You're My Home (completed)

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Matt scrutinized the giant blonde mass of muscles that sat across the table from him. Collin seemed to make the glassed-in patio dwarf around his hugeness. The guy just made Matt uncomfortable, for lack of better words. He was like a god cut out of a Greek mythology textbook. It made Matt feel all the more awkward and gangly.

Matt's lips fished for the spoon full of cereal, which met his chin instead of his mouth. Milk drizzled off his chin, forcing him to take his eyes off Collin to dab at it with a napkin. His face became warm, and out of habit when things got awkward, he cleared his throat. His glasses were slowly drifting down his nose, so he pushed them back into place.

"You alright there, sport?" Collin asked, sounding reasonably serious.

Matt gave the man an annoyed look. "I'm quite alright...sport," Matt retorted, putting sarcastic emphasis on the word 'sport'.

He adjusted his unused knife a slight notch, as a precaution. Collin caught on, glancing at the knife and then back at Matt who slurped another bite of Coco Pebbles.

Matt winced at the unintimidating sound, but held Collin's gaze with a challenge in his own. "You aren't eating," Matt stated.

The highlander simply dismissed the notion with a small raise of his hand.

Matt attempted a threatening squint of his eyes, but Collin was immobile. The silence stretched on, past the point of uncomfortable quiet. In the midst of this, Matt was able to come up with something catchy.

"Rachel and I became best friends for two main reasons: One, because we share the same workplace...two, because we both have a passion for weapons."

Collin nodded nonchalantly. "Intriguing."

That wasn't the type of response that played out in Matt's mental battle of wit.

Obviously none of his ploys were working. Matt slouched into the chair, his spoon clinking against the bowl as it dropped.

"Clearly my efforts to intimidate you have proven futile," Matt said, pushing up his glasses again.

It took a second for Collin to respond. "You did a fine job."

Matt chewed the inside of his cheek. "That's courteous of you to say, even if it was a lie."

Collin's lips hinted at a smile. "I don't lie. You being one of Rachel's best friends is intimidating. It makes me feel a need to try to impress you."

A frown drew together Matt's dark brows. "Is that why you did all that stuff last night for my parents? Was it all to impress me, so I'd tell Rachel how awesome you are?" The night before, Matt had to draw the line when the highlander offered to help him with homework. Staying up all through the night to do chores for his parents was weird enough.

Collin draped one arm over the back of the chair, seeming to be the picture of ease.

"Partly, I suppose so," he admitted, coolly, "but also because I enjoy helping out."

Matt sighed, done with the interrogation. "I give up. You seem humble, and honest, and you talk about Rachel like she's the queen and you're her subject. You are a bit odd...but I suppose everyone is, in their own way. What I don't like, is your so-called 'amnesia'." He used air quotes to make a point. "I mean, why were you naked and in Rachel's yard?"

Collin shrugged a taut shoulder. "I wish I could tell you. If I only knew myself, I'd explain."

"Fine, fine. You really need to get that head of yours checked out though."​