34. Drew

CHAPTER 34

DREW

Drew blinked, his sight a little fuzzy as he stared at Mac with hearts in his eyes. After all this time… Finally. He felt buoyant for having said those three little words that he'd wanted to for years. Sure, he'd said them before in friendship, but this was… more. Gazing at Mac, he saw the moment his expression changed to shock.

"Lee?" Mac glanced around. "Lee?"

Oh shit. He'd fucked up. Somehow. He opened up a vein and let his emotions spill out, and he'd… He'd scared Lee. That was the only thing that made sense. Drew dropped into a crouch, covering his face. "I'm so fucking stupid," he muttered. "Stupid. Stupid. Stupid."

"Stop," Mac grunted, shaking Drew's shoulder. "We don't know…"

"Fuck that," Drew exploded, rocketing to his feet, and getting into Mac's face. "I should have waited until we were alone. This is too new. He probably thought we were going to say we loved him next or expect him to say it. Damn it. I like him, I really like him, and maybe… maybe soon, but I would never…"

"Maybe you're right," Mac acknowledged, "but what's done is done. Let's just find him and we'll explain."

Drew looked around and spotted the closed bathroom door. He pointed to it. "There." He took two steps and stopped, grimacing as he looked down at his flaccid cock swinging in the breeze. He double-backed to pull his briefs on. Mac did the same.

He tried the knob and found it locked. "Lee?" Drew knocked softly. "Lee, open the door."

"Go home," came the reply.

"Not going to happen," Mac said, leaning close to the door. "Let's talk about this."

"Nothing to talk about."

"Sure there is." Mac curled his fingers around Drew's hand and tugged him until he closed the gap of space between them. "Look, Drew and I should have exchanged those ‘I love you's' in private, but it wasn't something that you didn't already know. It's why you backed off originally, right?"

Drew pressed his lips together, practically holding his breath as they waited for Lee's reply. When it didn't come, Mac continued speaking.

"Drew and I have always loved each other like brothers, taboo as that is." Mac chuckled at his ridiculous attempt at humor. "We both also know that we can't sustain what we have as it is. Neither of us thought that bringing another man between us would be the glue to hold us together, but that's what happened. You happened. Please, open the door. We want you, and we need to see you."

Mac squeezed Drew's hand, offering support as they waited to see what Lee would do. After a nerve-wracking minute, the knob rattled and turned enough to inch open the door. Mac led Drew inside the bathroom, where they found Lee sitting on the floor with red-rimmed eyes and swollen, bitten lips. He had his arms wrapped around his legs, his chin resting on his knees, curled up in such a way that it was the smallest he could be.

Drew knelt on the floor beside Lee, pressing their arms together. "I'm sorry." He tipped his head to rest against Lee's. "I didn't think about what you'd think when I said that. I didn't think about how you'd feel."

"I overreacted."

"No," Mac said, kneeling on Lee's other side. "You didn't. At least, not too much, but you also forgot one important thing… how much we care for you. This…" —Mac circled a finger to include all of them— "is what I want. I fell for you the moment I slid into that booth at the diner, and I think Drew did, too."

Drew nodded as he lightly gripped Lee's arm. "I did. I thought I'd have to compete with Mac for you, but the three of us make sense. With you, I get the guy I want along with the guy I've always wanted."

"That's it exactly," Mac agreed. "We want you, so the question is: do you want us?" He placed a hand on top of Drew's.

When Lee added his hand on top, Drew sagged with relief. He'd thought he'd blown it. If Lee had chosen to walk away, Drew feared Mac might have, too. He could put those worries on the back-burner for the moment.

"Let's get dressed and cook," Mac suggested. "We'll see how things go. I'm more than happy to just make out on the couch."

Lee chuckled, shaking his head. "Doubtful, but I'll let you believe it." He patted their stack of hands and then pushed upright, sliding his butt along the wall. "Sorry, I ruined the moment." Lee hung his head.

Mac tsked, catching Lee's jaw on his palm. He tilted his chin up and kissed him. Drew inched in, taking over when Mac withdrew. Taking turns would hopefully ease Lee's worries.

"Get dressed and meet me in the kitchen."

Drew blinked at a clothed Mac, who disappeared with a delighted chuckle. He'd always known Mac was a confident SOB, but this sexy, demanding side made all the butterflies in Drew's chest flit about in sheer joy.

Those dirty, filthy things he'd said in the bedroom… Damn. Drew had to grit his teeth to keep from coming the moment Lee took him into his mouth.

"We better do what he says," Lee said, giving Drew a push. As they pulled on their clothes, Lee laughed. "You know, I always considered myself kind of vanilla. I mean, you can't watch porn and not know about Doms and subs, puppy play, Daddy kink, and BDSM. It turned me on watching it, but I never thought I'd experience it."

"Same," Drew replied with a smile, "and I never thought Mac was into that. I definitely learned something new about him today."

"Really?" Lee looked skeptical. "I would have thought you guys talked about everything, being best friends and all."

Drew shrugged. "We didn't talk about ‘conquests' or boyfriends. We'd mention if we were seeing someone, but to be honest with you, neither of us ever had anything long-term. My longest relationship lasted five months, and Mac… maybe a couple of dates."

Lee headed toward the kitchen with Drew a step behind. "You guys have been pining for each other all this time. That's sweet, but doesn't help me feeling like I'm still coming between you."

"Stop," Mac said, bracing on the kitchen peninsula. "If I have to say it a hundred times—a thousand times—I will. We want you, and not between us. Beside us." He stared at Lee before turning his intense gaze on Drew.

If ever there was a moment when Drew had complete faith in his best friend, this was it. Mac would navigate them through their new throupleship. All Drew had to do was stand beside him and help him steer.