Boss Nanny Ch. 06

Seamus leaned in close, bumping Matt's shoulder. "You sound jealous." It was playful and...flirty? Was Seamus Ryan being flirty?

"Jealous?" Matt scoffed but the way Seamus was looking at him made his nerve ends tingle.

It was just the alcohol.

Matt shrugged. "They didn't need to be discussing your ass all night. It's disrespectful."

Seamus moved closer. Matt could smell his faded cologne; it was mixed with his natural scent and the remnants of a night out. It smelled good, so good. Matt wasn't sure he'd ever liked the way someone smelled as much as he liked the way Seamus did.

"You were discussing my ass." Seamus said, his voice low and husky.

"That's different," Matt swallowed. "I wasn't objectifying you like they were. I was simply stating facts."

"Facts?"

"Yeah, facts. Fact: you have a nice ass. Fact: those pants aren't the best at showing it off."

The cab pulled up to their building. They were both a little wobbly.

"And what about someone needing to hit it?"

"Hit what?" Matt asked.

"My ass. You said someone should be hitting it."

"Well, yeah." Matt tried not to laugh. "Fact: someone should be hitting it."

Seamus laughed and pushed Matt towards the building. They were close to the loft door when Matt turned to find Seamus staring at his ass. He raised his brow, questioning, and slowly unlocked the door, never taking his eyes off Seamus, letting his friend know he'd been caught.

"Oh, so everyone can objectify me but I can't return the favor?"

"You can. It just seems like a waste. You could have stared at Rob; he had a nice ass. Even Mick's wasn't bad for a straight guy."

"How many asses did you check out tonight?" Seamus asked, almost offended.

"What? No. They were just there. They had okay asses but yours is better. Not that I'm objectifying. Just stating facts. Like, fact: mine's not that great. I was just saying—"

"What are you saying?" Seamus teased.

"Ugh, you're so frustrating," Matt growled. Drunk conversations weren't his strong suit and Seamus was being weird and kinda sexy all at once. "You have a great ass. Rob and Mick's are okay. Mine is not up to par. If you're gonna return the favor, don't waste it on me. And this conversation is embarrassing. I'm going to bed."

Matt shut himself in his room and rubbed his face. He was half embarrassed and half amused by what had just happened. He changed then went to the bathroom to brush his teeth and empty his bladder. Just before reaching his room for the night, Seamus caught his attention.

"Just so you know." Seamus was standing at the other end of the hall. "It wasn't a waste."

It took Matt a second to realize Seamus was talking about his ass which made him laugh. God, Seamus was too fucking cute to handle. "Night Seamus."

"Night Matt," he sang in return.

****

Yonk called in sick.

They were short-handed.

Work was slammed.

Matt felt better than he did after his birthday but the smell of the coffee still made his stomach roll and the screaming of the steamer made his head ache. Seamus was right, Matt needed that green hangover drink.

Hilary and Kase snickered and took joy in his misery, making him prep terrible smelling pastries and toasting the breakfast sandwiches.

"You guys are being mean. Why are you being so mean?" he whined.

"First, you didn't invite us. Second, you didn't invite us."

"There was nothing to invite. The adoption was finalized and Dad took Aidan for the weekend. Seamus decided we should go out for a drink."

"Looks like you had more than one drink."

"Yes, well, a few people joined our table."

"Random strangers?" Kase asked. "They just joined you?"

"Yes," he nodded. "It's the Seamus side effect."

They both stopped what they were doing and looked at Matt like he was crazy. "Side effect?"

"Yes. Side effect from being so damn perfect that we can't go anywhere without people throwing themselves at him."

"Ahh," Hilary smiled. "Sounds like the only one suffering is you."

"I hardly suffered. It was actually pretty fun."

Matt told them all about the previous night and the crew they spent it with. He also told them about checking out Seamus' ass and then Seamus checking out his. For no other reason than it made him feel good about himself.

"Going out with Seamus is fun but it's not good for my self-esteem," he told them. "The one time I got approached was so they could get the scoop on him. "

"Yeah, but then he complimented you on your butt."

"Do drunk compliments count?" he asked. "I'll take it, but not to heart."

"You get Aidan tomorrow, right?" Matt nodded. "We should go out tonight. The three of us. We could go to Iron Works."

That got Matt's attention. "You'd go to Iron Works?"

Iron Works was a popular gay club. People drove from all over the state to party there. Matt hadn't been there yet but was definitely curious.

"Not for just anyone, but for you I'd go."

"What about you?" He asked Hilary. She looked at him like the village idiot, of course she'd go. There was no question. The more Matt thought about it, the more excited he got. Hilary and Kase went out with their friends all the time while Matt stayed behind with Aidan. He wanted to go out and be twenty-one, have fun, make memories, and meet new people.

"Let's do it."

Kase fist-bumped the air. He was the reason Matt couldn't judge people without knowing them. He was an All-American football player, Homecoming King, who would one day be a phenomenal architect. On paper, there were a lot of reasons Matt and Kase wouldn't roll in the same circles but they'd hit it off right away. Kase never made Matt feel inferior because he was a popular athlete with half the school at his beck and call. And now he was offering to hit the biggest gay club in the state in a show of support.

Matt had to admit that he was feeling better. Maybe awesome friends could cure-all.

Speaking of friends, his new ones from the previous night came rolling in around noon looking rough but not totally put out. Mick put his hands on the counter and leaned forward. "I heard this place has the best hangover cure. We're here to put it to the test."

"I didn't think you guys would actually stop by."

"And miss the chance at finding the key to keeping our livers alive?"

"That and we made a bet and wanted to see who won," Winnie added.

Matt looked at them, confused. "What bet?"

"That the college student bagged himself a hot nanny last night."

Mick shook his head. "I say, no way. That's not how the story goes."

"I hope you guys didn't bet much. I didn't bag anyone last night, especially the hot nanny."

Mick turned and gloated his victory. His friends shoved him around, telling him to fuck off.

Kase slid the green smoothie drinks onto the counter then Matt introduced everyone. After a few minutes, Kase invited them out. They didn't seem keen but Rob kept muttering how they owed him for all the times he went to straight clubs. No promises were made but Matt would have fun either way.

****

Seamus wasn't home when Matt got to the loft. He decided to take a nap before Kase and Hilary showed up. When he woke, he could hear Seamus in the apartment. He took a shower and threw on his good jeans and a basic shirt. He still had a few hours before he needed to get ready.

"Feeling better?" Seamus asked when Matt walked into the kitchen. Seamus was wearing a pair of grubby jeans with rips and tears and an old threadbare shirt with the sleeves cut off. The sides were cut low and wide, revealing his abs any time he bent over, which was nonstop since he was unloading the dishwasher. Matt loved Seamus on his days off: half-naked, backward ballcap, sexy arms, peek-a-boo tummy, cleaning.

Choreplay.

Other weekends included looking after Aidan which was a whole other level of hotness. Oh happy Saturday.

Matt went straight for the fridge. "Yeah. Work kind of sucked but the nap felt good."

"Cool. I stopped at the store and picked up some steaks and veggies. Figured we could fire up the grill since it's not terribly cold outside. There are some new movies out, both in theatre and Netflix, depending on what you're feeling up to. For dessert, I grabbed a few of those chocolate crunch ice cream bars you like. That we could enjoy those without Aidan screaming at us."

Matt laughed because it was true. They'd given him a small taste once and had been feigning for more ever since. "What can I say, he has good taste."

"That he does." Seamus finished putting the last of the plates away and closed the cabinet. "Have you talked to your dad? How's Aidan doing? If he started crawling—" Seamus shook his head. So help me god.

Matt chuckled. He was always laughing with Seamus. "Dad said he's good. I doubt he's crawling. He'd never deny you the pleasure. And I'm sure he misses you, too. He'll probably reach for you the second he sees us tomorrow."

"I doubt that," he said with his customary I-can't-take-a-compliment eye roll. "You said work sucked?"

"Yes. We were down a guy and it was crazy busy all day."

"Plus you had a hangover."

"Plus I had a hangover," Matt confirmed. "But Rob and the others came in."

"For the green drink?"

"Yeah but I think they were mostly hoping you were there."

"Instead, they got you," he winked. "Lucky bastards."

"Yeah, I don't think so,"he laughed. "They actually said they came in because they made a bet and needed to see who won."

Seamus leaned forward, his elbows on the table, listening.

"They wanted to know if the college kid bagged the hot nanny."

His eyebrows went up, clearly surprised. "And?"

"And—I told them the nanny's ass is still not being hit. They were understandably upset. It was very sad news."

"Did you tell them you caught me checking your ass out last night?"

Matt hated how gorgeous he looked when he was playing around so casually, like the flirting was no big deal. Those dark eyes; so damn teasing and sexy it drove him nuts.

Life was so not fair.

"Nah. I didn't think encouraging them was a good idea. Anyway," he said. "Are you gonna cook those steaks? I'm leaving in two hours and we still have to eat that ice cream."

"Where are you going?"

"Iron Works. Kase suggested it. I think I hurt their feelings by not inviting them last night. Whatever. It's not often Aidan's gone. I might as well live it up."

"Iron Works huh? Have you ever been there?"

"You know I haven't. I'm barely twenty-one and never without a baby."

Seamus frowned. "It gets fucking crazy there. Real intense. Everyone lookin' to get their dick wet." Seamus had a serious look about him. The same dark eyes that had been teasing and sexy moments ago were now scary cold.

"Okay, well, I can't blame them. I'm in a bit of a dry spell myself," he laughed, trying to break the tension.

It did not work.

The chair screeched when Seamus pushed away from the table. "Don't bring them back here. That's what the bathrooms are for."

Seamus yanked the fridge open and pulled the meat and veggies out then stalked to the patio. Matt followed. He leaned against the door frame and watched Seamus stomp about. The man was so angry he could've started the grill with sheer rage.

"For the record, I never said I was going there to hook up. I said I couldn't blame them for wanting to get their dick wet. It's not the same thing."

"You do you."

"You do you," Matt repeated, a bit bitterly if he was honest.

Matt left Seamus on the balcony to angry cook his heart out. When dinner was done, they sat at the table and ate. It was awkward as hell. Seamus had said he didn't like random hookups and was clearly pissed at Matt's hypothetical life choice. Matt felt guilty. Then angry that he felt guilty. He hadn't done anything and he hadn't planned on doing anything.

"You really going to be mad at me for going out and having a little fun? And by fun I mean dancing, drinking, and maybe getting a little attention if I'm lucky. Kind of like the attention you got so much of last night. I'm not opposed to feeling like a regular twenty-one-year-old."

"Attention huh? What kind of attention are you looking for?" Seamus was doing a shit job of reeling in his frustration.

"The kind any twenty-one-year-old wants. Something that makes me feel good about myself? Wanted? I don't know."

"I checked out your ass last night."

"Yes," Matt tried not to laugh, he really did, but Seamus said it like it was the solution to all his problems. "And my cup overfloweth."

Seamus stared at Matt like he wanted to say something but took a bite of food instead. The rest of dinner was quiet. Matt cleared the dishes and went to his room to get ready. An hour later Kase and Hilary knocked on the door.

Hilary was wearing the same dress she wore to Purple Canary. Kase, well he looked good enough to eat.

"Wow," Matt whistled. "You look amazing. Guys will be all over you. I might as well invite Seamus along. You two can steal the show."

He didn't mean it as a dig and didn't think it came off that way. He had two very attractive friends, inside and out, and he was proud of that.

Kase's eyes softened. "That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me, but don't worry, I got your back." He quickly took his jacket off. Underneath he wore a skin-tight black shirt with white print. I'm straight but ask me about my friend

"It's so tight."

"I know," Kase stood up straight and smiled so very proudly. "I figured the hotter I am the more action you'll get."

"Yeah," Matt sarcastically agreed. "They'll be so very not disappointed when they see me."

Kase looked him over. Matt thought he looked fine but was suddenly second-guessing himself. A quick trip to his bedroom and Kase had him in a new shirt that 'promised results'.

His hair was on the shorter side and fairly low maintenance so it wasn't like he had a need for product. Kase disagreed.

"Seamus, do you have something I can use for his hair? Gel or mousse or something?" One look and Matt knew Seamus had no intention of helping. Kase noticed, too.

"Don't worry about it," Matt said to Kase. "My hair is fine. Let's go."

As soon as the door shut behind them Hilary let out a breath. "Well that was awkward. What crawled up his ass?"

"Honestly, I don't know. He was talking about grilling some steaks and that he bought icecream for dessert. I told him that you guys were coming and we were going out. Then, when he said the club was full of guys that only wanted to get their dick wet, I made a joke about not blaming them and how I was going through a dry spell myself. Now he thinks I'm slutty or something. He told me not to bring them back to the loft. He said, and I quote, 'that's what the bathrooms are for'."

"Oh," Hilary sighed in relief. "It's just jealousy. He's mad because he planned a cute little baby-less date night and you made plans to get laid."

"What? No. That's not—I never said I planned on getting laid. And it wasn't a date. He always plans dinner."

"Okay," Kase said, totally unconvinced. "Then there's nothing to worry about."

He and Hilary shared a look. Was Seamus jealous? Was it a date he planned? Matt wasn't sure. Could he afford to get his hopes up? No.

It took thirty minutes to get to the club. Campus was on the outskirts and the club was clear on the other side of town. It was cold and there was already a line so they waited their turn to push into the club.

It was nothing like Purple Canary. The music was loud, the lights were low, and the bar was crowded.

"I didn't know clothing was optional," Hilary giggled as she looked around. Almost everyone was half-naked or might as well have been.

Kase zipped his jacket all the way up. "I might keep my jacket on for a little while."

Seamus was right, the place was intense. They went to the bar and waited for drinks. Hilary knew what she was doing. She pushed her way forward and had the bartender's attention in no time. Matt promised himself he wasn't going to drink much. One or two. He needed his wits and he had to get Aidan tomorrow.

They spent twenty minutes acclimating themselves to the club. Hilary made Kase take his jacket off. The bar had an almost free-for-all feel about it. It was both exciting and terrifying at the same time. Hell, he might need three drinks to get through the night. As they sipped their drinks, a handful of guys approached them. They were all aggressive with only had one thing on their mind.

Kase put his jacket back on. "I'm not sure I want the attention anymore. I think advertising that I'm straight is more bait than repellant."

Matt laughed after sending the last guy packing. "This place is nuts." Yes, he did want attention but maybe attention that wasn't so crass and base. And Kase was right, his shirt was total bait, just the wrong kind.

"This is what you both wanted," Hilary smiled, not-so-innocently as she sipped her drink through a straw. "Kase, you just didn't know that announcing how straight you are would trigger a challenge among the wolves."

Matt finally got asked to dance by a guy that seemed decent. Okay, half decent. Five minutes into the dancing and the stranger had slowly snaked his hand down the front of Matt's pants. He was about to tell the guy to fuck off when Kase intervened.

He was on a mission. If he saw the stranger's hands down Matt's pants he didn't let it show. He simply swatted him away and gestured for him to take a hike.

The stranger looked irritated but the club was full of guys and Matt wasn't worth the trouble. Kase looked at the people dancing around them then he zeroed in on one guy. He tapped the stranger's shoulder. He snapped his finger and pointed at Matt. "Dance," he demanded. The guy didn't even argue, he shrugged like it was no biggie and saddled up in front of Matt.

"What's going on?" Matt hissed at his friend.

"Just—" Kase looked around again. "Just don't let this one stick his hand down your pants."

"It's not his hand I'm worried about," Matt pointed to the ass currently glued to his crotch. "But why do you even care?"

"I don't. But—" Kase froze like a mouse next to a wolf. "I'm out."

Kase was gone so fast Matt wasn't sure what happened. Then the guy in front him was gone, too. There was Seamus. Standing in front of him there wearing the same clothes he'd been cleaning in earlier. He didn't look angry but he wasn't happy either. Resigned maybe?

"What are you doing here?" Matt asked.

Seamus's dislike for the club, what happened there, and the close proximity of guys who partook in those activities was obvious. He took a deep breath and looked at Matt. "Probably overstepping—definitely overstepping," he corrected. "You're so frustrating, you know that?

"I'm frustrating? What did I do?"

"Yes, you're frustrating," he said. "I've been throwing myself at you."

"Throwing yourself at me?"

"Yeah, dropping hints, flirting, that kind of stuff."

"Flirting?!" Matt racked his brain and couldn't think of a single time Seamus had flirted before last night.

"Yes, flirting. Almost every day for months. Months."

Matt ran his fingers through his hair then gripped it tightly to ground himself. "What are you saying?"

"Seriously?" Seamus groaned and looked at the sky for help. Then, right there in the middle of a skeezy club, surrounded by half-naked men looking to get their dicks wet, Seamus gripped Matt's shoulders and pulled him so close he had to listen to exactly what Seamus was about to say. "I like you," he said slowly. "I don't like people hitting on me, I don't like people hitting on you, and I don't like you being here for attention. I don't even like that you want attention from anyone who's not me. Because I like you. I like you a lot. I've liked you since the first time I saw you and I've liked you every day since."