He pulled the t-shirt over his head as he made his way down the hall. The hardwood floors were chilly against his bare feet, and he thought longingly of the warm, rumpled bed he’d left, and the even warmer man currently in theshower.
“Hey,” he greeted, throwing the door wide and stepping aside for the four men bundled up in coats andscarves.
Cam was the first in the door. “You okay?” he demanded, laying a hand on Drew’s bicep. “I cannotbelievethat guy druggedyou!”
“I’m fine,” Drew promised. “I didn’t drink very much of my drink, and I vomited what little I did. I’m not actually sure if I was drugged,or…”
“From the way Bas described things, it sure sounded like it. And I can tell you more later,” Cort said, stepping in behind Cam. He carried Cam’s laptop bag slung over his shoulder. “Glad you’re okay,man.”
“I am,” Drew said. He stretched out his arm, inviting everyone to head into the livingroom.
“Looks like you’re a littlebetterthan okay,” Damon remarked, stepping in after Cain. He raked his gaze from Drew’s wet hair down to his bare feet and gave him awink.
Cain elbowed his boyfriend lightly, and Damon gave him the boyish smile he reserved just for Cain. “Hey! Just sayin’ what we were allthinking!”
Drew pursed his lips, unsure of how to respond and annoyed with himself for being unsure. He and Bas hadn’t discussed how they were going to play off the new development in their relationship, and really, Drew should have seen this inquisition coming. He didn’t want to out Bas before he was ready, and this crew was worse than a gaggle of old women when it came togossip.
Cort was his unlikely savior. “Not a social call, brother,” he yelled from the living room. “You can grill Drew,or not, anotherday.”
Damon gave Drew an apologetic shrug and let Cain tow him into the room. Drew followed, watching as Cam and Cort pulled the two side-chairs and the ottoman closer to the coffee table, while Cam set up hislaptop.
Cain pushed Damon into one of the chairs, and pulled the ottoman over to prop up Damon’s injured leg. Damon scowled. “I told you it’sfine,baby.”
“Uh huh. And I toldyou, you’re gonna restit.”
“But—”
“Stop arguing,” Cain said, plopping himself down on the ottoman by Damon’sleg.
Damon shook his head, but grinned. “Stubborn.”
“It’s no wonder, living with you,” Cain grumbled, but the way he smiled and leaned back against Damon’s leg took any sting out of hiswords.
Drew wondered whether he and Bas would reach that level of comfort with their relationship. Speaking ofwhich…
“Uh, Sebastian just jumped in the shower before you came. He’ll be along soon.” He frowned. “I have no idea what food he has in the kitchen,” Drew said, frowning. “But there’s coffee, if anyone wants some. Do we have enoughchairs?”
“Hey, guys!” Bas said, lifting a hand as he entered the room. The others all greeted him distractedly, but Drew watched in surprise and, yeah, excitement, as Bas came directly to Drew’s side and put his hand on Drew’s lower back. It was proprietary, claiming.Soothing.
“Calm down, babe,” he whispered, low enough that only Drew couldhear.
“I’m calm,” Drew whispered back, but Bas shook hishead.
“Nope. When you go into hyper-Martha mode, it’s a sure sign you’re stressed. When things get tense, your need to take care of people goes through theroof.”
“It does not!” Drew argued. “I just like to cook. And make sure things are set up properly. Some people wouldn’t remember to eat for days if Ididn’t…”
“You’re cute when you’re hyper,” Bas said, low and intimate. Drew was pretty sure no one else could hear what they were saying, but they could sure as hell hear thesexin Bas’s tone and see the hot glint in hiseyes.
Drew swallowed.Well, then.Apparently they weren’t hidinganything.
Another knot of Drew’s tensionloosened.
“You guys have all been here a hundred times,” Bas said, addressing the others. “You don’t count as guests anymore. Just help yourselves to coffee, or whatever else you want. I’m about a gallon low on caffeine, and judging by the looks on your faces, I’m gonna needit.”
“You, sit.” Bas pushed Drew into the other side chair, leaving Cam and Cort to sit on the sofa. “Need morecoffee?”
Drew shook his head. Between Sebastian Seaver and the upcoming conversation, he was alreadywired.
