His Two Leading Men

by Aidan Wayne

  “I’ll get it,” Russell said, pushing to his feet. He threw them an amused grin. “You’re both a little rumpled now, to greet company.”

  Brent snorted, bumping shoulders with Russell as he passed him on the way to open the front door.

  “I’ll go set the table for dinner,” Skye said.

  “Thank you,” Brent said, before calling, “Russell? Who is it?”

  “Uh–”

  There was the sound of heels clicking rapidly on the wood floor, and then Gloria, dressed to the nines, strode into the living room.

  Chapter 18

  Gloria looked from Brent, to Skye, to Russell, and then, of all things, to Skye’s couch. “You really weren’t kidding,” she said, eyes still on the couch. “You really all moved in together.”

  “I told her,” Russell said in explanation, as Brent’s eyebrows shot up. “She asked how I was doing, so I told her.”

  “What… what did you say?” Brent asked, glancing from him to Gloria.

  “That I was happy,” Russell said quietly, eyes on Gloria now too. “She said she was worried about me, so I told her she didn’t have to be. I was so happy, and I’d just moved in with my best friend, and my boyfriend was moving in too. I was going to be living with two people I loved, and making a life with them.”

  Gloria crossed her arms and turned to glare at Skye.

  Skye swallowed. Gloria hadn’t gotten any less vocal about the fact that she thought Brent was making a big mistake, dating Skye. He’d overheard Brent’s side of a few of their phone calls, and, once Gloria had dropped by to visit Brent–while Skye had been over. She’d been pretty clear on her thoughts that Skye was two-timing Brent and Russell, and taking advantage of them both, and that if he was willing to date two people, he was just as likely to leave them when another guy came along. If he wasn’t dating other people behind their back already.

  Skye had never engaged. He refused to apologize for loving them, but a small part of him still worried that he wasn’t good enough for Brent or Russell. That they did give him so much, and really, what did he have to offer them in the end? Gloria was wrong about why Skye might not be worthy, because god, he would never cheat, but still… they were so amazing, they each deserved someone who–

  Who loved them.

  Skye loved them. He loved them so much. And they loved him back, and they worked. All three of them. A small part of Skye would always doubt, because that’s how Skye’s brain was.

  But then he thought about Brent crying at Panera, not being able to say the word “love,” and how freely and easily he could do it now. How much joy he got from being able to say it. And the still near-painful desperation he sometimes let shine through whenever he got to hear it.

  He thought about the look on Russell’s face–the sheer adoration–whenever Skye did something for him. Held him, kissed him, paid him a compliment.

  How they were going to be living together, continuing to make a life together, because they fit.

  They loved him. And they deserved to have him, if that’s what they wanted.

  And Skye deserved–

  Skye deserved to be happy. With the people who made him happy.

  Brent also deserved to have his sister on his side.

  Skye took a deep breath and squared his shoulders, pulling confidence around him like a cape. If nothing else, he was an actor—and he could channel that even when he wasn’t onstage. “I know you don’t believe that I’m worth them,” he said to Gloria, taking a step forward. It was the first time since she’d gotten upset that he’d looked her in the eye. “You care about them both a lot, and that’s admirable. But what you’re doing right now is hurting them. I love them. I love them both so much. And maybe it’s a little unorthodox, but that doesn’t make my feelings any less true or any less strong. I’m incredibly, incredibly fortunate to have Brent and Russell love me back, and I’m thankful everyday for it.”

  Gloria opened her mouth. Skye kept going, speaking with conviction and not about to be interrupted. “What we have works. The three of us living together was the next logical step, because this is what we want with our lives. I’m not going anywhere. I want this to be it, for me.”

  His voice grew slightly softer. No accusations, just honesty. “Your disapproval isn’t going to make me love them any less. But it is going to hurt Brent and Russell, because you’re important to them, and so is your opinion. So far what I’ve heard is that you think I’m not sincere.” And now he glanced first at Brent, then at Russell, who were both frozen and staring at him, eyes wide and shining. Skye smiled, knowing his own eyes were a little wet too, and turned back to Gloria. “If nothing else, I want you to understand just how far from the truth that is.”

  The silence was loud in the apartment when Skye stopped speaking, the echo of his words rolling through the room.

  Gloria looked away. “I don’t understand,” she forced out, after a moment. “How sharing one person can make two people happy.”

  “You don’t have to understand to accept,” Skye said quietly.

  Gloria jerked her head up, opened her mouth, then closed it again. She uncrossed her arms only to clench her fists at her sides.

  Skye waited.

  And then Brent stepped forward. “Gloria, maybe you should take some time to think about what Skye said. What Russell and I have been telling you. Then we can talk. Talk. About how I’m choosing to live my life.” He put his hands on Skye’s shoulders. “Because I’m in love with him.”

  Gloria sucked in a breath. Which oh, she had had the same upbringing as Brent. Skye wondered how long it had taken her to be able to tell her husband that she loved him. How the word sounded to her when she said it to her daughter. “Fine,” she said, sounding stiff but no longer furious. “We’ll talk later.”

  “Okay.”

  “Okay,” she repeated, taking a step back. “Good night, then.”

  “Good night, Gloria.”

  She nodded. “Good night, Russell.”

  “Yeah,” Russell said evenly. “You too. Get home safe.”

  “I will.” Gloria turned.

  Took a step.

  Paused.

  “Good night, Skye.”

  Skye’s heart clenched with hope. “Good night,” he said to her back.

  Her heels were loud on the floor as she went to the door and let herself out.

  There was silence in her wake.

  “Dinner,” Skye burst out. “We-we should eat dinner.”

  Brent squeezed his shoulders before letting go. “Right,” he said, sounding strangely subdued. “That’s a good idea.”

  Russell nodded, also quiet, and the three of them trooped into the kitchen.

  ***

  The usual conversation was lacking this time, while they ate together at the kitchen table. It was clear that Brent and Russell both were turning thoughts over in their head. Probably about how they planned to talk to Gloria later. Skye really hoped that everything would be worked out. Linda had come around. He hoped Gloria would too.

  It seemed like more of a possibility now.

  For his part, he felt a little like he was floating. He’d said a lot to Gloria. For Brent and Russell to hear too. And he’d meant every word and would never take them back but it had been a lot to say. Maybe it had been a lot to hear. But he wasn’t worried. His anxiety wasn’t banging pots and pans in his brain. It was almost weirder to be devoid of it.

  He finished his food and set his fork down. Looked up to see both Brent and Russell watching him.

  “Done?” Brent asked.

  “Uh, yeah.”

  “I’ll clear,” Russell said, standing up and reaching for Skye’s plate.

  “It’s okay,” Skye said, “I can–”

  “You already did your heavy lifting for the day. I can get the dinner stuff.”

  Putting away food and dishes was hardly heavy lifting, and Russell had done plenty of that himself too, but something about Russell’s expression made Skye not wan
t to argue, even playfully. “Okay, sure.”

  Russell smiled at him. “Why don’t you and Brent get ready for bed?”

  Bed? Now? It wasn’t that late.

  “Good idea,” Brent said, nodding at Skye. “Coming?”

  Did Skye miss something? “Sure.”

  “I’ll be there in a minute,” said Russell.

  Brent took Skye’s hand and led him to the master bedroom, but instead of going to the master bath or the closet, he tugged Skye toward the bed. “I have to admit, I’m glad he let me go first,” he said ruefully as they sat down next to each other. “I think I needed it.”

  “What?”

  Brent shook his head, thumb stroking over the back of Skye’s hand. He looked at Skye, eyes bright. “What you said back there. With Gloria. I don’t think you even understand how much that meant to me.”

  “I-I just told her the truth.”

  “Yeah,” Brent whispered. “Yeah, I know.” He reached out to cup Skye’s cheek, then leaned in for a kiss. Just a soft press of lips against Skye’s own. Again, and again, tender kisses that were barely shared exhales. “I love you,” he murmured in the spaces in between. “I love you so much.”

  Skye shuddered and pressed closer, chasing Brent’s mouth, until he was in Brent’s lap, arms wrapped around his back as the kisses turned more heated. Brent’s hands stroked up and down Skye’s sides, coaxed him to tilt his head so that Brent could pay attention to Skye’s neck. Skye moaned at the treatment, eyes fluttering shut.

  When he opened them, it was to see Russell leaning against the wall, watching them. Looking fond, and turned on, and not at all jealous.

  How can sharing one person make two people happy?

  Skye could think of a few ways.

  It was true what they had wasn’t the idyllic twosome that most people envisioned. And there would probably be more people who would judge like Gloria had, who would be angry or disgusted. Other obstacles or negatives popping up as well to deal with, maybe more complicated because there were three of them instead of two.

  But they were happy, like this. Happy and moving forward.

  The future was bright.

  “You with us?” Brent asked softly, hands coming up to cup Skye’s face. Checking in.

  “Yeah,” Skye said. “Yeah, I’m with you.”

  Always.

  About the Author

  Aidan Wayne lives with altogether too many houseplants on the seventh floor of an apartment building, and though the building has an elevator, Aidan refuses to acknowledge its existence. They’ve been in constant motion since before they were born (pity Aidan’s mom)—and being born didn’t change anything. When not moving Aidan is usually writing, so things tend to balance out. They usually stick with contemporary romance (both adult and YA), but some soft sci-fi/fantasy has been known to sneak in as well, and they primarily write character-driven stories with happy endings. Because, dammit, queer people deserve happy endings too.

  Website: www.aidanwayne.com

  Twitter: @aidanwayne

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AidanWayneWrites/

  Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15164017.Aidan_Wayne

  Please consider reviewing His Two Leading Men. All reviews, positive or negative, are appreciated!

  Interested in keeping up with Aidan’s projects and releases? There’s a mailing list for that!

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  Special Excerpt: Showers Flowers and Fangs

  Chapter One

  IT WAS a beautiful sunny day, and Darren’s mother found him curled up on the couch, clutching at his stomach and wanting to die.

  “Darren?” she asked.

  “Mmgglph,” Darren groaned into the couch cushions. Stupid period. Stupid fae genes that didn’t mesh with modern medicine. Stupid period.

  “Darren,” his mother said again. “What’s the matter?”

  “Cramps,” Darren mumbled, rolling over just enough to grimace at his mom. “And I don’t have my herbals ’cause I’m like a week early, and ow!”

  His mother sighed. “Do you need me make a run to Tabitha for you?”

  Darren managed to push himself up. His mom was holding a stack of files and clearly on her way up to the home office she shared with Darren’s dad. It was tax season. She didn’t exactly need any added stress.

  “No,” he managed. “I can do it. Gotta suck it up, right?”

  “Are you sure you—”

  “It’s okay, Mom,” Darren said, taking a deep breath and forcing himself to his feet. “It’s two blocks. I’ll take a dose when I get there so coming home’ll be easy. No… no sweat.”

  “If you’re sure,” she said doubtfully.

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Okay. Just take it easy. Oh, and don’t forget that Tabitha has her… guest. So be nice, okay? He’s a little wary around people, she’s said.”

  “Got it,” Darren forced out as he carefully stepped into his shoes. “Wary around people. Right.” Darren didn’t know a whole lot about Tabitha’s visitor, but the entire town was talking about him, what with the kid being a vampire and all. He’d apparently been run out of his hometown in, like, Russia or something. Darren wasn’t too clear on the details, but since it had to do with vampires, he guessed they were probably messy. Not that Darren had ever met a vampire personally or anything, but it seemed like a logical conclusion, right?

  He hadn’t really thought much about it. He figured, give the new kid his space, let him take a breather from whatever happened in Russia, don’t tempt the possibly unstable vampire into biting him. Sound plan.

  Of course that was before he’d started bleeding out his insides. Really, it was just Darren’s luck that his period had to come right when Tabitha had decided to adopt a vampire kid. At least it was a nice day. It was still March, but it was sunny and just the right mix of not too hot and not too cold.

  Tabitha lived in a cheery-looking house that she’d had painted yellow with black shutters, giving it the overall impression of a strangely sh
aped bumblebee. Her garden took up both the back and front lawns, and Darren was pretty sure she didn’t have a single blade of grass on the property. It was great. Grass was, in Darren’s opinion, lawn weeds for boring people. It gave him a little boost of happy when he got to the house, especially after having to limp past two blocks of neatly trimmed lawns.

  There was a guy sitting on the porch when Darren approached. He looked maybe a little older than Darren, though not by a whole lot. He looked kinda like Tabitha actually; his brown skin was just a little darker than hers, and their noses were roughly the same shape. And as Darren got closer, he saw that their bright green eyes were the same too, so they almost had to be related. He got all the way up to the front stoop before he realized the guy was most likely Vampire Kid. Which meant he could probably see through Darren’s glamour. Yay.

  Vampire Kid was currently scowling at him.

  “Uh, hi,” Darren said. “Is Tabby home?”

  Vampire Kid stopped scowling and tilted his head, looking confused. “You are not here to gawk at me?” His voice was heavily accented. Darren guessed that was the Russian.

  “No?” Darren grimaced and tried to stay upright. “Look, no, I don’t gawk. Is Tabby home? I need her for a thing.”

  “She stepped out for a minute,” Vampire Kid said. He was looking kind of tentatively concerned now. “Can I—do you need help?”

  Darren hissed. “Not unless you know Tabby’s stock.” He got another wave of pain and sat before he fell over. “Fffff—I’ll just wait.”

  “I, I know how to apply bandages,” Vampire Kid said in a rush, sounding really alarmed now. He reached out to put his hand on Darren’s shoulder and then seemed to rethink it and let his hand drop. “It will be better if you wait inside. I can call Tabitha.”

  “Nah, it’s fine. I’ll wait here.” It’s not like he wasn’t doing just that before his mom sent him over here, and he also really didn’t want to move much at the moment. Then he caught up with the rest of what Vampire Kid had said. “What? Bandages, what?”