20
Landon
The following day,Landon sat on the window seat in his home office and spun the key to Gregory’s house around his keychain. He flexed his toes into the cushion of the bench seat, then wiggled them in the sunlight. He realized why this was Ed’s favorite spot in the house. It was warm here, and peaceful.
Despite the delicate rays of sunlight filtering across his skin, Landon’s balls ached. It was thankfully Saturday, though, and in a few hours it would be time to leave for the club and meet up with Gregory. He’d been fighting off an erection since Gregory had left for work the morning before, and for some reason, being in possession of a key to Gregory’s house did nothing to abate the blood flow to his dick.
“How’s it going?” Verity walked into the room, collapsed into Landon’s leather chair, and stretched their legs out in front of them, crossing them at the ankle.
“I think a normal person would be miserable,” Landon confided with a small laugh.
“But you?”
“Never better.” Landon pulled his bottom lip into his mouth and smiled.
“Is this thing with Gregory serious?” Verity pulled their hair over their shoulder and fiddled with the ends, winding it into a braid.
“I don’t know.”
“It’s been a few weeks, now. I know you haven’t seen each other much because of work, but you guys haven’t talked about it?” A line appeared between Verity’s eyebrows.
“No, we haven’t talked about it.”
“Doyou talk?” Verity laughed. “I can’t imagineallyou do is play and fuck, but I’ve been surprised before.”
“Oh, shut it.” He threw a pillow at them. “Of course we talk. I have a key.”
Landon held his keychain up and waved it back and forth.
“Sounds serious.”
“Maybe. Like I said, we haven’t talked about it.”
“Shouldn’t you?” Verity questioned.
“Probably. But I don’t want to ruin it.”
“You’re joking.” Verity threw the pillow back at him.
“No?” Landon’s voice angled up into a question at the end. He’d thought he was being serious.
“You of all people know how important communication is. I don’t even need to have this conversation with you, so tell me why you’re putting it off.”
Ed walked into the room and jumped onto the window seat, using his long nose to push Landon’s toes out of the sunlight. Ed did a clockwise spin and plopped onto the cushion with a rough bark, then closed his eyes. Landon turned sideways and dangled his feet off the edge of the seat.
“What if he doesn’t want the same things I want?”
Verity pointed a finger at him and shook it back and forth. “Don’t you dare start that now. I can’t kick your ass out of it anymore.”
Landon sighed.
“It’s fine like it is. Just…I’m gonna let things be.”
“I don’t condone your avoidance behavior,” they chastised.
“Duly noted, boss.” Landon mock-saluted them and rolled his eyes.
“Well,” Verity said, standing, “Believe it or not, I didn’t come down here to criticize your questionable relationship choices. I came to see if you wanted to get dinner before work.”
