What He Fears

by E. M. Denning

  “He likes you,” he mused.

  “He likes you, too.” Nick glanced down at Andrew and smiled. Then, he glanced back at Rory and he seemed suddenly apprehensive. “Do you like him? I mean, for reasons that have nothing to do with me?”

  “I do.” Rory reached over and brushed his fingertips through Nick’s hair. “He’s a good man and a sweet boy. He’s easy to talk to and not hard to look at.” Rory shot Nick a wicked grin. “And he listens to me better than you do.”

  Nick scoffed and rolled his eyes. “I listen to you perfectly fine.”

  “No, you don’t. And that’s okay. I wouldn’t have you any other way. But yes, Andrew is appealing, in many ways.”

  Nick rolled his eyes. “Rory, your attraction to him has been obvious from day one.”

  “It has not.”

  “You’re a barely contained hormone who wants to climb him like a tree.”

  He feigned indignity. “That’s preposterous.”

  Nick snorted. “You’re so full of shit. It’s adorable, really,” he paused. “He does like you, you know.”

  Rory raked his gaze over the sleeping man and smiled.

  “God, that’s hot.”

  “What?” Rory could barely keep the laughter out of his voice.

  “The way you look at him. The way you kissed him earlier, Roar. Fuck. Easily the hottest thing I’ve ever seen. The two of you are fucking sexy.”

  “Funny, because I had thought the same thing about the two of you.” Rory smiled, and the conversation died off as Andrew stirred. After he woke Rory and Nick urged him to stay, but he made his excuses and went home.

  After Andrew left, Nick and Rory climbed into bed together. They made slow, sweet love. Nick fell asleep shortly after, but Rory laid awake for a while wondering what it would be like to have both men in his bed.

  ***

  Rory scanned the ocean of people in the park. “And you’re sure Everett said he was coming?” He searched for the telltale platinum hair, but so far hadn’t spotted his young friend. He glanced at Andrew in time to see Nick slide an arm around his waist.

  “He’ll be here. He said it would be good for Puck to get used to being around different people.” Andrew leaned close to Rory to be heard above the music that flooded the park. The spicy scent of Andrew’s aftershave enticed Rory and made it hard for him to keep his hands to himself. A couple of weeks had passed since their first sizzling kiss, and Rory wanted more. When he was at work, running his jewelry store, or in his studio designing and creating new pieces, all he could think about were his boys and how strange and right and perfect that sounded.

  “There they are.” Andrew pointed to the line of food trucks where Everett and Xavier stood. Puck stood next to Everett while Everett tugged on Xavier’s hand and pulled him toward Andrew.

  Everett arrived and Rory wrapped his arms around his friend. “I see you had to drag Xavier away from the food trucks.”

  Everett snorted. “He’d stand there all day and watch them make food if I let him. He’s obsessed.”

  “I’m a chef, dude. Food is my life.”

  Everett released Rory, and he watched as Everett embraced Andrew. It was a quick hug, but it wasn’t something Everett and Andrew normally did. Andrew’s eyes softened and Rory exhaled. Seeing Andrew relaxed and happy, knowing that his feelings for Everett had faded enough that he could hang out with him, and his brother, warmed Rory’s heart. He knew Everett had struggled with his feelings about Andrew’s reaction to his relationship with Xavier. He was happy for everyone that the rift seemed to be a temporary blip in their relationship that was easily repaired with time and understanding.

  “I still think you could bring The Crock Cock to one of these events.” Xavier reached down and scratched behind Puck’s ears. According to Everett, Xavier was always trying to think of ways to expand Everett’s brand. Everett gently reined him in.

  “I’d need to wear more than a skimpy apron. That would never fly in public.”

  Xavier rolled his eyes and bumped his shoulder against Everett’s. “You ruin all my fun.”

  “Because your idea of fun usually involves me being naked, and that’s not always practical.” Everett bent and scratched Puck’s head who sat quietly at Everett’s side.

  Rory watched Xavier eye Nick and Andrew. He shot Andrew an amused look. “I can’t believe I’m out on a double date with my brother and his boyfriends.”

  Everett narrowed his gaze at Xavier. “You promised.”

  “It’s weird in a good way, I promise.” Xavier wound his arm around Everett’s waist and pulled him close. “I’m hungry, babe.” Xavier said, once again eying the food trucks. “You want anything?”

  “I’m good, thanks.”

  “What about you guys?”

  Rory waved a hand at the line of trucks. “If you can find me something vegan, I’d eat it.”

  “Challenge accepted.” Xavier beamed. “Come on, you two.” Xavier locked eyes with Andrew, who shrugged and followed, towing Nick with him.

  Rory watched the three of them go, then looked at Everett. “Well, if that wasn’t too convenient? Something on your mind, Everett?”

  Everett feigned innocence. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “You could’ve asked to talk to me alone. Or you know, used your phone if you wanted to talk to me.”

  “Oh stop.” Everett rolled his eyes. “I wanted to see how you’re doing, you know, with the whole two boyfriend thing.”

  Rory’s eyebrows raised, and he stared at Everett. “Are you worried about me?”

  “I’m not worried about you, Rory. I’m not worried about any of you. From what Andrew says, it’s going well between the three of you.”

  “So why the covert operation to get me alone? Well,” Rory swept a hand through the air, motioning at the park full of people around him. “As alone as we can get in a place like this.”

  Everett looked embarrassed. Puck must’ve picked up on Everett’s unease, because he pushed his head against Everett’s leg, offering comfort. Everett reached down and scratched him. “I guess I want to make sure you know what you’re doing, Rory.” Everett met Rory’s gaze. “I want this to work out for the three of you.”

  “You should.” He said as he slung an arm around Everett’s shoulder. “You’re the one who suggested it in the first place.”

  Everett’s dark eyebrows shot up, his eyebrow ring glinted in the sunlight. “When?”

  “Flick a penny in a kink club, ring a bell?”

  Everett laughed. “I didn’t realize Andrew was kinky.”

  Rory’s gaze fell on Andrew, who laughed and talked with his brother, while holding hands with Nick. “There’s probably a lot you don’t know about your friend.”

  Everett snorted. “Please don’t elaborate.”

  He kissed Everett on the cheek. “I wouldn’t dream of it. A gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell.”

  That earned a hearty laugh from Everett. “The king of kink is now a gentleman?”

  “First of all, the king of kink?” The nickname amused him a little. “Second of all, I don’t kiss and tell. Never have.”

  “Except for all the stories you told me from back in the day when you used to train doms and subs.”

  “That’s different. I wasn’t involved with any of them that way. And you never knew who I was talking about.”

  “Wait.” Everett pulled out of Rory’s embrace and looked at him. “You trained them… I assumed you were sleeping with them, too.”

  “The odd hand job here and there does not a relationship make. And most of the time it was part of the scene.”

  “Wait. What? You weren’t…”

  Rory shook his head. “No, I wasn’t.”

  “So when Nick asked you to go exclusive, and you said no… you weren’t actually sleeping with anyone else? But you let him keep going to the club.”

  Andrew and Nick were on their way back over with Xavier. He levelled his gaze at Everett. “L
ook, Everett. You’re my friend, but my relationship is none of your business.”

  “You let him believe you weren’t exclusive. You let him keep going to the club and seeing other people, and he thought you were too, but you weren’t.”

  Rory took a deep breath. “Everett, you’re family to me, and I love you like a brother, or a kid, or a favorite cousin, but you don’t get it. Nick is a switch, he’d never be happy with just me. He needs things that I can’t give him. And that used to suck a whole fucking bunch, but it doesn’t suck anymore because we both have Andrew. It killed me, that I couldn’t be everything Nick needs, but I can give him Andrew, and I can have them both, and they can have me, and you don’t get to be pissed off on someone else’s behalf about shit that’s none of your business.”

  Everett paled and nodded, and Rory exhaled, then stepped closer and wrapped his arms around his friend. Everett returned the embrace. “I’m sorry, Rory.”

  “Think nothing of it.” He pulled away and smiled at Everett. “I’m an old, cranky, queen who probably has brain damage from all the chemicals I dump on my scalp.” He pointed at Everett’s platinum hair. “You should stop that before you end up like me.”

  “For what it’s worth, I think you should tell him.”

  The trio returned and Andrew happily presented Rory with a burger that he promised was vegan. “According to Xavier, who talked to the guy, the patty is a mixture of beans and vegetables.” Andrew glanced down and Rory saw that he held a similar burger. “Thought I’d give it a try.”

  Rory leaned in. He lifted himself on his tip toes and brushed a quick kiss against Andrew’s lips. “You’re sweet, but I promise I don’t mind kissing carnivores.”

  Nick laughed. “I’m going to put that on a T-shirt.” He came up behind him and Rory leaned against him, biting into his burger and enjoying the attention from both of his men. If Everett was still unsettled about their exchange earlier, he hid it well.

  As the afternoon wore on, Rory noticed that Andrew became more and more comfortable seeking Rory out for affection. Rory found his willingness to push his own limits intriguing, and hot. It gave him all kinds of ideas of what he’d like to do with Andrew in the future. Rory sipped a coffee and watched Nick gather Andrew into his arms. Andrew leaned against him and heat spread through Rory. He wondered what it would be like to watch Nick command Andrew, to command them both. Rory hadn’t done a scene with Nick where they were both the Dom. The idea of Andrew giving himself over to both of them was intoxicating.

  Rory’s fantasy was broken by Xavier’s dark laugh.

  Xavier sat on the grass, Puck next to him, with his arms wrapped around Everett. “If that look is anything to go by, I’d say my brother is definitely getting fucked later.”

  Rory snorted as Everett swatted Xavier’s leg. “Dude.”

  “What?” Xavier kissed Everett’s cheek. “I can tell when someone’s getting eye-fucked. You give me the same look all the time.”

  “Well, you’re hot. I can’t help it.”

  “And on that note.” Rory stood and brushed off the seat of his pants. “I’ll see you two later. Thanks for coming today.” Rory said. “Andrew needs both of you in his life. Today was important to him.”

  “Hey, Rory.” Everett called as Rory started to walk away.

  Rory turned, already guessing what Everett was going to say. “Yeah?”

  “I think you should tell them.”

  Rory nodded. He knew he should, but not yet. Their relationship was new and fragile and Rory didn’t want to do anything to upset the delicate balance. He approached his men, eye-fucking them again, as Xavier had so correctly accused him of earlier.

  Nick looked at him and extended a hand. Rory took it and let Nick tug him in close to the pair, not caring who saw them. “We were just talking about you.”

  “Yeah?”

  “I think we should leave.” Nick’s voice was low and thick and Rory noted the fact that him and Andrew sported matching bulges.

  Rory grinned. “I like the sound of that.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Andrew

  Andrew didn’t know how to do this, any of it. The idea of sex with a guy, or two, wasn’t the thing that freaked him out. It was the not knowing how. The fear of not being good enough, or good at all, of somehow letting Nick and Rory down was bigger than the fear of having sex with them.

  Nick had already tugged them into Rory’s bedroom and whipped his shirt off. Their date in the park had been amazing. And all day long Nick had whispered dirty things to Andrew, telling him in detail what he wanted to do to him. Andrew was eager and apprehensive. He felt like his skin was on too tight. Then Rory said his name and trailed his fingers down Andrew’s arm.

  Nick’s hands slid under Andrew’s shirt. His breathing hitched when Nick’s tongue flicked his earlobe. “You think too much, Andrew.”

  Andrew chuckled and raised his arms so Nick could pull his shirt off. His shirt vanished and Nick’s warm skin pressed against him. Rory looked up at him, his hands explored Andrew’s naked torso. They fanned over his bare chest, up to his shoulders, down his arms.

  “He wants to know that you want this.” Nick peppered Andrew’s neck with kisses as he spoke. Each one sent shivers through him.

  Andrew’s chest heaved, and he looked at Rory, who stared back at him. He stayed still, watching Andrew, waiting for permission. Andrew didn’t want to speak, he didn’t want the tremor in his voice to betray how bad he wanted this. He nodded, and half expected Rory to smile at him, instead, Rory reached up and cupped his cheek in his hand and pulled Andrew down to him.

  Andrew closed his eyes and gave himself over to the sensation of Rory’s soft lips, his gentle kiss, and his insistent tongue. Nick’s mouth trailed kisses across Andrew’s bare shoulders. His hands wandered all over his body, mapping every inch of him. Andrew couldn’t suppress the way his hips thrust to meet Nick’s touch when his hand slid down to Andrew’s cock.

  Andrew swayed as a needy moan wrenched free and was swallowed down by Rory, who licked the inside of Andrew’s mouth. Nick’s powerful form pressed against Andrew, his hands steadied him.

  “We’ve got you, Andrew.” Nick crooned softly as his fingers worked on the button of Andrew’s pants. “You say the word and we stop.” Andrew’s button popped free and Nick unzipped his jeans.

  Andrew’s head swam by the time Rory broke the kiss. He licked a trail down Andrew’s neck. As Rory’s tongue flicked out and caressed Andrew’s nipple, the words came out on an exhale. “Don’t stop.”

  Lust unfurled, like a blossom opening inside of him, and Andrew reached for Rory. He slid his fingers through Rory’s soft strands of blue and Rory looked up at him, long lashes framed light blue eyes, and he finally gave Andrew the wicked grin he’d been waiting for.

  “Did Nicky tell you what we wanted to do to you, Andrew?” Rory hooked his fingers into the top of Andrew’s pants and slowly bent, dragging his pants down his legs. Rory held eye contact the whole time, his unwavering gaze was a comfort to Andrew, who saw nothing but raw lust and unabashed approval.

  He swallowed and tried to speak, but he couldn’t say the words. Nick had talked dirty to him half the day. Touching him, whispering things in his ear that got his pulse racing. He’d spent half the day praying that no one noticed the bulge in his jeans.

  “Yes.” Andrew managed to squeak out when the heat of Rory’s breath soaked through the slightly damp fabric of Andrew’s briefs. Rory’s fingers trailed along Andrew’s stomach, right above the waistband.

  “Did he tell you that I was going to do this?” Rory leaned in and mouthed the head of Andrew’s cock through his briefs.

  He closed his eyes. There were too many things to keep track of, too many sensations. Rory on his knees, his fingers hooking his underwear and dragging them slowly down his legs. Nick behind him, his hands only leaving Andrew’s body for a moment, the rasp of a zipper giving away what he was doing.

  Nick kissed a trail down
Andrew’s back. His hands gripped at Andrew’s skin, groping, grabbing, caressing. The tip of a tongue flicked across the top of his crease.

  “Fuck.” Andrew gasped and put his hand on Rory’s shoulder for support. His legs felt like mush and he sincerely doubted their ability to keep him upright. He opened his eyes and watched Rory as he pulled Andrew’s pants off the rest of the way.

  “Kiss him, Nicky.” Rory’s tongue slicked along his lower lip.

  Andrew expected Nick to grab him and yank him into his arms. Instead, a slick, wet, tongue slid up the crease of Andrew’s ass.

  “Jesus.” Andrew’s fingers dug into Rory’s shoulders and he panted as Nick did it again. “Can we…” Andrew glanced at the bed and Rory nodded.

  Andrew watched as Rory stood, and in a fluid movement, pulled his shirt off at the same time. He unbuttoned his light grey trousers and shoved them over his hips. They pooled at his feet and got kicked away.

  Rory took Andrew’s hand. “You’re so beautiful, Andrew.” Rory climbed up onto the bed and made himself comfortable in the center. He tucked one hand behind his head, the other wrapped around his cock.

  Andrew didn’t join Rory on the bed right away. He was held in place by Nick’s powerful arms. A thick cock pressed against the crease of Andrew’s bare ass. Andrew gave into the urge and pressed back against it. Nick growled in his ear.

  “Mmm. Like that do you?” Nick reached around and wrapped his hand around Andrew’s cock. “Tell me you want this, Andrew. I can’t do this unless you’re sure.”

  “I’m sure. Please. Fuck. Nick.” He tried not to dwell on the needy, begging tone in his voice. The way his words came out sounding desperate and breathy.

  Nick gently nipped at his ear lobe. He pumped Andrew’s cock, and he felt Nick smile against his skin when he arched into the motion, seeking more.

  “Get on the bed.”

  Rory let go of his cock and spread his legs wide, making a space between them. He extended his hand to Andrew. “Come here, Andrew.”