“Jesus, Ben,” Van whispered harshly. I couldn’t help but notice the blush that spread across his cheeks. “Of course, I find her physically attractive, but I haven’t let myself go there. Damn, I just thought I’d ask her to dinner.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at his discomfort. “I don’t think Xavier will have a problem with it. Ellie is almost forty years old. She’s been on her own for a very long time. If he thinks you will make her happy then he’ll be all for it. He just wouldn’t want her to get hurt.”
“Maybe I should talk to him first. I don’t want to fuck things up between the two of you.”
“We’re having our first cookout in our new house on Sunday. You can talk to him then and see how he feels about it. Ellie will be there and you can spend time with her in a pressure free environment and see how things feel. Sound good?”
“Sounds perfect, Ben. Thank you.” Bevan got a shit-eating grin on his face. “So, what do I buy two gay men as a housewarming gift anyway?”
“SO,” I LEANEDclose to Chase so that I wasn’t overheard, “guess who we saw coming out of your bathroom together readjusting their clothes at your July 4thparty?”
“Gram and Lennie?” Chase laughed at his joke. “Who and why are you just now telling me? We already had the Labor Day pool party and you didn’t say anything then.” Chase was helping me load various cheeses and sandwich toppings onto a large platter, but stopped to put his hands on his hips in exasperation. I glanced back outside to see Gray and Ben still manning the grill, I quickly looked around to make sure no one would be able to listen in.
“JJ and Miller.” I knew I delivered the names with a gossipy gleam in my eyes.
“Shut. The. Fuck. Up!”
We both turned and looked out the French doors at the same time. JJ and Miller were sitting at a table by themselves talking and drinking beers. They looked a lot more relaxed since I last saw them coming out of the bathroom. I hadn’t forgotten the look on JJ’s face when Miller walked away without a backward glance. Ben and I both believed that something more was going on between them.
“I’m serious. There was no mistaking what JJ and Miller had just done in your bathroom. Ben and I got the impression that this wasn’t the first time either.” Jesus, I nattered like a blue-haired church lady. I should’ve been ashamed, but I wasn’t. “JJ made a comment to Ben at the charity event that Miller wanted me and he always got everything he wanted. It was said as if JJ had personal knowledge of just how convincing Miller could be.”
“Ben ought to know,” Chase said with a smirk. His eyes bulged out of his head and he covered his mouth with both hands when he realized what he blurted out.
I laughed hysterically at his horrified expression, but quickly took pity on him. “I know all about Ben and Miller hooking up a few years ago. It doesn’t bother me. It was years before we met and it had no meaning. I get to see the side of Ben that no one else has and it’s fucking amazing.”
“That’s beautiful, Xavier.” Chase, my champion, my brother, and my best friend teared up as he looked around my first home – the home I shared with the man I loved. “To say I’m happy for you is not enough. I don’t think ecstatic even works. Gah! I’m so excited to see the sparkle back in your eyes, but they’ve never sparkled like that.” He pointed at my eyes for emphasis. “Miller and JJ, huh? Well, they have gotten closer since Gray and I met. They’re kind of thrown together at these things since they’re the only two with swinging dicks left. So, you get the impression that they’ve been screwing each a long time?” Chase and I turned to look at them again, but found empty chairs instead.
“Where’d they go?” I looked around the backyard, but didn’t see them anywhere. “Oh man. I bet they’re in here fucking.” I heard a loud thump followed by a laugh that was hushed by a deep voice. “That sounds like it’s coming from the hallway bathroom. What is with them and bathrooms? They better not leave their spunk all over my damn floor.”
“It’s better than your bedroom. Let’s confront them,” Chase said with a look of pure mischief in his eyes. “Those two are constantly ragging on us about our sappy relationships. It’s only fair we give some of that back. They’re lucky I don’t call our men in here to witness this with us.”Our men. I liked it.
“Let’s do it.”
Chase and I tiptoed down the hallway, probably looking like a bad imitation of Shaggy and Scooby. I was obviously Scooby Doo. As we approached the door, the obvious sounds of sex echoed out into the hallway.
“Ohhh, god that feels so fucking good, JJ.”
“You like that Miller? Right there?”
“Fuck yes, but harder, J. I need it harder.”
Sounds of a body being slammed repeatedly into the bathroom vanity ricocheted through the bathroom.
“J. Oh, fuck! Harder, baby.”
“Baby,” Chase and I mouthed at each other.
JJ let out a long groan and our eyes bugged out of our head as we fought not to laugh and give ourselves away. The bathroom door opened suddenly and two fully dressed grown men caught us with our heads practically pressed to the door.
“Caught you didn’t we, you little fuckers,” Miller said playfully and jabbed at Chase’s stomach with his fists.
“You little Gossip Gays were so busy yapping you didn’t hear us walk in. We stood there listening to you talking about us having sex.” JJ looked over at Miller then back to us. “What we are or aren’t doing is our business, ladies.”
JJ wrapped his arm around my neck in a headlock so fast that I didn’t have time to prepare myself. As soon as his arm hooked around me, I started to squirm and panic.
“What’s going on in here?” Gray’s voice was full of mischief.
“JJ and Miller are trying to talk us into a foursome,” Chase lied. “See, J is trying to pull X into the bathroom.”
