“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Reese said, shaking hands with everyone. “She’s beautiful.”
Mati also shook hands and cooed over the baby, helping pile coats on the end of the couch.
David watched them, a smile hovering. He hadn’t worried they would judge, but most people were at least surprised when Patrick chose to introduce his partners that way.
Something dangerously like hope sparked to life in David’s chest. He quashed it mercilessly.
Mati held out her hand, pulling him to sit between her and Reese. Reese’s hand slid onto his knee when he was settled.
None of this escaped David’s friends, particularly since Patrick and Brandon were two of Boston PD’s finest. They looked absolutelydelighted.He would be hearing about this for months.
He’d probably be hearing about it right now if Patrick weren’t distracted by Avery, who was still pissed. Destiny bounced her on her lap, but it wasn’t making much difference.
Reese smiled at them. “May I?”
“Are you sure? She’s been cranky all day and it may not stop.”
Reese waved that off. “Let me try. If nothing else, it’ll give you all a break.”
“Thank you,” Destiny said, heartfelt.
Reese stood, plucked the baby from her hands, and popped her onto his shoulder like it was nothing.
Avery wasnotamused, but Reese was undeterred. He went to the fireplace, turned it on, and stepped back a few feet so Avery could see the flickering lights over his shoulder. He rubbed circles on her back, his knees bouncing gently, all while he murmured to her quietly.
He didn’t seem to notice he held the undivided attention of every other adult in the room.
With a final hiccup, Avery went silent and curled a fist beneath her chin, her other hand crushing Reese’s collar in her grip. He smiled and pressed a kiss to her little knuckles.
Patrick took one look at David’s face and burst into laughter.
David glared at Patrick, hoping his friend wouldn’t embarrass him. Or assume this was more than it was.
Somehow, Patrick managed to resist for the hour they could stay to catch up on department gossip and mutual friends. Mati and Reese listened, asking questions here and there. Reese never sat, holding Avery for the entire visit and what ended up being a decent-length nap, much to the gratitude of her parents.
Mati helped David pack up the lasagna and containers of sauce he had prepared. Brandon protested that it was too much, but it was obvious he was thrilled. He turned away to put on his coat and David slipped in two more containers, just in case.
When it came time to say goodbye, Mati and Reese got hugs instead of handshakes, and Destiny begged Reese to consider babysitting. With a long look at David, Reese promised to let them know if he was ever in town for a while.
David felt that damn spark of hope again.
Mati stood on the bottom step in David’s lobby, waving goodbye to Avery’s beautiful family. She wanted to ask them to come back soon. To spend time with them and watch them together and pick their brains about how to make an unconventional relationship work.
She wanted what Destiny had.
Maybe they hadn’t known David long enough, maybe she hadn’t beenintimatewith Reese long enough, but the seed was planted, and it would be easy for it to take root.
Her parents would keel over anddieif they ever heard of a relationship like this, let alone witnessed one. And she knew what her brothers would think. What they’d call her.
But she’d given up on their opinions a long time ago. They didn’t matter. Theycouldn’tmatter.
What did matter was the shock on David’s face when Reese gave him a little smack on his butt on the way past, and Reese’s laughter as David chased him up the stairs. Mati ran after them, breathless with laughter. Reese whooped victoriously when he reached the landing first, the sound cut off with anoofwhen David crashed into him and pinned him to the door.
Mati was fit, goddamn it, but by the time she gained the landing, Reese and David were making out against the door like a couple of teenagers, one of Reese’s thighs hooked over David’s hip as they ground against one another.
She would happily stand there and watch them for hours, but there was a better place to do this, and the boys looked dangerously close to losing their clothes.
David gasped when Mati slipped her hand into his pocket. She made a point to dig around, pressing her fingers against his hardening cock, and Reese’s, before fishing the keys out.
