“Have you had a ménage thing going before? Are you polyromantic?” he asked then, snapping Leaf out of his reading.
“We haven’t dated anyone, no. Not together or separately. The odd threesome here and there, sure, but it has been years.” Leaf went back to reading his book when Dev didn’t seem to have more questions. Dev nodded, more at himself than Leaf. He could admit it was all quite tempting. If it wouldn’t turn into anything other than a few dates and/or some hot sex, it would be fine. It just seemed like life was giving him this opportunity, and if he said no—given that Seth would feel positive about the proposition Leaf had made—he would definitely feel like he’d passed up something potentially amazing and definitely rare.
Who the fuck wouldn’t want to be in this gorgeous old house with dogs that behaved better than most people Dev had ever met? His mind was churning out questions, but he’d already decided to wait for Seth. Besides, if they did end up dating in some combination or another, he’d have time to actually ask those questions.
Chapter Five
SETH GRIMACEDat the sight of Dev’s car in front of the house. He parked his own in the driveway and got out as quickly as he could. He’d run into his TA just as he was going to leave, and she’d needed advice on a particularly tricky thing about her own studies. She’d been apologetic—she always was when she knew she was potentially wrecking his precious schedule—and it was fine, really. He just hated being late, with vigor.
It was almost six thirty when he opened the door to the happy barks of the dogs. He loved having them all back, and the surprise of Leaf coming home a day before he had thought he would had been amazing. Last night, making love in their own bed… yeah, the best night in a long time, only topped by the morning when he’d woken up to a lightly snoring Leaf in his bed.
“Quit it,” he told the dogs as he toed off his shoes. He hung his jacket and peered into the family room.
“Hey, sweetheart,” Leaf greeted him from the couch where he’d settled with a book.
“Hi.” Dev gave him a little wave from the armchair.
Something was… off. Seth felt the weird, almost anticipatory energy in the room and looked from one man to the other. “What’s going on?” It struck him odd how he felt almost the same when he looked at the two men. His feelings for Leaf were familiar, old and comfortable, yet still exciting. When he looked at Dev, he felt the excitement, and something curious, like…. Holy. Fuck.
“Uh-oh,” Dev said quietly.
“Aaand there it is.” He got off the couch and snapped his fingers at the dogs, then pulled Seth to sit down with him. “Sweetheart, you okay?” he asked quietly, pressing a kiss on Seth’s temple.
Seth felt oddly numb. He blinked a few times, looking from Leaf to Dev and back. “W-what?”
“Hey, you’re okay. Everything is just fine. I love you, and we’re all good,” Leaf assured him, squeezing him close.
But Seth had seen how Dev looked at Leaf’s L-word and felt a spike of distress inside.
“But… I don’t….”
“You don’t what, Seth?” Leaf gently cupped his cheek and turned his head so he had to concentrate on the man closest to him.
“I didn’t… on purpose,” Seth blurted out. He felt itchy inside his skin suddenly.
“Hey, it’s okay. Like Leaf said.” Dev was suddenly there, sitting on the edge of the coffee table. “Sure, you fucked up just a little.” He took Seth’s hand into his own and smiled at him. “I guess I could’ve asked if you were single before I went and crushed on you like a teenager.”
“To be fair, it wasn’t that long when you stillwereone,” Leaf teased, making Dev glare at him.
“B-but…what?” Seth tried to make sense of what was going on.
“Can you get him a water bottle from the fridge, Dev? Thanks.”
Soon Dev handed him the water, and he took a few sips, realizing that Grace was sitting on the floor against his legs. Was he panicky? He took stock and decided that, yes, a little bit.
He burrowed closer to Leaf, drawing his calm into his own body, and without realizing, he reached out for Dev too.
“So, this is what’s going on,” Leaf said, the rumble of his voice vibrating his chest under Seth’s head. “You have a crush on our Dev here. And vice versa.”
Seth’s first instinct was to claim that wasn’t true, because it was wrong to feel so, but his analytical mind suddenly provided him with the words “conditioned to think so,” and he stilled.
He turned his gaze to Dev, who looked a bit uneasy. “You do?” he asked, a weird fluttering setting off in his stomach again, andnowhe recognized it for what it was: butterflies.
“Well, yeah.” Dev sighed out the words. “You’re smart and fascinating and fucking gorgeous. Of course, I’m attracted to you.”
Seth found himself smiling at Dev, completely missing the indulgent smile Leaf directed their way. “Good,” he said firmly. Then he turned to look at Leaf. “Or… is it?” Because Leaf was always his compass on things he didn’t see himself.
“Yeah, sweetheart, it is.” Leaf glanced at Dev, and they seemed to share a look with meaning.
