Chapter 39

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WARD

WARD WAS just about to come when Charlie screamed.

Fuck . He'd been so close. Watching the two boys make out had gotten him all fired up. Even just being inside Skylar, with all three of them touching, it felt like he was somehow inside both of them at the same time. He knew that made no sense, but it didn't dampen the impression one bit. And knowing that Charlie's dick had just been where his own was now? Geez . Somehow, that made it all hotter.

If only they could have done it bare.

But feeling Skylar come on his dick? Knowing how difficult it was for the boy to orgasm? That pushed him right up to the edge.

Charlie's scream stopped it all, cold.

The heck? Ward glanced at Skylar, who looked as confused as he felt. “What just happened?” Ward asked as he went still.

“I have no idea,” Skylar said. He started to move forward, then paused, looking down at where the two of them were connected. Skylar glanced to Charlie and back, looking torn.

Ward inwardly cursed. He was aching to come, but then he saw Charlie hide his face against the bed and start beating his fists on a pillow.

“Shit,” Skylar gasped. “Ward?”

Ward gently pulled out, climbed right over Skylar, covered Charlie's body, and caught the boy's fists before he accidentally hurt any of them. “ Shhh , sweet boy. It's okay. Charlie? Easy. It's okay, buddy.”

Charlie shook his head and struggled beneath him.

But Ward kept him pinned. He grabbed Charlie's wrists with one hand, then used the other to gently press Charlie's head down on one side. Ward rested his forehead on Charlie's temple. “Easy, buddy.” He took a deep breath, groaning at the sensation of Charlie's struggles. With the way he held the boy down, his dick was pressed right up against Charlie's naked ass. And that ass was bucking and rubbing against him, keeping Ward right on the edge of release. Fuck . He knew that wasn't Charlie's intention, but his dick definitely wasn't getting the message.

Until Charlie let out another screaming cry.

Ward winced, then looked at Skylar. The boy watched them with eyes full of worry.

“Maybe he changed his mind?” Skylar asked, looking at Ward as though hoping he'd have all the answers. “Maybe you guys sharing me at the same time was one thing, but separately…”

“I don't know.” Ward looked down. Charlie had stopped struggling, but now tears shone on his eyelashes. “Charlie?” He was about to ask for an explanation, but just saying the boy's name set him off again. Charlie hid his face and wailed.

So Ward waited. He and Skylar shared glances, but otherwise they lay there in silence, waiting for Charlie's fit to subside.

Slowly but surely, Charlie relaxed. His breaths evened out, and the cries eventually gave way to soft whimpers. Then stuttered inhales.

Finally, he went completely still for one moment, only to scrunch up his face in a scowl as he tried to wriggle.

Ward let go of Charlie's arms, assuming the boy needed to sign something. All Charlie did was point at his hips without opening his eyes. Ward started to lift off of him. Was he hurting him? As Ward rose up, his dick—now soft, but with the condom still clinging to it—swung down and brushed against Charlie's ass.

Charlie whined again.

“Oh,” Skylar said. “The condom. And my body fluids on it. He doesn't like that.”

Ah . Ward lifted farther and ran a hand down along Charlie's spine. “Hang on, buddy. I'll be right back.” He got up and went to the bathroom, pulling off the condom as he went. Ward threw it away, grabbed a hand towel, and went back to the bedroom. “Easy, Charlie,” he murmured when he saw the boy squirming with discomfort. Ward perched beside him and rested his free hand in the middle of Charlie's back, trying to gently pin him down and steady him. “Here we go.” He wiped Charlie's thighs, then along the crease of the boy's ass. “That better?”

Charlie rolled his head, then shifted his hips as though testing it out. “ Hhnn .”

Ward wasn't sure if that was a yes or a no , so he folded the towel over and wiped Charlie's skin once more for good measure. “All gone. It's okay.” He tossed the towel onto the floor beside their scattered clothing. “Talk to us, Charlie. Whenever you're ready, okay? Take your time.”

Charlie was silent and still for several, long minutes. Finally, he slowly got up and turned around, sitting so that he faced them with his knees drawn up and hugged to his chest.

And still they waited.

Ward and Skylar shared a look. “Charlie?” Ward asked.

Charlie ducked his head. He signed at Skylar, the movements quick and muted, giving the impression of a spoken mumble. You fake .

Skylar gave a tiny gasp.

Oh geez . Ward looked from Charlie to Skylar and back as it hit him. What had Skylar said that one time? That he'd never had an orgasm before that hadn't come by his own hand? Which meant Skylar must have been faking his orgasms with Charlie all along. And Charlie just realized it.

“Fuck,” Skylar swore. He shifted closer. “Charlie?”

Why? Charlie signed as fresh tears began to stream down his cheeks.

Skylar winced. “I didn't want you to be disappointed.”

Charlie hid his face against his knees. I bad , he signed.

“What?” Skylar gasped. “No! Charlie, no.” He touched Charlie's hands. His knees. His hair. Then he tried gently tugging on him, but Charlie refused to budge. “Charlie? You're not bad at it.”

Charlie nodded without looking up.

“You're not,” Skylar repeated. “It feels good, being with you. It does,” Skylar insisted.

Charlie lifted his head slightly and scowled. No orgasm .

“You're right,” Skylar quietly admitted. “But Charlie? That's not the most important thing. It's not,” he repeated when Charlie ducked his head again. “Charlie, I love having sex with you because it's with you . Because I love you. And you're my best friend. Because I don't feel dirty and used when I'm with you.”

Charlie shook his head. I use you .

“No, you're not. Just because you come and I don't, doesn't mean you're using me. Charlie? I mean it. You are my sanity. My safety. My escape from my life. Being with you is liberating. I feel alive when I'm with you. Like a person. Not just a hole for somebody's cock.”

Charlie rolled his head as he silently considered that.

Ward shifted, getting ready to stand. He didn't belong in this conversation. Hell, he didn't belong with these two boys at all. They were in a relationship, and he was just a third wheel. He opened his mouth to quietly excuse himself, then stopped when Charlie signed again.

Ward?

Skylar frowned. “What about Ward?”

He give you orgasm .

Skylar winced. “Yeah, he does.”

Always? Charlie asked.

“Yeah.”

Charlie sat still and silent for a moment. You like sex with Ward more?

Skylar tensed. He glanced from Charlie to Ward and back. “Shit. It's not–” He shook his head, looking lost. “Fuck. How do I explain this?” he finished, muttering to himself.

Charlie scowled. Yes or no .

Skylar breathed a laugh. “Things aren't always that simple, Charlie. I wish they were.” He paused, holding his breath. “It's…different. I like it with both of you. Either of you. You both make me feel really good. The same, but different. I mean…” Skylar scrubbed his hands over his face. “Okay, yes, Ward makes me come. But even without that, I like being with him. Both of you make me feel wanted. And clean. I've never had to fake my enjoyment of being with either of you.” Just as Charlie lifted his hands to sign something, Skylar rushed on. “Yes, I've faked my orgasms with you, but I've never faked enjoying you . I've never had to grit my teeth and force on a smile, pretending I wanted you inside me when all the while I felt sick and on the verge of screaming because my whole body felt so fucking violated.”

Ward's heart clenched. Geez, Sky . He stared at the boy, seeing the years' worth of pain and endurance starting to really show behind his eyes.

Even Charlie must have seen it. Or maybe heard it in Skylar's voice. The boy tensed, his shoulders rising as he kept hugging his knees to his chest. You never say no to me .

“Because I've never not wanted you inside me, Charlie,” Skylar murmured. “Same with Ward. Not once. Being with you guys is a gift. I can be myself with you instead of putting on some kind of act. It's like…you're giving me my body back. I would rather have that feeling than an orgasm any day of the week. For the rest of my life,” he quickly added.

Charlie rolled his head. He was silent for a long while, not looking at either of them.

Ward glanced at Skylar. The boy was holding his breath, bracing for Charlie's response. Ward slowly reached out and touched Skylar's hand.

Charlie's roaming glance darted over, zeroed in on their contact.

Ward pulled away.

“ Hhnn .” Charlie scowled. He reached out, grabbed Ward's hand, and put it right back on Skylar's. The boy hesitated there, not letting go, touching them both. With his free hand, he signed, Ward?

Ward braced himself. “Yeah, buddy?”

Charlie blushed. You teach me make my Sky feel good?

Ward felt a pang in his chest. If he helped these boys develop a stronger relationship, where would that leave him?

He remembered seeing Kelly with another man when she was supposed to be marrying him. Finding himself left out in the cold.

Then Ward pictured himself coming home to these boys, only to find them wrapped up in one another's arms. Finding out they no longer wanted or needed him. Still, it wasn't like he could say no . He wanted them to be happy.

Needed to fix this.

“Yeah, buddy,” Ward murmured. “Of course.”

Now? Charlie signed.

“No, not now,” Ward replied when he saw Skylar give a quick, tight shake of his head. “Next time you're both in the mood, okay?”

Charlie considered that. Okay .

“Good.” Ward patted Charlie's hand, then started to pull back. “How about we go watch a movie or some–”

“Wait,” Skylar interrupted him. “You didn't come.”

Ward stood up, waving a hand dismissively. “It's okay, Sky–”

“No,” Skylar insisted. He slid off the edge of the bed and gracefully went down on his knees, looking up at Ward. “Please. Just…let me try?”

“Sky, you don't owe me anything.”

“Ward,” Skylar replied, his tone insistent. “You were so close. I know you were.” He paused, then quietly added, “ Please. I want to. I felt Charlie come inside me. Now I want to feel you come inside me, too. I need that.”

Ward muttered a curse. He tried to say no , but his dick had other ideas. It grew hard again as he stood there, trying to will himself to walk away.

Skylar leaned in, holding Ward's gaze as he pressed an open-mouthed kiss to the side of his dick, just below the head. “Daddy, please,” Skylar murmured.

“Fuck,” Ward gasped. “Don't move.” He reached for the nightstand and pulled out a fresh condom.

Skylar watched him, gripping Ward's thighs as he waited. “Daddy?”

“Yeah, kitten?” Ward gasped as he quickly rolled the condom into place.

Skylar looked from him to Charlie and back, his eyes wide and wary. “Can we all go get tested?”

Ward froze. “Tested?”

“Yeah. I mean, you guys will still have to wear a condom when you fuck me, at least until I have my surgery, but for this…”

Ward clamped a hand around the base of his dick. “Geez, Sky.”

A grin slowly spread across Skylar's face. “Was that a yes ?”

Ward glanced at Charlie, who was watching them curiously. “Charlie? Would you be okay with that?” When the boy didn't respond, Ward tried again. “Charlie?” He paused, seeing Charlie's intense focus. “Are you okay with this?” Ward asked, gesturing at himself and Skylar.

Charlie frowned. What this?

Skylar held out a hand. “Come see.”

Charlie hesitated, but then he finally slipped off the bed and knelt beside Skylar, a confused frown still on his face.

“I'm gonna make Daddy feel good,” Skylar told him. He looked up at Ward, gently pushed Ward's hand away from his dick, and took over holding it instead.

Then Skylar opened his mouth and took Ward's dick to the back of his throat.

Ward nearly came on the spot.