She met his gaze, swallowed, then opened her mouth, but again nothing came out.
“Boyfriend,” Eric went on cheerfully, a sparkle appearing in his eyes as he studied Nikolett.
She could only assume she was making a ridiculous fish face and snapped her mouth closed, narrowing her eyes at the man she loved, but at this moment was more than ready to kill.
“We’re poly,” Eric added.
Gus’ head whipped back to Eric.
“You’re…what?”
“Polyamorous. It means?—”
“I know what it means.” Gus’ voice shifted, his accent almost seeming to fade.
“Eric, what are you doing?” Nikolett demanded, desperately wishing that she and Eric spoke a language that Gus didn’t know so they could argue in front of him without him knowing what they were saying. Maybe Danish? She wasn’t good yet, sothat probably wouldn’t work. Plus, Gus apparently spoke bits of many languages.
He clapped Gus on the shoulder. “I thought I’d introduce myself to our potential boyfriend.”
Nikolett leapt to her feet, trying and failing to find words.
Was Eric really soft-launching the idea of their trinity to their potential third right now, without any preparation?
The improv was unnecessary and insane. They had a plan for this. They’d discussed it.
First, she’d connect Gus and Arthur. Then Gus would meet with Arthur, at which time Arthur would assess whether or not Gus was capable of accepting the trinity arranged marriage. If he was, Gus would become a member of England, and only then would she reenter his life, explain her and Eric’s complicated relationship, and then make sure that Gus would be okay being their third.
A careful, slightly complex plan that went entirely out the window the instant Eric opened his mouth.
If she was shocked, Gus was flabbergasted. He looked utterly dumbfounded.
“You…both? Boyfriend?”
“Eric,” Nikolett said through her teeth. “You can’t just?—”
“Yes, I can.”
“Well maybe you shouldn’t. We had a plan.”
“This plan is faster.”
“Wait, you had a plan?” Gus said weakly. “A plan for…”
“Asking you to be in a relationship with us,” Eric went on cheerfully.
Gus fell back a half step. “I can’t have sex with you!” He half shouted the words at Eric, sounding panicked.
Eric studied him with a frown. “Because you’re homophobic, or because you’re a one on the KSOG?”
“I’m not homophobic,” he stammered out.
Nikolett finally jerked herself out of the shock and now mild-horror-induced stasis. She started toward them.
“Eric, stop. You’re?—”
Gus’ arm shot out, blocking her path and keeping her from getting to Eric.
She stared down at Gus’ forearm braced across her abdomen, his hand curled back to grip her hip.
