Bachelor Swap, Lacey Black [best short novels txt] 📗

“What?” he asks, following my eyes and glancing down.

“I’ve just never seen you so…casual before. And in jeans? I didn’t think you owned any,” I state, realizing how well those jeans fit him. They’re not too tight, but definitely accentuate his lean hips and tight thighs. Not to mention the…bulge in the front. It’s not so formfitting that I’d be concerned about the discomfort, but more highlights certain areas. Suddenly, all I want to do is check out the back view to see if that angle is as delicious as the front.

Shocked by my own thoughts, I look away quickly and take a hearty drink of wine. At this rate, I’m going to be half drunk before the food arrives.

“Oh, yeah, I guess I don’t usually wear them much, but I do own a few pairs,” he replies. Matthew heads to the refrigerator and pulls it open. For such a large unit, I notice it’s awfully bare. He does find a bottle of imported beer and pulls it out, twisting off the cap and chugging half the contents.

I’m about to ask him to elaborate on his day when the phone rings. He practically runs over to the receiver and answers it. “Hello?” He pauses for a few seconds before replying, “Please send it up. Thank you.” When he replaces the handheld receiver, he glances at me over his shoulder. “Food’s on its way up.”

I nod and watch him walk to the door.

Yep. The back view is definitely as firm and fit as the front.

Feeling a flush spread up my cheeks, I jump up and retrieve some utensils and plates for dinner. It takes me a few tries to find the correct cabinet, but by the time Matthew returns with our food, I have two place settings prepared. He sets several bags on top of the counter in front of me, the glorious scents of the contents tickling my nose and causing my stomach to growl.

“Hungry?” he asks, a crooked smile on his full lips.

My word, those lips. They look positively edible.

Maybe that kiss I plan to lay on him later won’t be so bad after all.

“Yes, I guess I haven’t eaten since my earlier lunch with Amalee,” I state, as he pulls container after container from the bags and sets them out in front of the plates. “Wow, are you hungry?” I ask, noticing we have enough food to feed half the building.

“Oh, uh, yeah. Long day. Haven’t eaten,” he replies, handing me the first opened container.

Eventually, we sit side by side, eating our food. It’s really good, and frankly, I enjoy sitting in his apartment more than a restaurant. It does feel slightly uncomfortable, but that’s nothing new. Most dinners were a little stiff when you think about it. The only time I truly saw Matthew relaxed was when he was discussing business, whether with me or someone at a table nearby.

“So, how was your afternoon?” I ask again, realizing he really didn’t answer my earlier question.

“Oh, good. I talked to my brother,” he states casually, taking a big bite of his food.

My fork halts on its way to my mouth. “Your brother?” I whisper. “I didn’t realize you had one,” I add, hating that I really know nothing about this man other than what’s on the surface. We’ve never really discussed family, though I’ve tried. Actually, we’ve talked more about my family in the last two months than anything else. Come to think of it, not only did I not know he has a brother, I’m not sure I’ve heard mention of his parents.

That thought is so depressing and validates my decision to potentially move on from this relationship.

I can feel Matthew’s eyes on me, but I keep my gaze on my food, as if it were the most interesting pile of noodles and pork I’ve ever seen. Does he feel this complete disconnect too? He has to. There’s no way he could miss it. It’s awkward and painful, at best, and basically a third party to dinner.

“Yeah, he’s my twin,” Matthew replies, his comment completely shocking me.

I glance up, my eyes probably bigger than the plates we’re eating off. “Twin?”

Matthew sets his fork down. The look on his face I’m unable to decipher, but that’s nothing new. I’ve learned early on he holds his cards very close to his chest. “I didn’t tell you that?” he asks, as he reaches for his beer bottle and drinks most of the contents. “I thought I had.”

“No,” I reply with an uncomfortable chuckle. “I’m pretty sure I would have remembered something like that.”

“Oh, sorry,” he says, picking at his food. “We aren’t particularly close.”

Feeling overwhelmed and a little ticked off, I ask, “And your parents?”

He meets my gaze, the muscles in his neck working hard as he swallows. “They’re in Pennsylvania. When Mason and I graduated high school, he went out west, while I went to Cornell. Our lives took two different paths.”

I feel my face squinting a little as I try to comprehend his words. “You’re not that far from your parents though. Do you see them often?”

Matthew shrugs. “Probably not as often as I should.”

Grabbing my fork, I play around with my food before taking a small bite. “Any other brothers or sisters I should know about?” I can’t help the bite in my tone.

He shakes his head. “No way were my parents going to have more after me and Mason,” he says with the slightest grin. “We were…wild when we were young.”

It’s then I notice the slight stubble on his face, as if he hasn’t shaved in a few days. Matthew is always so clean-cut and put together, but this version is…hot. Very hot, actually. The combination of jeans, flannel shirt, and stubble is enough to set my heart racing. I’ve only seen him in suits or trousers and sweaters, which still makes for a sexy man, but this casual, laid-back version of Matthew is almost better. It seems more