That one also seemed to catch Verity off guard. Their arched eyebrows raised toward their hairline and they huffed at him. Jack let the silence stretch, and Verity’s features softened, as if in memory, then turned almost sad.
“I can answer for you,” Jack interrupted. “You don’t miss playing with Landon; you miss being dominant in general. So give Aaron what you both want and stop being such a stubborn bitch.”
“Who’s a stubborn bitch?” A sleepy-faced Landon stumbled into the kitchen, tangling a hand through his hair.
“You are,” Verity answered, schooling their features back into a face that Jack was more familiar with. He opened his mouth to say something, but Verity silenced him with a shake of their head and pushed the bacon across the table.
“That’s the bacon sex robe,” they told him matter-of-factly.
Jack groaned and pushed back from the table. “Has it been washed?”
“What?” Landon mumbled, pouring himself a mug of coffee and shuffling over to the table. “Ooh, bacon.”
Landon plucked a strip of bacon from the plate and munched on it, pushing Verity to another chair so he could sit.
“So,” Landon said, more awake after the first drink of coffee. “How are things? What are we talking about?”
“Talking about Jack, of course,” Verity was quick to answer, smoothing their hair over one shoulder. “Jack and his sweet bartender.”
“Ah,” Landon observed. “I still feel like I don’t have answers about that.”
“And you never will,” Jack said, his voice laced with mock apology. “You know I don’t discuss my sex life.”
“Yet here you are, trying to dissect everyone else’s.” Verity tilted their head at him.
Jack eyed them dubiously and shifted his attention back to Landon. “I’m involved with Callum—that’s all that needs to be said.”
“Then why are you staying here?” Landon queried.
“His schedule is complicated.” Jack shrugged. “Besides, the entirety of our relationship has been online and I don’t want things to change now that I’m here.”
“Oh?” Verity scoffed. “You like how things are and you’d rather have that than nothing? Funny concept.”
Jack narrowed his eyes at them, thankful Landon was still too sleep-addled to pick up on the subtle jab. Verity was right, though, and Jack angled his head toward them in silent apology. They smiled then glanced at Landon.
“Callum was happier last weekend than he’s been in nearly a month, so whatever Jack is doing, he should continue doing,” Verity suggested.
Landon nodded, taking another drink of coffee.
“What about you?” Jack asked, hoping to change the subject. “How are things with Gregory?”
Landon smiled. “Things are good.”
“Where is our knight in shining armor?” Verity asked, glancing over their shoulder toward the front of the house.
“Work. He left hours ago.”
“What does he do?” Jack questioned, realizing he didn’t know anything about Gregory beyond the sordid high school drama Landon had told him about years back.
“He’s in marketing.”
“And how did he meet Justin?”
Landon reclined in his chair and shrugged. “No clue. He showed up at Rapture for their collaring ceremony. I never asked. Speaking of, did you go meet with him about the job?”
“I did. I start Monday.”
“And your place in New York?”
