by Trina Lane
“Do you need us?” Niall asked.
“Not tonight, but thank you. I think I’m going to climb under my covers and wait for a new day.” Trevor yawned. “Besides the two of you wore me out last night. I need some recovery time.”
“It’s only three o’clock. Are you sure—”
Trevor’s head lolled on the arm rest of his sofa. “I’m sure. Maybe I’ll watch TV a little longer, but it’ll be early to bed for me tonight.”
“Don’t forget to eat dinner,” Niall added.
Trevor’s stomach grumbled at that moment. He realised he hadn’t eaten anything all day, and having passed over dinner for sex last night didn’t help things.
“Yeah, food would be good. I sort of forgot after the events this morning, and I had an appetite for more pleasurable things last night.”
“Trevor?” Matt asked.
“Yeah.”
“When was the last time you ate anything?”
“Um, yesterday. I had a snack sometime in the late morning.”
Trevor heard two loud sighs and a few low grumbles. He couldn’t help but both cover his mouth to hold in a chuckle and roll his eyes.
“Are you laughing at us?” Niall groused.
“We’re just concerned about you. You need to eat regular healthy meals or you’ll get sick,” Matt lectured.
“I’m sorry. I appreciate your concern guys, I do. Yesterday I was too nervous to eat and today what I saw nearly made me sick. Food has not been in the front of my mind. I promise to go make something right now, okay?”
“You’d better, young man,” Matt threatened.
“Or what?” Trevor taunted.
“Or I’ll—”
“Or Matt and I will come over there, tie you up and force feed you bites of fruit and tender flakes of roast from our fingers until you beg us to stop.”
“Um Niall, that’s not exactly a deterrent. I was pretty much going to warm up a can of soup.”
“How about we come over there and beat your pretty little ass till it’s pink and hot to the touch?” Matt countered.
“Again, the two of you and me naked? Still looking for the down side here, guys.”
“Who said anything about us being naked?”
“Now that’s dirty pool.”
“Then be a good man and we will call you tomorrow. If you need anything…”
“I’ll call. I promise. Um, Matt?”
“Yes?”
“Will you be staying…never mind. It’s none of my business.”
“Will I be staying with Niall tonight? Is that what you want to know?”
Trevor burrowed deeper into the blanket covering him on the couch. “Maybe,” he said softly.
“Would you be upset if we slept together without you? You were the one who crept out this morning without waking us.”
“I know, and I did write you a note. I’m not sure if the thought of you having sex without me upsets me or not. This is all still new to me, and I’m trying to figure out the rules.”
“Fair enough. We did get your note. Clever place to put it by the way.” Trevor heard the smile in Matt’s voice with that comment. “If it’ll ease your mind, I won’t be staying here tonight. I have a commitment tomorrow and Niall has an early photo shoot. Like crack of dawn early.”
“Thanks. I’ll use tonight to wrap my brain around this whole three-way thing.”
“Remember, you don’t have to find all the answers yourself. This is intended to be a partnership. You can come to us, and I promise we’ll come to you for questions and answers.”
“Thanks, Niall. I’ll try, but being open isn’t easy for me.”
Trevor talked with Matt and Niall a little bit longer. He found out that Matt’s commitment was a scrimmage football game he regularly participated in with friends of Logan and Clay’s—the same ones who had gathered in support the other night at the hospital. Naturally neither of his close friends would be there, but the game was still on. Maybe Matt would be able to get an update on Clay’s condition?
Niall, on the other hand, had a fashion shoot for Armani. He said that he occasionally did fashion photography, even though it wasn’t his favourite subject. Armani, however, had been giving Niall business since he first started out when they’d done a spread with up and coming photographers. Since then, Niall was always happy to work with the high-end designer. Trevor had asked if Niall could covertly capture a couple of the pieces from the shoot. Niall had laughed in response and said he’d see what he could do.
Before they knew it an hour had passed, and Trevor could no longer ignore the demands of his stomach. He said his goodbyes and slowly uncurled from the couch. A few steps over to the kitchen cabinets, and Trevor found a can a vegetable beef. Perfect for a cool November day. He dug out the saucepan from the drawer beneath his stove and dumped the contents in to heat. The apartment was soon filled with the aroma of savoury broth, beef and vegetables. He found a few saltine crackers stashed away and dished out his meal.
Trevor was determined to enjoy the rest of his afternoon and evening. He needed some laughter to lighten the day, so he popped in At War with the Army, a Martin and Lewis classic.
An hour and half later, Trevor felt much better. It was dark outside now and by Trevor’s standards that meant it was okay to turn in. After quick pit stop and a check to make sure the baseboard heater in his room was working, Trevor jumped into bed. For the first time he glanced on either side of him, and even though he knew there was no possible way Matt, Niall and him would be able to squeeze onto the double mattress, the bed seemed a bit empty. Trevor gathered up the spare pillow and hugged it to his chest. Closing his eyes, he slowed his breathing and let the day fade away. Tomorrow would be better. Maybe after their individual plans, he could see Matt and Niall again. With a smile on his face, Trevor slid into sleep.
Chapter Eight
Matt’s breath clouded in the cold morning air. He fingers tingled as he waited the interminable seconds. Despite the cold, hot blood raced through his body. He bent his knees slightly, balanced on the balls of his feet, each muscle tensed as he waited for the signal.
“Blue, forty-three…hike, hike!”
Matt took off through the three hole and downfield. His arms pumped, his toes tunnelled into the ground for traction, and his quads burned with the blast of speed. Somebody was behind him. Matt felt their energy racing towards him as if that person was a freight train. Matt refused to stop, though. Each step brought him closer to his goal. One more step and he spun around. He saw Ryan chasing him down. Matt had only seconds to spare. The throw was high. He leapt up, the leather slid into his finger tips and he cradled the ball to his chest.
Ryan’s arms latched themselves around Matt’s hips. He tried to twist his body in the air so he wouldn’t land on his head. He had no desire for his skull to meet the hard, frost-covered earth. They landed with a thud, and every muscle in Matt’s arms tensed to contain the football.
“Yes!” Matt shouted. “Take that Ashton!”
Matt jumped up and raised both arms over his head so his teammates could celebrate the victory.
“Touchdown!” Ethan screamed, running towards Matt.
Ethan’s lean body tackled Matt and he fell back to the ground, laughing. “Nice throw. Wanted to make me work for it a little bit, huh?”
“Wasn’t my fault,” Ethan pouted. He sat up and straddled Matt’s hips. “Rick came at me as if he were ‘The Fridge’.”
Rick ran up to the group and snorted. “Yes, as if I looked like a three hundred and eighty pound defensive linemen. Face it Harrison, you’re a princess who didn’t want to ruin your manicure.”
“Hey!” Ryan exclaimed. “That’s my husband, not to mention your best friend, you’re ragging on. I can vouch that he is no woman, in either temperament or anatomy.” Ryan turned to Ethan, still straddling Matt’s hips. “And you!” He reached under Ethan’s arms and lifted him free. “No grinding, unless it’s on me.” Ryan buried his hand in the bac
k of Ethan’s hair and slammed their lips together.
Despite the melting frost beneath his body, Matt lay back with his arms behind his head, laughing. Since he joined this rag-tag group of couples over the summer for weekend games, they never failed to make Matt laugh himself sick. It was a shame that Logan and Clay weren’t here, but Clay was still in the hospital and Logan refused to be more than a couple of feet from his side.
Matt had spoken with Logan on the phone several times. After Logan’s flashback the day of Clay’s shooting, Matt needed to make sure that his patient and friend was stable. Logan had assured him that his energy was focused on Clay’s recovery, and promised he would call Matt if he slid into crisis once things calmed down. Regardless, Matt had made Logan schedule an appointment for Monday, assuring the man that Clay would not be released until later in the week.
They’d made a significant improvement in Logan’s PTSD in the last year and a half, but Matt cautioned Logan that the disease would not simply go away. If anything, periods of stress could trigger an increase in symptoms, and Matt wanted to stay on top of Logan’s care.
“Matt! Did Ryan belt ye too 'ard? Scramble yer brains? Get aff de cold groun', ye dope.” Conor held out his hand.
Matt took Conor’s hand and launched himself off the ground. When the cold air hit his back, Matt realised maybe lying in frost wasn’t such a good idea. Mostly because the frost had melted beneath his body, and now his shirt was damp and stuck to his back. He looked around the group of friends. Steam evaporated from each of their bodies.
“I think it may have actually gotten colder since we started.”
They all nodded. Ryan had his arms around Ethan, Rick and Conor were wrapped around each other and suddenly Matt longed to have Niall or Trevor there with him. He didn’t know if either of them were the athletic type, but it would have been nice to share somebody’s warmth.
“Yo Doc!”
Matt turned his head to see a young recruit from Clay’s district jogging their way from downfield.
“Nice game, Anderson.”
“Thanks, Doc. You’re a hell of a runner. Kinda thought with your size and all… I mean, not that’d you’re out of shape at all—far from it.” His eyes travelled down the length of Matt’s body. “Your body’s amazing. I wish I could touch—look, I mean look like that.”
Matt watched as Anderson’s cheeks, already flushed from the cold air, turned brighter. He was flattered and took pity on the kid—fresh out of the academy according to Clay. “Thank you.”
The young man continued to stand there. He appeared to have something further to say, but kept looking around at the rest of the gang who sadistically refused to move an inch. Matt sighed and shook his head.
“Come on.” He pointed to a patch of grass several feet away and he and Anderson walked over. A glance over his shoulder, and Matt saw every neck craned their direction.
“Don’t mind them. They have nothing better to do than gossip. You look like you have something on your mind. Did you have something you wanted to ask me, maybe as a psychiatrist? I work quite a bit with the department, and your rookie year can be—”
“No! Nothing like that. I was…well, I was wondering if…maybe you’d like to grab a bite with me?”
The kid sounded so hopeful, and Matt mentally gave him props for having the guts to ask.
“I appreciate the offer. You’re a good looking man, Anderson. And the fact that you’re attracted to an old desk jockey like me is flattering, but I’m seeing somebody.”
“Hey, no sweat. I figured it didn’t hurt to ask. If things don’t work out, give me a call.”
Anderson took off running, and Matt felt a little bad. It was obvious the kid’s false bravado at the end covered up his disappointment. Matt hoped he bounced back quickly because the kid really did seem have something special to offer a man.
“Are you scaring the children again?” Ryan yelled over towards him.
Matt turned hand headed back towards the group. He saw Ethan elbow his husband in the gut. “Eat it, Ashton. He’s a good kid. Needs to simmer for a few years to add some texture and layers to his personality, but he’s on the right track.”
“So what did he want?” Ethan asked.
“Asked me out on a date.”
Matt shook his head at the cat-calls and kissy sounds the group made. “Grow up. Besides I told him I’m already seeing somebody.”
“Who? And why haven’t you brought him around for our approval?” Ethan demanded.
“Aye, maybe the doc dinna want ye to cross examine the queer bit o’ talent,” Conor said. “Now, I'd eat a farmer's arse through a blackthorn bush!”
Matt and everybody else stared at Conor.
“I’m hungry,” Conor clarified, slowly.
“Then simply say that. I swear half the times you say those ridiculous phrases just to enjoy our stupefied expressions.”
Conor placed a kiss on Rick’s lips. “Maybe. But if I dinna, den how would I ‘av any fun, càran?”
Matt watched the exchange between Conor and Rick. He wanted to have a chat with those two about how they made their marriage with Calleigh work. How the dynamics in the household played out. He imagined his and Niall and Trevor’s relationship would be quite different, not having a woman or children involved, but if the pair was willing to talk, at least it might give Matt a source of information.
“So are you going to tell us who you’re seeing?” Ryan asked.
“You met one of them the other night.” Matt smiled as he dropped that little bomb. It was his turn to laugh at the group’s expressions.
“One of them?” Ethan exclaimed.
“Trevor. He’s Logan’s good friend and colleague at the crime lab. He was at the hospital when we were all waiting to hear about Clay.”
“Small guy? Thin? Blond?” Rick asked.
“Yep. He’s the chief audio and video analyst for the department.”
“So who’s the other? Not that asshole Jaime? I thought it was over between the two of you?” Ryan added.
“It is. You’ve never met our third. His name is Niall Roberge and—”
“De photographer?” Conor interrupted.
“Yeah. We met a couple weeks ago at the Fenway Health Fair. It’s a bit of a complicated story. If you all want the scoop, then I vote we get out of the cold and find somewhere with and hot food and drink.”
“Grinders at Pete’s?” Ryan proposed.
“Sounds good. I’ll meet you all over there. I want to check in with Trevor. He had a spot of trouble yesterday, and I want to make sure he’s okay.”
The group headed off for their respective vehicles parked outside Boston Common. Matt unlocked the door to his car, popped open the centre console and removed his phone. After a quick scan for any missed calls from patients, Matt pulled up Trevor’s name and hit call on the touchscreen.
“Hello?”
“Hey, bello.”
“What exactly does ‘bello’ mean?”
“It means handsome. My grandmother used to call my grandfather that.” Matt heard a little happy sound through the phone and smiled.
“How are you? How was the game?”
“Good. Cold, but good.” He turned on the car and activated the heated seat.
“No thanks. I’m shivering just thinking about it.”
Matt laughed. “Would you come if I promised to tackle you at every opportunity and rub my body all over yours? Think how it would feel to have my body covering yours. My arms locked around your back, my hips grinding against yours, my lips secretly stealing a kiss on your neck before the others reach us. I promise you’d be too turned on to even feel the cold.”
Trevor moaned into the phone. “Tease. Now I’m hard. What are you going to do about this?”
“Well I’m headed to get food with the gang. How about you call Niall and meet us in a half hour or so? He should be done with his photo shoot by now.”
There was a moment of silence on the phone. Matt kn
ew he and Trevor hadn’t been disconnected because he heard the sound of Trevor’s breathing coming through the line.
“Trevor?”
“Are you sure you want us to do that? What will your friends say?”
“I’ve already told them I’m seeing the two of you. They’re anxious to meet both of you. Well, more to see the three of us together. They all remembered you from the night of Clay’s shooting at the hospital, and I got the feeling that at least some of them know of Niall’s work.”
“Three guys together doesn’t freak them out?”
“Rick and Conor are a threesome with their wife Calleigh. It’s not a foreign concept to anybody there.”
Matt heard Trevor expelled a pent up breath through the line.
“Okay, I’ll call Niall and see if he can come. Where are you meeting?”
“Pete’s on Tremont. The sandwich place.”
“I don’t know it, but maybe Niall will.”
“It’s right off The Common. If you need directions call me. Trevor, will you ask Niall to pick you up?”
“If he’s nearby and it’s not inconvenient.”
“Thank you. See you soon.”
“Yeah, soon.”
Forty minutes later Matt sat at a large table with the gang and finished up his story about how he Niall and Trevor got together. “So we approached Trevor and now we’re taking each day as it comes.”
“Wow. Now that’s a story. So tell me how does it feel to run your fingers through Niall’s long dark hair, and is Trevor as hot naked as he is in pair of tight jeans?”
“How—”
Ethan pointed behind Matt, and Matt turned to see both Trevor and Niall entering the restaurant. Matt stood to greet his men. Trevor’s face lit up the second he saw Matt waiting for him, and it made Matt smile to see Niall’s hand casually resting on Trevor’s back. When the pair got close, Matt watched Trevor try to peek around his body to see the group. However, before any introductions were made, Matt wanted to greet his lovers properly. He leant down and placed a kiss on Trevor’s lips. The quick taste was Matt’s first since their night together, and he wished they were alone so he could feast on Trevor’s flavours properly. Trevor’s hands were braced on Matt biceps, and he rose up on his toes to deepen their touch. Trevor’s tongue slid along Matt’s lips and dipped inside for a quick lick. When they separated, Matt opened his eyes to find Niall standing behind Trevor with his hands holding Trevor’s waist. Niall stepped forwards, sandwiching Trevor between them, and took a kiss of his own. Niall’s lips were firmer than Trevor’s, and addictive in their own right. A darker flavour, filled with spice and heat, filled Matt’s senses. Trevor’s head rested on Matt’s chest and his cheek rubbed across Matt’s left pectoral. The movements seemed almost instinctual.