It was that which created the nerves. Kendrick had messaged both men earlier, just to confirm times, and had only received a response from Monty. Did that mean anything? He didn’t know Rue well enough to make an assumption.
The sound of an engine cutting out got him moving to the window and poking at the blinds to look out. His lips tugged into a warm smile as Monty got out of the truck, staring up at the house. Kendrick felt anticipation hum inside him at Rue’s appearance out of the other side of the vehicle. Except, all that was missing was a big ‘back the fuck off’ sign on his chest, his stormy expression never so much as flicking in Monty’s direction.
This did not bode well, but Kendrick had faced worse situations, so he wasn’t overly worried. Rue had shown up, which had to mean something.
Through the doorway, he had the front door open before either man was at the top porch stair. He stepped aside wordlessly, smirking at Monty, who paused as he passed and puckered up for a kiss.
“Cheeky, I like it.” Kendrick didn’t disappoint and kissed him with an unrestrained passion that hadn’t dissipated fully since he’d left them.
Monty clung to him, whimpers sending thrills of torture, the good kind, through him. Rue’s presence right there, watching, added to the level of lust building between them.
Kendrick had to remind himself that getting naked straight away wasn’t on the cards. Reluctantly releasing the slick-lipped, lust glazed Monty, he turned his attention to Rue.
Rue was visibly vibrating with energy; Kendrick could sense it with how close they were to each other. A pained expression went with the large bulge he sported in his jeans. Yet, Kendrick picked up on the reticence.
“Come inside, I’ve got beer and snacks.” Kendrick witnessed the startled look Rue got before he shuttered his expression.
Did he think they’d all just strip and dive into bed? Kendrick believed that’s exactly what Rue thought when his lips thinned in disapproval.
Monty fired a look at Rue, one Kendrick didn’t understand. He walked inside, leaving Rue still standing on the porch making no move to enter.
Kendrick gave him a measuring look, concluding Rue might want what Monty had freely asked for. “Do you want a kiss?”
Silence. It was electric as he held Rue’s stormy gaze, seeing indecision along with desire. Whatever was going on inside his head, Kendrick had to wonder if the battle was with himself or his animal side.
He took a step towards Rue, assessing the other man and hoping he was picking what he wanted correctly. Slowly, so as not to spook him, Kendrick slid his fingers around the base of Rue’s tense neck, stroking softly, waiting for the moment Rue relaxed into the touch. Rue’s eyelids fluttered as his body swayed towards him, then Kendrick dipped his head. Rue’s breath was sweet as he breathed him in, running his tongue over the lower lip, before nibbling at the corner of his mouth. “Honey, do you want a kiss?”
The moan and head moving a fraction got Kendrick slowly claiming the kiss he desperately wanted. Where he’d unleashed his passion on Monty, he treated Rue’s lips to a gentle, sensual assault. Drugging him, holding Rue captive with his hand, their bodies not touching. The kisses were so different, yet equally potent. They were a drug; they clouded his mind, took him to a place that was beyond reality. He wanted more, because one, two, even three hits would never be enough to satisfy him.
It was that knowledge that got him easing out of the kiss, breathless and shaky.
Rue’s eyes were closed, but he looked no less affected than Monty had. Kendrick didn’t need a mirror to know he looked stupefied by the kisses when he could still taste both men, wanting them with a need that crawled under his skin.
He took a deep inhale, working to get himself under control. “As my neighbors are nosy, shall we take this inside?”
Rue’s eyelids fluttered open, and the dazed look didn’t harm Kendrick’s ego or the two seconds it took for Rue to register what he had said. Rue glanced over his shoulder, looking at the street.
With his lips pursed, Rue walked past Kendrick, and he resisted sighing at witnessing the tension returning. Kissing to keep Rue out of his head could easily become a full-time job. How much he wanted that shocked Kendrick into a statue, staring at the retreating man.
Double fucks. I’m double-fucked.
He rubbed at the center of his chest and shook off the stupid notion. He didn’t know these men well enough to have thoughts like that. It was a fling. A few nights of sex. With that anchored inside him, and the door locked, he followed at a slower pace, putting barriers in place—because he needed them.
In the doorway, he took in the scene. Rue stood by the coffee table, looking anything but comfortable. Monty, however, lounged on the couch holding a glass of beer, nibbling on a cornchip. Despite his seemingly relaxed position, he was as equally wound up as Rue.
“Rue, do you want a beer?” Kendrick walked over, picked up the IPA and offered it to Rue. At his nod, Kendrick opened it and poured it into a glass, considering how best to play it. He could have cut the tension in the air with a blunt knife.
When Rue took the beer, Kendrick poured himself one and went to sit on the couch next to Monty.
Monty’s openness was more obvious as he snuggled against Kendrick’s arm without waiting for an invitation.
Rue never took his eyes off them, but he revealed nothing of his thoughts. His body, however, did. Tension coiled in muscles that twitched.
“Last night, we didn’t talk about expectations—”
“What expectations?” Rue demanded, the glass halfway to his lips, a look of suspicion in the depths of those beautifully expressive eyes. “There are none. I thought this was just fucking.”
Monty stiffened against Kendrick but remained silent.
