2017 Top Ten Gay Romance

by J. M. Snyder

  “All of us?”

  “All of us.”

  “That’s…wow.”

  “I’ve attempted to make her understand that relationships don’t work out that way. At least, not for the adults. She thinks I should be dating both Adam and you.”

  Lance openly gaped at Michael. This was such a bizarre topic of conversation that he didn’t quite know how to respond. He had to wait for his heartbeat to calm a little before he replied. “Mike, are you…I mean…Wow! I don’t know what to say.”

  “Yeah, it’s insane, I know. I just…Look, I’m going to be straightforward with you. I like both Adam and you. I’m attracted to both of you.”

  Lance stared at him in shock. He had not expected that at all. “Okay…”

  “I want to date both of you. Can we at least talk about it?”

  “I…I don’t know, Mike,” he answered honestly. “Adam informed me this morning that we’re all going to have lunch together later. Why don’t we discuss it then? No promises, though.”

  “Fair enough.”

  “Mike, if—and that’s a very big if—the three of us decide that we might be interested in dating one another, Megan would have to be transferred into another classroom. Conflict of interest and all that. I can’t be handling a child when I’m dating the parent.”

  “Let’s cross the bridge when we come to it.”

  Lance nodded and they proceeded to talk about their children. He also divulged to Mike about his dream of opening his own daytime nursery. He was hoping that he and Adam would find a building spacious enough to accommodate the toy store, the daytime nursery, and an apartment on the uppermost floor. He was grateful that Mike listened attentively. If they did not end up in a three-way, poly-amorous relationship, he hoped they could at least remain friends.

  * * * *

  Mike waited in apprehension as Adam digested everything they had talked about. The other man had arrived promptly at noon. Lance had also surprised him with a homemade lasagna. Apparently, he had baked this morning and had brought it with him in a tightly covered container, concealed within a big cloth bag. Now he understood why Lance had told him earlier not to plan anything for lunch. He had thought they would be eating lunch outside.

  After they had eaten, the children continued playing while the adults remained seated in the dining area. He had agreed that Lance should be the one to summarize everything they’d discussed earlier so that Adam could catch up to them. Now he wanted to hear Adam’s opinion.

  “Hey, Mike. Can I ask you something?”

  He refrained from making a smart-ass comment like, “You just did,” because that might annoy Adam. He had plenty of courage in a business setting, but he was not as brave when it came to matters of the heart. “Sure, go ahead.”

  “Why?”

  “Why what?”

  “First of all, why do you want to date both Lance and me, and not some other couples? For that matter, why don’t you date a man who’s single? Won’t it be easier? Secondly, don’t you think you’re moving a little too fast? Finally, aren’t you worried about your reputation in the business world? After all, you’re one of the bigger names out there.”

  “Fair enough,” Mike began with his explanation. “I’m rarely attracted to anyone at all. Even though our first meeting was less than smooth, Lance, I found myself immediately attracted to you. It was certainly a sexual desire more than anything else, but I could feel this strange feeling bubbling up back then. The same thing happened when I saw you at the toy store, Adam.”

  “Alright, and…?”

  “I really don’t see any problem with going after what I want. I won’t force myself on both of you, but I can tell by your lingering glances that you’re both also attracted to me. At least sexually, that is.”

  He grinned when both men nodded in agreement.

  “We’ve had sexual attractions toward a number of men over the years, but nothing came of them,” Lance pointed out.

  “Perhaps,” Mike replied, “but I’ll bet none of them were willing to put themselves out there the way I do. We like each other and our kids all get along pretty well, which is an important factor for me. There aren’t many people out there who are willing to date a single parent. With regards to my reputation, I don’t think my personal life will affect my business much, if at all. Naturally, tongues will start wagging for a little while, but gossip always dies down once something more exciting comes along. Do not underestimate the boredom of the people in my business circle. They are like hungry sharks, going after every scrap of juicy gossip they can bite into.”

  “We won’t know anything about that,” Adam said. “Lance and I are obviously not a part of that elite circle.”

  “Elite or not is a matter of perception, Adam. Besides, I like you both very much. I haven’t experienced such an instant connection in a long time. As crazy as the idea may seem, can you both promise me you’ll at least think it over seriously? I don’t expect you to agree, but consider the possibility that the three of us can be good together.”

  Mike knew his tone was somewhat pleading, but he would regret it even more if he did not attempt to convince them. He hadn’t been lying about the immediate attraction he’d felt for both of them. It might be weird to most people, but he’d been both angered and turned on when Lance had reprimanded him during their first meeting. Then, there was Adam, both physically intimidating and arousing, yet so gentle and sweet with Megan. He kept his eyes locked on both men, waiting impatiently for their responses. He smiled triumphantly when they finally conceded to consider his request.

  He was still grinning from ear to ear as he lay in bed that evening. After their conversation, Lance and Adam had stayed for another hour before leaving with their twins. Mike had been overjoyed when they mentioned having another play date for the kids this following weekend. Naturally, he had agreed to it. His daughter would be less lonely and he would get to see both Lance and Adam. That would be killing two birds with one stone, so to speak. Now, he simply had to wait for Adam and Lance’s decision with regards to his proposal. He closed his eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep soon after.

  Chapter 4

  Adam stared at the long queue of customers, all of them waiting to pay for their purchases. Yet this was a really horrible day. In fact, the last few days had been disastrous. Although business was even better than the previous week, five of his employees had called in sick two days in a row, so he was seriously understaffed. The new shipments had arrived the day before, but he was unable to unpack any of the boxes. He’d had to stay late for the last three days because the whole store looked like a war zone; the increase in customers meant more business, but it also led to untidy shelves.

  He sighed when he recalled Lance’s annoyed tone. He knew Lance had been understanding throughout the various aspects of Adam’s life as a toy store owner, but he had missed out on the twins’ bedtime again last night. They had agreed that no matter how busy they were, they would always make time for the children. The guilt was eating him up inside because he’d been spending little time at home with both Nathan and Holly.

  Not only was he currently stressing out at work, but stewing with sexual frustrations. An angry and disappointed Lance meant no sex at all. They had cuddled in bed every evening and had fallen asleep in more or less the same position, but Adam yearned for their natural intimacy. Unfortunately, they had done nothing more than trade passionate kisses, which inflamed his desire even more. Moreover, Lance had to wake up early every day and get the twins ready for preschool before they would leave together. Adam was about ready to explode.

  Also, he and Lance had been talking about Mike’s unconventional proposal. Admittedly, Adam was feeling uncertain about it. He wasn’t an insanely jealous or possessive type, but he didn’t know how his relationship with Lance would turn out if they agreed to add Mike into the mix. Adam wasn’t blind, though. If he were single, he would have no qualm at all about having sex with Mike. That man was good-looking and ha
d a great build, but Adam loved Lance and didn’t want to jeopardize what they had. In all honesty, he was also rather frightened at the possibility that Lance might end up loving Mike more than him.

  An abrupt beeping from inside his pocket startled him out of his musings. He hurriedly took care of another customer before pulling out his smart phone to check the incoming text message. It was Lance informing him that he would be bringing the twins to the toy store at dinnertime. Adam heaved a sigh of relief; Lance was the best boyfriend ever. Now Adam didn’t have to worry about staying late and missing out on time with his twins. It might not be a long-term solution, but it was better than nothing.

  He strengthened his resolve to quickly find the perfect building to house the toy store, Lance’s dream of a daytime nursery, and an apartment. That might not be a permanent response to their problems, but at least he was working on it. His heart felt lighter all of a sudden, and he dealt with another customer much more cheerfully than he had been the entire morning. Everything seemed better now.

  * * * *

  Mike was really excited. He had just received a wonderful piece of news from the owner of the bookstore behind his office. The building housed the large shop on the first floor, and the owner and his wife lived on the second. Mike knew the couple had been thinking about moving to a warmer city and spending their golden age together, so he’d put in a bid to purchase the building and it had just been approved.

  After hearing about Lance’s plan for a daytime nursery, he had been mulling things over. He believed he had the right solution for everyone involved, especially if the three of them ended up dating. He grabbed his smart phone off his desk and sent a text message to both Adam and Lance, confirming Megan’s play date with their twins. They both replied in the affirmative. He then refocused his attention on the presentation slides he was creating for an afternoon meeting.

  As the hours passed, he grew more nervous, and not due to any work-related events. He’d been dealing with those things for years now. No, his anxiousness stemmed from the fact that he’d be meeting with both Adam and Lance the next day. They’d not told him their decision regarding his poly-amorous relationship proposal, and the anticipation had been killing him slowly. Seeing the two men together on the previous Saturday had also fueled his lust-filled fantasies. His cock had been rubbed raw from the multiple times he’d masturbated as a consequence of all the pornographic images he’d conjured of the three of them together in bed.

  When it was time to leave for the day, it took everything in him to concentrate on driving safely home. He’d also been missing Megan. Their father-daughter relationship had improved slightly and he planned to keep that up. Cynthia, his loyal housekeeper, had also informed him that Megan had been much happier the last few days.

  He was grateful and relieved that both she and the chef, Andrew, had been assisting him to look after Megan’s well-being. Cynthia was in charge of fetching Megan home from the preschool and accompanying her for the rest of the afternoon, while Andrew took care of Megan’s favorite foods in a way that would be both healthy and delicious. Their presence in the house had helped Megan feel less lonely. Now, thinking about Megan made Mike miss her even more. He absolutely could not wait to reach home and see his daughter.

  * * * *

  “Hey, love. Can we talk for a minute?” Lance inquired.

  “Sure, babe. What’s up?”

  “Mike just sent me another text message. Did he contact you, too?”

  “Nope. What did he say this time? By the way, I’m really sorry the twins and you have to stay at this late hour in the store with my employees and me. Where are the twins anyway?”

  “They’re asleep on the couch in your office, love, and before you start feeling guilty, don’t! They were really excited you got to read them bedtime stories. Anyway, Mike has a business proposition for us, but he wouldn’t tell me what it is. He wants to discuss it with both of us face-to-face. Will you be home for lunch tomorrow?”

  “Absolutely, babe. Shit! I miss you so fucking much. I miss the twins, too.”

  Lance pulled Adam into a tight embrace. “Don’t beat yourself up over that. I’m sorry I’ve been rather hard on you. I really miss you, too, love.”

  He continued to hug Adam, breathing in the heady scent of cologne and sweat. He had to bite his lip to prevent a moan from escaping his mouth. Being near his lover and smelling that familiar musky scent had never failed to turn him on because it reminded him of sex and the subsequent afterglow.

  “Babe, fuck! Please don’t! I need to concentrate on unpacking everything so we can all go home as soon as possible.”

  “I’m not doing anything!”

  “Your hard cock is pressing against mine. You know I can’t deny you when you’re rubbing yourself against me. I’m not an exhibitionist, though. My employees are putting all the new toys on the shelves and I don’t want them to catch us doing anything sexual. I hate anyone else leering at you fully clothed, much less when you’re naked.”

  “Possessive,” Lance teased.

  “Only when it comes to you, babe.”

  He pulled back a little and gazed into Adam’s eyes, feeling the overwhelming sense of love surging up and filling his entire being. He shuddered a little from the sensation. “So, are we going to decline?”

  “Huh?”

  “Mike’s proposal?”

  “Oh! I…I don’t know, babe. To be honest, he’s drop-dead gorgeous and his body is hot as hell, but lust is not a good basis for a relationship.”

  “I agree, but what are we going to do about his ‘marriage’ proposal?”

  “Which one? He’ll be adding another one into the mix tomorrow, I’m sure.”

  “Ha! Ha! Funny! Anyway, do you want to attempt a poly-amorous relationship with him?” Lance persisted.

  “What about you, babe? Do you want to?”

  “I’ve never thought about a monogamous relationship with more than two people at the same time.”

  “And now?”

  “Ever since our conversation with Mike, I can’t stop thinking about it.”

  “I can sense a ‘but’ somewhere.”

  “I don’t want to go through life wondering ‘what if.’ You know what I mean?”

  “Yeah.”

  He sighed deeply and kissed Adam for a minute or two before breaking away.

  “Hey, Adam. Look at me, please. Having Nathan, Holly, and you is more than enough for me. I want the two of us to make the decision together. It’s not rocket science. If you feel uncomfortable with the idea, we can tell Mike a three-way relationship might not be suitable for us.”

  “I…”

  “Love, no pressure at all.”

  “Okay.”

  “What do you mean by ‘okay’?”

  “I think we should give it a go.”

  “Love, I…”

  “Lance, let’s just go out on a date with Mike.”

  “Are you positive about this?”

  “Yeah. Besides…can I tell you something, babe?”

  “Always.”

  “This…this is crazy, but…do you remember him telling us of his instant attraction to both of us?”

  “Yeah.”

  “When I first met you, I had that same feeling. I never thought I would ever feel that way again.”

  “Until Mike?”

  “Until Mike.”

  “Okay, then.”

  “What about you, babe?”

  “Mike is definitely attractive. If I didn’t have the twins and you, I would bang him for sure,” he responded honestly, even though he could feel his cheeks heating up.

  “Don’t be embarrassed.”

  “Thanks for being so understanding.”

  “You’ve stolen the words right out of my mouth, babe.”

  Lance leaned in for another passionate kiss before walking away from the storage area. He had to check on the twins and make sure they were still sound asleep in the office. Also, he could not wait for lunchtime th
e next day. He and Adam would be agreeing to Mike’s unexpected proposal, and they might embark on a brand new phase of their relationship. He only hoped it would be the beginning of a wonderful partnership.

  * * * *

  Mike felt a sense of déjà vu as he sat across from Adam and Lance. They all stared at one another, waiting for someone to make the first move or utter the first word. This scene reminded him of the one that had occurred last Saturday, exactly one week ago, when he had been waiting for them to react to his proposal. Currently, they claimed they were ready to talk about it, but neither had said anything for minutes. The only sound he heard was the raucous noise of the children playing somewhere in the apartment. He squashed down his impatience and calmly leaned back against the couch.

  “Hey, Mike.”

  His attention immediately focused on Lance. “Yeah?”

  “You know that Adam and I find you attractive, but any potential relationship is not just about the three of us. We have to take into account the feelings of our twins.”

  “And Megan,” he interjected.

  “Yeah, of course.”

  “Look, guys. I know it’s unconventional, but we like one another and our kids get along as well. I’m not taking things lightly and I’m certain both of you are doing the same thing, but we can always try it. It’s not a marriage, after all. Nonetheless, I promise I’ll work hard to make things work out among us.”

  He eyed the other men one at a time, willing them to believe him and to jump into this with him. He knew Adam and Lance were already a traditionally complete couple and he was essentially inserting himself into their relationship, but he couldn’t help it. Something about each of them had captivated him and he truly wanted to be a part of them, selfish as it might be.

  “Okay, Mike,” Adam said. “We can try this, but we’ve never done a three-way relationship before. How do we…I mean, do we go out on dates?”

  “I’ve also never done this before, but I like what we’re doing at the moment.”

  “I don’t get it,” Lance said.

  “Our kids have play dates and the three of us end up having conversations in private. It’s kind of like a date for the adults, isn’t it?”