Round Robin part XVIII

At least I think I got the number right *g*

This is gonna be VERY short, but hopefully coherent LOL. I'm behind on my deadline, as per usual, so trying to get more wordage in tonight. Here goes...

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Matthew stood rooted to the spot, an uncomfortable mixture of gratitude and guilt roiling in his gut. Ever since Cole had rescued him, he'd tried to tell himself he didn't care what Cole thought of him. So why the fuck did it take Cole getting pissed off at him for him to realize he did care after all?

Cole reached the Dodge, stopped and shot Matthew an impatient look. "You coming, or what?"

Shit. Matthew swallowed. "Yeah, I'm coming."

He crossed to the car on legs that shook all of a sudden. Cole was already buckled behind the wheel and had the car going by the time Matthew slid into the passenger seat.

They rode in silence for what felt like ages. Several times, Matthew started to speak, then thought better of it. The brooding anger comig from Cole in palpable waves defeated him. Besides, what was there to say? Cole had made it pretty clear where Matthew stood with him.

The really confusing part was, Matthew liked it. He liked that Cole had refused to fuck him, and he liked even more that Cole had laid down the law and told him that if he wanted anything more than a place to crash for the night, he was going to have to give up some of his closely-held secrets.

The relief Matthew felt at the thought of telling Cole his secrets surprised him.

When they pulled up in front of a small house sheltered by huge oak trees, Matthew laid a hand on Cole's arm. "Okay."

Cole looked at him. "Okay what?"

Matthew took a deep breath and blew it out. "Okay, you'll get your answers."

"Good." Cole smiled, and the sight of it made Matthew's stomach flutter. "In the morning. Come on."

Matthew climbed out of the car and followed Cole up the short walkway to the cottage he evidently called home. A yawn nearly split Matthew's skull in half. After the attack, the scare with the cops and the mind-blowing orgasm he'd just had, followed by his decision to tell Cole the truth -- or selected parts of it -- he was exhausted.

He'd decide exactly how much to tell Cole after he'd slept for about twelve hours.