13. Taylor

CHAPTER 13

TAYLOR

Someday in the distant future, Colby and Jonah were going to kill him. And probably Damon and Nash too. But that was a problem for future Taylor. Present Taylor was too busy trying to convince Damon and Nash to take things a lot further than a blowjob. Okay, it was definitely the hottest thing Taylor had ever seen, and part of him thought he might be dreaming.

But Damon was real and solid and right fucking there, and Taylor wanted more. And Nash… God, that man could fucking kiss. Taylor was still weak in the knees just thinking about it.

"We don't need to rush," Taylor heard Nash say. Damon, much to Taylor's dismay, pulled back.

"He's right, you know. We have time."

Taylor sighed and dropped his head onto Damon's shoulder. "So mean. This is, like, epic fantasy material and I get to live it, and you're telling me I have to wait." Taylor knew he was pouting, but he also didn't want to push them into anything they weren't ready for.

"Good things come to those who wait." Nash reached for Taylor and gently tugged him up onto the couch. "Damon needs to let the blood flow back to his feet."

"All my blood is in my dick right now," Damon lamented, shooting Nash a pretend glare. "Okay, so we've established that we're in some sort of love triangle, and that despite how fucking horny we all are…" Damon paused to look at the obvious bulge in Nash's pants, dragging Taylor's attention there. "We are apparently taking things a tad slower than we were going to ten minutes ago. So, my question is, what now?"

"We cut our picnic short," Taylor said, biting his lip. "There's still a ton of food. We could hang out here for a while. It would be a shame to let all that work go to waste."

Damon jumped up and brushed a quick kiss against Taylor's mouth. "I'll get the basket from the car and be right back."

Damon left the apartment like his ass was on fire and Taylor sort of loved how eager he was to spend time with him.

"Damon told me you were going to the lake. It's a bit cold for that, isn't it?"

Taylor shrugged and curled into Nash's side. "I mean, yeah, it was colder than fuck out there, but I'd always wanted to do that, you know. I know it's not very macho or whatever to want to go on a picnic, but it was something I always liked the sound of."

"Macho is overrated. I hope you know that." Nash got up and shoved the coffee table out of the way. Taylor wondered what he was doing at first, then Nash grabbed the blanket that was on the sofa and spread it out on the floor. "It's not as rustic as the lake, but it's warmer."

Nash turned on the television, but changed it to the fire log channel.

Taylor couldn't stop the bubble of laughter that escaped. "That's so cheesy. I love it."

He slid to the floor and sat crisscross on the blanket. He leaned against the couch and got comfortable, almost hating to admit that this was better than the lake had been. Partly because the wind had chilled Taylor right through and partly because he got to be in the company of two attractive and attentive men.

Taylor took the quiet moment as an opportunity to check out more of Nash's apartment. The walls were painted a pale yellow instead of the standard beige that came with most places. The vertical blinds that blocked the view off the balcony could definitely go, or at least be opened to let light in. Although light would matter a lot more if Nash had a few plants to look after.

"What's that smile for?" Nash asked him.

"No reason. Just happy to be here."

The door opened and Damon appeared a second later with the basket in tow. He didn't miss a beat and dropped down on the floor across from Taylor, setting the basket between them.

"I see he's pulling out the big guns." Damon motioned to the television.

"It's not like my apartment has a real fireplace."

"Yeah, but you could get one of those electric ones that plug into the wall like Ethan has." Damon flipped the basket open and rummaged around, laying all the containers out on the floor between them.

Nash looked suitably impressed by the spread. "You made all this?"

"You sound surprised. I do work in a diner. I know that doesn't make me the next Gordon Ramsay or anything, but I know how to cook things."

"I didn't mean it like that. It's just a lot of food. It looks delicious." Nash grabbed a container and popped the top off, discovering the macaroni and cheese in the phyllo dough.

"Well, to be fair, Damon knows how to eat." Taylor laughed as Damon shoved a giant forkful of pasta salad in his mouth. "And it gave me an excuse to try a bunch of different things I saw on the internet."

Nash bit into the macaroni and cheese and Taylor grinned when his eyes went wide and he made a pleased sound.

"Good, right? And they're even better when they're hot from the oven."

"You're definitely having us over for dinner," Damon said. His suggestion made Taylor frown. If they were over at his place, it wouldn't be long before everyone knew what they were doing.

"Maybe I could cook for you two here, or at your place, Damon."

Nash snorted. "You'd have to cook here. Damon has one pot and a microwave. I don't think he even has a frying pan."

Taylor's eyes went wide and he gaped at Damon. "How do you manage to survive?"

"Premade shit. Salads. Chicken strips. Microwave meals. And there's also this cute little diner that I like to go to. The food is great, and the cook is fucking hot."

Taylor's cheeks turned to fire. "Okay, so cooking at Damon's house is out. I'd love to cook for the three of us."

Taylor had simple dreams. Picnics by the lake. Dinner dates and home-cooked meals by candlelight. He didn't care who suggested it or who did what, so long as he got to share it with someone special. Now that he suddenly had two people to share things with, it was like a dream come true. Not that he dreamed of ending up in a polyamorous love triangle with two amazing men, but he wasn't about to argue with fate, or destiny, or kismet, or whatever was responsible for this wonderful turn of events.

He'd always been a romantic. He loved the idea of dressing up and looking nice for someone. Growing up, he watched as many romantic comedies as Jonah and Colby would allow. Jonah was more into action movies and Colby liked dramas. Or those depressing stories that were based on real events. But Taylor had liked the love stories. The cheesier, the better. The grand gestures of undying love did him in every time.

In his head, he was already planning the menu for their dinner date here. And how he'd dress up the table. What he would wear. He didn't even care what Nash or Damon wore. They could show up in basketball shorts. Taylor's cock twitched. Okay, he was definitely fine with that idea. Maybe he could use the opportunity to sneak a few plants in here, too.

"He's so cute," Damon said to Nash. "You can practically see the wheels turning. What is going on in that beautiful brain of yours, princess?"

"Just planning the menu for our dinner date." He shoved a bit of food into his mouth to keep it from spilling all his secret plans. And because they'd started calling him princess and he fucking loved hearing it. If he could, he'd record it and play it on loop in his ears. The fact that they'd given him a term of endearment already made him swoon. It wasn't a normal, everyday one like honey, or baby, or something like that. It felt special. Like they'd never used it on anyone else before and it was just his.

Damon snacked on the peanut butter-stuffed pretzel bites that Taylor admittedly didn't make but packed because he knew Damon liked them. There was definitely something to be said for dating someone he already knew pretty well. It made certain things easier, like food choices. Other things it complicated, like the fact that until they were ready to tell people, Taylor couldn't exactly have them over to his place.

Maybe it was time to move out. His dad could rent the basement out to someone else and make more money. Taylor paid rent, but he knew it was a lot less than his dad could get from someone else. And if he didn't have a basement unit, he could give his plants more natural light.

"So how does this work?" Damon asked. "Do we always hang out in a group like this or what?"

Taylor looked to Nash for answers, just as Damon was doing. It seemed that they'd nominated him as the voice of reason. They acted like Nash was the head of the household, but he was the most grounded, so it made sense. Taylor hoped that he didn't mind the role they'd given him.

"It works like any other relationship. With communication. I don't think we always need to be together. Damon and I had a relationship prior to this and that's still important to me. But it's also important to me that he has time with you." Nash looked at Taylor, and for a second, he couldn't breathe. "And that I have time with you."

Oxygen flooded his veins and he fought the urge to scramble across the blanket and plop himself down in Nash's lap.

"It's something we'll have to work out amongst ourselves. And, yes, we should make a point to spend time as a group like this."

Nash winked at him. Fucking winked. The cruel man, because winking meant he was thinking thoughts that were probably X-rated. And now so was Taylor. And they'd already agreed to slow things down. Because if Taylor had his way, he'd be the entree at their little picnic.

Taylor desperately needed a change of subject. All this relationship talk was starting to make his head spin. He needed time to digest everything and goddamn Nash for being right about slowing down.

"Speaking of work, what are you writing now?" Taylor asked Nash. Over the years he'd learned about Nash's career, but not a lot. Nash kept most things close to his chest. Or at least he did with Taylor.

"Just a little passion project at the moment. I have time before I have to get back to my murder mystery series."

Murder mysteries definitely weren't up Taylor's alley. "Tell me about the passion project."

"It's a sci-fi thing. It's basically like…what if the climate crisis drove humans to the brink of extinction, and our planet was invaded by aliens who said our only hope to survive was going with them?"

"Hell, yes." Taylor grinned. "That sounds fantastic."

"You think?" Nash looked surprised at Taylor's reaction.

"Absolutely. The whole man versus alien conflict and man versus the environment. Then you'd probably have some humans who were okay with the whole thing, and others who wouldn't be, so then there's man versus man to deal with. Sign me up. When does it come out?"

"He's been tinkering with that book for ages." Damon stretched out on his side, putting his head close to Taylor, who slid over and dragged Damon's head into his lap.

"It sounds incredible."

"When it's done, I'll let you read it," Nash promised. He looked at Damon, who had closed his eyes when Taylor started combing his fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp. "He's like a cat. All he needs to be happy is a warm lap and some affection."

"Damn straight," Damon replied, leaning into Taylor's touch. "I have to admit that the lake was nice, but fucking cold." Damon yawned. "If you keep that up, I'm going to fall asleep."

Taylor didn't let Damon's words stop him. "I wouldn't mind."

"He sleeps like the dead. And he snores."

"Hey!" Damon protested. "No fair telling all my secrets." Damon twisted so he could look up at Taylor. "He's trying to make me look bad. Don't listen to him. Besides, he's a bed hog."

"Now, now, boyfriends, there's no need to squabble. If you think that snoring or bed hogging will deter me from spending time in bed with either of you, then you are mistaken. And were it not for Nash being absolutely correct about us needing to not go the speed of light, we'd all be very naked and sweaty right now."

Damon lifted his head and scowled at Nash. "Cock-block."

Nash reached out, grabbed Damon's foot, and dragged it into his lap. Strong fingers dug into the arch of his foot and Taylor watched Damon melt into a puddle of goo between them.

"Oh, God, that's good," Damon groaned. "One day you'll have to get Nash to give you a foot rub."

"All you have to do is ask," Nash said to Taylor.

Taylor wanted to ask for more than a foot rub. He wanted to ask for everything.