Behind
the Title Thursday.
For this first post in the new blog post
series I’ve chosen, Given Time.
Read
where the title occurs in the story.
Angel turned to him. “Thank you for
being here. Can I hug you?”
Matt broke into a huge smile. “Can you?
Hell, I’m desperate to feel you in my arms. Come here.” He held out his arms.
Angel went into his embrace. He pushed
close to Matt with a sigh of pleasure. He pressed his face against Matt’s. The
shade of stubble on Matt’s jaw rasping on his skin, and the feel of Matt’s hard
muscled chest he molded to combined to send streaks of pleasure tripping all
the way through his body. Angel breathed in the masculine energy that bathed
Matt. He turned his face and kissed near the side of Matt’s mouth.
Matt lifted a hand and slid it along
Angel’s face. He grazed his lips against Angel’s in a soft brush as he
whispered. “You feel good.” He kissed Angel, his mouth a soft merging of
sensation that hardened Angel’s cock.
Angel closed his eyes and returned the
kiss, taking another until they both broke away to breathe. “So do you—feel
good.” He opened his eyes. “Bet the water’s boiled.” He wanted Matt, but the
prickle of guilt about being happy when he was there for such a somber occasion
forced him to push away.
Matt loosened his hold. His eyes held
desire and his erection bulged in his black jeans.
Angel tore his gaze from the enticing
sight. “I’ll switch the central heating on. I reckon there’ll be food in the
fridge. We never had breakfast. Are you hungry?”
Matt laughed. “Sure, maybe not for
food…”
Angel grinned at him. He spooned instant
coffee into the mugs and poured the boiling water on them. As steam rose from
the mugs, he went to the fridge and looked inside. It held nothing that
represented a quick breakfast snack. He shrugged and checked the larder. The
glass cookie jar was half-full of what looked like the fruit cookies available
in the bakery on the Main Street. He brought the container to the counter and
placed it next to the mugs of coffee.
“We’re stuck with cookies, sorry.”
Matt shook his head. “Doesn’t matter.”
Without warning, anxiety gripped Angel.
“Matt, let’s check Rory’s study. I need to find any paperwork.”
He brought Matt along the hall to the
back of the house where his brother’s home office looked out onto the river.
Angel opened the door and took a deep breath.
Matt ran his hand over Angel’s
shoulders. “Don’t worry. There’ll be something.”
Angel took comfort from that. He walked
to the big desk. Rory’s laptop lay closed on the top. The lead for the
electrical connection was in the jack. Angel opened the lid. He pressed a key
and the screen lit up. “It’s on. Hell, there’s not even a password required.”
He flicked his gaze to Matt in surprise.
Matt walked around the desk and stood by
his side. “That’s good, though, huh?”
Angel looked around the room. He wheeled
the extra desk chair and placed it next to the one behind the desk. “Sit with
me, Matt. Let’s check the files.”
Angel opened the documents file. A
column of files built in the window. Each had a name that had to pertain to
Rory’s previous work. Some way down the column Angel saw a file named ‘Loewe.’ He glanced at Matt. His
expression meant to convey satisfaction at finding it.
Matt nodded in unspoken agreement.
Angel opened the file. Acutely
disappointed by the one document on display, a sigh escaped him, but he opened
the document.
It listed ideas for the sculpture and a
‘note to self’ from Rory to confirm the booking for the work and exhibition
space to avoid damaging the finished artwork in transit from his home studio.
Angel sat back from the laptop and
pushed his hands through his hair. He heaved a sigh.
“Fucking hell, he never confirmed. I
can’t believe it.”
Matt put his hand onto Angel’s thigh.
“Hey, what did I say? Honestly, I’m not angry. Maybe he got sick. That would
explain it.”
Angel sagged in the chair. “I hope
there’s a will or some instructions about his estate.”
Matt took his hand. “You need to grieve…
maybe there’s a lawyer in town that Rory used for his will.”
Even though mixed emotions,
disappointment, puzzlement, tumbled through his mind, Angel enjoyed the way
Matt held his hand. He turned to Matt. “I don’t feel the sadness I should,
Matt. I don’t know why. I did at first when I heard the news. I cried myself
nearly sick, but now I have this weird feeling. I wish I’d contacted him. Now
there’s no time. I always thought there would be.”
“Given time, what would you have said?”
Matt’s low voice and gentle clasping of his hand helped Angel answer.
“That I miss him. That I’m sorry we
parted so abruptly and that I hope there was happiness in his life.” Angel
gazed into Matt’s eyes until Matt leaned forward and kissed him softly. The
touch lifted his spirits. I feel so much
better with Matt around.
He drew away from Matt. “It’s helped me
to say the words even though he can’t hear them.” He attempted to get back to
business. “You’re probably right about a lawyer.”
He reached over to the desk drawer on
his left and opened it. A thick manila folder lay on top of a sheaf of what
appeared to be newspaper cuttings. Angel brought the folder out and leafed
through it. Everything was there. A copy of Rory’s will, insurance documents,
the deed to the house that named both him and Angel, the lease to Rory’s
building in town, a list of people and offices, the lawyer, Rory’s doctor, and
other people that Angel didn’t know. He took a deep breath. “It’s very tidy.
Rory used to be so … so scattered.” He put the folder on the desk next to the
laptop. “We left the coffee in the kitchen.” It sounded strangely hollow as he
said it. The words seemed to hang in the air. He stood.
Matt caught his hand. “You okay?”
Angel stared out of the window to the
river beyond. “I just want it all finished. Hell, what time is it?” The memory
that he’d asked the detective to bring him to see Rory’s body flashed into his
mind. He snatched his phone from his jacket pocket. “It’s nearly one. Sorry,
Matt, the detective will be here soon. I had no idea how late it was. I’d like
to show you the studio here.” The imminent arrival of the police officer and
the prospect of seeing Rory wrecked his tenuous composure.
Matt quietly followed him around the
house until, in Rory’s huge studio, he stopped and pulled Angel into his arms.
“Do you want me to come with you? I can see
you’re distressed.”
Angel soaked up the comfort in Matt’s
hug. “I can’t do that to you. I’ll be fine.” He half turned and waved a hand
around the room. “See it’s empty. What do you
make of that?”
Matt let him go. “Could be everything
finished is sold or in an exhibition. Surely the office staff in town would
know.”
Angel shook his head. “I should have
asked. What will you do this afternoon? I don’t have your phone number.”
Matt took out his cell phone. “I don’t
have yours.” His eyes twinkled.
Angel gave him the number and smiled as
his phone beeped in his hand when Matt messaged him. “Can I call you, when I’ve
dealt with a few things? We could have dinner. I feel as if I’ve dragged you
around all the sad corners this morning. I want to be with you tonight as if …
as if…”
Matt’s expression held tenderness. “As
if we’re lovers … and we are, even if
it’s new.”
Relief flooded Angel. He immediately
knew that’s what he wanted badly. “Yes.” His voice came out a whisper. He
pushed his arms around Matt’s neck and rested his forehead on Matt’s. Happiness
blanketed him. Matt’s light herbal cologne filled his head. Matt’s lips a
fraction away from his were a sweet temptation. The way they fit against each
other felt so right. Calm crept over Angel. He kissed Matt gently, pushing down
the urge to ravage him with kisses that would lead to sex. His cock jerked all
the same and he thrust his hips against Matt’s hard body. The column of his
cock met the bulge in Matt’s pants and he smiled. “Hell, Matt, I can’t help
wanting to fuck you hard.”
Matt smiled and kissed him quickly
before he moved away. “The feeling is mutual, but I reckon greeting this
detective with a visible hard on might not be the way to go. You’re happier at
least.”
Angel tried to think his erection away.
The doorbell echoed along the hall below them.
Even though he expected the visit, the
sound sent a spike of shock through Angel.
“Call me.” Matt strode to the exit and
the stairs, and Angel trailed behind him.
Copyright
E. D. Parr, Evernight Publishing
BUY the book and read another teaser on the Evernight website.
https://www.evernightpublishing.com/given-time-by-e-d-parr/
OR find the book on,
https://www.bookstrand.com/given-time-mm
Your Amazon link http://mybook.to/GivenTime
https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/given-time-1
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/given-time-e-d-parr/1126649862
Given Time
Music video maker, Angel Starc is about to board a plane to Paris when he receives some sudden sad news. It takes him hurrying back to his childhood home after two years away.
Angel is amazed when that night he meets the only man he’s found romantically attractive in a long time. Gorgeous, caring Matt Loewe wraps him in a blanket of comfort and love that heals Angel’s troubled soul.
Delectable, artist, Matt Loewe, follows his hunches and his heart. He’s been looking for love and Angel ignites an addictive passion in him.
Next week in Behind the Title Thursday blog post series, E. D. Parr's, Like a Thief in the Night.
