by S. E. Law
“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 Brandon 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.
10
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,” i
s 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.
“Technically, 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.
I groan, thinking I had escaped my humiliating past.
“Probably not exaggerated at all. It was so embarrassing.”
“Come on,” Brandon says. “It could have been worse!”
“I got trashed on two drinks, left the party, and ended up hitting on my English professor in a parking lot,” I say dryly. “It’s pretty bad.” Both Brandon and Kade laugh again.
“Yeah, but you didn’t know he was your professor,” Brandon teases.
“Not until I walked into my first class Monday morning and saw the guy I propositioned standing at the front of the room.” They laugh again. “Glad you find me so funny,” I say with a giggle of my own. “That was a long semester, to say the least. It was sooo awkward.”
“Must have been a hell of an English teacher,” Kade says. “He must have been attractive, and he taught a best-selling novelist to boot! Who would have guessed?”
“Yeah, yeah,” I say, taking a big gulp of my wine. Brandon laughs at my reddening cheeks. “Remind me never to leave either of you alone with Mattie ever again.” Kade and Brandon chuckle in low tones.
When the laughter dies down and my face returns to its natural color, Brandon raises his glass.
“A toast,” he begins. “To us. To the romance convention that brought us together. The laughter that we share. And the future we have in front of us.”
“Cheers!” Kade joins in from across the island, raising his glass with a tilt.
“Cheers,” I clink my glass against Brandon’s, the dark red liquid sloshing about inside. My smile nearly overtakes my face and my whole being feels warm with joy.
This is what pure bliss feels like. My happily ever after is within my grasp for the first time ever, and I have no plans to let it go. I sip from my glass and lean a head onto Brandon’s shoulder, smiling gently at Kade as he flips the salmon. It’s perfect contentment, and I’m so lucky to be with these two men.
After all, true love finally happened for me, the nerdy romance novelist. I used to feel like I was living a lie. I wrote steamy scenes, but had no personal experience with them myself. Now, I’ll never have to lie again when a fan asks me about my inspiration. My handsome alpha males, Kade and Brandon, are all the inspiration I’ll ever need.
Epilogue
Jane
Two years ago, my life changed forever. A romance convention unlike any other led me to meeting my two favorite men, Kade and Brandon. In those two years, I’ve learned more about myself than I ever thought possible. I fell in love with both men equally. Plus, my career completely took off. It’s a level of success
I only dreamed about, and I can attribute a lot of it to the support of my guys.
Kade and Brandon have been amazing. I moved from Poughkeepsie and into the loft so that we could be together full time. Going to sleep at night and waking up surrounded by warm, muscled bodies is something I will never tire of. Last year, we decided to go public with our unconventional relationship. It was a little scary, putting ourselves on display, but we were surprised at the level of support we received.
To Kade and Brandon’s shock, the membership at Muscle Nation didn’t care that the owners were bisexual. In fact, the LGBT movement is in full swing and our lifestyle seems to be of no concern to most people. We spent a year hiding in the shadows and all I can say is: never again. We have no intentions of ever burying our feelings in public. It’s liberating to be out in the open with our love, even if occasionally, it gets some odd looks.
As I finish writing a sentence on my laptop in my latest novel, I hear the front door open.
“Jane?” calls a low male voice. It’s Brandon. I save my work and leave my office, greeting him in the kitchen.
“Hey, handsome,” I say, running hands over hard biceps and leaning up on my toes to land a kiss to full lips.
“How was your day?” he asks, pressing his lips to mine once more before pulling back for eye contact.
“Productive. I got a few chapters done.”
“Does that mean you can take a break with us tonight?” he adds with a wink so that I know what a break really means. I laugh softly at the question.
“For my men? Absolutely.” I give him a big smile, kissing him once more. The door opens again, and Kade strides through with a grin on his perfect lips.
“Lovers,” he greets. “Can I get in on this?” Brandon and I open an arm to him, pulling him into us as soon as he is within reach. Kade lowers his head to kiss me first, then turns to do the same to Brandon. I run hands over muscled backs as they kiss, watching from my low vantage point.