Third One
Page 8
Luke felt his cheeks heat. He was oddly pleased with the remark.
“Let’s ignore the fact that our existence doesn’t matter, and make eggs,” he said.
“Let’s make eggs.” Liam nodded solemnly and adjusted his glasses. “And it does matter. Except only to us. So let’s make the most of this breakfast, shall we?”
Luke shook his head, grinning. He was entertained and rather intrigued. One would never get bored around Liam. Luke felt both exhilarated and scared at the notion of spending more time with the man. He took the two tomatoes Liam handed him and started cutting them in slices. He thought of his lonely breakfast yesterday, just a protein shake and a banana. Now he was preparing breakfast in Marcus’s and Liam’s luxury mansion, soaking up the casual touches of Liam’s hand on his shoulder and side as the man passed by him on his way to the oversized fridge and back to the stove. Only twenty-four hours ago, Luke had felt like the last man on Earth.
“There’s even bacon if you want.” Hands full with eggshells, Liam tilted his head in the direction of the fridge. “Brie, cheddar, cottage cheese?” He lifted his eyebrows in question.
Food. Yes, Luke could almost always get distracted by food. “I love cottage cheese. Can I?”
“Sure. On weekends, Marcus eats breakfast in four courses. Eggs, cheeses, fruit, and what he calls dessert. Hence, we buy chocolate spread in bulk.”
Luke looked at Liam. Chocolate spread? When was the last time…?
Liam chuckled. “Ah, the look on your face. You dancers eat like preteen boys.”
Luke opened the fridge and took in the fancy deli-worth of choices. He didn’t know what half of it was, but he distinguished French goat cheese, Old Amsterdam, brie, mozzarella, Spanish ham, Italian salami, strawberries, half of a watermelon, figs, and there was the cottage cheese, hidden behind a jar of wild cherry jam. Holy hell, crème fraîche and caviar? Mini pancakes?
“Wow. This is a five-star hotel breakfast buffet. You two eat like Princess Madeleine. While pregnant.”
Liam laughed. “No. Sometimes there’s just old milk and ketchup, like in any other fridge. But lately, with Marcus…food is one of his coping mechanisms.”
It took only one sentence for guilt to make Luke’s stomach squeeze shut. Marcus had needed coping mechanisms. Luke closed the fridge.
Liam straightened, and his face grew serious, even stern when he said, “Luke, it’s not your fault. It’s no one’s fault.” He looked distractingly gorgeous in the morning light, bare chest, light beige pajama pants, those damned black-framed glasses, his silver hair in contrast with his fit, young silhouette. What the hell am I doing here with this man? How is it even possible he allows me to talk to him? While Marcus is asleep upstairs…
“Tell me, Liam. Who am I to you? Why am I still here?”
Poking at the handle with his pinkie, Liam opened the cupboard under the sink and threw the eggshells into the bin for compost. He rinsed his hands quickly before he turned to Luke.
“I would love for you to stay with us,” he said simply.
Luke wasn’t surprised by the forward answer. He didn’t expect Liam to be anything but honest. What bothered him were the hows and whys. “Just like that,” he said, lifting his eyebrows.
“Just like that,” Liam repeated with a small smile on his lips.
“But how? Forgive me if I sound narrow-minded or inexperienced, but…” He shrugged, not knowing how to voice his thoughts properly. They didn’t make sense in his own head.
“How did you feel yesterday?”
How did he feel? Everything and anything at the same time steamrolling him until he didn’t know in which direction lay the floor and where the ceiling was. Jesus. “Overwhelmed.”
“Only that?”
“Exhilarated. Horny. I… When you left, I almost broke down. I have no idea what I’m doing, Liam.”
“When I left?” Liam asked in a quiet voice, stepping closer.
Luke caught the scent of his skin and soap and toothpaste. “I…”
“How did you feel when I left?”
“Wrong,” he breathed.
“Guilty?”
“No. Not guilty. Or maybe a little. To be honest, I felt scared.” He had been terrified.
“And how did you feel when I returned?”
Luke couldn’t say anything that would make sense. He leaned toward Liam instead, trying to remember the relief and contentment he’d experienced while falling asleep last night.
“You wanted me,” Liam whispered.
Luke nodded. It was the truth. When he’d finally allowed himself to feel, he had wanted, craved Liam. A foul voice in his head had told him he was cheating on the man he truly loved. But when he had lain there with Marcus and Liam, falling asleep, not a single detail had felt out of place.
“You didn’t just want Marcus. You wanted me there. And you might think it was guilt or fear, but I saw you, Luke. I kissed you.”
Liam stepped closer, and Luke met his gaze. Mesmerized, he let Liam cup his face with gentle hands. “Stay with us.”
He let Liam kiss him. And it was beautiful. So earnest. He felt wanted. It soothed an old, desperate longing inside him. Their chests touched, and Luke’s nerves dispersed in the warmth. He burrowed closer and let the arousal build and simmer. Liam hummed into his mouth, changing the angle and kissing him deeper, his hands roaming Luke’s back. Excitement, want, danger, lust…damn, he loved Liam’s kisses.
He chased after Liam’s mouth, loving the way their touch soothed his swirling thoughts. When they kissed, everything was clear and simple. Liam pecked his lips and, holding him close, spoke again, quietly and slowly, and it sounded like a good-night story.
“I was together with Julian when we met Marcus. Julian was a photographer, and he did a photo shoot with the troupe at the theater. Marcus had a couple of drinks with us at the afterparty. Julian and I were both fascinated with him. Marcus was twenty-seven then, at the peak of his dancing career, gorgeous, glamorous, and rather wild. We had sex a few times, the three of us. Then Marcus stayed for dinner sometimes. We went on vacation together. And then we lived together for three years. Jules, he left a long time ago, and it’s been just Marcus and me since then, but...”
The discomfort in Luke’s chest grew until he interrupted Liam, giving him a sour look. “You’re saying I should sit back and relax because it’s not your first rodeo?” The notion of another man being with them before unsettled him. He recognized the emotion immediately; he knew it well. Jealousy.
Liam laughed. “You’re hilarious. No. Of course not. Every relationship is unique, just like every person is unique. I just wanted you to know. And I want to ask you to stay open-minded. Last night was amazing. But it’s not only that. Remember the hospital?”
Luke nodded, grim. Something had happened that night in the hospital. A bond had been forged between him and Liam, one Luke hadn’t quite acknowledged until last night.
“The three of us, we have a chance at something beautiful,” Liam said, his breath on Luke’s mouth. His hands smoothed up Luke’s naked back. “Maybe I’m just greedy, but the closer I am to fifty, the less I care about guilt or shame or judgment. I want everything. I want Marcus content, I want you in my bed, and I want you to want me the same way you want him. Who’s to judge us if we manage to be happy? Those who are unhappy?”
“I’m not worried about what others think,” Luke said. It was the truth. Since the beginning, he didn’t give a rat’s ass about the opinion of others. But he had always cared about what Liam thought. Always.
“Then what are you afraid of?”
Luke didn’t hesitate with his answer. It burst out of him, jarring his throat as he spoke. “Being the third one.”
There it was, the ugly truth laid bare. And while Luke felt like he’d just ripped his chest open, Liam didn’t comment on it, didn’t explain, didn’t agree or disagree. Instead, he kissed Luke again, deep and earnest. Letting Luke feel his desire, he held him tighter and soothed
the turmoil in Luke’s mind with his touch. Luke pushed against Liam’s hardness and moaned. Liam bit his lip.
“We need rules,” Liam said with urgency. “Right now, I want nothing more than to sink onto my knees and suck your cock again.” Luke shuddered at Liam’s words. “But Marcus is still asleep.”
“I understand. You and I shouldn’t have sex without Marcus.”
“More importantly, Marcus and I are not going to be intimate without you in the room.”
Luke’s felt his eyes widen as he fought to grasp the implications of what Liam was saying. He felt like his world shifted under his feet. Liam was giving him control. Power over their intimate relationship. But… fuck. Liam and Marcus had been together for a decade and…
“Now you understand,” Liam said, palm on Luke’s cheek.
Ten
Marcus
After half an hour of useless rolling from side to side, Marcus scrambled off the bed. He struggled between wanting to give Luke and Liam space to get to know each other and his own selfish need to be close to them. He needed to check on Luke. The way Luke had shaken last night when Liam had left… Marcus couldn’t wait anymore. Selfishness won. Groaning, he stretched his back on the way to the bathroom.
He took a lightning-short shower and brushed his teeth, trying to keep it together for a few more minutes. Luke had to be fine when Liam was with him, right? Marcus shrugged into his sweats, hands trembling, and found a clean plain white T-shirt in the closet.
The trip down the stairs was very different from any other day. His heartbeat doubled before he reached the ground floor. He strained to listen but couldn’t hear any voices. Breath short and palms clammy, he paused and swallowed thickly before he entered the kitchen.
The sight in front of him wiped his mind clean.
Luke was leaning on the counter, shirtless, and Liam stood between his thighs, his tanned, naked torso glowing in the early sunlight. They were kissing, clinging to each other, their hips grinding together in a slow rhythm, their lips parting, only to meet again in gentle nips. So tender, so beautiful. Liam held Luke’s face with one hand and massaged his neck with the other, while Luke’s fingers weaved through Liam’s salt-and-pepper chest hair. They took a breath, noses touching, brushing their lips against each other’s skin.
The hot wetness in his eyes surprised Marcus, but the overwhelming joy had to find an outlet somewhere. He walked a few steps closer, knees weak, and both men turned their faces to him. Wordlessly, Luke stretched out his hand, grabbed Marcus’s wrist, and tugged him closer until their bodies were flush together. Luke kissed him, lips closing around Marcus’s upper lip, and Liam nipped at his jaw. Marcus opened his mouth and let Luke’s tongue sweep inside possessively. Luke tasted of coffee, toothpaste, and Liam. A tremor ran through Marcus’s body, making him gasp. Maybe he was still asleep. In that case, his brain did a great job conjuring the perfect dream for him. Any anxiety he might had felt before was gone with a poof.
“Now, I can,” Liam said into the silence.
When he knelt and tugged Luke’s pants down, Marcus smiled with understanding. They had been waiting for him. Of course, they had.
Marcus caught Luke’s face between his hands and muffled the man’s moan with his mouth. Maybe it was the contrast to his angst just a few seconds ago that made him feel weightless. Suddenly, he could fly with exhilaration.
The ripples of tension running through Luke’s body let Marcus know Liam was now sucking Luke’s cock. Marcus made an inhuman sound. After the powerful wave of joy, another followed, this time of pure desire. More. I want to see. Taste. I want more. More of everything. Frenzy seized Marcus’s brain, wiping out all restraint. He met Luke’s eyes briefly—the blown pupils had only thin strips of blue around them—before he joined Liam on the floor, making Luke gasp louder. Liam leaned to the right, kissing and suckling on the side of Luke’s cock, making space for Marcus. Their gazes locked. Yes. More of everything. Marcus opened his mouth to taste and lick the tip of Luke’s erection. He felt Liam’s beard brush his cheek, and his groin pulsed. The undercurrent of anger in his passion surprised him, but he couldn’t fight it. He wanted to blow Luke’s mind, damn it. Show him what he had been missing out on all this fucking time. Make him yearn and need like Marcus did.
On their knees, next to each other, like a couple of servants in front of their master, they both made love to Luke’s cock, running tongues along the sides of it, and when their mouths met over the cockhead, Luke cried out. The sound was like an electric charge directly into Marcus’s balls. They kissed with Luke’s cockhead between their mouths. Marcus squeezed Luke’s thigh, encouraging him to thrust.
“Fucking hell…” Luke’s voice broke as he moved his hips, his erection gliding between their mouths. Liam caught the tip and deepthroated Luke, and then he let Marcus do the same.
Marcus looked up. Luke was clutching the edge of the counter with both hands, his knuckles white. Mouth open, eyes wide, cheeks red, he watched them with awe and raging lust. He was shaking. Marcus heard Liam moan and turned his gaze to the left. Eyes fast on Luke’s face, one hand on his own erection, the other wrapped around the base of Luke’s cock, Liam licked the precome from the tip. Groaning, Marcus let go of Luke’s thigh and squeezed his painful erection in his sweats while he traced Luke’s cock with his lips again, with no coordination and no plan. His tongue tangled with Liam’s as they fought for more of Luke. He could taste them both, the familiar flavor of his old lover mingled with the sharp tang of Luke’s arousal. Whole body vibrating with tension, Luke bucked again and again, his spit-slick cock slid between their mouths, and he swore and begged. Marcus bathed in the sounds his men made. He reveled in every tremor and helpless moan, the occasional flick of Liam’s tongue against his. Marcus peeked up again and saw Luke’s face growing even wilder. He needed to feel it. He paused with his tongue on the underside of Luke’s cockhead, Liam’s face flush to his, Liam’s moans vibrating into his body.
Luke came, his features first warping as if in acute pain, and then his face went slack with euphoria, eyes shut and mouth gaping. Marcus moaned with victory, tasting the first drops of come on his tongue, feeling them paint his lips and cheek. Liam groaned next to him, and Marcus knew that sound well. Kissing Luke’s come away from Luke’s cock and Marcus’s lips, Liam orgasmed, his seed landing on the floor and on Luke’s toes.
They toppled Marcus onto his back. He watched, entranced, as Luke swallowed his aching cock with no preamble. Liam ripped off Marcus’s sweats and reached between his ass cheeks. Helpless, Marcus could only spread his legs wider.
“C’mon, love, give it to us,” Liam ordered and pushed inside, taking charge of Marcus’s body.
With Liam’s spit-slick finger in his ass, massaging his gland, and Luke’s throat closing around his cockhead, he came in seconds. He heard his own shout echo through the house, and then the world turned black.
They sat on the floor, leaning against the kitchen cupboards, Luke’s head on Marcus’s shoulder. Marcus didn’t consciously close his eyes; they just fell shut while his loose arms seemed to melt, gluing him to the floor. He heard a rustle and felt a kiss on his forehead. Liam. Luke shifted next to him and nuzzled his cheek. Marcus peeled his eyes open with effort and saw Liam tower above them, a satisfied grin stretching his lips. His beard shimmered in the morning sun.
“We were making eggs before we got distracted,” Liam said and offered Luke a hand. Luke took it, dragging himself up as well.
“I don’t have come in my beard, do I?” Liam asked, making Luke snort with laughter.
“No. Maybe you’ll get lucky next time?” Luke suggested.
Marcus was too sleepy to laugh. He managed something between a grin and a sigh. He was ready to go back to bed, preferably with Luke and Liam, and drift away with their bodies warming his.
“C’mon, Marcus,” Liam prompted. “Food. Coffee!”
“Liam said you have chocolate spread,” Luke said, a smile in his voice.
“Still not awake?” Liam asked, smirking. “What will it take?”
“Just the coffee,” Marcus mumbled and pushed the button on the machine.
Luke chuckled. He rinsed his hands, picked up the knife, which was lying on the counter next to the cutting board and a small pile of thinly sliced tomatoes. He cut the last one while Liam whisked the eggs, as if they didn’t just have sex all over the place. There was a lingering, faint smile on Luke’s face, a shaky, careful tilt of his full lips. The lust had dispersed, and Marcus could almost see the clouds of worry gather above Luke’s bright blond head.
Fragile. Just like Luke’s smiles, they were fragile. They had made love, and it had been life changing, but Luke didn’t trust them yet. Marcus couldn’t help but brush a kiss on Luke’s bare shoulder.
“What?” Luke whispered.
“Nothing. Just happy you’re here,” Marcus said.
Luke only shook his head, smiling a little wider. One step at a time.
Marcus made himself a double espresso and set the table. When his coffee mug was empty and the smell of bacon was in the air, staying awake felt marginally better. He fixed another coffee and pulled out the cheese tray from the fridge. He sat down by the table, eyes flicking between Luke and Liam as they plated their eggs. And bacon! It smelled divine. Marcus forked three strips of bacon onto his plate. The grin stretching his lips couldn’t be helped.
“Stop looking so smug,” Luke mumbled, making Liam chuckle.
“I’m happy,” Marcus said. “I just got a blow job, and now there’s bacon.”
“Well, Marcus, I know it’s not a competition, but the person who just got the most exquisite blow job in the history of blow jobs was me,” Luke said, looking at his eggs studiously.
“True. Which means it’s my turn. Shortly after lunch would be great,” Liam announced and took a bite of his toast.