There was no other way to explain the reason his pulse had started to race, or why the idea of Everett and Jayne together in bed with him stirred him like it did. Thirds were fun to play with, but in Caleb’s fantasies, they were faceless. Not so with Jayne. Caleb had the feeling if he ever tried to imagine Jayne as a faceless entity shared between himself and Everett, Jayne would reach through the fantasy and slap him upside the head.
“No, you’re fine. You’ve got it.” Everett rolled off Caleb and sat up. He stripped off his cum-striped shirt and tossed it into the hamper. When he was bare-chested, he looked at Caleb meaningfully. God, was he beautiful. Caleb’s gaze dipped from his face to the definition in his shoulders and arms, to the double black bands they’d had inked into their skin as a vow to each other—never one without the other. The promise they’d made each other that day had never been more true than it was now. “We’ve only ever had casual encounters with thirds before,” Everett continued. “We’ve never wanted anything more. But… I think I want something more with him, Caleb. I want something more for all of us.”
It was enough. Caleb heard the conviction in his voice and saw the sincerity on his face. “I do, too.”
“What are the rules?”
Caleb rose from the bed and stripped his shirt off in the process, tossing it into the hamper after Everett’s. When Jayne saw them again and noticed both of them had changed, he’d know what had gone on behind closed doors. There was no way he wouldn’t. The thought excited Caleb more than he cared to let on. He crossed the room and came up on Everett from behind, slipping his arms around his waist and pulling him close. “The rules are the same as they always are.” Caleb buried his nose in the short hairs along Everett’s nape. Blue Cypress, vetiver, white musk; Caleb reveled in them and how well they suited Everett—sweet, yet masculine; heady, yet seductive. As long as he lived, that fragrance would remain in his heart. “We’re a package deal. Anything below the belt is off limits unless both of us are there. I don’t want any of us to regret this—if we get into this and you have regrets, it stops right away.”
Everett’s hands slid over Caleb’s. He squeezed. “The same goes for you.”
“I love you, Everett Langston.” Caleb nipped the ridge of Everett’s ear, then huffed out a laugh and nuzzled the side of his head. “No matter what happens, nothing will change that.”
“I love you, too.” Everett leaned into his embrace. “I’m excited for this—for us.”
Caleb smiled. “I am, too.”
19
Jayne
While Caleb and Everett went to talk—which was a codeword for fuck, judging by the small noises Jayne heard coming from their room—Jayne remained where he was on the kitchen floor and occupied his mind by returning to the Single Dad chat. The last time he’d checked in had been when he was assuring the guys he’d be okay. It seemed they’d taken his word to heart.
KnotMyProblem: Yeah! You fucking show life who’s boss
xVerity: We’re here to listen if and when you need us, Glit.
Gwynning: And we’re happy to help in whatever way we can
TeenDad2: What’s going on you guys???
xVerity: Knot and Glit have been having a hard day today, but in the end, everything seems to be working out.
TeenDad2: OMG I just read back through the convo
TeenDad2: I’m sorry to hear that everything is sucking so badly today
TeenDad2: I wish that I could share some of my good day with you
Gwynning: Are you back home now, TD?
TeenDad2: No, not yet. We’re driving back from the cabin now, and Aaron just gave me back my phone
KnotMyProblem: What the hell is he doing, taking your phone from you?
TeenDad2: No, not like that
TeenDad2: I mean, he rented a luxury cabin out in the woods and took off work on Friday so we could spend the day there together. It was like one of those things were both of us decided that we wouldn’t go on social media or anything. Just us two, you know?
TeenDad2: *where
TeenDad2: … *were?
TeenDad2: Was I right the first time or the second time?
xVerity: “Where” is correct.
TeenDad2: Thank you xV!! You’re the best
