Chapter 6
P eyton glared at the console of his car as he slowed to a stop behind Will’s Jeep.
He was lucky he’d even gotten out there; it had started making another different noise from the one it had been making two weeks ago.
Kellan, his oldest brother and the mechanic of the family, had fixed it for him.
But for every one issue that was fixed, two popped up.
He hated the car. He was ready to throw it in the scrap heap and just ride his motorcycle permanently.
The only reason he didn’t was because he didn’t like leaving his bike in the bar’s car park for hours on end.
Not that it was a bad establishment—it was mostly a cop bar—but drunk people were drunk people, and if someone scratched his baby, they would die a painful death.
It might be worth it at this point because he was sick of this car. Kellan had told him to just buy a new one. That was probably an option too, he guessed. Something that had been made in the last century, even.
Peyton stumbled forward when he went to unlock the door to the house, and it opened on its own. The warm body he collided into tumbled to the floor with him.
“A simple hello is probably sufficient,” Will said with a huff of laughter. “Something bony is sticking into—”
“Oh. Sorry.” Peyton removed his elbow from Will’s stomach and pushed himself up so he was straddling him. “Hi there.”
“Hi.”
Will’s cheeks were flushed, and the small smile playing on his lips was too cute to be real. Peyton couldn’t resist leaning down for a kiss.
Will made a small sound and then relaxed, letting Peyton take the lead and sweep into his mouth. Peyton rested his palm beside Will’s head and stretched himself out over Will’s solid body.
Will slid a hand over Peyton’s hips and down to cup his ass. Peyton moaned and pushed his groin harder against Will as he hardened in his jeans. Will squeezed and thrust up, his answering hardness sliding against Peyton’s hip.
Peyton shifted backwards, bringing Will with him so he was sitting up.
He tugged the hem of Will’s shirt and yanked it up and over, revealing his gorgeous form underneath.
He rested a hand on Will’s collarbone, stroking with his thumb as he licked and sucked across the opposite side, leaving little red marks in his wake.
Will pulled at Peyton’s belt, undoing the buckle to get at his zipper.
Peyton gripped the back of Will’s neck and tugged him back into a wet, open-mouthed kiss. He moaned, a zing of pleasure racing across his skin as Will slid a hand into his pants, wrapping his hand around Peyton’s hard dick.
“Need—now,” Peyton panted. “Take off your pants.”
“Take yours off first.”
Peyton grinned into Will’s mouth. He kissed across his jaw and then down his throat, sucking lightly on his Adam’s apple before he dragged his mouth back up, unable to stay away from Will’s mouth for too long.
Will awkwardly pulled Peyton’s pants down—one-handed because he wouldn’t let go of Peyton’s dick or stop stroking him. Peyton wasn’t in any hurry to stop him, even though he needed some lube to help the slide.
Something wet pressed against Peyton’s ass cheek, and he jumped, twisting in surprise with a cry.
A beagle stared up at him, her ears twitching as her tail wagged happily at them.
“What the…” Peyton’s words dried up as Quinn appeared in the doorway, holding a large dog bed and a large pet-store bag.
“A great first impression,” Quinn said, smiling.
The beagle barked and licked Peyton’s hip. He jerked away with a “Hey!” Will’s hand slipped out of his pants, and Peyton stood, zipping himself up as he went.
“Persephone, come here,” Quinn ordered. Her tail wagged even faster as she trotted back to Quinn.
“You have a dog?” Will asked. He got to his feet, and Peyton handed him his shirt.
“Temporarily. She was at an apartment we were searching.”
“And you just took her?” Peyton asked as he slipped his shirt on.
“It's a long story. Why don't you two get dressed, and I'll get her sorted.”
“I'm dressed,” Peyton said with a flourish. “You want some help?”
“The boot of my car is open, and there’re a few more things to bring in,” Quinn said. He put the bag and the bed down beside the door and went back outside.
“So, the long story?” Will asked as they followed him.
“She belonged to the man found dead in your apartment,” Quinn said. He chuckled. “Guess the story wasn't that long.”
“You just took his dog?” Peyton peered into the boot and found a giant bag of dog food, what seemed like an excessive number of toys, another bed, and some groceries that Peyton assumed were not for the dog. Unless Persephone had a thing for fruits and vegetables.
“It would seem that way,” Quinn said, taking out some of the bags. “She’d been locked in his apartment and had managed to lock herself in the bedroom with no food and water for two days.”
Peyton followed suit, grabbing up grocery bags.
“Jesus,” Will said, taking the toy bag. “Is she all right?”
“She seems fine,” Quinn said, taking his haul back up to the porch. “But I should probably take her to a vet just in case. I’ll find one tonight.”
“I know a vet,” Peyton said. “Kell’s best friend, Dante, owns a clinic. I can give him a call, see if he can fit her in tomorrow?”
“I would appreciate that.”
Will flopped onto the floor and called Persephone to him.
She came straightaway and stretched out next to him, watching him like she’d already fallen in love.
Peyton completely understood. There was something about Will that just drew you in.
Will began taking out each toy, one by one, and showing them to her.
Some she pounced on, others she wasn’t sure about.
“Will, is that your bag?” Peyton asked, noticing the duffle bag next to the door. Had he been carrying it when Peyton had run into him?
“Yeah, I—” Will shrugged, looking a little embarrassed. “I thought that you and Quinn might need—might want—some privacy.”
“Why do you think that?” Quinn asked, frowning.
“I pushed myself on you last night, and that wasn't fair.”
“If you're talking about the kiss in the shower, there were two of us there,” Quinn said.
Peyton already knew about that since he and Quinn had met for lunch earlier.
He would have loved to have seen it, but he wasn't bothered by it.
There was something about the two of them together that made the blood rush south for him.
He didn't know what he was supposed to feel in a situation like this—and he was sure plenty of people would have opinions— but he knew what he did feel, and that was just basically all kinds of turned-on.
Maybe they could try the other night again, except this time with Quinn and Will together.
Peyton cleared his throat and tried to subtly push his palm against his hardening dick.
“Right. But I was—”
“Will, you're here for your protection. You can't just leave without telling anyone,” Quinn interrupted.
“I know,” Will said quietly. “I was gonna text once I was at home.
I just—I like you. I mean, of course I like you.
But I liked kissing you. And being in your bed.
And watching you with Peyton. And I don't think that I'm allowed to like those things. And the two of you have something really special and—”
“Wait, what the fuck?” Peyton sputtered. Will thought—what? Peyton didn't understand.
Quinn put a hand on Peyton's arm, stilling him. “Why do you think you aren't allowed to like those things?” he asked Will.
Will shrugged helplessly. “I don't know?”
“This situation is unusual, and communication is going to be important,” Quinn said. “But nothing you've said or done has been unwelcome. This is new for all of us.” He hesitated, and Peyton tilted his head curiously. “I... need to confess something.”
Persephone barked and scratched at the front door.
“She might need to go out,” Will said. “Do we need a lead? Will she run off?”
“I'm not sure,” Quinn said. “A lead might be best. I think Grady put one in the shopping basket.”
“You two were let loose in a pet store?” Peyton laughed. “No wonder it looks like you bought the whole store.”
“Neither of us has had a dog before. We wanted to make sure we got everything we needed.”
Will clapped him on the shoulder as he passed by.
“You got all the things,” he said. He rifled through a few of the bags until he found what he was looking for.
“Here, Persephone. You need to put this on first.” She trotted over to him.
Peyton figured it was likely his pleasant voice more than any command he had made.
“A confession?” Peyton asked while Will was getting Quinn's new dog sorted.
Quinn ran a hand through his messy hair. “I saw Sebastian today.”
“Oh?” Peyton shoved his hands in his pockets. “You saw your ex? That's your confession?”
“It's not something we could confess,” Will said. “We don't have any.”
Quinn paused. “None?”
“We're not talking about us,” Peyton said. “Don't change the subject.”
“Persephone, stop wriggling,” Will ordered. She yapped at him and licked his cheek.
Peyton bit back a smile. “Did something happen when you saw him?”
“Yes.”
Now he was definitely curious. “Did pants come off?” He hoped pants came off.
“What? No.”
“Was it close?”
“To pants coming off?”
“Yeah.”
“Peyton.”
“What? It's a legitimate question!”
“It is,” Will agreed.
“I didn't realise that I was attempting to date teenagers,” Quinn said dryly.
“That's unfair,” Peyton said, feigning offense. “Getting turned on by you and Seb taking your clothes off is extremely adult behaviour. And you still haven't answered the question.”
Quinn pinched the bridge of his nose. “I kissed him.”
Peyton wasn't sure why that surprised him, considering it was clearly the direction they were heading. But after Quinn's confession the other night, he hadn't expected that he and Seb would ever do anything. “Been a while,” Peyton stated.
Quinn let out a breath. “Felt like a lifetime.”