Chapter 29
Chapter twenty-nine
Between Races, Denver
Tate could not deal with his frustration.
They had to change their flights and book one for Bryce, leaving Anaheim, so they could be on the plane with him.
They didn’t want Bryce flying alone, and they’d agreed he would come stay with them for a while.
The worst part of all that had to be losing a day at the track.
They didn't get home until late Monday night and then he'd slept in Tuesday, just because the exhaustion overwhelmed him.
Plus, he still had to deal with the frustration—of the sexual nature.
Tate and Pilot stuck to the plan and weren't pushing Bryce, but he was sleeping in their bed, even though they weren't having sex. He wanted Pilot desperately and he wanted Bryce even more.
Pilot seemed to be dealing with his own issues. Tate had been hoping Pilot would join him in the shower, but Pilot had been too worried about making breakfast for Bryce. Tate thought he would be jealous over something like that, but no; he was just horny.
At the track on Wednesday, he couldn't concentrate, thinking about Pilot taking Bryce to the first physical therapy appointment. Joey had to yell at him to concentrate several times.
“Are you going to follow up your win at Anaheim with a crappy performance in San Diego? What the hell, Tate?”
“I'm worried about Bryce. Sorry.”
“Bryce? The kid with the purple hair? That Bryce?”
“Yes. That Bryce.”
Joey popped Tate upside his helmet. “What are you doing messing with that kid? I thought you were living with that bodyguard dude? I can't freaking keep up with you.”
Tate held up his hand. “I'm living with Pilot. He's my boyfriend. That’s why we’re in Denver.”
“So, what is Bryce?”
“Right now, he's a close friend.”
Joey threw his hands in the air. “Right now? What's that mean?”
“We want him to be more than that. He's staying with us, but...”
“We? You and Pilot? Is the kid even legal?” Joey's eyes grew wide.
“Yes. He's eighteen. In Supercross years, that’s like twenty-five. And we means both of us. Me and Pilot.”
Joey shook his head. He seemed more confused than judging, not that Tate cared. It only mattered what Pilot and Bryce thought about their relationship, ultimately. Everyone else would just have to accept it. He was pretty sure they would, if they could get it worked out.
He started his bike back up and took off, pinning the throttle. He didn't want to talk anymore; the dirt called.
Newly invigorated, Tate drove the truck back to the house.
His excitement to see both Pilot and Bryce grew higher and higher the closer he got to home.
He hoped they'd be able to talk a little more and iron some things out. He couldn’t possibly be any freaking hornier and didn't know what to do about it.
He had two hot guys living with him, sharing his bed, and he couldn't have sex with either of them.
Not yet. Hopefully soon. But that wasn't the most important thing.
He knew the no sex had to be driving the other two crazy, too.
They could tell Bryce wasn't ready. They had to earn his trust. Their dynamic seemed to be working, though, if Tate could just hold out a little longer.
They got along fabulous, but a three-way boyfriend-type relationship was not normal or expected.
They had to prove to Bryce that they were serious—that they meant it.
Tate and Pilot were both playing for keeps, and they had to show that to Bryce.
Tate wanted to make Bryce happy. He passed a shopping center that had a beauty supply store in it and he got a fabulous idea. He flipped his blinker on and changed lanes to do a U-turn. Then, he pulled into the shopping center and parked.
The lady in the beauty supply store helped him out and in a few minutes, he was back in the truck and headed home.
Home.
He smiled ear to ear. Yes, it was home and he hoped it would be home for Bryce, too.
Bryce sat on the couch, icing his knee and listening to Pilot puttering around in the kitchen. He came back into the living room and handed Bryce a tall glass. “Water. You need it.”
“Yes, Nurse Pilot.”
Pilot chuckled and sat down on the edge of the couch beside him, leaning over him, supported by the back of the couch. “Hey, kid. I want to tell you something.”
“I’m not a kid, but okay? What?” He took a sip of the water and waited.
Pilot leaned in and kissed him on the forehead. “My name's Sean. Sean Mahan.”
“Okay.”
“I figured if we're going to do this at all, you need to know that. Very few people do. Very few people call me Sean. But you can...if you want.”
“Why would everyone call you Pilot? Sean's nice.”
Pilot chuckled. Bryce loved the low sound. He was beginning to love an awful lot about Pilot.
Pilot leaned back, getting comfortable. “Well, uh, I joined the Army right out of high school and, uh, I wanted to be an Aviation Specialist to start out.
I love planes, like since I was a kid, you know?
So, uh, my class at Basic teased me that I'd be rubbing elbows with the pilots and I guess that's how it started.
But as we went on, I was always the go-to guy for everything.
Very much a leader, so it really stuck. Then it didn't turn out that way.
I mean, I didn't do Aviation. I went a different route.
Because of the security company, Johnny's Uncle's company.
You'll meet them soon. Anyway, I knew I'd have a place here if I went with security, so I became an MP.
But the name was already stuck to me and I've been Pilot ever since.
Johnny and his uncle are the only other people that don't call me Pilot and get away with it.
Well, Johnny will sometimes, but, uh, I guess that's a different story.”
“Does Tate?”
“Sometimes. Mostly when we're, uh, you know, intimate.”
“Having sex?”
Pilot nodded and a little blush crept over his cheeks.
It melted Bryce's heart a little. He figured they were going to talk about sex soon enough, though, so he better just get over it.
All three of them were developing blue balls from being so close to each other the last few days with zero action.
Bryce pushed the tiger hoodie off his head, wanting to be serious and having a hard time with that while wearing tiger ears.
Pilot must have noticed, since he lifted one eyebrow.
Damn, sexy man. “Listen. I know y’all haven't had sex since I've been around.
It's okay. I know you're a couple. I can like, sleep on the couch.” He held his breath hoping Pilot wouldn't let him do that.
“Not happening. Bryce. Right now. We need to be together—even if we aren't having sex. We're not a couple any more. We're a, uh...triple? Tri-pule? Tri-pod? I don't know...something like that.”
Bryce laughed for the first time in what felt like weeks. “I think you're both crazy. Tri-pod.” He giggled. “That's an accurate picture of how all three of us look around here.”
The front door opened. “Tate!” Pilot called out at the same time Bryce did.
“Hey guys!” he answered. “Got something for you.” He handed Bryce a plastic bag. “I gotta get a shower. Give me five.”
Bryce watched Tate strut down the hall to the bathroom. His ass looked tight and sexy in his track pants. Bryce thought he'd never get tired of seeing that. He looked down at the plastic bag. A gift? He opened it up and saw the hair color in it. Purple and black.
“Guess he likes your look.”
“I guess.” Bryce's heart thumped in his chest. No one had ever cared about him like this. These guys were chipping away at his walls with a jackhammer.