Limitless Love: A Polyamorous Charity Anthology

7. Eric

Graham goes quiet over dinner. I offer him a sip of my wine, but he declines with a shake of his head.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, as he pushes the rest of his food around his plate.

He sighs and sets the fork down. “I’m trying really hard not to like you.”

“Is it a bad thing if you do?”

He turns on his stool, and I do the same so we’re facing one another. “Yes. You own my place of work. You have two partners already, and fine, you’re allowed to have however many you want. I’m not an expert on how that works. But then, I have to ask, why me? If you do want someone else in your life, why would that person ever be me?”

Slowly, giving him plenty of time to pull away, I reach for his hand. He lets me take it, and I carefully cradle his hand in mine. It’s small, almost delicate, and I want nothing more than to wrap both my hands around his and promise that I’ll keep him safe. But I can’t, because I don’t make promises I can’t keep, and he won’t believe me anyway.

“We don’t know each other well, Graham, but I see something in you. I can’t explain it. I don’t want to explain it. Sometimes these things just happen. You meet someone and it’s like a shot to the heart.

“I’ve never felt it before, so I can’t tell you if that’s what’s happening here, but I saw it with Sawyer and his husband. And if this is anything like that, I want to give it—us—a chance.”

“I could be a horrible person.”

“So could I. But that’s a risk with any relationship, isn’t it?”

He shakes his head. “What would your partners say?”

“About what? Your age? That might be a concern at first. Sawyer and Blaise have a daughter, so of course they’ll be worried about her. But all a person needs to do is talk to you, Graham, to realize that you’re wise, far beyond your years.”

“A daughter?”

I nod. “Daley, she’s nine. Biologically, she’s Blaise’s, but Sawyer’s raised her alongside her parents. Blaise is still with Daley’s mother, by the way.”

“So, does that make you like her stepfather?”

I shake my head. “I guess by any other person’s definition, sure. But she calls me Uncle Eric, same with Vincent and Logan—he’s Vincent’s other partner. I love her and would do anything for her, but she’s Sawyer’s daughter more than anything.”

“How do you keep it all straight?”

I laugh. “I don’t always. My life is complicated, but it’s also beautiful. I’ve built this amazing family with so many wonderful people, and I’ll be honest, I want to share it with you, Graham. Even if it’s just as friends.”

He removes his hand from mine and my heart sinks. But then, he reaches for my face, palm rubbing against my stubble.

Graham pulls me to him as he leans in, and our lips brush in a soft, delicate kiss.

It doesn’t last long and is nothing more than his lips against mine, but hope sparks in my chest that this could turn into something real, because one touch and I’m already enthralled.