Chapter Five
Salem didn’t hear the chirp of the alarm from the back door opening until he pulled the last dish from the oven.
The scent of food filled the kitchen. He didn’t doubt they smelled the steak he had just fetched from the grill.
The pair ambled into the room. Salem felt their overwhelming presence, but he didn’t turn.
He simply seasoned the chopped potatoes and stayed focused on his task.
“Something smells good. ”
Salem’s eyes fell closed. He wanted to cry, but he wouldn’t.
From the very beginning, he had known he was the third wheel.
The outsider. He hadn’t had any illusions about them.
They would always choose each other first and Salem last. He didn’t doubt they had spent the day fucking whoever it was they picked up from the bar.
It was Salem’s fault. He was cold. That was life.
He swallowed the hurt. “You’re just in time. I just finished. No doubt you worked up an appetite today.” Salem might have bitten off his tongue if he hadn’t managed to cling to a bland tone. They could have his heart, but Salem would keep his pride.
He found himself squashed between two massive bodies. With a spatula in one hand and salt in the other, Salem stood like an awkward statue while they squeezed him. They didn’t smell like sex. They smelled like sunshine.
“You missed mini golf.”
“And then real golf,” Dodge tacked on, finishing Quest’s claim.
“I don’t enjoy either of those things, so I’m good.”
“Are you good?”
At Quest’s question, Salem wanted to scream at the top of his lungs. No. He wasn’t okay. Salem hated absolutely everyone, and he never had anywhere to go with that.
“I had already said I’d go to lunch with Shaw and join him for a society banquet before last night. I’d never hurt either of you. It truly was just lunch. We didn’t even shake hands when it was over.” Salem had no idea why he explained himself. They had each other. He meant nothing.
“Stop talking, Salem.”
Salem’s teeth snapped together at Quest’s demand.
“Is everything turned off—like the stove and whatnot?”
Salem nodded.
The world tilted. He ended up draped over Quest’s shoulder.
While smiling like an idiot, Dodge plucked the items from his hands and set them aside. “I’ll make our plates.”
Salem had no idea what was happening. They were both bad about using their size against him. Quest could have anything planned. He fought the urge to laugh when Quest paced a circle around the kitchen island. Then Quest started talking, and he fought not to panic.
“Listen up, gorgeous. We’re not doing this.
You’re not gonna pretend like last night didn’t happen.
” Quest kept pacing his circle while he spoke.
“If you want to freak out or be angry with us, then do it, but don’t treat us like we’re toys you can use and set aside when you’re done.
We are people. We have feelings and we care about your feelings.
You’re not allowed to shut us out. You’re supposed to love us.
At least that’s what you’ve claimed. Today didn’t feel like love. ”
“I made you dinner.”
Quest slapped his ass. Hard. “No back talk. I know all your ploys. You think you can make dinner and placate us? It’s not happening.”
“I can just take my food and y’all can go to hell.” This time, Salem literally bit his tongue. He loathed slipping into his southern accent.
“That’s better. Be real. You’re angry. Tell me why.”
“I’m not mad.”
Quest slapped his ass again. “Don’t lie.”
Salem growled. “I’m not mad… at you.”
Quest sat him on the island but kept him trapped. He stood between Salem’s thighs and held on to his waist. “Now we’re getting somewhere. Why are you angry with yourself?” Quest’s beautiful, light brown eyes never wavered from Salem .
Salem fought the urge to squirm. He held Quest’s stare. He allowed his shell to harden. Salem had to separate himself from this. “You know I’m not a warm person. I’m sorry you expected more.”
Quest rolled his eye. “Fucking spare me, Salem. You’re one of the most loving people I know.
The only time you get like this is when you’re scared.
We scare you. I know. But the three of us are a family and you don’t get to shut down with us.
If you need time to deal, then we can live with that, but no more games. ”
“I’m not playing games.” He really wasn’t.
Salem couldn’t handle the destruction they promised.
He had rebuilt himself brick by brick. They were too sweet to understand.
He cupped Quest’s face and kissed him. Salem pulled away and held his stare.
“I swear I’m not toying with you. Just please let me deal with things my way. I don’t know how to be anyone else.”
Like a big kid, Dodge pushed his way in. “Wait. I want kisses too.” He froze. “Wait. You two kiss again. I want to watch. That shit was hot as hell.”
A laugh burst from Salem. Jesus. These men.
They were his soul. No one else made him smile and laugh.
Made him happy. He looked Quest’s way with raised eyebrows.
The hunger waiting for him in Quest’s expression took his breath.
Quest hauled him closer. Their lips met.
A quivering breath escaped him. Quest took advantage and shoved his tongue inside Salem’s mouth.
He lost himself. Then Dodge pulled his hair, stealing him away.
He took over, exploring Salem’s mouth. They were both aggressive kissers.
Salem turned his head. “Our food is going to waste.”
Quest looked mussed and sexy. “We can eat, or Dodge can fuck you while I fuck him.”
Oh, damn. No way would he miss that show. “ Definitely the second.”
Dodge snatched him from the counter. He didn’t bother heading upstairs. Judging by the way Quest prowled after them, they wouldn’t make it that far. As they crossed the threshold into his bedroom, Salem told himself he’d distance himself tomorrow. Tonight, he had other plans.
Dodge hadn’t been fucked in a long time.
He used to love the way Quest always eased him into things and made him beg for more.
Tonight, he wanted exactly what Quest’s expression promised.
He wanted that rough ride. As he gently set Salem on the bed, Quest’s body molded against him.
His lust shot through the roof. Between the longing in Salem’s eyes and the way Quest and Dodge had touched all day, he was more than ready for anything.
Salem worked on divesting Dodge of his clothes. Quest sucked his neck. Dodge was suddenly very thankful for the two morning orgasms that kept him from embarrassing himself. Salem kissed his stomach. Dodge saw stars and rainbows. Happiness choked him. His every sense was overwhelmed.
Quest bit his earlobe. “ Salem needs you.”
It was like he was a puppet, and everything happened to him.
He saw the clothes fly and watched Salem lube his hole.
Even as Dodge crawled between Salem’s thighs, he felt like everything happened to someone else.
Then he was inside Salem. Their tongues fought while Quest played with his asshole.
He felt everything all at once, and he was too overwhelmed to move.
Quest impaled him with so much force, it rocked him inside Salem.
They moaned. All three of them simultaneously made the same sound.
It was like a deep need manifested into noise.
Quest moved. They followed. What should have been awkward, and a learning experience, wasn’t.
It was like they had done this a million times.
Maybe they each had in their minds. A love this powerful hadn’t started overnight.
It was years of starvation and longing. Heated looks. Begging the universe.
Salem scratched his skin and bit him.
Quest kept the rhythm.
Dodge burned. Too much happened to him at once. He was the one in the middle, and he knew he would be the first to blow. Salem felt too good. Quest fucked like a master. Dodge was only along for the ride.
“Goddamn. I can’t. Sorry, guys. You’re too fucking gorgeous together. I won’t— aghhh !”
Salem’s screamed cry, the way his body sucked him, and the cum hitting him sent Dodge soaring. He couldn’t control the sounds he made.
“I’m so fucking in love with you two. You have no idea.
” Dodge couldn’t stop. His mouth rambled while his body jerked.
“I’ve spent so many nights pleading.” He finally bit his bottom lip to stop the rambled confessions.
The sound of Quest crying out against his shoulder was enough to distract him.
They became an exhausted heap of sweaty and cum-slicked bodies. Labored breathing filled the air.
Quest was the first to speak. “Choose a bedroom. We’re not sleeping apart again. I love you both too much to handle another night of thinking you’ll never really want me.”
“I can’t move.”
Dodge laughed at the genuine exhaustion in Salem’s voice. “It looks like Salem has chosen.”
A low rumble of sexy laughter vibrated from Quest. “That’s fine. Fewer stairs means I can save my cardio for you two.”
Dodge felt Salem shake with silent laughter. He couldn’t stop smiling. Dodge honestly hadn’t thought this dream would come true. He knew it would take work to keep it. Dodge had never looked more forward to a challenge in his life. Whatever it took. He wouldn’t lose these men.