What Happens in Vegas (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting ManLove)

by Taylor Brooks

  Ryan may have lived on his own for thirty-one years without any problem, but since Darren had come into his life he knew there was no way he could ever be without him again. He would never be able to get him out of his mind. He would never be able to forget him and move on with his life. Without Darren he just didn’t work.

  The only question was what exactly he was going to do about it. Or in the words of Ian, how was he going to un-fuck this completely fucked-up situation?

  Shaking his head, he knew he didn’t have an answer to that question, or the thousands of others he had. How did it go so wrong? Was it really that night in Vegas? Was it really what they’d done? The more Ryan thought about it, the more he doubted himself.

  He and Darren had both wanted that bartender. It wasn’t a matter of one trying to convince the other. And neither of them held back either. They touched, kissed, licked, and explored one another.

  That night finally gave him insight to the commonly coined phrase of fucking like an animal. Sure, he’d had hot sex with Darren before. Their passion was always filled with fire. But, with Michael that night, it had been different. It was almost as if each of them had turned their pressure gauges to high and then broke the valve on every fantasy they’d ever had, forcing them all to come rushing out in full force.

  The real kicker of it all was, as taboo as it was, as much as it went against every instinct he’d ever had, it still felt so damn good, and so fucking right.

  Ryan could still remember when they’d all collapsed on the bed, spent and exhausted after hours of pleasuring one another and he had thought to himself that this was where he was supposed to be. The promotion, the trip, it had all been a mere chess move in the ultimate plan of where they were supposed to end up…in bed with one another.

  He’d tried to rationalize what they’d done on their flight back to Texas later that morning. He’d come up empty though. At the end of the day it didn’t matter how much they had wanted Michael. In some way it changed them. Their relationship was different, how they interacted with one another was different. Hell, even they were different. Ryan himself didn’t even feel like the same person.

  The hours after they’d woken that night stretched on unbelievably slow. And he had hoped—perhaps foolishly—that the aftereffects of what they’d done would soon wear off. But, they hadn’t. Those hours had turned into days, and those days had turned into weeks.

  Now here they sat. On the day before their one-year anniversary, on some sort of relationship sabbatical after spending the past month barely speaking. It was hard for him to imagine that one night, one single moment in a lifetime had managed to change what they had so drastically. Still, it did. No matter how unbelievable it seemed, it didn’t make it any less true.

  They were different now. Ryan was different now. The only question that remained was whether or not Darren was also different now.

  Damn it!

  He needed to find out. They needed to talk. How in the hell he was going to go about that, he had no fucking clue.

  Chapter Four

  Darren walked down the pavestone path which led to the barn where his brother spent most of his time. He didn’t understand how two businessmen like him and Ian could come from the same gene pool as their little brother, Stephen. They couldn’t be more opposite. Maybe it had something to do with him being the runt of the Peterson litter.

  The clean, crisp air might be worth it if it weren’t overpowered by putrid smell of cow manure. Darren was never one of those be-one-with-nature types. He preferred his milk bottled and in a cool glass case at the grocery store and his steaks precut and ready to be thrown on a grill. The ranch style of living wasn’t even close to his idea of a good time.

  He approached the stable doors and stepped inside. With his brother’s early morning hours and Darren usually off with Ryan in the evenings he rarely saw the little rug rat. This even despite sharing a mailbox.

  Stephen was bringing a mare through the other side of the stable when he spotted Darren. “Well, I’ll be. If it isn’t my long-lost brother. What brings you out here to the ranch?”

  Darren smiled at him. He was the only one in the entire Peterson clan who actually had a cowboy drawl to him. He didn’t know if it was a side effect from all the old crusty cowboys he hung out with, or if it was an added touch for the ladies, but it always made him chuckle just the same.

  “Just decided to come by and talk to my little brother.”

  Stephen eyed him curiously as he tied the mare up to a post while it drank from a trough of water. “Uh-huh. Just…thought you’d pop over for a chat, huh?”

  “Anything wrong with that?”

  “No. Not for a normal person anyway.” Stephen smirked.

  “What’s that supposed to mean? Is there something wrong with stopping by to say hi to my little brother?”

  With his eyebrow quirked up, Stephen chuckled. “Guess not.”

  “So how have you been? I haven’t seen you in a while.”

  “That’s because someone’s always with his lover boy.”

  Darren nodded. “Yeah.”

  “Ahh…so that’s it.” Stephen said.

  “What?”

  “Problems with you and Ryan.”

  “I didn’t say that.” Darren defended himself, though he wasn’t sure why. He did come here to talk to Stephen about it. He just didn’t know why or what to say.

  “You didn’t have to say it. It’s written all over your face, man.”

  “It is?”

  “Yeah, it is. So what’s up? You guys have a fight?”

  “Not exactly.”

  “Well you know me. I always say there’s nothing a hot roll in the sack can’t cure.”

  “A roll in the sack is kind of what started it,” Darren admitted while taking a seat on a bundle of hay.

  “What?”

  “I said that’s what started the problem in the first place.”

  “What? How in the hell can sex cause a fight? Wait…unless…” Stephen motioned toward Darren’s crotch. “Are things not working the way they’re supposed to?”

  “No! Things are working just fine, thank you. And before you even ask. They are for Ryan, too.”

  “Then what gives, bro. Sex usually makes me feel better.”

  Darren looked up at his brother and felt his face flush with embarrassment before he even said the words aloud. “Have you ever done something really amazing, but felt like it was a mistake afterward?”

  “No. If it was awesome, then it’s not a mistake.” Stephen smirked.

  “I’m serious, Stephen. When Ryan and I were in Vegas we did something. Something that I never thought I’d ever do. But I did, and we did, and now that it’s done…I don’t know. Things are different.”

  Stephen pulled up a bale of hay and straddled it, sitting across from his brother. “Okay, hang on. What exactly did you do?”

  “I don’t want to say,” Darren told him.

  “Well, how am I supposed to be able to help you if you don’t tell me what happened?” Stephen asked.

  “It’s bad.”

  “No offense, big brother, but you’re not that much of a daredevil. It can’t be that bad.”

  “It is.”

  “What? Did you kill someone? Steal something? Commit grand theft auto?”

  “What? No. We didn’t break any laws,” Darren answered.

  “All right then. Like I said, it’s not that bad. So out with it already. What did you two do?”

  “We…sort of…picked up someone. At this bar. There was a…bartender. And—”

  “Hold it. Wait a minute.” Stephen started to laugh. “Let me prepare myself for this.”

  “This isn’t funny, Stephen.”

  “Shit. Speak for yourself, big brother. I think it’s damn funny.”

  “Why is it so damn funny?”

  “Because you’re the least adventurous out of all of us.” Stephen held his stomach as he doubled over with laughter.

  “E
xactly! I’m not adventurous. I don’t do anything wild. Ever! This is why it’s messing with my mind so much. And stop laughing at me!” Darren shouted.

  “Shit, calm down. I’m sorry. It’s just so hard to believe. But, just so I can be sure we are really talking about the same thing here…You are telling me that you and Ryan had a three-way in Vegas, right?”

  “Yes.” Darren hung his head, wishing he wasn’t having this conversation with the least mature person that he knows.

  “Okay, so you had a three-way. You said it was awesome, right? So what’s the problem then?”

  He looked up at his brother in disbelief. “What’s the problem? Hello? I am—or at least I thought I was—in a committed relationship with Ryan.”

  “Right. But you said Ryan was there with you. He was an active participant, right?”

  “Well, yeah…but, ever since we got back things have been—”

  “Awkward?” Stephen asked.

  “Yeah. How did you know?”

  “Lucky guess.” Stephen stood up and placed his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Stop beating yourself up, man. It’s bound to be awkward if you two have never done it before. But you didn’t do anything wrong. Lots of people have three-ways. Call them ménage a trois or orgies, or whatever the hell name you put on it doesn’t matter. Because at the end of the day, they’re pretty fucking awesome!”

  “You’ve done it before?” Darren asked.

  “Shit, man, who you talking to? You know me. The more the merrier.”

  “How many times?”

  Stephen shrugged. “Hell if I know. Twenty, maybe thirty. I don’t know. But, regardless, this isn’t a conversation you should be having with me. You need to have it with Ryan. I’m sure he feels awkward, too. The first time was weird for me, too. It happens. But, they’re not so taboo that people quit doing it. Hell, some people even live their lives like that.”

  “What do you mean?” Darren asked.

  “As in a happy couple, or rather a triple. Some people find they’re happier when they have someone else with them. No one knows what can make a person happy. Only they can know. So quit moping around thinking you made a mistake when it might not have even been one. Go talk to Ryan. Hell, even he would think you’re stupid for attempting to get advice from me.”

  Darren chuckled. “Yeah, I guess that does make me look kind of desperate.”

  “Kind of desperate? Shit, next thing you know you’re going to be asking me for money, too.”

  “Pfft. Don’t count on it. Although with as much you owe me it wouldn’t be a far stretch if I end up on the short end come payday.”

  Stephen walked toward his mare and unhooked her reins from the post. “You know what they say…little brothers were put on the planet to borrow money, get the ladies, and make the older ones look good.”

  Darren rolled his eyes. “Uh-huh.”

  “Now get out of here. I don’t need the farmer’s daughters getting a look at your pretty-boy face. I have plans of my own tonight. You go on and make your own.”

  Stephen didn’t say any more as he turned and walked out of the stable. Darren watched him disappear into the distance with the sun silhouetting his body into nothing but a dark shadow.

  Damn. It’s pretty bad when your little brother makes you feel better than the older and wiser one.

  Chapter Five

  Ryan sat at his desk, staring aimlessly out his window at the pond, which sat across from the Dallas City Hall Plaza. For the past several days he hadn’t gotten anything more than menial tasks done and his workload was starting to pile up. Not that he cared much. His mind had been focused on Darren and nothing more.

  Tonight would mark the very first time that he’d gone a whole twenty-four hours without even so much as speaking to Darren. It sucked all the more since tomorrow was their one-year anniversary. After three hundred and sixty-three days of someone being a part of your everyday life and having them suddenly gone was a sucker punch that Ryan didn’t see coming.

  Several times yesterday and today he had nearly called Darren. He’d pick up the phone, begin to dial, and sometimes even get as far as the last number left to press on the keypad before his fear and insecurities would get the better of him he’d hang up before the call even got underway.

  He hated feeling this way, being so unsure of where he stood with the one man that mattered so much to him, but he wasn’t sure what to do. If he followed through and actually came clean with him about what his innermost feelings were, he couldn’t help but worry that Darren would say the exact opposite of what he needed and wanted to hear.

  He wished he hadn’t gotten so friendly with that damn bartender. The combination of liquid courage and his overactive libido had prompted him to take on the role of some sort of playboy who had a hottie in every port.

  Shaking his head, he prayed for God to give him the power to go back in time and undo the stupidity of that night. He knew that was what was bothering Darren, too. The fact that Ryan had allowed another man to touch him, to kiss him and fuck him, he was sure that Darren saw that as the ultimate betrayal to their relationship. He would give anything to undo the events of that night and have Darren back with him and in his arms.

  “Excuse me, Mr. Cook?”

  He turned his head to find one of his line cooks standing in his door way. “Sarah, what can I do for you?”

  “Sorry to bother you, Mr. Cook. I know you said you like to meet all of your appointments down in the restaurant, but this man has been waiting for a while.”

  “What man?” Ryan asked, surprised.

  “A Mr. Trent, sir. He said he had a four o’clock appointment with you today,” she answered.

  “Trent? I don’t know anyone named—” He stopped himself before saying any more and leaned forward in his chair as he remembered an e-mail he’d received from the home office down in San Antonio.

  He quickly pulled up his e-mail and started to scroll through his appointment folder. It didn’t take him long before he found the e-mail from his boss about a new up-and-coming pastry chef who was going to be offering customizable desserts exclusively to their restaurants.

  “Mr. Cook? What should I tell him? He’s been waiting for over half an hour?” Sarah asked.

  “Sorry, Sarah. I completely forgot about his appointment. Could you give me five minutes and then send him up? I just need to go over a couple of things first.”

  “Sure, Mr. Cook. No problem.” She smiled before closing his door.

  Ryan shook his head at himself. Frustrated and annoyed by his incompetence, he quickly straightened out his desk and straightened out his shirt. If there was one thing he’d learned in all his years of being in the restaurant business it was that a messy and unorganized boss will also make for a messy and unorganized staff. If he didn’t set the example no one would.

  He grabbed two bottles of water out of the mini fridge he kept next to his credenza and was about to sit back down in his chair when he heard a knock at his door.

  “Just a minute,” he called before walking over to let his appointment into his office.

  Ryan opened the door with a smile and was just about to apologize when he saw who was standing before him.

  “You?” he asked with shock.

  “You,” the man said with a smile.

  Chapter Six

  Michael Trent stood in the doorway with a large grin on his face. It had been all he could do to stop thinking of his night with Ryan and Darren. Sexually, it had been out of this world, easily the best sex he’d ever had, hands down without question. On another level though, he felt this strange, almost indescribable connection to the two men.

  In all of Michael’s years spent bartending in Vegas, he had never once gone home with a patron, much less two. He was there for one reason and one reason only, to pay for his culinary school and become debt free. And then finally after four years of working his ass off, he’d not only paid off his student loans and finished at the top of his class, but he
also designed one of the most marketable dessert concepts to make its way to the fine-dining industry in a very long time.

  Then finally for his grand finale in his years of working his tail off, he had managed to not only set up multiple presentations with various high-end establishments, but he had somehow had his wish answered and received exactly what he’d wanted.

  After a dozen or so meetings, he received an exclusive three-year contract with Texas Steak and Seafood Restaurants to sell his dishes. The best part of it was he knew that this opportunity would only be the beginning for him. He felt confident that having these types of venues highlighting his dishes would skyrocket his career and send him on the fast track for success.

  “You mind explaining to me just what the fuck you’re doing here?” Ryan asked bluntly.

  Michael was struck by his rude greeting. It had been the last thing he would have expected after their night of passion. “I…”

  “You…what?”

  Michael didn’t like the anger he saw in the man’s eyes. Even more, he hated the way it made his heart sink. “I’m…Mr. Trent…your four o’clock appointment.”

  “What the hell do you mean you’re Mr. Trent? Mr. Trent is supposed to be some sort of pastry chef. You’re just a bartender.”

  His happiness at running into half of the best night he’d ever had quickly dissipated by his rude and condescending behavior. The man who he knew as Ryan a month ago and Mr. Cook today was suddenly becoming less and less attractive with every passing second.

  The patience he should have felt for who would be his boss in the northern part of Texas for the next three years was running on low after only moments. Boss or no boss, Michael not only didn’t deserve such a treatment. He wouldn’t stand for it either.

  “Pardon me, Mr. Cook.” Michael purposely said his name with hint of mockery. “But, I am not just a bartender. While I do know how to bartend, quite well in fact, I have studied under some of the best instructors in the nation. I have an associate’s degree in baking and pastry.”