Matty couldn't believe he just blabbered on like that, and about something so personal. Coop was the first person he'd ever told this to. That was becoming a recurring theme for them. Something about Coop made Matty talk without worrying what was coming out of his mouth. Only now Coop wasn't saying anything. Not with his mouth anyway.
"So that's what I mean by robot service dog. They wouldn't be actual robotic dogs, just serve a similar purpose."
"That was beautiful," Coop said. "I'm sorry about your mom."
"The worst part is that her mind is still there. I see it in her eyes, like she's stuck in this stroke and can't escape. What are your parents like?"
"Mine? Normal. I don't know. Pretty boring."
"Has it been rough with your dad being out of work?"
"Yes," he said softly. "He's really bitter about what happened. He worked for his company for twenty years, and one morning, he got tapped on the shoulder. They brought him to a conference room, told him he was being let go, and escorted him out of the building. He wasn't even allowed to return to his desk. They boxed up and mailed his stuff to him. I feel what you're saying, that you feel bad about being here when your family needs you. I'm doing what I can to help out in my own way."
"We're trying."
"We are." Coop rubbed Matty's arms. It was the same protective, warm feeling he felt during their epic night. "You're a good person, Matty."
"Thanks." He wasn't sure how to respond to that.
Coop made major eye contact with him, the type of locked and loaded look that made Matty gulp back a lump in his throat.
"So robots, pretty cool?" Matty was going to chastise himself for the dorkiest line ever, except that Coop was in his face, kissing him.
Chapter 17
Coop
Coop wasn't going to pull away this time. He couldn't. There was a rubber band wrapped around him and Matty, forcing them together. Coop cupped Matty's face and gave him soft, tender kisses, which quickly gave way to lust. Coop's tongue slipped past his lips and teeth, exploring the inside of Matty's mouth.
Matty poured his heart out to him, and it made Coop want him more. Coop had kind of done the same, too. He couldn't believe he was kissing Matty. His body was ablaze, skin prickling with want.
Coop shoved Matty up against the wall of hammock samples. Or haptic samples. Whatever the hell they were. Coop felt the muscles tighten in Matty's chest and arms. He grabbed a hold of Coop's shirt and tugged him closer. Their warm bodies rubbed against each other. Matty's kisses were passionate, but tentative. Coop pushed him harder against the wall. Their lips kept finding each other, pulled together by something stronger than gravity. Coop had never experienced anything like this, and it opened up his heart, like stepping outside and breathing in a gust of crisp, fresh air.
Their bodies rocked in beat to each other. Coop found that his hips were doing most of the pushing. Matty received their motion. Coop dragged a hand through Matty's thick brown hair. Their lips parted, and Coop looked into those eyes. They were electric, like a lightning storm in the midnight sky.
The rocking soon became thrusting. Matty's hard cock pressed into his leg, which only made him thrust harder. His own cock rubbed against the fabric of his boxer-briefs, begging to be let free.
Matty spread his legs wider, giving Coop even greater access. Coop moved his hands up and inside Matty's shirt. He grabbed his sides and felt that hot skin in his rough, greedy hands. Coop's hips jabbed at Matty in heavier, more spastic movements. Matty tensed in pleasure. Coop could feel those muscles flexing through his shirt. Coop took Matty's hands and placed them on his ass. Matty took the reigns and pushed Coop against him. He controlled the force, and he wanted full throttle.
Their bodies moved in unison, back and forth. Matty squeezed Coop's ass hard. He pulled away from his lips and moaned in abject joy. His cheeks flushed red.
Heat flooded between them. Literally.
Coop pulled away. Matty's pants were damp. Not just damp. Wet. Coop's pants were also damp with Matty.
Matty looked down at the huge stain, which kept spreading through his denim like a nuclear explosion. He buried his face in the haptic wall.
"I'm going to crawl into a dark hole now. Don't look at me."
"I think it's hot," Coop whispered in his ear, and he wasn't lying either. He hugged Matty from behind and kissed his neck. "It means I did a good job."
"Friction is a very powerful force," Matty said into the wall.
"I don't think it was just friction."
"I can't believe I did that." Matty shook his head against the tree bark, sweater, and leather samples.
"If we had kept going, I would've sprayed my shorts, too." Coop wasn't saying that to cheer Matty up. His dick throbbed in his pants.
"Has that ever happened with a guy before?" Matty asked him.
"You are the first." He wanted Matty to know he wasn't the guy he thought he was, but he didn't know where to start.
Coop unbuttoned his shirt and handed it to Matty, leaving him with a thin undershirt. "Put it on. It'll provide, uh, coverage when we walk back to the dorms."
"I can understand if you never want to see me again."
Coop kissed him deeply, savoring the taste of his hot breath. "I can't."
Coop and Matty attended a party on a Saturday night, but this was not Coop's doing. Apparently, Browerton had a rocketry team that made actual rockets to shoot off into space. Or at least really, really high off the ground. They came in second at some national competition and were throwing a party to celebrate. Matty had heard about it in class and decided to attend "with you on my arm," he had said. Coop happily obliged. It seemed fitting that the party was being held at some kid's swanky apartment in Park Duncannon. It was practically meant to be.
They tilted their necks back to gawk at the high-rise in all its glory. Coop eyed the alley, for old time's sake. The front door was ready to be opened, but both of them hesitated.
"It's weird going through the front door," Matty said. "I don't know why."
"It doesn't seem like us." Coop clenched briefly at the word us. They weren't an us. Coop wasn't sure what they were. One kiss and dry hump later, and his circuits were all screwed up.
Matty opened the door to the chic lobby. They passed leather chairs and a fireplace en route to the elevator, which was almost as big as Coop's dorm room. It whooshed them up to the fourteenth floor.
"So whose place is this?" Coop asked.
"This rich kid in my robotics class is hosting the party."
The doors dinged open. Coop's stomach was still on the elevator, ready to plummet to the ground.
They walked down a hall, following the noise of the party. Kelvin waited at the front door, and his eyes registered the unexpected guest. He and Coop shared a flash of recognition, but kept it at that.
"Matty!" Kelvin stepped aside to let them enter. "Wow. I did not think you would come. I'm Kelvin." He held out his hand to Coop. Coop kept up the charade.
"Nice to meet you." Coop shook his hand hard and enjoyed the wince of pain Kelvin let out.
Kelvin's apartment had an open layout filled with furniture and décor that no eighteen-year-old would ever choose to own. The living room led to the balcony, which overlooked the pool. Kelvin could sell everything in this place and probably pay Coop's tuition.
"Do you live here?" Matty asked him.
"Technically, I'm in the dorms like all freshmen. My parents bought this for when they come visit, and as an investment property. But I pretty much live here full-time. No offense to Gibbons Hall, but this place has it beat." Kelvin slid behind the bar, which was an actual bar with top shelf liquor. "Can I get you gentlemen a drink?"
"I'll just have an orange juice."
"And I'll have a sunshine bomb," Coop said. Matty's face was priceless, like a balloon about to pop.
"I've never heard of that." Kelvin passed Matty his orange juice.
"On second thought, I'll just have a screwdriver."
Coop raised his eyebrows at Matty, pleased with himself for the joke. Matty pretended to be embarrassed, but he loved it.
With drinks in hand, they made their way through the crowd to a corner of the living room. If this were one of his normal clients, Coop would act like the life of the party, but that didn't seem appropriate for Matty. Matty didn't want fake attention. He wanted people to earn it.
It was a moot point anyway. They already were the life of the party. Coop counted at least half a dozen people who looked their way.
A Vietnamese girl examined them like zoo exhibits. "Matty?"
"Yes, Linh. It's me."
"You're out?" she asked.
"Yes," Coop said for him, then placed an arm around his shoulder. "And yes."
He hugged Matty tight against him to let him know that nobody would give them a hard time.
"That's so awesome that you came to the party!" She was practically giddy about Matty's presence, which seemed to surprise both guys equally. "It's good to see you outside of class."