Chapter Fifteen
Now that we’re back from rafting down the river—something I thought was going to be akin to a lazy river, not the mild rapids we’d encountered (thanks for that, Caleb)—I’m sprawled out on a flatish rock, working on my tan a little as everyone else is splashing around in the water surrounding me.
My eyes are buttoned shut, and I’m just taking in all the laughter and chattering from the boys as they SIMCOM with one another.
I figure Marcus must be exclusively signing to Caleb because they're suspiciously quiet at the moment, but since we all woke up this morning, they’ve been non-stop interacting with one another.
I can’t imagine they’ve gone tepid again now that we’ve returned.
This. I could bask in this forever. Carefree, without a single fuck to give about what’s going on outside of our little bubble.
No fretting about how the administration at work seems to have caught on that something has been going on between Caleb and me.
I figure someone at the hospital must have seen us being flirty with one another after one of his PT appointments.
It sucks, but we’ve had to monitor ourselves a little more closely, pretending that all we’ve got going on is strictly professional and wait until the end of our days to resume all activity that is very much unprofessional.
While we haven’t had sex yet—I’m still working my way up to that—I’ve certainly become more accustomed to his touch and his affections.
Intrinsically, I know that having sex isn’t the end-goal of any relationship—there are perfectly satisfied asexual people out there, for crying out loud—but I am choosing to look at finally giving myself over to Caleb as if it is a milestone that I’ve hit a threshold of trust with him that I thought was only possible with my husband before.
I’m getting glimpses of that being the case with my boyfriend too.
Need some pudding to find the proof in? Whenever Caleb and I kiss these days, there’s a little more groping involved, and I don’t find myself recoiling away from it. No, in fact, I lean into it more.
I go home after our dates practically begging Marcus to get me off.
He, of course, being the caretaker that he is, gives me the safe relief I’m craving when I come back all horny as hell.
Since that first night when he shocked me by asking me to ride him, instead of me pegging him with Earl, we’ve been doing a lot more flip-fucking.
Love that for me. Love that he’s willing to go that route for me too, even though it hardly seems like he’s put out about it at all.
All I’m going to say is this, it’s a damn good thing Brody takes his cochlear off to charge at bedtime.
I can’t say that our neighbors have such a luxury.
In the winter, things will calm down a bit, I’m sure. We’ll have to shut our windows then.
I press my thighs together and squirm at the thought of Marcus inside me the other night. Holy hell, that man has some unhinged reach with that big friggin’ cock of his. Three times he had to assure me that night, “It’ll fit, baby.”
Yeah, it fit. God, did it ever fit.
Inadvertently, I whimper out loud at the memory.
I lift my head off my towel, peeking one eye open just to make sure no one caught that.
When I do, I find my body surrounded by dozens of glistening, smooth river rocks—along with Marcus and Caleb adding more to the pile.
I should have known their silence meant they were up to no good.
“What the hell are you guys doing?” I ask them, my brows zipped together.
“We’re playing penguins,” Marcus replies, preening like a damn peacock.
“I’m afraid I don’t compute,” I respond.
Caleb answers, “Brody told Marcus and me he’s been studying penguins in school. He said that there were some species where the males will present the females with smooth stones as a romantic gesture.” He winks at me.
“Yeah,” Marcus adds. “But we’re not going to tell you whose pebbles are whose though. That way you don’t have to try to choose. Team effort, you see.”
I grin at them. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I say, unable to contain my subsequent giggle. These two are too adorable.
“No ma’am,” Marcus replies matter-of-factly. “You’re the most desirable penguin around. Honestly, I’m surprised it’s just me and Caleb out here pebbling you up. Lucky us, I guess.”
“Well, that’s a good thing,” I hum. “As it happens, I am not interested in any other penguins besides the two of you.”
They smirk at each other like tag-teaming, love-sick fools.
Then, they high five. I’ll take that as a sign that they’re on board with it only being the three of us as well, something I’d never balk about—because, honestly, I’ve had enough anxiety about introducing Caleb into our lives, and he’s been as sweet and as patient as can be.
I know already I’m not kosher with extending our polyamorous bounds beyond this point—we're a closed triangle.
I just hope the boys are understanding when we break the news to them tonight.
After another supper cooked over the campfire is all cleaned up, the boys are about to try to sneak off up to the rec hall to go watch a live band together when I stop them. “Hey, guys? Can your dads and I talk to you both for a minute?”
Cameron spins around first. “Sure, Ms. Lauren! What’s up?”
“You may want to sit for this,” Caleb signs to him.
“Is something wrong?” Brody asks, plunking down beside me on the foldable loveseat.
“No, bud. Nothing’s wrong,” Marcus explains. “We just—well, you know how I broke some big news to you yesterday?”
“Yeah?”
“Well, there’s more to it,” I tell them both, and I see a small, knowing grin form on Cameron’s mouth. “More for you to know too,” I add, addressing Cameron.
His grin falters, and his eyes dart around to everyone. “What do you mean?”
Marcus reaches over to the seat beside him and links hands with Caleb. I watch as he gently squeezes it, rubbing the pad of his thumb over Caleb’s knuckles. A tender, reassuring gesture.
Brody’s eyes widen at the sight of it, then he gapes at Cameron. “Are our dads dating or something?”
Cameron’s brows shoot up. “I didn’t know anything about that. Last I knew my dad and your mom were dating…”
I give them both a soft smile. “We are as well.”
Caleb signs to his son one-handed. “It’s new, Marcus and me. Well, sort of, I guess. We actually first met roughly a decade ago or so.”
“So, wait,” Brody stammers. “You’re all dating?”
The three of us—Marcus, Caleb, and I—all nod in unison.
There’s a pregnant silence that falls between us. All that’s heard is the crackling of the fire and the faint background activity around us at the campground. Moments tick by, so many questions in the air—all left unspoken. It grows heavy, becoming uncomfortable.
I break the silence first. “How are you both feeling about all this?” I ask the boys. “I know it’s a lot, and all three of us are open to whatever questions you might have about this. I’m sure you’ve both got plenty.”
“Um, like, how does this all work, I guess?” Cameron stammers, finally taking a seat across from us.
Caleb slips his hand out of Marcus’. Taking the lead, he replies, “Well, as you know, I met Lauren quite a few times over the past couple of years, whenever she would be assigned my interpreter for appointments. Things just started snowballing from there, you know? And like I told you before, I actually dated Marcus years ago, before I met Aaron. What I didn’t know was that they were, well, kind of married to each other. ”
Brody’s head snaps around to look at me. “You and Dad aren’t married,” he notes.
I run my fingers through his hair. “I know, baby. Not on paper anyway, but you know Dad and I always joke around about being married. We’ve been together for so long, it’s just easier to call him my husband.”
Brody nods. “Yeah. You do call each other husband and wife a lot.”
Marcus grins. "I don't need a fancy certificate to solidify how I feel…"
Caleb continues, “Marcus and I have decided to give us another shot as well. I know that this isn’t typical of most relationships, to have more than one at the same time, but my heart couldn’t choose, Cam.
Just like it never chose to give up on your papa either.
I’ve done some real soul-searching, and I felt it best to just stop trying to look at it like one love replaces another.
It doesn’t and it can’t. Each of these relationships has a special place in my heart.
All different, but all very worthy of trying to build upon, if that makes sense. ”
“It does,” Cameron agrees, nodding.
“What else have you got for questions,” Marcus goes on. “Hit us with whatever ya got.” He pats his chest, like he’s ready to take them on.
“Do I have to call you Dad too?” Brody asks Caleb.
Caleb shakes his head. “You don’t have to call me anything you’re not comfortable with.
I’m not trying to take his place.” He tilts his head at Marcus.
“All I know is that I look forward to getting to know you better. Your mom and dad both love you tremendously, so I’ve heard a lot about how awesome you are by word of mouth, but—if you want, and whatever feels right for you, I’d welcome more opportunities to hang out with you. ”
Brody beams, and that right there melts my heart.
“Are we, like, all moving in together or something?” Cameron asks next.
Caleb offers him a soft smile. “Not right now, no. This is all too new. Nothing like that has even been discussed yet, since we wanted to tell you and Brody first. I would anticipate spending more time together, though, at either of our places.”
Marcus nods, then turns to Caleb. “It’ll have to be mostly at the Ant Farm, however. No offense, but Double C Ranch is kind of tiny for all of us.”
“Ooh! Does that mean we can have some sleepovers with Pepper?!” Brody chirps.
“If I come over and spend the night, yeah,” Cameron replies.