by S. E. Law
“That’s great!” she compliments.
I see Jane release a visible breath, the tension in her shoulders dissipating as she does so. Brandon winks at her from across the table.
“It is great,” he says. “In fact, Jane’s going to come stay with us in New York City for a short while,” he says. “Just while we figure things out.”
Mattie’s eyes are practically popping out of her sockets, but she manages a nod.
“Great!” she says cheerily. I stare at her. This woman is a little strange come to think of it, but it seems like Jane really likes her, so I brush it off.
When we finish eating, the four of us take the hotel shuttle to the airport. Jane sits with Mattie and I can see the excitement in their conversation. I feel Brandon nudge my shoulder from where he sits next to me.
“She looks happy,” he comments. He discreetly slides a hand over my thigh, interlocking his fingers with my own where they rest on my knee.
“She does. You do, too,” I add. “I’m happy with the way things are looking. The future just got a bit brighter.”
When we pull up to the airport, Brandon grabs Jane’s suitcase and leads the way to our gate. It was a touch of fate that we’re all on the same flight today, so we sit together in the hard, plastic chairs as we wait. We’re early, so the gate is fairly empty as we talk quietly.
“Tell me if I’m being too forward,” Mattie starts, “but how does this work, exactly?”
Brandon and I share a look and a quick laugh.
“It’s like any other relationship, but there are three of us,” he explains.
“But Jane lives in Poughkeepsie. You live in the city. Doesn’t that put her at a disadvantage?” Mattie pushes. “Two against one?”
“Jane does live in Poughkeepsie,” I agree. “But she will be visiting the city frequently. With a third person it just requires communication,” I explain.
“A two-person relationship thrives when communication is made a priority,” Brandon tries to break it down for her. “The same goes for our relationship.”
Jane nods her head, clearly in thought.
“You won’t get jealous if I spend more time with one of you over the other?”
Brandon and I grin at one another.
“We’re still human,” I say. “Jealousy is very possible, but that’s where communication comes into play. We have to talk to one another when we’re feeling jealous. It requires effort just like any other relationship. Plus, making love is never boring,” I add with a mischievous smirk.
“Fact,” Brandon agrees quickly. Jane is blushing hard but can’t wipe the smug look off of her face. I like it, this bit of confidence she’s found in the last day or two.
“No complaints here,” Jane adds, her blush only deepening. Mattie looks at her with a loud laugh.
“I like this version of you,” she breathes, still chuckling. “The confidence is hot, Jane. Keep it up,” Mattie encourages. Jane shrugs in response.
“I need a coffee,” Jane says after the conversation hits a lull, pushing off the chair to stand.
“I’ll come get it with you,” I say. “I could use the walk.” I look to Brandon who nods as I stand, signaling me it’s okay to leave him here with Mattie. “Want anything?” I look from Brandon to Mattie.
“Jane knows my order,” Mattie says. “Please.” I nod.
“Just a water for me,” Brandon says. I grip his shoulder as I walk past – a socially acceptable form of touch between two men. I can’t wait for the day when I can be open about my feelings for this gorgeous guy.
When I place a hand on Jane’s lower back to walk her toward the nearest coffee shop, we begin a leisurely stroll down the corridor.
“How are you doing with all of this?” I ask her when we’re safely out of earshot. “Is it too much?”
“What do you mean? I’m good,” she says.
“You seem comfortable. I just want to make sure it’s not too much too fast,” I explain.
“Do you think it’s too much?” she murmurs. Jane glances up at me as we walk, anxiety clear in her eyes.
I stop walking as I gently push her out of the way, her back up against a wall as I step close to her.
“Not at all,” I say with a wink, leaning down to kiss those pouty lips in a quick peck. “I want you to be comfortable.”
“I’m very comfortable,” she breathes. “Very, very comfortable,” she lifts up on her toes to kiss me again, just a bit more than the peck we just shared. “You and Brandon are wonderful. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world,” she admits. I can do nothing but draw her close, her arms going around my waist as I hold her to me in a tight hug.
“Good. Coffee, then?” I ask, stepping back and guiding her back to the walkway. She nods, a smile glued to her features.
When we return to our seats with beverages in hand, Mattie and Brandon are deep in conversation.
“What are we talking about?” Jane asks as she takes her seat, passing Mattie’s overly sugared coffee to her.
“You,” Mattie says simply with a twinkle in her eye. There’s a beat of silence as Jane glances between Mattie and Brandon.
“What about me?” she questions.
“Just some things you got up to in college,” Mattie shrugs. “You know, fun shenanigans and all that.”
Jane suddenly pales and I’m interested to know exactly what she did in college to warrant that reaction.
“Mattie,” she warns. “What kind of things?” Her eyes are wide and beautiful and I find it hard to look away from her. Until Brandon starts shaking in the chair next to me, anyway.
“What?” I ask.
“Mattie was just telling me about your first college party,” Brandon says.
“Mattie!” Jane exclaims. Mattie bursts out in laughter as Jane covers her face with her hands.
“It isn’t that bad. It’s just funny!” Mattie defends.
“Tell me,” I say with a charming smile. Jane peeks between her fingers at me and I can’t help but join in the laughter. “Please?” I ask, throwing it on thick.
“Fine,” Jane says. “She can tell you.” Mattie cheers at being granted permission.
“Freshman year of college, Jane and I were assigned as roommates. We decided to go to our first college party together at a frat house a few blocks from our dorm. When we got there, it was totally crazy – there were people running around half-clothed, body shots on the kitchen table, the works. Jane, here, has a drink or two and-” Mattie is suddenly cut off by the announcement that we can board.
“Saved by the flight,” I joke, looking to Jane with a wink. Brandon and I are called first, so we leave Jane and Mattie at the gate as we board.
“Why do you hate me?” I hear Jane ask Mattie in a joking tone as we walk away.
“You’ll have to tell me the rest of the story on the flight,” I tell Brandon with a chuckle. He laughs, too.
“I think Mattie embellished it a little. If she didn’t, I think getting to know Jane is going to be even more fun than I anticipated,” he says with a wry smile.
We get settled into our cushy seats after stowing away our carry-ons. It’s just a few minutes later that Jane and Mattie are walking past – a gorgeous blush still tinting Jane’s cheeks and Mattie smiling wickedly. Jane trails a hand up Brandon’s arm as she passes and throws a wink at me that has my heart rate accelerating.
“I’m excited,” I tell Brandon. He turns his head to look at me, nodding in agreement.
“Yeah. It’s going to be great.” We listen to the flight attendant go over the standard procedures and check that our belts are buckled as we take off. “I was up most of the night, so I’m going to sleep for this entire flight,” Brandon confesses.
“Who could blame you? I hear you were entertaining a lovely lady last night,” I say with a wink. We catch an older couple sitting across the aisle throwing me a dirty look at the comment, clearly eavesdropping. If only they knew what really happened last night – that Bran
don was not only with a woman, but with me, too, they’d probably lose their hearing aids. It’s funny to think about their reaction, but it also has me thinking how bad things will go for Muscle Nation when we do decide to come out.
I spend the entirety of the flight daydreaming of a day when we won’t have to hide who we are. When we can love each other without fear of repercussions. The day when I can hold Brandon’s hand in public and kiss him as I do Jane is a day that I strive for. I don’t know when it will happen, but hopefully soon because I adore two people, and our love deserves to be in the open.
110
Jane
Mattie and I get off the plane at JFK and find Kade and Brandon before making our way to baggage claim. We have two hours until we have to be on the train to make it back to Poughkeepsie. While waiting for my bag to circle around, it hits me that I’m going to be away from my men. It’s only been a couple of days since meeting them, but I already feel like they are huge parts of my life. I gnaw on my lower lip in thought until Kade tugs at that lip and kisses me briefly.
“It will be okay,” he assures me. It’s as though he’s in my head.
“I know,” I say, sounding more confident than I feel.
“We’ll call. We’ll text. We’ll video chat. And you’ll be back here next week,” Brandon says, overhearing the conversation from where he stands on the other side of Kade. I nod, knowing he’s right.
“We have a girls’ night tonight,” Mattie adds. “Netflix and ice cream on your couch.” I smile, remembering that my best friend is a great support system.
“It’s going to be fine,” I say, believing it far more now. “I’ve survived on my own for my whole life until today,” I say with a wink. After all, I’ve got my guys and my best friend ready to support me. I’m a lucky lady.
Once we have our bags and head to the exit, Kade and Brandon offer to drive us to the train station. Mattie and I follow them out of the terminal and to the parking garage where they’ve parked. We come to a black Range Rover that flashes lights as Kade hits the key fob button to unlock it. The men load up our luggage in the trunk before Brandon opens the passenger side door for me.
“I want to say goodbye here,” he says. “So Kade can say goodbye at the train station. Okay?” I shake my head yes, understanding how it might look if I were to be kissing both men goodbye on the curb. Brandon wraps his thick arms around me and I bury my head in his solid chest. I feel tears prickle at the back of my eyes, but I know this is only temporary.
“I had a great weekend,” I tell him, the sound muffled by his shirt. Somehow, he understands me, anyway.
“I did, too,” he agrees. He leans back and brings his face to mine, pressing his lips to my own. A hand comes to cup my jaw as I fist the fabric of his shirt in my hands. His hot tongue just barely grazes mine before he’s pulling back, looking me in the eye as he speaks again. “Next week.”
“Yeah,” I say. “Next week.” I pull on the back of his neck for one last kiss before stepping up into the vehicle. Kade is already sitting in the driver’s seat, looking at me with a smile. Saying goodbye sucks, I decide. When I’m buckled and Brandon has climbed in the back with Mattie, Kade reaches out to take my hand. His thumb caresses over my knuckles as he skillfully backs from the parking spot.
Traffic, uncharacteristically, is light for the city. We reach the train station quickly and my time with my men doesn’t feel long enough. Brandon gets out to unload our luggage as Kade comes around the front of the car to open my door for me. He immediately embraces me in a tight hug, almost as though he is unwilling to let go. We kiss softly before returning to the hug, trying desperately to drag out this moment. I feel one last press of his lips to my forehead as he pulls away and takes a deep breath.
“We’re going to make it work,” he promises. I smile because I know he is being sincere. Brandon rolls my suitcase to me, pulling me in for a side-hug in one last goodbye. When Mattie and I pass through the doors of the station, I chance one last glance back at my alpha males, both of whom stand staring as I disappear.
“You okay?” Mattie breaks me from my thoughts once we’ve found a place to wait inside. I inhale sharply, trying to calm my heart.
“Yeah. It’s only a week, right?” I say, a bit tearfully.
“It’s only a week,” she confirms with a smile. “You’re fine, Jane. You only met them!”
“I know,” I say ruefully. “But they were my first, and now I feel connected to Kade and Brandon.”
Mattie looks at me thoughtfully.
“It’s almost like one of your romances, isn’t it?”
I smile cheekily at her.
“It is,” is my arch reply. “Maybe I should write a book about it.”
We laugh while boarding the train, but I feel the tears beginning to pool again. I’m not sure when I became this girl – the one that pines after her love interests when they aren’t in her immediate vicinity. Writing romance novels means I’ve always dreamed of these kinds of feelings, but I never really thought I’d actually find it. The fact that I’ve found it with not one, but two, perfect men is shocking. And exciting. I just want to get to next week so that we can continue our exploration together.
When I finally walk into my home a few hours later, it feels good to be there. Somehow, though, something feels like it is missing. Can that something be my two men? I feel like if Brandon and Kade were to walk through the door right now, nothing could make me feel more at ease. It makes me wonder if my home is no longer this particular location, but rather with the men I’ve known for one weekend.
This is ridiculous. No one should feel this way after one darned weekend. And yet I do, and tears prickle my eyes again.
Mattie comes over as promised and we binge on cheesy rom-coms and Ben & Jerry’s.
“With the book sales at the convention, you can afford to eat like a king every night for the rest of your life,” she jokes.
“Sales were that good?” I ask, genuinely curious. Mattie laughs.
“I know you were a little distracted by Hunk Number 1 and Hunk Number 2, but sales were through the roof. Seriously – you’ve made it big, Bestie.” I find myself distracted once more at the mention of Kade and Brandon, smiling to myself as I think of their shirtless torsos coated in a layer of sweat. Mattie laughs again, nudging my leg with a thigh. “There you go again!”
I clear my throat, trying to focus on the present. Despite missing my men, we have a good night. We manage to laugh as Bridget Jones gets into her umpteenth escapade, only to tumble into the arms of Mr. Darcy in the end.
For the next week, I take care of business and get some work done before I find myself back on the train to NYC a week later. Sure enough, when I exit Penn Station, Brandon is waiting for me, standing outside of a sleek black BMW. He’s absolutely gorgeous in dark jeans and a dark sweater. His hair is charcoal, and that bronzed skin looks absolutely lickable. Of course, we’ve talked every single day via text, phone calls, and video chat, but it can’t compare to seeing him in person. I pick up the pace as I get closer and his arms open to accept me as I crash into his chest.
“I missed you, Beautiful,” he whispers as he folds his head down toward mine. We hug for a moment before I’m drawing back and pulling him in for a heated kiss, right there up against the car.
“I missed you, too,” I smile. “And Kade. Where is he?” I question, noticing he is not in the car.
“Got held up at the office. He’ll meet us at home about the time we get there,” Brandon explains.
We reach the loft Brandon and Kade call home after being stuck in traffic for far too long. When Brandon leads me into the penthouse apartment, I realize the level of success these men have reached. High ceilings, exposed brick, and a professional kitchen catch my eye immediately. I can’t help but whistle at the beauty of the space.
“Wow,” I say. “Nice digs.” I recognize pieces and parts from our video calls but seeing it in person is breathtaking.
“Technic
ally, the apartment belongs to Kade,” Brandon says. “But it’s home to both of us.” He drags my bags to a room at the end of a long hall as I continue spinning in circles to take everything in. Just then, the door opens behind me and Kade walks in, his huge form dominant and dark.
“Jane,” he breathes before walking over to me and grabbing me up in a hug. “You’re here.”
“I’m here,” I parrot. “I’m here.” The kiss he places on my lips sends shocks down my spine. I’m with Kade and Brandon, in their home, after a week away from them. The week was difficult, but I realize now just how worth it the wait was. I’m sure the things to come will remind me even more so.
Brandon returns from the bedroom and kisses Kade quickly, before putting his arms around the two of us. We stand in the middle of the apartment in a three-way hug for several minutes, basking in the togetherness we’ve missed over the last several days. It feels like breathing comes easier when we’re all in one place.
“Anyone hungry?” Kade asks as we pull away.
“Starved,” Brandon claims.
“Very,” I agree.
“How about some dinner? I’ll cook,” Kade offers. Brandon and I nod our agreement.
“That’s probably best. I don’t know if you’re aware, but I am a terrible cook,” I admit. The men laugh.
“That’s okay,” Brandon says. “Kade and I are both pretty good in the kitchen. You’ll eat well in this house.”
“Mmm, can’t wait,” I say, licking my lips.
As Kade starts gathering ingredients from various cabinets, Brandon and I sit on barstools placed at the island with wine glasses in hand. A dry red is poured into each glass and we sip as we talk. Despite our frequent conversations over the last week, the three of us never seem to run out of things to say to each other.
“I have to ask,” Kade says as he is chopping vegetables, “that story about your first college party – how exaggerated was that?” Kade still chuckles about the tale that Brandon eventually told him, the story drawing an unexpected laugh from his chest when he’d first heard it.