With Abandon: With or Without, Book 4

He couldn’t remember
    ever being this sexually frustrated. Hell, even as a teen a few minutes alone took care of it, but jerking off in his office bathroom before he came home hadn’t dampened his lust. Matt’s scent just riled him up again.
    He dropped his head on the cool granite countertop and rolled his forehead on it. Maybe he could talk
    Matt into a mutual handjob or something? No, the plan was to keep from hurting Matt when this thing
    ended. Sex would make it more difficult. Matt wasn’t the type to engage in casual sex.
    Aubrey glanced up at Matt as he flipped the pieces of fish in the pan like a professional chef and set it back on the burner. Gawd, did everything Matt do have to be so fucking sexy? “Where did you learn to
    cook?”

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    J.L. Langley
    Leaning on the cabinet next to the stove, Matt grinned. “My dad. He’s a great cook. He insisted all of
    us learn. Which has kept us from starving a few times, when Dad is sick or goes out on the rare occasion, because I swear my mom can’t even boil water. How about you? This…” he swung his hands out
    indicating the kitchen, “…is not the kitchen of someone who doesn’t cook. Because, your brother? I think he’s an even worse cook than my mom.” He chuckled.
    Aubrey nodded. “Well, Keaton can’t hold a candle to our mother. Your mom may not know how to
    boil water, but mine? I’m pretty sure she could burn it.”
    They shared a laugh.
    “I hid out in the kitchen with Martha a lot trying to avoid chores. It never worked though. Instead I
    ended up helping her.” Aubrey shrugged. “But it beat shoveling out stalls or trimming back kudzu.”
    “You had horses growing up?”
    “Still do.”
    Matt’s nose crinkled. “And what in the heck is kudzu?” Picking up the pan, he flipped the tilapia
    again.
    Aubrey’s jaw about hit the floor. “Oh good Lord, I gotta take you home. I can’t believe you’ve never
    seen kudzu. It’s a nuisance, that’s what it is. It’s a vine that grows like crazy and will take over anything and everything if you let it.”
    Replacing the pan, Matt cocked his head. “Isn’t this home?”
    Thunder boomed outside, making Aubrey flinch. He shook his head. “This is a sort of home away
    from home. A place to stay while I work. Home is Reynolds Hall.” He couldn’t help but smile. “We’re
    going there this weekend to meet pack and hunt. You’ll see more kudzu than you care to, and we can ride horses if you want.”
    “Oh, hey, speaking of pack.” Matt grabbed the pan again and slid one piece of fish onto a plate with
    some of the mushrooms and the sauce, then dumped the rest on another plate. “I got a call from Corde
    today after I came in from school.” He brought the plates to the bar.
    “And?” Aubrey picked up their dinners and silverware then headed to the table. “Let’s eat over here
    and watch the rain. Bring the bread.” He took a big sniff, letting the delicious aroma fill his nose. Man, he was gonna get fat with Matt staying here. Maybe he could squeeze in an extra hour of working out a week.
    “Did you tell him I’d call him back?”
    “No. I was going to, but he asked my advice on what to do with his friend. He was still in the
    doghouse over peeing on the house.” Smirking, Matt set down two glasses of tea and went back for the
    bread.
    Rolling his eyes, Aubrey snorted over the doghouse remark. Should Matt be taking up pack matters?
    How would it look? “What did you tell him?” This was nice…homey. Matt had such a family-guy kind of
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    With Abandon
    vibe to him. Mom and Dad were going to love him. Even if they’d never know Matt was his mate, they’d
    still welcome him and be sad when he was gone. Aubrey would too.
    He pulled out his chair just as Matt returned with the basket of bread. When he set it on the table he
    bent over, giving Aubrey a great view of his ass. His slacks weren’t overly tight, but they sure showed off his butt to perfection. Aubrey’s cock got harder.
    “I told him to take the guy a steak and if he had any more problems to call me back.” Grinning, Matt
    sat down and picked up his knife and fork. He looked pleased with himself.
    It was sound advice, but Aubrey still wasn’t sure Matt should be giving it. Technically, Aubrey wasn’t
    Alpha yet. Though he stood in for his dad more often than not lately. The younger generation already took it for granted that Aubrey was in charge,