Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

“ I can’t do this. I’m insane. Why would I do this?” James stood at the corner, staring into the coffee shop. He worked as a barista and went home and worked on his novel. That was it.

That was all.

He didn’t risk being recognized, he didn’t risk relationships, and he didn’t do stupid shit.

He could see the group he was supposed to join through the window, all laughing, happy.

He stood there, just caught. Stuck.

Then the dark-haired man with those brown eyes looked up, stared at him. So fucking intense.

Then the man smiled and jerked his head, the invitation to come over there clear.

“Dammit.” Now he’d seem like an asshole if he walked away. He crossed the street, letting his hair obscure his face.

The dark-haired man stood as he went in and came over to them. “Please, have a seat.”

“Hi. I just… didn’t want anyone waiting on me.” He wanted to go home. He’d already made a fool out of himself.

“We haven’t minded a bit,” the man told him. “We’re all having a good time chatting.” Then he held out his hand. “I’m Silas.”

Right, the Silas with an s at each end from earlier. He should have remembered the name. He blamed it on the accident. And he’d remember now. “James. Pleased. I’m sorry about the spill earlier.” It was obvious Silas and the silver-haired stud were lovers.

“You’ve already apologized, and I think we can put it behind us, eh, Bran?” Silas looked at the silver fox, one eyebrow raised.

“It was an accident. Sorry for yelling. You startled me.”

“Yeah. Ditto.”

Silas made a noise that might have been a snort, and his lips twisted, but he didn’t actually laugh. “So tell us about yourself, Jamie.”

He wasn’t a Jamie. He was a James. “I sling coffee. That’s really it.” Nothing else was up for public consumption.

“Right.” Oh, the silver fox had a great voice when he wasn’t yelling. Even if he was being snarky.

“There’s nothing wrong with a little mystery,” Silas noted. “We’re glad you came out for taco night.”

“Well, I can’t stay long, but you all were so nice…” And he was so lonely.

“Is everyone ready to go?” One of the other men asked—Jerusalem, he thought, thinking back to the orders from earlier.

There was a chorus of “yes!” and “tacos!” and they all got up, laughing and excited.

He dropped back behind the group, because he could hide here, stay out of sight. Silas and Bran both dropped back with him, one coming up on each side. So much for hiding.

Dammit.

He followed, gaze on the guy in front of him. He should have worn long sleeves to hide his ink… what if someone recognized it?

“You don’t have to be nervous,” Silas told him. “This is a friendly group—all of us, not just Chrissy.”

“I’m sorry. You all seem very kind. I’m just a little shy.” Ha. He was just tired of being recognized and having to move.

“We can work with shy,” Silas told him, giving him a wink.

Was the guy flirting with him?

No. No way. Pretty was totally with Mr. Scary. Totally.

They all trooped into the taco shop and Chrissy bounced over. “Jerusalem is getting tacos for everyone! We can all just sit, and they’ll be brought over. He’s getting fish ones and beef ones and chicken ones and veggie ones—something for everyone.”

“What kind do you like?” Bran asked him.

“I like the guacamole ones best,” he admitted. “But I like them all.”

“We’ll make sure you get a couple of guacamole ones, then,” Bran told him.

“Yeah. We’ll take care of you,” Silas added.

“Oh, that’s all right. I’ll take what’s left.”

“No.” Bran shook his head. “You’ll get the ones you want.”

He didn’t know what he was supposed to say, exactly, so he didn’t respond. He just listened to the guys laugh and play.

He wasn’t quite sure how it happened, but he found himself sandwiched between Silas and Bran in a booth, Jerusalem and Chrissy across from them, when the food came—a huge plate loaded with tacos.

“Whoa…” That was amazing.

“I know, right? So yummy.” Chrissy offered him a warm smile.

“Jamie’s favorites are the guacamole,” Bran pointed out. “Anyone else at our table prefer those?” Bran looked around and when everyone shook their heads, he grinned. “Excellent. It looks like there are four of those here—they’re all yours Jamie.”

“Oh. You’re all sure?” God, that was so sweet. He wasn’t starving, but he wasn’t living the high life.

Not anymore.

Bran put four tacos on his plate, then four—a variety of them—on Silas’s plate before taking four for himself. Jerusalem did the same, filling first Chrissy’s plate, then his own. Amazingly there were still a few tacos left on the big tray. It really was a feast.

“Thank you.”

“They take good care of us.” Chrissy grinned at him. “It’s magical.”

“It’s what we do,” Silas said, giving him a warm smile.

“Well, it’s super kind. Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome. I love tacos. You can’t be unhappy while eating tacos.” Both Silas and Bran said the last sentence together. Then they chuckled.

“How long have you two been together?” he asked, desperately curious.

Silas tilted his head and looked at Bran. “Ever since we were twenty?”

Bran nodded. “About that. So… over ten years.”

“Yeah. We found each other, now we just need our boy.”

“Indeed.”

They both turned and looked at him.

“You’ve lost a son?” Oh god. How horrifying. “I’m so sorry.”

Silas frowned. “What? No, no. We haven’t lost anyone. I’m talking about our third. Partner. We’re made to be a triangle. Bran and I are like two peas in a pod, and we need a boy of our own to balance us.”

“Oh… Oh!” His eyes went wide and his cheeks burned. “Shit, I’m so sorry.”

“No apologies are needed.” Silas put a hand on his thigh, squeezed gently. “It was an easy mistake.”

“I just—” Was an idiot. He was just an idiot.

“Just what?” Silas asked, voice soft, expression gentle. God, he was a pretty man.

“I made an assumption, that’s all. Stupid of me.”

“Don’t do that.” Bran didn’t speak gently. In fact, it sounded more like an order. “Don’t denigrate yourself like that.”

What did he say to that? Nothing? Did he quip back? He didn’t know. God, he had the worst headache.

“Eat, boy,” Silas told him. “I hear they’re your favorite.”

“Oh, I’m not… I’m just James, thank you.” And he was going to catch on fire.

“It’s cool, huh? Just breathe.” Chrissy reached over and squeezed his hand.

“We just want to get to know you,” Silas told him. “We thought it would be easier here with a group. With people you know.”

“Yeah. I’m sort of solitary, I guess.” His attention landed on the food. “The tacos look amazing.”

“Please eat,” Silas told him. “Everyone eat—that’s what we’re here for.”

Jerusalem and Chrissy dug in, but Silas and Bran seemed to be waiting on him.

He added salsa, then dug in, finding the tacos simply delicious. Oh man. This was perfect.

Bran patted him on the back and then the guys both dug in as well, and quiet descended on their table, apart from the crunching.

He hadn’t realized how hungry he was, but the tacos were too good to deny. He powered through three before he slowed down.

“We’ll order more if there isn’t enough,” Silas noted as he grabbed another one off the big plate in the middle of the table.

“Oh, this is plenty. I’m happy to pitch in if we need more, though.”

“No, it’s my treat for the whole group today,” Jerusalem told him, Chrissy looking at him like he’d hung the moon.

“Thanks.” Silas and Bran spoke as one.

“Well, thank you. That’s very kind.” He offered Jerusalem a smile.

“You’re welcome. I’m pleased you decided to join our group this evening.”

“How could I resist?” I did pour a coffee on one of you.

“We do tacos every Tuesday,” Jerusalem noted. “Silas and Bran come most of the time.”

He got a pair of grins from the men in question.

“That’s cool. How did you all meet?”

“Bran and I met at a gallery.” Silas gave Bran a grin. “I fell in lust the moment I saw him.”

“I’ve been friends with my Daddy since the beginning of time.” Chrissy leaned into Jerusalem with a moony grin.

“Careful, we might get cavities.” Despite the gruffness of his voice, Bran was clearly teasing.

Okay, so this was more than an idle kink, he guessed. He didn’t judge. He didn’t get it, but he didn’t judge.

“Anyone want anymore?” Jerusalem asked once the tacos were gone.

“No. I’m full, but they were so good, thank you.” He wiped his mouth.

“Delicious, but we’re good,” Bran answered.

“Maybe ice cream for dessert?” Silas suggested. “On the way home?”

“Do you ever not want ice cream?” Bran asked, chuckling. Silas only grinned in reply.

“Thank you so much for the invitation. I loved the tacos.” And he ought to go home. Nap. Fantasize a little.

“You’re welcome. Anytime. Really.” Jerusalem was a nice man. Chrissy was lucky.

“I hope to see you guys in the coffee shop again.” It made for an interesting day.

“I’m sure we’ll be back again soon.” Jerusalem stood and Chrissy got up with him.

The other two… didn’t get up.

Okay.

“Have a good night, guys.” Jerusalem gave them a wave, and Silas and Bran said thanks, waved back.

The other guys were all dispersing as well, mostly in couples and then it was just the three of them.

“I guess I should go. I don’t like to walk back in the dark.”

“Oh, we’ll make sure you get home safely,” Silas promised.

“We’d like to get to know you better,” Bran added.

“I—You would?” What was he supposed to say?

“Yes. We would.” Bran’s smile was so warm.

“This is a little weird. I mean, I’ve never had a threesome…”

Silas chuckled softly. “We forget that it isn’t normal for everyone. We’re so used to it.”

“I’m not judging, but… you didn’t ask if I was queer…”

Silas and Bran looked at each other, then back at him, and it was Bran who asked, voice very bland, “Are you queer?”

“Well… yes.” Not that he took advantage of that a lot. It was tough out there, but he wasn’t a virgin.

“This is my shocked face,” Bran told him, then winked.

Silas chuckled. “We only tease because we just know, you know? I imagine you could tell too, hmm? That Bran and I were gay?”

“It’s obvious that you two are super into each other.”

“We’re a couple,” Silas told him. “But like I said, we’re lopsided, and we know there’s a boy out there who’s ours.”

“Oh… you… it’s okay with both of you, then. That’s cool.”

“It is. We’ve had a number of lovers. Boys who needed us, but who weren’t ours, you know? Not a forever thing.”

“But we want to know about you,” Bran told him. “Everything from how old you are to your favorite color to your hobbies. Everything.”

Oh god. No. Absolutely not. So he went with the truth, but in the most wild way. “I’m totally in hiding from my former fame. Everything is a front.”

One of Silas’s eyebrows went up, and he looked skeptically over at Bran, but Bran gave him a smile.

“He’s telling the truth.”

“Oh, you need to say more then,” Silas told him.

“I—It’s your turn, I think. You can tell me things about you.”

“I love ice cream,” Silas said. “All flavors, but my very favorite is vanilla.”

“The only thing vanilla you like.” Bran’s tease was fond.

“Bran on the other hand doesn’t like ice cream at all, but he does like gelato.”

“Oh… I love gelato. Dark chocolate and coconut together. So. Good.” He’d had it on a shoot in Rome.

“You have good taste,” Bran told him.

Silas snorted. “There’s more to sweets than chocolate.”

“Of course, but you have to admit it’s one of life’s finer things.”

Silas shook his head. “I can take it or leave it.”

Bran looked at James. “You see what I’m dealing with here? Blasphemy.”

James chuckled softly. “I’m sort of a chocolate guy…”

Silas pouted, and Bran raised his hand to give James a high-five. “Good lad!”

“I like fruits too, though.”

“Mmm. We both like fruits and vegetables,” Silas noted.

“There isn’t much we won’t eat,” Bran added. “How about you?”

“I love good food, but sometimes I just want popcorn, you know?”

“Comfort food?” Bran asked.

He nodded. It totally was. “What about you?”

“Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup,” they answered together.

“Oh, yummy. Good pick.”

“Favorite meal?” Bran asked.

“Oh, wow…I’d have to say lasagna, salad, and garlic toast.” He chuckled and shook his head.

“Why is that funny?” Silas asked. “It sounds great.”

“It’s just a lot of carbs, right?” Not that he had to stress that. He was… skinny. And he wasn’t in the public eye anymore, either.

That made Silas chuckle and Bran look grumpy.

“You don’t look like you need to worry about carbs,” Silas noted.

“You look like you could use regular good meals.” Bran was growling but didn’t seem angry at him.

“I’m just a busy guy. Always distracted and running.” And he didn’t have a kitchen. He rented a “bedroom” with a microwave and a minifridge. It was fine, and if he squinted hard, he could pretend it wasn’t really a closet.

“You need a Daddy,” Bran told him.

“Or two.” Silas smiled at him, a hand sliding onto his thigh.

His lips parted. “I don’t—I haven’t ever, like that.”

Not with two men, and not with… daddism? Dadditude?

Silas stared at him, brown eyes seeing into him. “That’s not a no.”

“Yeah, but it should be. I’m not a safe bet, guys. Honest. I like you both, I think. Can we… are you willing to just be friends?” Eventually everyone found out about his former life.

“We’re happy to start as friends. But you should know that we’re interested in more—it would be dishonest not to let you know that.” Silas stroked his leg, the touch gentle, almost not there.

“What do you mean by not a safe bet?” Bran asked.

“I can’t say. It’s not illegal or anything… I’m not a criminal.”

“Hopefully, we’ll earn your trust and you’ll tell us one day.” Bran had such a deep, quiet voice.

“It’s just…” He sighed. “I should let you have your ice cream…”

This sucked.

“I don’t even like ice cream,” Bran reminded him. “And we’d rather spend time getting to know you better.”

Silas nodded vigorously. “Absolutely. You’re definitely better than ice cream.”

“We can’t just sit here, though…”

“No, they’ll probably kick us out fairly soon. Would you like to come back to ours?” Bran asked. “Jerusalem and Chrissy can vouch for us—you can also text them to let them know where you’ll be.”

It… would it be so bad, to simply go and hang out?

“We’ll be good, we promise,” Silas told him.

Bran snorted. “Speak for yourself.” Then he winked at James. “Of course we’ll be good.”

“All right. Just for a bit. Oh, wait. Where are you located?” He didn’t want to walk too far to a bus stop.

“We’re right downtown, in the old houses by the canal. We will also make sure to get you safely home.”

“It’s part of being good,” Silas added.

“Let me text my roommates.” He found the group text. Going to a friends near the canal. Bran and Silas. Be home later. He also sent a picture of them.

oooo, hot friends

right? 2sexay

get ‘er done!

go A!

woo!

studying. SHUT UP

His last roomie just sent a thumbs-up.

“Everything okay?” Bran asked.

“Yes. My roommates.” He rolled his eyes.

“How many do you have?”

“Seven.”

“There are eight of you living in one place?” Bran looked honestly shocked.

“There are twelve of us living in the house, but only four have kitchen privileges, so we don’t count them.” It wasn’t as wild as it sounded. It was cheap, fun, and safe.

“You don’t count the people who have kitchen privileges?” Bran chuckled, the sound dry. “Why do I suddenly feel old?”

Silas reached across James to stroke Bran’s belly. “You’re not old, love. You’re just right.”

“I’m just starting my next career, and this is the way to go. Cheap and safe.”

“Absolutely. It just seems like a lot of people in one place to me and Bran, that’s all. Also, I have a bunch of new questions, but maybe we should save them for home, hmm? We’ll light a fire and settle in front of it with some popcorn and hot chocolates.”

“Oh, that sounds great…” He was in.

“Fantastic.” Bran stood and held a hand out to him, helping him up. Silas scooted along after, and they headed out and down to the right.

“It’s about a fifteen-minute walk from here. Sound good?” Silas asked.

“Sounds great. What do you two do for a living?” It was obvious what he did.

“I own a gallery and Silas is an artist.” Bran looked over at Silas like he’d hung the moon.

“It was how we met, actually.”

“I still tease him sometimes that that’s why he’s still with me.”

Silas snorted. “And when he does, I tell him to look in the mirror and that’s why I’m still with him.”

“You two are adorable! I love that!” He was jealous, sure, but more crazy pleased.

Silas and Bran both stopped and looked at each other for a long moment. Then they laughed.

“We’ve never been called adorable before,” Silas told him.

“Well, I think it’s true. It’s obvious you two love each other.” He thought it was so sweet.

“We do.” Silas linked arms with him as they walked along. “I love every inch of his growly ass.”

“And I put up with every inch of his,” Bran said.

He made a decision there and then not to get in between these two. No way.

“All we need is our boy,” Silas noted.

“That would be perfect,” Bran added.

He didn’t know what to say, exactly. “Are there a lot of them? Like looking?”

“A lot of boys looking? No. There are a lot out there needing, though. We’ve nurtured several and seen them on to healthy, happy forever relationships.” Bran gave him a wry smile. “We’ve never found our one, though.”

“It was good, though, loving on them. They needed us and we needed them. We need to do our thing. It’s important.”

He nodded like he understood. He didn’t, but it didn’t really matter. They seemed like interesting men, and he was intrigued.

Silas and Bran turned the corner, bringing him with them. When they stopped, it was in front of a restored house with an elaborate garden out front. Even in the dark, he could make out numerous flowers and bushes, and even some rocks and statues.

“Welcome to our home.” They spoke together, voices warm.

“It’s lovely.” Natural and green and lush.

“Thank you.” Bran unlocked the door, and they went in, Silas still arm in arm with him. They walked through a hall with a bench on one side, and he was led to a huge living room with a fireplace. Silas led him to the couch that faced the fireplace while Bran went and lit a fire. It must have been already built up because it caught flame immediately.

“Wow. This is stunning.” He remembered living like this, at least vaguely.

“Thank you. It hasn’t been cheap, but we wanted a place that was a sanctuary for us, you know?” Silas sat close. The couch was incredibly comfortable, and he and Silas were almost snuggling, the cushions tilting them together.

Bran turned and smiled at them. “Hot chocolates? To go with the fire and learning about each other.”

“I… I would love that, thank you.” These men were so kind.

“You need help?” Silas asked.

“Nah, I got this. You stay and entertain our guest.”

“Should I break out my top hat and dance shoes?”

Bran snorted. “Only if you want him to run screaming from the house.”

Silas laughed and threw a fluffy pillow, which Bran caught neatly and tossed back at the couch before leaving the room and heading for the kitchen James could see on the other side of a huge island.

He looked around the big room, finding it still cozy and filled with books and art and knickknacks. So pretty.

“You like it?” Silas asked. It looked like the answer was important to him, too.

“It’s beautiful. Honestly. It’s like… a fairy house, but in the best way.”

“Well, two fairies do live here after all.” Silas gave him a wink, eyes sparkling in the firelight.

“Oh, ho!” He cracked up, because he’d done that. His first big role had been a fairy in a mini-series, wings and all.

Silas laughed with him, the handsome face looking younger and even more handsome with the humor.

“What kind of movies do you like? What shows do you binge?” Silas asked.

“I love movies, all sorts. I especially like buddy movies, ensemble casts.”

“Oh, buddy movies are awesome, aren’t they? What about binging? Can you lose hours watching one episode after another?”

“I don’t have a television, but I watch on my phone a lot.”

“Well, now you have another reason to visit us.”

“I swear I’m not pitiful. I’m just living frugally so that I can start my writing career.”

“You’re a writer!” Silas waved a hand at Bran as he came in with a tray of mugs. “Bran. Jamie’s a writer!”

“No. No, I’m trying to become a writer.” He wasn’t a writer. Not yet.

Bran put the tray down on the side table and looked right at him. “Do you put words down, boy? Do you do the act of writing?”

“I—Yeah?” Whoa. That was… Wow, he’d never thought of it that way.

“There you go,” Silas told him, and Bran nodded.

“If you write, then you’re a writer. Simple as that. Now, what you are is working toward getting paid for your writing, eh?”

“Yes. Well, I’m working on finishing a book first.”

“You’re a writer,” Bran told him, sounding absolutely sure. Silas just grinned.

“Well… okay.” If that made them happy.

Bran patted his thigh. “Be proud of yourself, boy.”

“Oh, I’m not hard on myself, don’t worry.” He was fine.

“Well, have a hot chocolate,” Silas suggested, and Bran handed him one of the mugs, a dozen little marshmallows floating on the top.

“Oh, how fun! I haven’t had marshmallows in years.” He applauded.

“It’s the secret to hot chocolate,” Bran told him, sounding absolutely serious. “That and using a dash of vanilla in with it.”

“Bran makes the best hot chocolate. Even I like it,” Silas noted.

“Well, thank you. I feel spoiled rotten.”

Silas looked pleased at his words. “Then we’re doing something right.”

Bran settled next to him on the couch, putting him in the middle again. Between the two of them and the fire, it was warm, cozy, and the hot chocolate was the cherry on top.

He sipped the cocoa, relaxing, his body melting into the heat.

The guys seemed happy to just sit and drink their cocoa as well, an easy quiet falling over the room broken only by the sound of the fire crackling. It was weird because he’d only just met them, but the silence wasn’t awkward.

In fact, he barely noticed when someone rescued his cocoa mug as he dozed off.