Declan let out a grumpy noise, and Jake flat-out growled. In fits and starts, interrupted by Jake handing me some tissues from the glove box, I ended up telling them about the day I left and everything with my family. There wasn’t much to say, but it was difficult and seemed to take forever. “What if I never see my family again? I don’t know what they think. I’m alone now, but I’ve been alone for a while, so I guess that’s not new. She wasn’t ever with me. Not really. The ASMR recordings… they’re what I wished I’d had. I recorded everything I wanted, and just sort of… sent it out into the universe. I don’t know. It was a hope.”
Jake held me tighter, and Declan ran a hand down my back.
“Logan….”
I glanced at Jake, but he wasn’t looking at me, rather at Declan, who gave him a barely perceptible nod. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but Jake settled a soft hand on my chin and turned my face toward him. He moved slow, and I had plenty of time to back away if I wanted. My breath caught, and at first I wasn’t sure what I thought was happening was actually… well, happening.
But he leaned in by tiny increments until we were sharing the same breath, and then his warm, friendly lips were on mine. I was stunned, and the pressure of his mouth shot heat into my core. He slid his mouth over mine, and my insides tingled with the way he sucked at my top lip, then the bottom one, treating me gently. The second Jake sat back, fear clawed through me. I glanced at Declan, half expecting him to rear back and slug me, but he leaned in and nibbled at my bottom lip, much the same way Jake had. I gasped, and he slid his tongue into my mouth. The self-assured invasion had me melting toward him.
“You did not deserve any of that, and no one can scare us off,” Jake whispered in my ear while his husband teased his tongue around mine.
I sagged into their hold and heat twisted to the center of my groin. I was chubby and well on my way to rock-hard.
Declan sat back with a smirk and wiped at a small string of spit that connected us. He glanced toward the windshield and sighed. “I’m going to get us on the road, but the weather’s worse than we thought it would be.”
“I’m sitting back here,” Jake said quietly.
Declan leaned in front of me to kiss Jake, which was much more interesting close up than from across a room, and then I burned with pleasure as he pressed a kiss to my cheek. He got out and went up to the driver’s seat, and in no time he had us moving again.
“You’re going to be okay with us,” Jake said.
“Why are you being so good to me?”
Jake touched my chin until I was staring into his dark eyes. “Those recordings of yours… they’re everything I was looking for before I found Declan. They’re everything he does to make me happy. I know how you feel, and I know how it hurts to be searching for… for love in all the wrong people.” Jake leaned in again, and this time a thrill shook me as I kissed him back. He broke away and stroked my cheek, which no one had ever done when they kissed me. It made me feel like I was the most amazing person in the world. My head felt stuffed with cotton as I leaned against the seat with his arms still around me. I slid down and laid my cheek against his chest, absolutely hooked on the pleasure of being in his embrace.
Declan’s jaw was hard. I could see it at this angle. I hoped he wasn’t upset because Jake was holding me, but I really didn’t think that was the problem. He leaned forward to stare out the windshield and the SUV slowed down. He kept us moving, but it seemed we were heading back to New Gothenburg at a crawl. I didn’t care. I didn’t want to stay here one minute longer than I had to.
We weren’t on the highway long before Declan took an exit and pulled off at a Holiday Inn. Jake only let go of me when Declan opened the door for us to get out. Checking in didn’t take long, and I stood sandwiched between them while Declan handled the hotel and asked for extra towels and pillows.
When we got to the room, I was feeling awkward. “Go take the first shower,” Jake said. “We all need one. I have to talk to Declan.”
“I’m sorry,” I murmured to them both. “I—”
“Stop that,” Declan said. All three of us traded looks, and only the fact that they didn’t seem mad or upset with each other kept me in the room.
“Go. Shower.”
I did as Jake told me, too mentally exhausted to fight. The shower was okay, but it wasn’t nearly as nice as the one at their house. When I came out in my boxers, Declan slipped past me and went into the bathroom. Jake took my hand and tugged me toward the bed. My heart raced, but he lay down and patted the pillow next to him. I shivered and dropped beside him, barely able to keep still. He put his arms around me and dragged me closer. Cuddling with Jake was everything I’d ever thought lounging around with another person should be. He carefully stroked his hand along my back. He smiled at me and didn’t make me feel stupid, or ugly, or like my body didn’t fit with his. He shifted and dropped a kiss on my lips, a whisper of a touch that had me captivated.
When Declan came out, he simply traded places with Jake. He was larger, so I was able to really snuggle in and lay my head on his chest while he ran a hand up and down my side. Eventually I was held between them both, grateful and emotionally exhausted.
Jake planted a kiss on the nape of my neck. “You’ve been in an abusive relationship for how long?”
I stiffened, and Declan shushed me. “It’s my fault. I just upset her all the time.”
Jake cuddled in close behind me. “You’re not going back there. Anything else that’s forgotten can’t be that important.”
“You two are being so good to me.”
Jake leaned up and stared across to Declan, then smiled at me. “You’re a sweetheart, and I know you told me you’re straight.”
Declan grunted out a questioning sound.
“But,” Jake said, “people need”—he hugged me extra tight—“someone to care when they go through a lot.”
Declan snickered.
“What?” I murmured.
