With Abandon: With or Without, Book 4

ruin
    his day? Matt had passed his English exam. He was getting closer to his mate. Everything was going well except now he felt guilty. He should be home to take care of his brothers. Distance was supposed to rid him of that responsibility, but it hadn’t. It only meant that he was too far away to do anything about it.
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    With Abandon
    According to Logan, last night their mom had thrown a hissy fit at dinner when their dad had told her
    she needed to stay home. She’d thrown her fork across the table at him and barely missed Scott with it.
    Then she’d told Dad to go to hell and that she wanted a divorce.
    Lying on his stomach, Matt folded his hands together and rested his chin on them. He pressed his
    forehead against the glass and closed his eyes. Mom bringing up divorce was nothing new, but the violence was escalating. More and more it was her initiating the fights instead of both of them. How could two
    people live like that? They were both miserable.
    A honk made Matt open his eyes. He gazed down at the traffic without really seeing it, then turned his
    head to the side and rested it on the pillow. He stared into the distance at the clouds. They were so white and puffy. It was a pretty day, or it would be if his stomach didn’t hurt. His parents were going to give him gray hair. How ironic. He nearly laughed at that.
    Maybe in a few years, when Aubrey told everyone they were mates, Matt could bring his brothers to
    live with them. There was plenty of room at Reynolds Hall. Martha and Joanna would spoil them rotten.
    He, Aubrey and Howard could teach them to be wolves. Dad would never willingly give them up though.
    He may suck as a husband, but he was a hell of a father. Unfortunately, their mom was neither a good wife nor a good mother.
    Matt sighed, trying not to let his frustration get to him. It wouldn’t be fair to stick Aubrey with a
    bunch of kids anyway.
    As if the thought conjured him, the front door clicked open.
    Matt rolled to his side to see his mate. He looked untouchable and stuffy in that sleek dark suit, but
    Matt knew better. Boy, did Matt know better. This weekend had been every fantasy Matt had ever had
    rolled into one. Making love surpassed his imagination. He didn’t know if it was because they were mates or because Aubrey was very sensual, but it had been sublime.
    Strolling into the living room with his laptop case and a grocery bag, Aubrey looked around. He
    caught sight of Matt and grinned as he dropped his laptop bag next to Matt’s backpack. “Hi.”
    “Hi. Is that dinner?”
    “This?” Aubrey lifted the plastic bag and started across the living room. “Nope. Tonight is pizza
    night. This is for you.” He held the bag out to Matt and jiggled it until Matt sat up. “And from the looks of you, you need it.” After Matt took the bag, Aubrey sat down. “What happened?”
    The bag held lots and lots of chocolate. There were M&M’s, Hershey’s Kisses, Snickers, Reese’s and
    several other brands. The sack bulged with bags of the fun-sized candies.
    “You rock.” Matt smiled and pulled out the Snickers. His foul mood lightened. It wasn’t that he had
    chocolate—chocolate was balm for the soul—but because Aubrey had thought of him. This was the second
    time he’d come home with something especially for Matt.

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    J.L. Langley
    “I was going to send Carson to the gourmet chocolate shop down the street from the office, but Boskie
    came in and fucked that up. So I went by the grocery store on the way home. Thought you deserved
    something for acing your English exam.” Aubrey cupped Matt’s cheek, leaned forward and kissed his nose.
    He lingered, rubbing Matt’s cheekbone with his thumb. “What’s wrong, sugar?”
    “What did Boskie want?”
    “Forget that. I’ll tell you about it later. What happened between this afternoon and now that has you in a funk?”
    “Why do you think something’s wrong?”
    Letting his hand drop, Aubrey arched a brow, daring Matt to deny it. “Because I know you.”
    He sure seemed to. It was neat but a little vexing because he couldn’t read Aubrey as easily.
    Shrugging, Matt unwrapped the candy and popped it into his mouth. He took his time chewing. He didn’t
    want to bother Aubrey with his problems. He’d just come off as whining.
    Aubrey took a piece of candy from the bag, still watching Matt. The way his neck muscles moved as
    he chewed drew Matt’s gaze.