Sold by Sean Michael Page B

watching the game together. Matt’s arm felt good around his shoulders, like it belonged there.
    His hand came to rest on Matt’s belly, his head on the man’s shoulder. Matt hummed, hand sliding along his arm, rubbing circles on his back. He wasn’t even sure Matt knew he was doing it. It didn’t matter. He was happy. He thought Matt was happy. It worked.
    Matt chuckled when the game was over. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wait so long to take you out for supper. It was a good game, though.”
    “It was. I’m happy.” They didn’t have to move.
    Matt’s stomach growled and the man laughed again. “Okay, like I said, if I’m hungry, then you must be starving.”
    “I’m okay. I am.” He could snuggle forever.
    “Still, we should go eat. And then tomorrow we can hit the market so we have food at home we can make.”
    “Okay. I could murder a pancake.”
    Matt laughed. “All right, pancakes for the bloodthirsty it is.”
    “Bloodthirsty?” That made him laugh, hard.
    “You did say you could murder a pancake.” Matt gave him a wink.
    “Punny. Very punny.”
    Matt laughed, stood. “Come on, lovely. I have my man to feed.”
    God, that was an amazing set of words. Just amazing.
    Matt’s hand wrapped around his, tugging him up. Their lips met for a moment, a little ‘hi, how are you,’ and then they were on their way to the front door. On a date. Him and his Master.
    They headed to the car, Matt humming, holding his hand the entire way.
    “You sound happy.”
    “That’s because I am.” Matt stopped at the side of the car and turned to face him, looking into his eyes. “Very.”
    “Very. Good.”
    “Yeah, it is.” Matt opened the passenger door for him, going around to the other side.
    He eased himself in, back still aching, sore.
    “It’s not far,” murmured Matt as he pulled out onto the road.
    “I’m fine. Don’t worry.”
    “I do worry, though.” Matt glanced at him, smiled. “That’s my job.”
    “No. No, it’s my job. I’m here to worry for you, make sure your needs are met.”
    “That works both ways, though, Adam. I know you don’t have experience with a master of your own, but trust me, it’s supposed to work both ways.”
    He chuckled, a little unnerved. He had experience with dozens of masters, but never someone who was there for him .
    Matt turned down the street with the all-night diner, and pulled into the parking lot. “Best pancakes you can find, this time of day. You discover a lot when you’ve just moved in and don’t have anything unpacked.”
    “Midnight pancakes are the best. I used to come out here when I was a teenager in high school.”
    “Really? That’s so neat.”
    “Yeah. When I was a kid, I was a serious night owl.”
    “Were you out back then?”
    “Of the closet? Yeah. Yeah, my folks weren’t worried about that.” His folks had worried about his anorexia then. They still worried a little bit.
    “No? That implies that they were worried about something, though.” Matt came around and opened the door for him.
    “I. Thank you.” He didn’t talk about it. He’d had to talk about it a lot after his year in, during his recovery, and he watched his clothes to make sure he never lost more than ten pounds, ever.
    The waitress led them to a booth and they sat across from each other, Matt ordering them both the short stack.
    When she’d gone, Matt looked right at him, reached and took his hand. “What were they worried about?”
    “Oh, just stuff. My parents were very liberal.” He held Matt’s fingers, looked away.
    “Very liberal? So they were worried you were going to be conservative?”
    “I. Me? No. No. God, no. I was the wild pink and green-haired punk child.”
    “Oh, I hope you have pictures!”
    “Mom does, yeah.” He grinned. “You’ll have to meet her someday when she and Pop come back into town.”
    “They don’t live here anymore?”
    “They travel. A lot. They bought a travel trailer and go and go. All the time.” It