OKAY, IT wasn’t the fantasy reunion he’d dreamed of, but at least Lane had let him in the door.
Matt dropped his duffle bag to the side of the door as Lane relatched the shutter hook and locked the glass-paned inner door. He dragged the carton behind him as he followed Lane through the dark house. He’d heard Sebastian’s voice behind Lane but hadn’t caught a glimpse of the man Lane cared enough about to ride out a hurricane.
Man, he deserved that punch. In spades. And he was ready to take whatever Lane dished out. He owed Lane that much. Actually, he owed him everything.
“We’re in the kitchen… there’s light in here from the back windows.” Lane spoke without even turning to look at him.
“What did you bring us, dear boy?” That voice again. Cultured, suave, sexy.
Matt grimaced. Everything he’d never be. Well, Lane deserved the best, and now he had it, it seemed.
Matt wiped the blood from his lip. It had stopped bleeding. He stepped through the doorway and into the much brighter room. He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the light, then he looked around. Gleaming stainless appliances, granite countertops, and a large antique farmer’s table, surrounded by equally antique mismatched, yet perfect together, wooden chairs.
Of course, the guy had great taste too. He’d picked Lane, after all.
Matt’s gaze fell on an old man sitting at the end of the table.
“Matt, this is Sebastian.” Lane moved to stand protectively behind the man.
Matt’s mouth fell open. The guy had to be, what—sixty or sixty-five if he was a day? Yeah, he looked good, as good as someone in these conditions and his age could, but fuck, this is not what they meant by “older man.”
“Hello, Matt. I’ve heard so much about you,” he murmured. “And I can see Lane’s description wasn’t the fevered ramblings of a man who lost his best friend.”
Oh shit. He knew. Matt looked into that steely blue gaze and knew the old man knew it all. Everything.
Fire crept up his face, burning and telling Sebastian and Lane exactly what he felt.
Shame. Embarrassment.
Matt swallowed. “Very nice to meet you, Sebastian.” Matt extended his hand and took the older gentleman’s in his. Soft but dry and almost lifeless. No wonder Lane wouldn’t leave.
Lane would never leave anyone he cared about behind.
Matt had been the coward.
LANE STARED at Matt, and Matt returned the gaze. The longer they stayed locked in on each other, the hotter Lane got. Aroused and turned on. Just as he did all those years ago when he’d see Matt.
Rock hard.
Fuck, this wasn’t good. Whatever this was, it wasn’t Matt coming back to him. It wasn’t Matt taking his place at Lane’s side, as his best friend and partner for life.
He didn’t know what this was, but damn it, he wanted to know. With every fiber of his being, he wanted his Matt back.
Just went to show what a wimp he was.
“So, are you going to stare at each other until your clothes spontaneously combust, or are you going to sit down and talk?” Sebastian chuckled.
Lane shot a glare in Sebastian’s direction and pulled out a chair. Matt dragged his out also, and they both sat.
“Now, dear boy, what brings you to New Orleans?”
Matt cleared his throat. “I work for a small newspaper on the West Coast. They knew I’m from the city, and when the hurricane hit and the levees broke, they wanted someone here to cover it.”
“Figures.” Lane snorted and crossed his arms over his chest.
“My first thought was about Lane and his family.” Matt concentrated on Sebastian because it hurt too much to see the anger on Lane’s beautiful face.
“Of course it was.” Sebastian nodded. “Not the chance to make your name at the paper.”
“No… well, it’s my job. I have to go where they send me. I’m just lucky they did, because without my press credentials, I’d never have gotten into the city. They’re not letting anyone in, even the residents. No one back in until the National Guard restores order and the conditions improve.”
“That’ll take weeks,” Lane griped.
“Yeah, probably months. It’s a mess out there.”
Sebastian leaned forward, interest and curiosity burning in his eyes. “Is it as bad as they say? Water everywhere? Looting and riots?”
“Yeah. It’s bad.” Matt glanced over to Lane, and the message in his eyes said Don’t go into details. Matt shut up. Whatever Lane wanted, he’d do.
“What did you bring?” The old man pointed to the carton he’d dragged through the Quarter. “Chocolate bars and nylons?”
Matt laughed. “Wrong war, Gramps.” Shit. He didn’t mean to say that. He checked out Lane’s reaction, but Lane seemed fine.
“So many soldiers, so little time.” Sebastian waved a hand as if he were the queen of… well, Bourbon Street.
“Mostly it’s bottled water. There’re some MREs. They’re not so bad if you’re starving.”
“Water? Great!” Lane’s eyes lit up, then he sobered. “Not that we’re running out….”
“But we’re running out,” Sebastian finished. Lane sighed. “Did you think I didn’t know?”
“I hoped.” Lane shook his head.
“Lane, I spoke to your mom and dad. I called them when I couldn’t reach you. They’re very worried about you.”
“I know, but the phone’s out.”
They looked at each other. Time crawled by.
Sebastian laughed. “You two!” He pushed to his feet. “Lane, take Matt and show him your apartment.” He made shooing motions.
“This isn’t your place?” Matt glanced at Lane as he stood.
“No, this is Sebastian’s house. I live in the slave quarters behind the courtyard.”
“Oh.” Matt’s brows furrowed. It was odd, but maybe it worked for them. Still, he couldn’t get over the age difference and that Lane would want this old dude.
LANE OPENED the door and motioned Matt through to the porch.
Sebastian muttered, “Soul mates, Lane.” And cocked an eyebrow at him.
Lane huffed and rolled his eyes.
“He came for you.”
“He came for a story.”
“Listen to him. Give him a chance.”
Lane turned away, not wanting to hear any more, and joined Matt on the porch.
“Well”—he pointed to the small building—“that’s my place. It’s small, but I love it.”
Matt and he walked around the lifeless courtyard. “Neat fountain.”
“Yeah. You should see it when it’s on.” He paused. “But you won’t be staying, will you?”
“That depends.” Matt shrugged.
Lane didn’t want to know on what, so he let it drop. He opened the door to his home and the heat hit them.
“Sorry it’s so hot. No power. Let me open all the windows. Since the storm, I’ve been living at Sebastian’s. It’s easier that way for me to take care of him.” He moved through the house, opening the shutters and windows, filling the rooms with sunlight.
“It’s really nice, Lane. So you.” Matt smiled as he walked through the place, touching and taking everything in as if he were starving.
Then he turned that ravenous, hungry gaze on Lane, and Lane nearly fainted.
Probably just the heat.
Yeah, right. Fainted with a hard-on.
Lane sat on one end of his couch, and Matt sat on the other.
“Lane.” Matt cleared his throat. “Are you in love with him?”
“In love with whom?” Lane tilted his head at Matt.
“Sebastian.”
“Sebastian?” Lane’s voice rose and cracked. Then he laughed and shook his head. “You think I’m in love with Sebastian?”
“Well, uh, yeah. Your mom said you wouldn’t leave him. She said you stayed because of him.”
“Of course I did. He’s my elderly landlord, and he’s a good friend.”
“Oh.” Matt’s face colored again.
Lane liked the way it looked on him.
Then Matt groaned and closed his eyes. “Sorry.”
“Matt, what did you really come here for?”
Matt swallowed, and Lane watched, fascinated by the movement of Matt’s Adam’s apple as it bobbed. Of the day’s growth of beard on his handsome face. On the way his dark hair still set off the blue of his eyes.
“I came for you, Lanie. All I could think about has been to get to you.”
“Too bad you didn’t think about that five years ago.” There was no anger in Lane’s voice, only sorrow.
“About that.” Matt ran his hand over the back of his neck. It came away sweaty, and he wiped it on his jeans. “I made a mistake that night.”
“I know. Sleeping with me,” Lane bit off the words. Maybe he’d just punch Matt again.
“No, Lane. For leaving. I never should’ve done that. I never should’ve left you.” Matt shook his head as he took Lane’s hand in his. “I was so scared. I knew you didn’t want me like that, but I was drunk and I just took….” He looked at his feet and inhaled. “It was wrong, what I did, and I want to apologize. I ruined our friendship. I ruined us.” Matt’s teary gaze came up and fastened on Lane.
Lane blinked. Did he just say ‘I never should’ve left you’? And that Lane didn’t want him like that? Where did he get that idea? Matt was the one who didn’t want Lane.
Despite his brain screaming it was crazy and wrong, Lane’s heart did jumping jacks. Soul mates? Stupid, foolish soul mates.
“No, you shouldn’t have left me,” Lane whispered. “And I thought you didn’t want me. You never came on to me. Ever.”
“How could I? At your parents’? They’d have thrown me out and then I’d have lost you, two people I loved, and the best home I’d ever had.”
Okay, that made sense. Matt’s insecurity had played a part in that.
“But when we went to college? We shared a room.”
“Lane, as far as I knew for the longest time, you were straight. Hitting on your straight best friend is a surefire way to kill a friendship.” He shook his head.
“But I came out to you.”
“Sure, after I’d established myself as a total slut.” Matt sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “A great guy like you… why would he want a slut like me?”
Lane stared at Matt. “Because I loved you, you idiot. I’ve always loved you, Matt.”
Matt opened his mouth to protest, but Lane closed the gap between them so fast he didn’t have time to speak. Lane’s lips crashed onto Matt’s. He pushed Matt back, and Matt toppled over.