch and sat at the far end. That's a good thing about having a huge L-shaped sofa, we could all fit on it. But looking at those two and the dark aura around them, I've decided to calmly stay away. "When's dinner cutie?"

Aya chuckled and moved back towards Matt and grabbed his shoulders. I saw the menacing smile and he squeezed. "Not long, you ass."

"Yeah, ouch. Seems you got your strength back."

"You ain't seen nothing yet toots." Aya said, then fantastically flipped his hair and walked away. That's my guy.

I left them all to it and wandered to the bedroom. Our spaces were already becoming shared. Naturally, Oh, and he had a key. This home is now his home. Even our toothbrushes were becoming intimate. I chuckled at that and strip my clothes away. Sweats, I thought. And grabbed a pair from the draw. It's so good seeing my clothes neatly folded and put away. I guess I had a bad habit of chucking them wherever, but with Aya here it was becoming neat and real homely.

Walking back into the open living space I clocked that Z had moved up a little closer to Matt. Seriously, those two might as well have a beacon above them that said 'yeah, we got the hots for each other' is so damn obvious now. "Hey beautiful, you need any help?" I asked, stealing some of the lettuce placed in a bowl.

"Yeah, you can lay the table then open the wine."

"Sure thing." God, I fucking loved him. It was the perfect time of night. And I noticed it had already started snowing.

I grin widely as I laid the table and talked about work and music and normal things. There was nothing spoken about beatings or dicks who needed to be shot. Then I wandered and wrapped my arms around Aya’s waist as he checked the ribs one last time. They smelled like fucking heaven.

"Man, your food smells so damn good." Matt said and took his place at the table. "I need a good cook in my life."

Z blushed again and sat next to him. I felt like maybe I should just steal Aya away and give them some private time. It was written on both their faces that something happened or they want something to happen. "Aya," I whispered in his ear, making him shudder in a good way. "Those two…" I started to say.

Yet Aya cut in, pulling me ear to his lips. "I know, it's so obvious, right."

"So you noticed?"

"Sure did. Earlier when I mentioned Matt was coming to dinner. Zeke's head almost exploded."

"Zeke?"

Aya nods. "Yeah, you didn't think his actual name was Z, did you?"

"Ha, of course not." Yeah, yeah I fucking did. How dumb am I?

"Silly," he giggled. "The ribs are done so can you start putting the other bits on the table?"

"Man oh man, stop gazing at each other like your both on the menu. You'll put me off my food."

"Hear that? We’re making people sick," I said conspiratorially. His pretty eyes lit up. The past week’s medication haze had cleared. They were brighter. More focused and all on me.

"What a shame," he teased, playing along.

"Fuck ’em. I’ve waited for the days when I could put my hands on you whenever I wanted. There ain’t no stopping me now." There never would be again. I was joking and messing around, but the undertone was still there. I think we were both getting used to being open about how we felt around others. We’d trained ourselves to starve when everyone around us feasted on love. It was our time to binge.

My hands found his cheeks, and I held his face still as I took my time looking at him. The swelling and bruising was nearly gone and the cut on his lip was healing. He leaned into me for a kiss and before our mouths met he murmured, "I love you." He tasted like forever.