by K. C. Wells
Chaz nuzzled Jon’s neck. “Lord, you smell good,” he murmured.
“Down, boy,” Jon said with a chuckle. “Go sit on the couch. I’ll bring the mugs over.” His chest tightened a little. No time like the present.
Chaz laughed and after giving Kendis a light kiss on the cheek, he left them. Jon went about his task of organizing three mugs, aware that Kendis was watching him.
Finally, Jon faced him. “You’re studying me.”
Kendis gave him a thoughtful glance. “What’s wrong?”
“Who says there’s anything wrong?” Jon’s heartbeat picked up a little speed, however.
Kendis blinked. “I got eyes.”
He sighed. “I might’ve known you’d be the one to ask.” He poured the coffee.
Kendis stroked Jon’s beard with gentle fingers. “Never shave this off, okay?”
Jon laughed. “Okay, I promise to keep it… for as long as you’re around.” Del’s words lay heavy on his heart.
“What does that mean?” Kendis asked with a frown.
Time to bite the bullet.
“It means… I need to talk to you both.” He handed Kendis a mug of coffee, then carried two into the living room where Chaz was sprawled on the couch, his gaze locked on his phone. Jon snorted. “Put away your porn for a minute. We need to talk.”
Chaz rolled his eyes. “I don’t watch porn every minute of the day, y’know.” Then he grinned. “Sometimes we’re too busy fuckin’ for me to do that.” He shifted to one end and patted the middle cushion. “Park your butt here.”
Jon took the hint and sat there, Kendis joining him. Jon handed Chaz his coffee, then sat, his legs stretched out in front of him, warming his hands on the mug.
“So how was Del? Other than a bear with a sore head.” Chaz cackled. “’Cause if he and Taylor were partying last night in Atlanta, he’s gotta have one helluva hangover.” When Jon said nothing, Chaz let out a low whistle. “You told him, didn’t you? That you’re gay?”
Jon nodded. “And about you guys too.”
“That explains the minor quake we felt today.” Chaz chuckled. “I guess it was the sound of Del’s jaw hitting the ground.”
Jon laughed out loud at that. “You think a lot like me, you know that?”
“Maybe that’s why we get along so well.”
“How did it go?” Kendis covered Jon’s hand with his. “I sorta got the feeling you were dreading it.”
“It went like you might expect.” Jon didn’t want to go there again. “But… he gave me some things to think about.”
“Like what?” Chaz demanded.
“Well…” Jon drew in a deep breath. “He said I needed to think about where this was going. The three of us, I mean. He said there may come a time when… one or more of us might want out. That because you’re both younger than I am, you might not want to stay with—” The words died in his throat at the look in Chaz’s eyes.
Chaz looked pissed.
“Where the fuck does Del get off, sayin’ shit like that? What the fuck does he know about us? Okay, so he’s my boss. That doesn’t mean he knows jack shit about me. Certainly not enough to know what I think.” Chaz’s eyes blazed.
Kendis launched himself up off the couch and knelt in front of Chaz. “Hey,” he said softly. “Whoa there just a minute.” He stroked Chaz’s thigh. “Think about it. Do you know how you’re gonna feel five, ten, fifteen years down the line? Of course you don’t. Neither do I. None of us know what’s gonna happen a year from now.” He gazed earnestly at Chaz. “Del is lookin’ in on us from the outside. Hell, he’s probably known a lot of guys in a relationship like ours. Right?” Kendis looked to Jon as if for confirmation.
Jon nodded. “He said so himself. He’s known relationships that have worked out, and ones that haven’t.”
Kendis nodded enthusiastically. “See? He’s just concerned, is all, for Jon, for all of us.”
Bless him. Kendis was perfect for them. He balanced Jon’s doubts and fears, and Chaz’s act-first-think-later attitude.
“That’s why Del talked about a Get Out of Jail Free card.” When they regarded with in obvious confusion, Jon explained. “He meant that if any of us change our minds, we get to walk away with no recriminations, no bitterness… We just call it a day. No arguments. No pleading.”
“Okay, okay, I get it,” Chaz said grudgingly. “An’ I get where he’s coming from. I’m just sayin’… no one is sayin’ it has to go that way, right? I mean, there’s nothing wrong with being optimistic, right?”
Jon couldn’t help himself. He leaned in and kissed Chaz on the mouth, a hard, claiming kiss that he hoped said more than words ever could. When they parted, Chaz sighed. “I guess not.” Then he widened his eyes. “You know what? Del needs to look at this from a new perspective.”
“What do you mean?” Jon asked with a frown.
“Well, he’s lookin’ at the age gap between us, right? Well, go forward a few years. When I’m thirty, you’ll be fifty. There,” he said triumphantly. “That don’t seem so bad, does it? And when I’m forty, you’ll be sixty. See? It just gets better an’ better.”
“I get it,” Jon said with a smile. What made his heart sing was Chaz envisioning them together at that age. Chaz’s optimism was a force of nature. “And don’t mind Del too much, okay? He’s just tryin’ to help us start out on the right footing.”
“He probably wants this to work as much as we do,” Kendis added. “But if we’re being honest, there are no guarantees in life. The best we can do is hope it lasts.”
Jon cleared his throat. “I think we can do better than just hope.”
Both turned their head to stare at him.
“What do you mean?” Chaz asked.
“I mean, there are things we can talk about now that will shape our future together. Things that need to be in place if we’re serious about stayin’ together.” Jon’s heartbeat raced. “And Del nailed it. He asked me ‘Where do you want this to go? What are you looking to get out of it?’”
“You’re saying we need to be honest about our expectations,” Kendis said suddenly.
Jon gave him a grateful glance. “Exactly.” He knew where he wanted this to go. That was a no-brainer. He studied Kendis for a moment, noting the way he bit his lip, the rapid blinking… “Hey,” Jon said softly. “Listen to me. No one is askin’ you to make any kind of… declaration, d’you hear? I’m not expecting you to tell me you’ve fallen head over heels in love, and you wanna spend the rest of your days with us, okay?” Despite the butterflies in his stomach, Jon smiled. “This is not a fairy tale, sweetheart. This is as real as it gets. But if we don’t talk about these things up front, we are setting ourselves up for failure. And I know this is not the way we intended spending the first day of 2018, but—”
“No, I think it’s the perfect day for it,” Chaz interjected. “Starting the year as we mean to go on, an’ all that.” His eyes shone. “I don’t mind makin’ a declaration.”
Jon leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips. He cupped Chaz’s chin and looked him in the eye. “That is because you rush in where angels fear to tread,” he said with a smile. “You’re full of optimism, you’re confident, you’ve got nerves of steel, and I love that you’re like that. But—”
“But you don’t want me sayin’ something you think I might regret later,” Chaz concluded. He smiled. “That’s fine. I won’t say it then.” His eyes twinkled. “But you can’t stop me from thinking it. And I’m gonna go on thinking it for a long time to come.”
“I’m gonna think it too,” Kendis added. He kissed them both, then settled back at their feet, staring at Jon. “I think it’s safe to say we all want the same thing, right?”
Jon got the message.
“Okay, what’s next?” Chaz asked brightly.
“I guess it has to be communication,” Jon replied. “We can’t assume we know what each other is thinking. Apart from what you just said, of course.” They both chuckled at that. �
�If something is bothering you, we have to talk about it. No keeping secrets. We gotta trust each other.” He stilled. “If your feelings get hurt, say something. Don’t let it fester. If something bugs the hell out of you, say something. Keeping quiet about it will only make it worse.”
“That won’t be a problem for me,” Chaz admitted.
Jon smirked. “I never thought it would.” And God, he loved that about Chaz.
Kendis gazed at Jon, that same thoughtful look in his eyes. “So if you’re running yourself down, does that mean I’m allowed to tell you to stop doin’ that, instead of just biting my tongue?”
Jon leaned forward and pulled Kendis into his arms. “You can say whatever you want,” he said in a low voice. “But I’m gonna try not to do that in future, all right?”
Kendis’s smile was radiant. “That sounds fine to me.”
Jon kissed his lips. “Which brings me to sex.”
“We need more of it,” Chaz said with a grin. Kendis whacked him on the arm.
Jon sighed. “Okay, this is where it gets a little complicated. Let me try an’ show you what I mean.” Del had suggested the perfect starting point for this discussion. “Suppose you two wanna fuck, and I’m not really in the mood. Do you just go ahead?”
Chaz blinked. “Why would you not be in the mood?” That got him another whack on the arm. “Hey.” He glared at Kendis. “What was wrong with that?”
“Not everyone is a walking hard-on,” Kendis said, rolling his eyes. “Let me put it another way. You come home from shopping, and Jon and me, we’re in our bed, making love. We didn’t wait for you. How do you think that would make you feel?”
Chaz widened his eyes. “Oh.”
Kendis nodded. “Now you get it. So what Jon is asking is, what do we do in those situations? Do we only fuck when it’s all three of us? If two of us want to, do we ask the other how he feels about it first, and if he feels it’s not right, we wait until it’s all three?” He shook his head. “Man, you were right. It’s like a minefield.”
“It doesn’t have to be,” Jon acknowledged. “As long as we set out rules we all feel comfortable with.”
“And what would make you comfortable?” Kendis asked.
Jon swallowed. “I guess… I’m gonna say we keep it in our pants until all of us are on the same page. Unless… unless we’re talkin’ a blue balls emergency. Then fuck it.”
Chaz cackled. “Isn’t every time a blue balls emergency?”
Jon snickered. “Pretty much.” He had to admit, he was feeling better. Lighter.
Kendis cleared his throat. “Something I gotta say here, because so far neither of you have brought it up.” He bit his lip.
That told Jon plenty. “Say what’s on your mind,” he said gently. “That’s why we’re talking now, to get things straight.”
Kendis drew in a deep breath. “What about… feeling jealous?”
“Only thing I’m jealous of around here is Jon’s dick,” Chaz said with a grin. Then he grew serious. “Go on, baby. I am listening.”
“Well,” Kendis began, “think about our week. I’m at the repair shop. You two are at the bike shop. Together.”
“I don’t think we’re gonna be screwing on the office table,” Chaz said with a snicker. “Del might have something to say about that. Unless he and Taylor get there first for a lunchtime quickie, of course.”
“I’m not talkin’ about sex!” When Jon stared at him, Kendis sighed heavily. “Sorry.” He softened his voice. “It’s just that… you two will get to spend a lot of time together, and…”
“And you think you might get left out in the cold, is that it?” Jon suggested, his heart aching for Kendis. Del’s right. They are young. But the way Kendis was putting his concerns out there drew Jon’s admiration.
Kendis nodded.
“I get what you mean about jealousy,” Jon admitted. “Right now, you two just wanna fuck most of the time.” When Kendis widened his eyes, Jon laughed. “It’s okay. I get it. But yeah, the thought of you two wakin’ up in the mornings an’ getting all hot ‘n’ heavy with each other…” He shrugged. “We’ll find our way through this. We have to, if we’re gonna make this work. But being aware of it, and being honest about it is a good first step.” He cocked his head to one side. “I do have a suggestion, though, that might help.”
“What?” Kendis demanded.
“Well, the repair shop is only five minutes from Rainbow Racers, if that. What’s to stop you joining us in your lunch hour every day? That way, you’d get to spend time with us, and you wouldn’t have to listen to Chance bragging about the girl he banged the previous night.”
Kendis laughed. “I love that idea.”
Jon kissed his forehead. “Then that’s what we’ll do.” He sighed. “I know there are practicalities to work out, stuff like chores and bills, but that’s no big deal. As long as we all pull our weight, that’ll work out just fine.” There was something else that had occurred to him that morning as they’d lain in bed, cuddling. “We gotta discuss sleeping arrangements.”
Chaz snorted. “What’s to discuss? We got two beds. It don’t leave a lot of room to maneuver.”
Jon took a breath. “I’m gonna be honest. If I had my way, you’d both be in my bed every night, but that’s not fair. We all need a space to call ours. A bed to retreat to if we need it.”
Kendis frowned. “But it’s like Chaz said. We’ve got two beds. So unless you’re thinking of putting one of us in the garage with the Harley…” He grinned. “I vote for Chaz. He probably wouldn’t mind sleeping with the bike anyhow.”
Chaz gave him a mock glare before giving Jon his full attention. “So what do we do? Take turns sleepin’ with you so it’s fair? Because other than that, I don’t see a lot of options.”
Maybe Jon did. “Leave that one with me.” He had the germ of an idea, but he’d need to check some things out first. Then he realized there was one vital issue they hadn’t addressed. “Who else gets to know about us?”
Both Chaz and Kendis looked at him blankly. “What do you mean?” Kendis asked.
“I’m just thinking about this town. I don’t think they’re ready for a three-way relationship, do you?” Which had to be the understatement of the year.
“Hell no.” Chaz shuddered.
“Just so we’re clear? I got no problem with keeping this on the down low. And if you two wanna go public, I’ve got your backs, all right?” And Jon would deal with any dissenters with his fists if he had to.
“I think being seen as a couple in public is a goal for the future,” Kendis said at last. “Something to work our way up to, gradually.” He looked from Jon to Chaz. “My momma said I’d picked a hard row to hoe, an’ when it comes to being a gay, biracial couple in LaFollette, I’m not about to argue with her.” He sighed. “But you’re right. The only people who get to know about us are Del and Taylor.” Kendis smiled. “And any gay couples who cross our path. Except I don’t think that’ll be here, do you?”
Jon had to admit, such an event seemed unlikely. “Anyhow… enough of me talking. I wanna hear from you. What do you think will be important if we’re gonna make this work?” Judging by the silence that fell, he’d given them something to consider.
Jon got up off the couch. “You know what? I’m gonna let you think about that while I go find us some cookies.” They always functioned better with food. He went into the kitchen to the cabinet where they kept the snacks. He smiled as he caught them whispering, and had to wonder what they’d come up with.
Jon went back into the living room and placed a large box of chocolate chip cookies on the coffee table. Before he could ask what they’d thought of, Kendis leaned in, his face inches from Jon’s. “Something you said just now… you said if we’re gonna make this work.” Kendis looked into his eyes. “We will, y’know. Make it work.” Then Kendis closed the gap between them and kissed him, taking his time.
Jon forgot about talking and submerged himself in the kiss, moaning q
uietly when Chaz joined in, their mouths meeting a little awkwardly, but he didn’t give a fuck about that. Their hands were gentle on the back of his head and his neck, no heat in their kisses, but something that spoke to Jon’s heart of intimacy and trust and emotions.
Kendis broke the kiss first. He sat back, Jon’s hand in his, Chaz settled back in his corner of the couch.
Jon cleared his throat. “Okay, what have we got?”
“We should do shit together,” Chaz said promptly, helping himself to a cookie.
Jon eyed him with suspicion. “You’re talkin’ ’bout sex, ain’tcha?”
Chaz rolled his eyes. “Well, duh.”
Jon chuckled. “Okay… maybe we need to do shit together that doesn’t include dicks and butts.”
“Stuff like watch movies, cook, go for bike rides…” Kendis suggested. Then his eyes brightened. “Maybe go on a vacation together? I’d love that.”
“Shower together?” Chaz said, his eyes gleaming.
Jon coughed. “And just what were we doing on Saturday? Hmm?”
Chaz widened his eyes. “I’m just sayin’ we should do it more often, is all.”
“Didn’t I just say something about leaving dicks ‘n’ butts out of it?”
Chaz snorted. “Oh. You were bein’ serious?”
Jon glared at him. “Okay. Doing things together. What else?”
“Do new stuff together,” Chaz said at once, grinning.
Jon let out a sigh of resignation. “Okay, I’ll bite. Like what?”
“We get a hot tub for the back yard.” That grin had gotten wider.
Jon smiled. “At last, a sensible suggestion. And yeah, we can definitely do that.”
“All right!” Chaz glanced at Kendis before addressing Jon. “We make our own home movies.”
Jon narrowed his gaze. “We’re talkin’ sex again, aren’t we?”
Chaz merely waggled his eyebrows.
The image that came to his mind was of his cock, sliding into Kendis’s ass, Chaz’s hands spreading his ass cheeks while Jon filmed the sight on his phone…
Jon reached down and adjusted his stiffening dick. “Actually? That’s… kinda hot.”