Page 33 of Single Player

“Like one of those zombies on The Walking Dead,” Matthew observed. “The ones without legs.”

Silas nodded absently. “I suppose I could do some volunteering somewhere.” He sounded unenthusiastic at the prospect.

Matthew snapped his fingers as an idea struck him. “You should totally come to DiceCon with me next week.” Matthew grinned at him. The idea was ridiculous, and it had spilled out without planning, but he could see the appeal.

Silas blinked at him. “DiceCon? That sounds like a gaming thing.”

“Yep. A big one, too. It’s up in Boston. PI Games goes every year. We have a booth, but when we aren’t each working, we can go around and see the convention. There are gaming companies of all sizes from across the country. There’s other stuff, too, besides games. All the hallmarks of geek culture. Panels, workshops, swag, the works.”

Silas was still staring at him in disbelief. “You want me to just spontaneously buy a plane ticket to go to Boston?”

“Sure, why not?” Matthew shrugged.

Silas looked flabbergasted. “Lots of reasons. It’s expensive. I don’t game. It doesn’t give me enough time to plan a trip. I’m not the type of person to just spontaneously take a vacation.”

“Well, maybe you should spontaneously take a vacation.” Now that he’d mentioned it, he couldn’t stop picturing them at DiceCon together. Touring the floor, trying out different games, maybe even sharing a hotel room . . . It would be amazing. From the look on Silas’s face, though, Matthew knew he wasn’t going to get anywhere with this topic right now. Maybe he’d bring it up again when Silas was a bit calmer. “But fine. If you’re not going to do that, then what you really want to do is take up loafing.”

Silas made a face. “That is most certainly what I do not want to do.”

“No, listen! It’ll be great.” He shifted on the couch to face Silas directly. “I’ll be your mentor. I’ll teach you how to do frivolous things and have fun.”

Silas threw up his hands, liquid sloshing in his glass. “Ugh. No. I have no interest in this. I have to find something useful to do with my time. I can’t waste four whole weeks!” He downed a large gulp of his drink, swallowed, and coughed. “I’m never going to make it.”

“Anyone can learn to loaf.” Matthew stretched his arms, folded them behind his head, and kicked his feet up onto the coffee table. “Look how easy I make this look. See? You can barely even tell I’m alive.” He closed his eyes and let his head loll back.

When Matthew peeked open an eye to check on Silas he saw him smiling, and if all Matthew accomplished was making Silas smile, he figured it was worth it. Silas set the mostly empty glass down on the coffee table. “So like this? Is this what I do?” He folded his arms behind his head like Matthew was doing and put his feet up onto the coffee table. “Do I look like a pro loafer now?”

Matthew shifted to examine Silas’s posture, and by extension, Silas. “Not quite. You’ve got too much tension in your shoulders. Relax your arms.” He leaned over and shook Silas’s shoulders. Silas let his arms flop down and allowed Matthew to shake him like a rag doll.

“Oh yes, much better.” Silas’s expression had become serious, but a grin still tweaked the corners of his mouth. “You want to teach me to lounge around and so you shake me into unconsciousness.”

“You’re too serious. Loosen up. You do everything seriously.” They were both grinning, and Matthew pushed him over on the couch affectionately. “I swear, you even fuck seriously.”

“That’s because sex is very serious business.” Silas was laughing, and maybe it was mania, maybe it was genuine relaxation, but he didn’t look ready to jump off a bridge like he had when he’d arrived at the apartment. “You’re not supposed to be halfhearted about it.”

“You can have great sex and not be so serious. Relaxed sex. You suck at relaxing.” Matthew looked at Silas’s mouth again, and it would be wrong to make a move right now, he was sure. Even though they were talking about sex. Even though Matthew’s dick was becoming increasingly hard despite his best efforts to stay neutral.

“I can relax. No one’s ever made me before. I was deprived! You have to trust me.” Silas was now giggly with the alcohol running through his system, loosening him. His giggliness was hot, and adorable, and Matthew had the urge to kiss all the tension out of him. Silas looked up through his lashes at Matthew. “Do you want to make me relax? I could use some relaxing.” He grabbed the front of Matthew’s shirt and pulled him down so Matthew was on top of him on the sofa, framing Silas’s body with his arms, and kept pulling until their lips met. His kiss was soft, pliant, tasting like alcohol and sweet cannoli, and Matthew forgot that Silas was upset and needed comforting in the desire to comfort him like this, right now. Tongue and lips and teeth and yes.

Silas broke the kiss, still smiling. “Oh, so you’re going to teach me to relax like this?”

“Yep. I sure am.” Matthew nibbled Silas’s bottom lip, sparking another long kiss. “You’re too intense. We’re going to have some nice, relaxed fucking, right here on the couch. Too lazy even to get into bed.” Maybe that wasn’t the best option, but damn it, it certainly felt like the way to go in the moment.

Silas didn’t seem to mind, teasing him right back. “I don’t know if I’ll do it right. You seem to think I get all worked up.” Silas started tugging on Matthew’s shirt, pulling it up his body toward his head.

“See, that right there? You’re already working too hard.” Matthew pulled his shirt back down. “We’re not at clothes yet. You’re wanting to rush right into taking clothes off.”

Silas raised an eyebrow. “I’ve found sex is better with clothes off.” His pupils were dilated, his smile starting to turn lazy and relaxed, and Matthew wanted to keep kissing him forever.

“I don’t know. You didn’t mind it when we were at the club.” Matthew got up off the couch.

“Where are you going?” Silas asked, leaning up to watch him.

“I need something,” Matthew called back, going into the bedroom to fetch his lube. When he returned, Silas spotted what was in his hand and grinned broadly.

“Oh that’s where you went off to? At least we’re headed in the right direction, even if you want to take forever to get there.” He settled back against the sofa.

“You hush.” Matthew climbed on top of Silas again, leaning down and propping himself up on his elbows to rub his groin against Silas’s. There were too many layers of fabric in the way for any real effect, but the pressure against his erection was nice. “See, we can warm up here.”