“You’re still on the floor?” Everett asked when he spotted Jayne. “I was sure you would have gone back to the living room. We do have couches, if you want. There’s even the spare bedroom you could have relaxed in if you wanted some privacy.”
“The floor’s fine,” Jayne said. He sat up slowly, gritting his teeth at how his bones protested. “Caleb’s not the only one who likes itstiff.”
Caleb snorted. He came to stand by Jayne and offered a hand to him. Jayne clasped it, and Caleb pulled him to his feet.
“The kids are fine, by the way.” Jayne released Caleb’s hand and stretched his arms far over his head, arching his back until it popped. The sound was as satisfying as it felt, and Jayne wiggled his hips from side to side to work out the last of his kinks. “As far as I know, they’re both still sleeping. I didn’t hear a peep from them.”
“No death matches?” Caleb asked.
Jayne shrugged. “I mean, there was a war cry and the unmistakable sound of a great sword striking fire-wrought chain mail, but I thought it came from the neighbor’s place. On reflection, it might have been the kids. The war cry did sound prepubescent.”
“They’re at it again,” Caleb sighed. “I hope Bo doesn’t lose an arm like last time. Aaron’s going to be pissed.”
Jayne looked Caleb over, holding back a smirk, then glanced at Everett, who stood a few steps behind. While Caleb was his usual snarky self, Everett looked a little more guarded than usual, like he was patiently waiting for the right time to shift the topic of conversation to something more serious. Jayne dropped the playful act and let his posture loosen. Maybe Caleb and Everett hadn’t only gone into the other room to “talk.” There was a chance that between getting each other off, they’d had a serious discussion. Jayne found himself concerned—it didn’t feel like a coincidence that they’d gone off to talk without him after offering him their spare bedroom. “Is there something going on?”
“Nothing bad,” Everett replied. “Caleb and I had a talk, and we want to open it up and include you in the discussion.”
“But if you’re too tired from your shitty-ass day, we can have it some other time.” Caleb placed his hand on Everett’s lower back. Jayne’s heart fluttered. God, did they look good together. More than a small part of him ached for even a fraction of the stability they’d found with each other—a relationship that was happy, exciting, and inspiring instead of toxic. The universe had proved countless times that only family was safe and that men weren’t to be trusted, but Jayne was starting to think he’d been wrong. The quality of men he had surrounded himself with weren’t to be trusted, sure, but there were men out there who were different. Caleb and Everett proved it.
Jayne considered both of them for a second, studying the somewhat serious look on Everett’s face, then wondering over the gleam in Caleb’s eyes. Whatever they had to discuss seemed to be important, but Jayne didn’t get the impression that it was going to take much high mental functionality to process. Slowly, he nodded. “I can talk. I’m going to crash hard tonight, but I’m getting my second wind. What’s up?”
Caleb looked at Everett. Everett looked at Caleb.
“I can’t read your minds,” Jayne said as he lifted an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest. “If this is a test to see if I’m psychic, you have your answer.”
“No.” Caleb laughed. He shook his head. “It’s not like that. Everett and I went to have a talk because we had to make sure we were both on the same page, and we are.”
“We like you, Jayne.” Everett smiled, and just like that, the weaponized butterflies returned to wreak havoc on Jayne’s heart. “We know it hasn’t been all that long, and that you’re still reeling from everything that’s happened, but once you’re settled and feeling more stable, we’d love to do something with you—take you out for a movie, for dinner, for drinks…”
“What Everett’s saying is that we think you’re one of the most kick-ass people we’ve ever met.” Caleb kissed the side of Everett’s head, then stole a glance at Jayne while his head was still turned. “When the time is right, and if you’re interested, we’d be flattered to take you on a date.”
A date.
A date?
Jayne had thought that he’d been ready to have a conversation, but his mind spun over the invitation like tires without traction in the snow. Surely by date, they meant mindless sex, right? But then where did the dinner, movie, and drinks factor in? He was a single father of a young child and he’d just had a fifteen-minute meltdown on their kitchen floor, and they thought he was dating material?
What bizarro world had he woken up in this morning?
“So, you know, there’s that.” Caleb shrugged. “You’ve got so much shit to deal with right now that your love life is undoubtedly the least of your worries, but I think Everett and I wanted you to know so that things aren’t all unspoken and weird. Our relationship only works because we’re not afraid to talk about how we feel, so it felt natural to include you in the conversation.”
Jayne wished he had something to say, but he’d been stunned to silence. They wanted to include him in a conversation about their feelings? They’d openly discussed their feelings about him to each other? None of it seemed real. Relationships like this existed on paper and in movies, but in real life? Was it a trick?
No.
No, it wasn’t.
The gentle look in Caleb’s eyes and the happiness in Everett’s weren’t a put-on. The way they talked with each other and to others further proved it.
They wanted him for who he was, not just for his body. They’d independently come to the conclusion that Jayne would be a good match not only for them individually, but for them as a couple as well. Tears clustered in Jayne’s eyes, but he didn’t have enough left in him to let them fall.
“So, the offer stands,” Everett concluded. “We don’t need an answer any time soon, but we wanted it out there. Focus on you right now, and getting your life back in order, and once you feel like you’re back on solid ground, we’ll be there waiting for you if you want us.”
“I do.” Jayne’s voice cracked. He shook his head and cleared his throat. “I mean, in the… the future, you know? When everything’s settled down.”
“No rush.” Caleb winked. “Although we areexceptionallyfine male specimens, you might change your mind tomorrow, or next week, or the first time one of us pranks you and you decide you’re sick of our shit.”
“Caleb’s shit,” Everett grumbled defensively.
