Bonds of Love

face was hard to read, but histhoughts broadcasted into Matt’s mind loud and clear. ::Goodthing it’s not February or I’d freeze to death.:: Aloud, hegrumbled, “Aren’t you late for work?”
“I’m going,” Matt promised. Extracting himself fromVic’s cold touch, he leaned close and pressed his mouth to hislover’s blue-tinged lips. He projected just one thought, pouring itinto Vic through their mental connection and their kiss. ::Loveyou, snowman.::
When he pulled away, his mouth tingled with a frostysensation, like a powerful mint that took his breath away. Vic’sscowl smoothed out as he wiped a scrim of ice from Matt’s lips.“Next time you want Slurpees, let’s get them this way instead.”
Matt laughed. Remembering the showdown at 7-11, hecouldn’t deny that their early morning tryst had been muchmore fun.
* * * *

Chapter 7
During the week from eight to five, Matt worked atthe same gym downtown where he and Vic had first met. He taughtswim classes, coached the swim team, and played lifeguard when theaqua-aerobics classes were in session. What had started out as ahobby turned into a full-time position, and now Matt had staff—twoyoung women worked with him, keeping the locker rooms straight,cleaning the pool, watching kids horse around in the water when thepool was open to the public after school. Once Vic came off hisdouble shift at the end of the summer, Matt thought he might hire athird person, just to give himself a few days off here and there.Autumn always brought an influx of people to the gym’sOlympic-sized pool, swimmers chased inside by the weather, and whenVic worked normal hours again, Matt wanted to spend more time withhis lover.
As he drove to work, Matt let his mind drift back tothe apartment, where he’d left Vic cursing in a cold shower. Itseemed he could recall every day he’d spent with that man, everyhour even, and the times they were apart blurred together intononsense not worth mentioning. With vivid clarity, Matt could stillremember the moment he first saw Vic, lifting free weights at thegym. The sharp, male scent of sweat hung thick in the air, asurplus of testosterone that had drawn Matt into the weight room inthe first place, just to take a look. He saw Vic’s reflection inthe mirror along the back wall—with his shaved head glistening fromthe lights overhead, his ears lined with gold hoops, and the blacktattoos rippling over muscled biceps, Vic stood out in a crowd.Matt watched those thick arms flex with a strength he wanted tosample. He tried to imagine what they’d feel like, wrapped aroundhis shoulders, holding him close; he wondered what those thunderousthighs felt like clamped tight around his waist. A man like thatwould never let him find out, God knew, and Matt sure as helldidn’t have the guts to ask…
Then Vic’s gaze drifted up, meeting Matt’s in themirror, and their eyes locked across the room. Everything elsedisappeared, canceled out from the power and lust and desirethat shot between them, and Matt wished he had on something morethan skin-tight swim trunks that tightened around an instanterection.
Only when Vic looked away could Matt remember how tobreathe.
He knew he should’ve left—if a guy like that caught aguy like him staring for long, he’d likely take offense and Mattwouldn’t make it to the locker room alive. But then Vic glanced athim again, and turned around, as if he needed a secondlook.
Matt couldn’t believe it. The faintest smileflickered across his face before he managed to stifle it. So. Hewasn’t the only one who felt that surge between them.
Later, in the showers, Matt felt a gaze on his bodyand turned to find Vic storming past, eyes flickering in everydirection but his, as if the big lug liked what he saw but didn’twant to be caught looking. When Matt’s sort-of boyfriend Kyleintroduced him, Matt didn’t know whether to laugh orcry—frustration welled up inside him, anger and joy, a tumult ofemotions that warred within his heart. One feeling surpassed allthe others: a sense of completeness, of wholeness, of truth.Vic was the man he was meant to be with, Matt just knew it.
If only he hadn’t been with someone else.
Fortunately things didn’t work out with Kyle—Matthadn’t thought they would. Since he’d first discovered thedisturbing little fact that sexual intercourse gave his partnersunsurpassed powers, Matt had been reluctant to become intimatewith…well, with anyone, to be honest, but Kyle? No. Just no.Switching from the gym to the Y across town provided some muchneeded distance between them, and whenever Kyle managed to catch upwith him, Matt held back. He never initiated anything, neverresponded to Kyle’s touch or kiss, and couldn’t seem to keep hismind grounded in the present moment when they were together. Vicstood between them like a promise, a dream or goal just out ofreach that Matt could one day hope to attain, if he held out alittle longer. He didn’t bother to return Kyle’s calls, andeventually the guy took the hint. When he stopped calling, Mattwaited a week, then another. Then said the hell with it and went insearch of what he really wanted.
Only now that he was looking for Vic, the man wasnowhere to be found. Matt didn’t know then that Vic worked doubleshifts during the summer months, so he spent many long, boring daysat the gym, hanging around the weight room and checking out all theguys, looking for one in particular. Whenever he caught sight ofKyle, he left. Soon he was swimming at the Y and cruising the gymin the evenings, and heaven knew he had his fair share of offersafter hours. Lonely men would corner him in the sauna, brush upagainst him in the locker room, or cop a quick feel in the showers.More than once, he heard the phrase, “I’ve seen you looking…”
Matt shrugged them off, pushed them away. “Yeah, I’mlooking,” he’d say, stepping back, “but not for you.”
Once a horny aerobics instructor followed him to thebathroom and proceeded to jerk off in the urinal beside Matt’s,staring at Matt’s dick the whole time. When he reached out to touchit, Matt growled, “I ain’t interested, got it?”
“You’re always here,” the guy countered. He had