Chapter Ten
What started as a curiosity for Dylan, a surprise sprung on him by Rus, had transformed into a fast-growing desire to continue. Without a second thought, Dylan wrapped a hand around the back of Kaiden’s head, pulling him into a second kiss.
“What are you…” Kaiden panted between the smack of their lips, perhaps instinctively drawn to follow through on their kiss.
“Just having a little fun,” Dylan said, incapable of taking anything too seriously, treating anything with the heavy weight of real passion.
All the same, he found himself yearning for Kaiden, craving Rus, drawn into a tug of war with his body’s desires.
He turned back to Rus, kissing him once again, and leaning back onto the bed in the process. Rus didn’t require any guidance. He followed suit, crawling on top of Dylan as they continued kissing.
It was late. Dylan was exhausted, yet he found himself in this euphoric state, compelled to follow this through, to chase this carnal pleasure, and see where it led.
As he continued kissing Rus, Dylan spotted an anxious Kaiden in the corner of his vision.
With a firm grip, Dylan guided Kaiden’s hand closer.
A part of Dylan wanted to run his hands along Kaiden’s broad chest, unravel the laces of Kaiden’s corset vest, but he knew his friend too well.
Kaiden would never allow such things, far too self-conscious.
That didn’t mean they couldn’t all have fun, though.
Kaiden followed Dylan’s gentle instruction, and they ran their hands alongside each other up Rus’ side.
Soon, Rus broke away from Dylan’s mouth and found his way back to Kaiden’s, drawing him closer until they were kissing.
It allowed him the chance to caress their bodies, move them closer together, squeeze between their embrace from time to time, locking lips with each of them.
Dylan had had a few threesomes over the years.
Hell, Dylan had had many sexual experiences over the years, from blowing rockstars to banging truckers and even testing out kinks he’d never before conceived of.
But none had left him this jittery with excitement, this breathless with anticipation, and this eager to please his partner.
That was because Dylan stuck to one simple rule when it came to sex: keep it casual. Feelings messed up everything. It certainly made his life harder when he was younger. But now he’d found himself in a good place, a stable sense of self, and he’d wanted to explore possibilities.
“Wait.” Kaiden pulled away from Dylan’s mouth. “This is…this is a little much.”
“Okay, we can slow down,” Rus said, still softly rubbing his hand against Dylan’s thigh. “I’d say you’re ready for any kisses that come your way, though.”
Dylan smirked. Kaiden didn’t.
“You all right?” He sat up, trying to evaluate his friend.
“Fine.” Kaiden withdrew emotionally and physically as he retreated to the edge of the bed.
“It’s late. Very late. Tonight was a blast, though.
Like in all the best ways, seriously. Really.
You know? But I’ve got work killer early.
I mean, I planned on going out, but like now it’s almost two, and I think I should head home. ”
“What? No.” Dylan moved to stop Kaiden as he rushed to slide on his shoes. “It’s way too late to drive home.”
“Not really.” Kaiden gave a forced smile. “My secret window makes everything easier. Plus, work early. But you guys should totally continue the kiss off. Or whatever off. Have fun, really. Seriously.”
And just like that, Kaiden left. Practically fled, according to the swirling thoughts in Dylan’s head. His heart hammered, and his throat constricted. Suddenly, the realization of what they’d done hit him.
“I know he said we could continue,” Rus said, almost startling Dylan from the inner workings of his mind. “But maybe we just chill?”
“Yeah…” Dylan pondered his friendship with Kaiden, his lust for Rus, his mixing feelings for both. “Yeah, that sounds good.”
“Sorry if I made things weird.”
“You?” Dylan shook his head. “Not at all.”
“No, I’m pretty sure I did.”
The silence between them turned awkward, and it seemed neither guy knew how to break the tension. Each slid into the bed, and despite usually sleeping in the center, Dylan scooted himself to the far edge—in Kaiden’s regular spot. Now, the middle had transformed into a vacant chasm.
Dylan lost himself in doubt. This was why he kept intimacy casual and with strangers. Somehow, he’d turned a tiny crush on Rus into a whirlwind of events, making out with him and his best friend. His only friend, really, other than Jasmine. But she was really family at this point.
Was it a mistake to lean into Rus’ little kiss-off game?
Kaiden ran away, so clearly this was the wrong move for him. Rus didn’t want to continue, probably because he only started this to pursue Kaiden—not Dylan. Now, Dylan lay awake, wondering if he ruined two friendships by pushing boundaries further than they were willing to go.
Maybe if they’d stopped at one kiss each, the singular curiosity, then everything would be fine. Awkward, but in a funny anecdote sort of way. Not in a run-for-your-life and escape kind of way.
Dylan tossed and turned throughout the night, thinking about the taste of Kaiden’s lips, the grind of Rus’ body pressed against his, the way he craved them both so much in that moment. The way he might’ve ruined things with both over such a small moment.
The persistent buzz of Dylan’s phone on the nightstand woke him earlier than he’d wanted, especially after such a long night out.
“Hello,” Dylan answered in a hoarse, scratchy voice.
“Where are you?” Jasmine asked frantically. “I know you’re not always here, but I thought with the kids’ appointment this morning—”
“Oh, shit.” Dylan sprang out of bed. “So, so sorry, Jasmine. I completely blanked. I’ll be there in fifteen. I didn’t miss it, did I?”
“No, but you’re cutting it close.”
“Don’t worry. I got it.”
He’d found himself so distracted by wanting to ensure Kaiden had a good night out after everything that had happened, he spaced on his calendar events. It didn’t help that he spent half the night pining for two men who he wondered if he should’ve kissed or not.
Would he regret kissing them, or would he have regretted never kissing them? Dylan didn’t have time to dwell on what was or what might’ve been. He had to go.
Rus rustled awake as Dylan scrambled to get dressed.
“Damn,” Rus said with a gravelly rasp. “Everyone’s fleeing the apartment. Starting to get a complex.”
“It’s not that,” Dylan said with an awkward smile. “I have an appointment. Well, the teens have an appointment, and I’m their transportation.”
“Understood.”
“We’ll talk soon. About everything,” Dylan assured Rus. “Including the other fleeing, if you’re open to it.”
“You also thinking about how fast I scared Kaiden away?”
“You?” Dylan laughed. “Pretty sure it was me.”
“Nah, you’re his bestie. I’m just the creepy guy trying to mash faces with both of you.”
“Not at all.” Dylan smiled sincerely as the weight of anxiety lifted off him. “So, you did want to kiss both of us?”
“I mean, I basically initiated the make-out session. Well, you might’ve pushed for that, but I got us started.”
It seemed Rus held the same concerns, and maybe just maybe they were all in their head a little too deeply on last night’s events. A simple conversation could clear this all up.
Dylan checked his phone and slipped his shoes on. “Shit. Talk soon. Promise.”
Dylan rushed out of Rus’ apartment, driving home as quickly as he could. He’d completely spaced on the dental appointments. It was hard enough for Jasmine to balance appointments for twelve teens; she didn’t need the added stress of their transportation falling through.
When Dylan was a teen resident at Dorothy’s Home, seven was the max.
Also, the home they had at the time wasn’t half as nice as the place Jasmine got a few years back.
After ten years of rundown houses, with makeshift bedrooms made out of basements and walk-in closets, and sketchy neighborhoods, Jasmine finally got the funding to purchase a new home fully up to code and spacious enough to keep two teens to a room for a change.
Dylan could drive through the neighborhood a million times and still feel out of place in this suburban beauty.
While he was proud Jasmine had gotten this place for the kids—for him too, as a staff resident—he often felt she’d brought them somewhere they didn’t belong.
They were a Jenga piece being wedged into a scenic puzzle.
Speaking of out of place, the first thing Dylan spotted when he drove up to the house was a neighborly conversation between Jasmine and one of the suburban Karens who’d declared herself the self-appointed president of the non-existent HOA.
She, like many of the suburban Karens, made it her goal to protect this neighborhood from outside threats.
Despite living here, she never recognized Jasmine, Dylan, or any of the teens as members of her neighborhood.
Suburban Karen wore an unshapely dress that boxed away her slender frame.
Almost as unshapely as her perfectly straightened blonde hair.
It hung lifelessly, rocking back and forth between her shoulder blades.
The heavy make-up she wore added a bit of color to her face but didn’t detract from her porcelain complexion.
“Afternoon, ladies.” Dylan’s cheeks strained as he forced a smile. Few people got under his skin, finding it easy to ignore jerks, but something about Suburban Karen’s antagonistic persistence wore on Dylan.
“Glad you’re here,” Jasmine said with a strained smile of her own. “They’re inside.”
“Can you please pay attention when I speak to you?” Suburban Karen asked, snapping her fingers in Jasmine’s face.
The sudden shift in Jasmine’s demeanor was obvious. All the same, aside from an aggressive stare, she did her best to curb her anger for the insulting finger snap.