“Should I be jealous?” a new voice asked.
Sean’s eyes lit up as he scrambled up from his stool. “Derrick!” he shouted, throwing himself at the smaller man.
Derrick let out an ‘oof’ as he caught him, rubbing his back. “Wow. You’re really drunk, Sean.” He nudged his glasses up his face, sighing.
“Yep!” Sean agreed, nuzzling into the side of his neck.
Derrick looked at Jack. “Thanks for calling me.”
“Figured he could use a ride home,” Jack said. He looked at my face and bit his lip. “Um, this is Derrick, Sean’s husband. Derrick, meet Hailey.”
“I figured this was Hailey. It’s nice to meet you. Sean has mentioned you a lot.”
“He has?” I asked. I swiveled on my stool to face Sean’s husband. I tried to wrap my mind around it. Sean was married? Then why had he offered kisses? All sorts of kisses. Not that I’d taken him up on it.
Sean began to slump, and Derrick staggered. “All right, let’s get you sitting again.” He nudged him back onto the barstool before pulling down his soft-looking T-shirt that had ridden up, showing off skinny hips. He was also wearing pajama pants and flip-flops. His brown hair was tidy, though, and his simple square frames reflected the light, making it hard to see the color of his eyes. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you this drunk.”
Sean grinned up at him. “Love you, Derrick.”
Derrick shook his head with a smile. “I love you, too.”
Sean reached for me, slipping an arm around my shoulders. “This is our girl. I love her, too.”
My heart jumped into my throat as my cheek pressed against his beard.
Derrick’s eyes softened. “I know you do, but your girl looks a little confused.”
Sean’s confession continued to swirl in my head, and the alcohol swirled in my stomach.
“Sean didn’t mention you,” I mumbled, blinking at Derrick.
“I’m not mad, but I understand if you are.” He frowned at his husband. “You should have told her about me, Sean.”
“Oh, um, no, we’re only friends. I just thought, as friends…” I trailed off, the alcohol lurching in a bad way.
“Just didn’t get there yet,” Sean slurred. “Didn’t want to make it all about me.”
“It could have been a little about you,” Jack said mildly. He studied me. “I thought he’d told you, what with your own open relationship.”
“I hate that term,” Derrick admitted. “Sean and I believe we both have a lot of love to give, more than with just one person. We don’t do casual; we’re looking for genuine connections. More people we can love.” He smiled at the big man still clutching me.
“But he offered—” My face heated as Sean’s beard tickled me again from how close he still was.
“Something casual. I know. We talked about it.” Derrick moved closer, his hand sliding over Sean’s bald head. “You’re really special to him, Hailey.”
Jack tugged on Sean’s arm. “Let her go so Derrick can drag your drunk ass home.”
When Sean’s weight shifted, I scrambled up from the barstool, my heart still racing. “It’s late. I should…” I waved vaguely at the door, almost sliding to the floor as my legs wobbled.
“No, you don’t,” Jack said, pointing a finger at me. “You wait right there. You’re as drunk as he is, remember?” He started making his way around the bar.
“Right.” I blinked and dragged out my phone. “Need a rideshare.”
Jack’s hands cupped my elbows, turning me toward him. “It’s almost three in the morning. Let me drive you home. It’s safer.”
I stared into his worried eyes. “I’m okay. You don’t have to.”
“I want to. Please let me take care of you, just this once, Hailey?” At my slow nod, he pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Okay, sit down for a minute while I help Derrick lug Sean to his car.”
