Chapter 614 No Right To Be Jealous
While Matt was in high spirits after what happened between them in the car, Candace was quieter now.
Matt seemed to have found the solution to his problem, while Candace on the hand seemed to be in a worst state of confusion now.
How did being friends with benefits with Matt differ from being in a relationship with him? Candace mused.
Considering her strong reaction to him, was she really going to be fine if Matt moved on and never asked her to be with him again?
She considered herself a lot of things but foolish. She wasn't foolish enough not to know she wanted Matt. She could deny it to everyone else but herself.
"I suppose you're so quiet because you're thinking about my proposal?" Matt asked as they approached Harry's apartment.
"No," Candace quickly denied.
"No? Is that a no to my proposal or…."
"I mean that's not the reason why I'm quiet," Candace said, and then bit her lower lip when Matt grinned.
"I suppose it's a good thing you aren't rejecting it then," Matt said, and Candace looked at him.
"Go on," Matt said, and Candace raised a brow.
"What?"
"Go on and ask your question. I'm guessing you have a question for me, don't you?" Matt asked, and Candace nodded.
"Assuming I agree to this arrangement. Assuming. We won't be seen in public together, right? And our meetings would be as discreet as possible? No visits to my home and you won't expect me to visit yours either, right?" Candace asked, and even though that wasn't exactly what Matt wanted, he knew he was going to have to let her have her way if he wanted her.
"Right. For as long as you want," Matt promised.
"The penthouse over there is where Harry lives," Candace pointed since there were a couple of other magnificent buildings in the area.
"Where you live," Matt corrected as he drove to the gate and once the security men recognized him and Candace they let him drive in.
"So, do you have any other questions for me?" Matt asked as he found a spot to park his car.
"Not at the moment," Candace said as she unfastened her seatbelt, but Matt held her hand to stop her before she could get out of the car.
"What?" She asked, and Matt smiled.
"Seeing as I don't know when I might be with you alone this way again, I don't feel it's right to just let you go," Matt said, and Candace looked all around them self consciously.
Matt chuckled, "I'm not going to do anything inappropriate to you here. I just wanted to know how it's going with your family. Are you comfortable? Are you happy?" Matt asked, and Candace's lips curved in an involuntary smile.
"With a father like Aaron and a brother like Harry, it's hard not to be," Candace said, and Matt smiled.
"That's good to know. So, do you plan on staying here in Ludus now?" Matt asked, and Candace shook her head.
"No. We have been away for long enough. We are leaving soon. Thankfully, Aaron lives in Sogal," Candace explained, and Matt nodded.
Matt's phone rang before he could say anything else and he picked up the phone, "Excuse me," he told Candace as he received Gemima's call.
"Sup? What are you up to? Are you up for a party tonight?" Gemima asked, and Matt smiled. A relationship might not have worked between them, but Gemima was a cool friend to have.
"No, I'm not. But don't let me stop you. I'm okay now, so you don't need to babysit," Matt said, and Candace looked away, guessing he was talking with the lady he had said he fucked.
"Are you sure? You know I really don't mind," Gemima assured him.
"Yes, I am. Thanks for last night," Matt said, and Candace felt jealousy like bile rise inside her.
'I have no right to feel jealous' Candace reminded herself as she tried to zone out so she wouldn't hear the rest of the discussion.
"You don't have to thank me. I won't keep you for longer than necessary then. Let me know if you get bored or lonely," Gemima said before hanging up.
"Sorry. That was my friend…."
"The girl you fucked," Candace heard herself say.
"Yeah. The girl I spent the night with. Do you have a problem with that?" Matt asked, trying not to sound as amused as he felt but the tightness he saw around her lips.
"Of course not. It just doesn't tell well of you to spend the night on top of one lady and spend the next day finger fucking another," Candace said, and Matt's lips twitched.
"I was actually under not on top," Matt corrected.
"I didn't ask for the details," Candace hissed.
"Besides, I didn't spend the entire day finger fucking you either. Not that I wouldn't have loved to. Or maybe I'd rather spend the day on top of you than…." Matt chuckled when Candace got out of the car before he could finish and started walking away.
So, she didnt like the idea of him being with other ladies? Nice! Who could have guessed things would turn out this way today? Matt mused as he quickly got out of the car and picked up the gift bag he had gotten for Jamal before running after Candace.
He caught up with her as she got into the elevator, "You really were going to leave me behind when you know I don't even know the apartment number?" Matt asked in disbelief as he joined her and the door closed.
"You should have thought of that before deciding to…" the rest of her words were lost when Matt suddenly crushed his lips to hers.
Just as hungrily as she had returned his kiss in the car earlier, Candace found herself doing so once again, with her back pressed against the wall of the elevator and Matt's hand which was holding the gift back was snaked around her in support.
Matt abruptly broke the kiss and stepped away from her, "If you have a problem with me having sex with someone else, don't you think you should accept my proposal and be the only one having sex with me?" Matt asked as the elevator stopped on Harry's floor and the door opened.
"I want you. I know you want me too. We are both adults and I know we can make this work if you want it to," Matt said as they both got out of the elevator.
Candace drew a deep breath as she combed her fingers through her hair just to be sure she looked okay. Last thing she wanted was for Aaron to suspect anything.
"I accept your proposal, but on the condition that you can't see anyone else while you're with me. I won't see anyone else. Let's go in," Candace said very quickly, and without waiting to see his reaction or hear his response, she walked over to Harry's door and entered the passcode.
A smile lit up her face as she walked in and saw Jamal and Aaron seated on the couch watching a cartoon.
"Can you guess who is here to see you, Jam?" Candace asked as she walked in but Matt came up behind her before Jamal could guess.
"MATT!" Jamal screeched happily as he jumped off the couch to go meet Matt, while Matt chuckled as he caught him halfway and swept him up, throwing him up.
Jamal cackled happily, while Aaron who was still seated, swept an amused gaze over Candace who was watching the exchange with a reluctant smile before returning his attention to Matt.
"How have you been, man?" Matt asked as he finally set Jamal on his feet.
"I thought you forgot all about me," Jamal said as he grinned up at Matt.
"How could I ever do such a thing? I've been busy with work, you know? Some of us don't have hardworking mothers like your mom or wealthy uncles," Matt said dryly, and Jamal laughed.
Matt straightened when his eyes fell on Aaron, "Good day, sir!" He greeted politely.
"Dad, this is Matt. Matt Swift. He's… uhm, he's a friend. Matt, my father. Aaron Jonas," Candace said, giving Aaron a pointed look that asked him not to say anything untoward.
Between the Hanks, including Sonia who she considered a Hank, and Aaron, she wasn't sure who was worse.
"It's nice to meet you, sir," Matt said as he stepped forward to shake Aaron's hand while wondering why he looked sort of familiar.
"The pleasure is all mine, I assure you. I've heard so much about you," Aaron said with a grin, ignoring the glare Candace was shooting at him.
"You have? Good things I hope?" Matt asked as his gaze shifted to Candace before returning to Aaron.
"Sure. Please sit down and make yourself comfortable. I hope you are not in a hurry?" Aaron asked, and once again Matt looked at Candace who, Aaron noticed seemed to be avoiding his gaze.
"I don't think I am. Jamal, here. This is for you," Matt said as he sat down and extended a gift bag to Jamal.
"For me?" Jamal asked with wide eyes as he looked at his mother for approval, and when she gave him a nod he quickly received it from Matt.
Jamal opened the bag and took out a game box handheld console, "Thank you. I love it," Jamal said his voice awe-filled.
Jamal looked so touched by the gift that it almost brought tears to Candace's eyes. She had asked Matt to get him snacks but Matt had insisted that Jamal was a little boy, and little boys loved to play games. He seemed to have picked just the right gift for Jamal.
"Offer our guest a drink? Or is there something you find fascinating about standing there?" Aaron asked in amusement, and Candace scowled at him before turning to Matt.
"What can I get you?" She asked without looking directly into his face.
She still couldn't bring herself to do so. Not after embarrassing herself twice in one day, and especially not when she was wondering if agreeing to be his friend with benefit was a smart move.
"A glass of water will be fine. Thanks," Matt said, and Candace gave him a nod before walking away.
"I'm curious to know how you both happened to come in together," Aaron said with a curious smile.
"We met at Tom's, and he offered to drop me off since he wanted to come see Jamal," Candace called back from the dining before Matt could respond.
"Ah! I see!" Aaron said with a straight face.
"Do you know Lucy?" Jamal asked curiously, and Aaron chuckled, while Matt raised a brow.
"Tom's girlfriend?" He guessed, since that had to be the only Lucy Jamal could be asking him about.
Jamal scowled at that description of Lucy, "Sort of. She is…."
"Jamal, you can tell him all about your love for Lucy later. Why don't you go to the room to check out your new game while I chat with Matt for a bit?" Aaron said with a chuckle, and Jamal flushed in embarrassment while Matt grinned.
"You won't leave without saying goodbye to me, right?" Jamal asked hopefully.
"I wouldn't dare. Besides, we still have to catch up on all that has been going on with you, don't we?" Matt asked, and Jamal nodded before walking away.
"He has a crush on Tom's girlfriend?" Matt asked in amusement.
"A major one it seems," Aaron said with a grin as Candace returned with a glass of water for Matt.
"Have you had lunch and taken your medication?" Candace asked her father.
"Yes. Wouldn't you like to go in and freshen up?" Aaron suggested before Candace could sit, and she flushed when she met her father's gaze and saw the amusement dancing in his eyes.
She didn't know how he knew it, but something told her that he knew something had happened between her and Matt. Nosy old man, Candace mused irritably as she walked away.
"I won't ask what happened on your way here. It's not my business. But I take it whatever is between the both of you is not over yet, and you still intend to do what you can you get her, am I right?" Aaron asked, fixing Matt with a look that told him he expected a direct response to his question.
"Right," Matt said, and Aaron smiled.
"Good. I heard about how much you helped her, and I thought it would be a shame for things to end between you both just like that. If you ever need my help, do well to let me know," Aaron said, and Matt smiled.
"I will keep that in mind. Thank you, sir."
Even though he didn't like or want any interference in his relationship with Candace, he was glad to know that everyone around them was so willing to push them together, including Candace's father.
"Aaron. You can call me Aaron. Can you tell me more about yourself? I mean something that isn't already written on the internet," Aaron said with a smile that told Matt that the old man had done some digging into him.
"Sure."
