Friends, Sexcapades, And Love Affairs - 19. Reverse Musical Chairs

Chapter Nineteen – Reverse Musical Chairs

Adrian lay in bed, his eyes on the ceiling. His mind was full, filled with possibilities and the challenge of a puzzle that carried one name: Edward Hastings. After their torrid affair on the yacht, Edward had gotten an emergency call, and apologetically, he had bid goodbye to Adrian after leaving him on the shore.

When that had happened, there had been something in Edward’s eyes that Adrian wanted to think he knew exactly what it was. Edward hadn’t quite wanted to let him go, and, for a brief moment, Adrian had debated whether it would be a good idea to ask to come along. But, just as fast, the moment had been gone.

If he wanted to be more to Edward than just another lover of many others, Adrian needed to up the ante. That meant that he needed to break through the impenetrable wall that was Edward’s life outside his usual proclivities.

Adrian knew that Edward was a doctor and that he came from money, but details were lacking. Where did he work? Who were his parents, his family? At the Awakening, it was clear that people there had known each other from their respectable lives, but Adrian, just like others, had been an outsider.

That was what he needed to become: not an outsider, but an insider. Adrian smiled at the joke that came to his mind. He had been inside Edward enough for that, but this was about real life, not the one spent in the throes of passion and the shadows of an existence that, apparently, was meant to be kept under wraps.

Edward hadn’t struck him for one moment as someone hiding his sexual orientation, but there was still the matter of his wealthy family and those secretive Sunday meetings that Edward was required to attend without fail.

Adrian knew he would get with Edward where they needed to be. Edward needed it, too, although he probably hadn’t become aware of it just yet. He could run his mouth all he wanted, stuck in his pretense that he was somehow too jaded to enjoy some trite romance. Adrian knew that he needed to lay the net and wait. He could be patient and careful. There was no way he would let Edward get away from him, now that they had found each other.

With that refreshing thought in mind, Adrian climbed off the bed and hit the shower. Someday, he would get Edward to spend entire Sundays with him, but, until then, Adrian had plenty of other things to do. After showering, he would call Jared and Mike and see what they had been up to.

***

Mike clasped his hands together and paced the room while waiting for Jared. Had he gone completely insane? He needed to swear off booze forever; what guy in his right mind handed in his resignation while completely off his socks drunk and stupidly in love with his boss? Apparently, one Mike Cavanaugh.

He grabbed both his cheeks and then slapped them at the same time. That should teach him to be so reckless. Tequila was one hell of a drink if it could turn him into someone who dared to quit his job so that he could pursue a romantic affair with his boss.

His phone pinged, letting him know that Jared was almost there. Without waiting for his friend to reach the door, Mike went into the hallway and looked down the stairs. Jared was jumping the stairs two by two, and his hair looked like a bird’s nest. Yeah, they had all drunken like bottomless pits last night, and it looked like he had taken Jared directly from his bed, and, probably, a hungover.

“Hey,” Jared said breathlessly, but brightly, like it was a good morning or something.

His eyes were shining, and his skin was glowing, but Mike couldn’t quite imagine why Jared looked like that. Maybe tequila had a rejuvenation effect on some people. Clearly, Mike wasn’t one of them. Jared was a lucky guy.

“Oh, J,” Mike said and collapsed in Jared’s arms once his friend reached the landing.

“Hey, hey, it’s not that bad. Let’s get inside, and I’ll make some coffee, what do you think?”

“Maybe some chamomile tea instead? My stomach hurts a little.”

Jared patted his head. “I’ll figure out something. I’m sorry I got a little carried away and let you drink more than you should. I, of all people, should know how much of a lightweight you are.”

Mike allowed Jared to take him inside his apartment and then followed him like a kicked puppy to the kitchen. Without asking for directions, Jared began preparing the tea. His moves were a bit abrupt, and, through the fog of his hangover and self-loathing, he felt the seed of a suspicion growing.

“You really hold your liquor well, J. I envy you.”

“Well, you know, I might have drunken plenty of gallons of the thing in my life. Shane and his ideas,” Jared said and shook his head.

Mike scrutinized his friend, but Jared stood with his back to him, so there wasn’t much to tell from his body language. The suspicion just grew stronger. “What did you and Shane do after you two dragged home my sorry ass?”

“We called it a night,” Jared said. He turned and smiled at Mike.

Mike observed Jared a little more. Bed hair. The same clothes from last night. Stupid grin on his face. Okay, not stupid, but … satisfied? Mike’s eyes grew wide. “You slept with him again!”

Jared’s face fell. He put up his hands and began waving. “No! No! Why would you say such a thing? I didn’t! Who are you talking about? Shane? No, no, definitely no, I didn’t sleep with him!”

Mike could feel some of his hangover going away. He grinned. “You so totally slept with him again. Yes, with Shane.” Jared blushed so quickly that Mike couldn’t believe his eyes. “What happened with being just friends?”

Jared grabbed one elbow with the other hand and stared down at his shoes. “We are friends,” he protested in a meek voice.

Mike scratched his head. “You are? Of course, you can’t say boyfriends without friends, so --”

“No, we’re not boyfriends. Just … friends.”

Mike blinked a few times. So, his brain was a complete mess, but what sense was in that? “Friends who have sex together?”

Jared nodded, although it was clear as day that he was embarrassed. Still, he wasn’t denying it, so Mike was happy that at least, one time, he had read the situation right. If only he were a keen observer of whatever was happening to him or what he was doing when smashed on tequila.

“What kind of friends are those, though?”

“With benefits!” Jared snapped. Just that moment, his shoulders slumped. “Sorry, Mike. I shouldn’t yell at you since it’s all my fault I’m getting in this kind of situation.”

“It’s okay. So that you know, I’m not judging you or anything. But why friends with benefits? Can’t you two be boyfriends?”

Jared continued to look down. “It wouldn’t be fair,” he said quietly. “I don’t have much to offer right now, and it wouldn’t be fair toward Shane to use him as a rebound relationship or something like that.”

“And does he agree with this?” Mike asked, puzzled now.

“Agree? He came with the idea. And I said ‘yes’ because, obviously, I’m not in my right mind lately, and somehow, I thought, at the moment, that having a friend with benefits was an awesome idea.” Jared’s voice was bright again, but a bit forced.

Hmm, so Shane had come up with that. Mike was pretty sure Shane wasn’t the kind of guy to do friendships with benefits, which meant that he was a bit sly, though. He could just go ahead and tell Jared that he was played, but, in this case, Mike decided to keep his mouth shut. If Jared suspected just a smidge that Shane was using any means necessary to keep him close with the clear intention to make him his boyfriend, after all, he would shut down everything, and that wasn’t an option.

Funny thing how he could see things clearly for other people, but not himself. Mike sighed. “Okay. I suppose you guys know better what we’re doing. What am I saying? Anyone with half a brain in this world knows better than me what they’re doing. The hell did I do, J? I messed up everything.” Changing the subject would let Jared off the hook for now.

Jared looked at him now. “Oh, Mike, you didn’t mess up. Actually, it was kind of heroic and a bit funny. Tequila!” He made an impersonation of Mike’s antics from the previous night.

That wasn’t terribly encouraging, but, yeah, Mike could admit, it was a bit funny. He snickered, and then he remembered right away that he was unemployed. “Fuck. I quit my job.”

“It was just a verbal resignation, but I’d say that it reached the correct recipient, so it’s all good.” Jared grinned now.

Mike moaned and covered his face. “I quit my job. I am insane!”

“You’re not. All right, so maybe it was a little Shane’s fault for nudging you to do that, but, well, I don’t think it’s a bad thing.”

Mike took his hands off his face. “Is Shane mad at me?”

“Mad? Why would he be? I think he worries that you might be upset with him.”

“I could never be. It was my decision. I drank, got smashed, and quit my job.”

Jared poured the tea and came with two cups at the table. “Look, Mike, I know that this is way out of your comfort zone, but it’s all for the better. Do you want all your life to think of ‘what ifs’? Now, you’re free to find a new job, and also to pursue Ryan. I think it’s a good trade. And you’re smart and hard-working. Everything will work out for the best, you’ll see.” He caressed Mike’s head. “Drink your tea. You’ll feel better soon.”

Jared’s phone rang. “It’s Adrian. Hey, lover boy,” he said as soon as he answered. “I’m at Mike. Long night, and long story. Hey, Mike, it’s okay for Adrian to come over now?”

“Sure thing. He doesn’t have to ask. I could use another pep talk.”

“Mike says you should hurry,” Jared said with a big smile. “He’s on his way,” he added after finishing the conversation with Adrian.

Mike nodded. “This is some delicious tea, J. Sometimes, I think you know my kitchen much better than me.”

Jared offered a warm smile. “I let you drink too much, so it should be up to me to put you back together.” There was a short moment of hesitation, and then he bit his lips. “Mike, do you think we can keep it a secret from Adrian that me and Shane, you know?”

Mike snickered. “Keep a secret? From Adrian? He would never forgive you. Or me.”

Jared sighed. “Yeah, I know. But I think he’ll give me a lecture again, and I don’t know if I can handle it. I already told Shane that we should keep it hush-hush.”

“J, I don’t mean to brag, but it took me a couple of minutes to realize that you slept with Shane. Don’t you think Adrian will be able to tell?”

“One can hope. Promise me?”

Mike sighed. “With the risk of having Adrian keep me in one of his famous wrestling holds until I can’t feel my body, I promise.”

“Hey, Adrian doesn’t do that anymore.”

“Luckily. I’m so glad he’s always been my friend because, otherwise, I could swear sometimes, he can be the biggest bully.”

Jared rolled his eyes. “Are you telling me? Adrian is into tough love, something big.”

They both laughed. Of course, they knew their best friend like the back of their hands. Mike could swear that Adrian would see the truth in seconds from walking through the door.

***

Mike opened the door to Adrian and hugged him.

“Are we a little emotional?” Adrian asked and hugged Mike back. “What happened with you two last night?”

Mike walked with Adrian into the kitchen, where Jared was now preparing a light breakfast.

Adrian kissed Jared’s cheek in greeting. “Ah, you got fucked all night. Did your cowboy take you for another ride?”

Mike snickered. Jared turned to throw him a murderous glare. “Mike, don’t make the situation worse.”

“Hey, I told you Adrian would know,” Mike said in his defense.

“Of course, I’d know. When Jared gets a good dicking, it’s all over his face. Wait, did you two want to keep that from me?”

Mike put his hands up in surrender. “I didn’t. It was J’s request.”

“You little traitor!” Jared turned off the cooktop. “Now I’m going to be the only one who’ll get the brunt of Adrian’s anger and famous chokeholds.”

“I thought you said Adrian didn’t do that anymore!”

“I lied.”

Adrian was all over Jared, holding him and rubbing his head vigorously. “What’s that I don’t do anymore? Spill out everything, or I’m going to tickle you!”

“I told Mike that you’re no longer a bully!”

“When was I a bully?” Adrian had Jared now in a tighter hold, and he was having fun, by the looks of it.

Mike couldn’t even feel down anymore over quitting his job. He sighed and shook his head. His friends always made him feel normal, no matter what an awkward person and bundle of contradictions he was.

“So, are you two going to tell me everything about last night, or should I tickle J until he pisses himself?” Adrian asked, still not letting go of Jared.

“I quit my job,” Mike said in one go, without one moment of hesitation.

“While you were dancing and drinking? How come?”

“Ryan was also there, and, well, I had too much to drink, and I also talked to J and Shane, and one thing led to another, and I told my boss that I quit.”

“Wow, that sounds like quite the night. Where did you find the guts to do that, Mikey?” Adrian asked with a smirk.

“By the looks of it, at the bottom of a bottle of tequila.”

“And Shane, kind of, came with the idea,” Jared chimed in.

“He just said that I could get with Ryan by quitting my job because he would hire me, and J would let me sleep with him if I became homeless.”

Adrian laughed wholeheartedly. “What a scenario. I guess that came straight from Mike’s deepest fears.”

“You know, you can let me go now,” Jared said, and Adrian released him not without patting him down as if he needed to adjust his clothes. “Ugh, thanks.”

“Okay, you boys had quite an eventful night. So, Mike, what’s next? Are you preparing emotionally for the life of the unemployed and homeless?”

Jared nudged Adrian in the ribs, and not quite playfully. “Stop encouraging him to feel bad, you bully.”

“Hey, I’m just pulling his leg. With that awesome brain of his, he’ll get hired somewhere in no time. Plus, I suppose Ryan would give him some great recommendations.”

“I don’t know about that,” Mike said. “He did ask me not to leave the company before because he thinks I’m a good worker. I have a feeling that I let him down. Even drunk, I know that I saw a look of total dismay on his face.”

Jared intervened. “He’ll get over it. He’ll lose the server guy, but he’ll get a lover. I’d say that it’s a good trade.”

Mike shook his head. “I don’t know. It could be that I read everything wrong.”

“Yeah, right.” Jared snorted. “I suppose that romantic dances on the roof are just part of how Ryan runs the company. Just how many employees did he do that with?”

“Let’s not forget about kissing, and that blowjob Mike gave him,” Adrian added.

“Hush, don’t be an ass, Adrian. Mike needs to focus on the romantic side right now.”

“Romantic? Like you?” Adrian looked at Jared with a crooked smile. “How was your cowboy ride?”

“Let’s focus on Mike here for a moment. He’s the one going through the most important change to date in his life.”

Adrian looked like he wanted to add something, but Mike could tell that Jared was too happy to be left off the hook.

“So, how long should you stay with them before you can go your merry way and romance your ex-boss?” Adrian asked.

“What?” Mike asked, a bit confused.

“You need to give them two weeks’ notice or something, right? I mean, it depends on the company policy and --”

Mike felt a new surge of terror growing inside him. “I don’t know the policy! I mean, I think I knew when I got hired, but right now, I can’t remember!”

“Hey, hey,” Jared began, “don’t get upset over details. You will know tomorrow when you go to hand in your resignation as you should. I mean, in a formal manner.”

“But it will be so awkward!” Mike covered his face and moaned. “How come I didn’t think of that? Of course, I didn’t think of much, so that’s --”

“Mikey,” Adrian interrupted him, “chill, dude. At most, it could be another month of doing what you were doing as usual. A bit of a transition period cannot hurt. You’ll have time to get used to the idea, and you’ll be able to send naughty texts to your boss, with promises of what you’re going to do to him once you’re no longer his employee.”

Jared punched Adrian in the shoulder. “Mike won’t do that. He will keep it to the boundaries of employer and employee until he’s off the hook. Then, he’ll do everything he wants.”

“Speaking of boundaries, now that Mike knows that he has our full support during these trying times, what about yours? Where did your determination that you would only be friends with Shane go?”

“They’re still just friends,” Mike intervened.

“Yeah,” Jared admitted and began staring at his shoes again.

“Friends? Like fuck buddies?” Adrian asked.

“Something like that,” Jared replied, but his voice was getting gradually quieter.

“Hmm,” Adrian said. “And what does Shane say?”

“He came with the idea,” Jared explained.

Adrian opened his mouth to say something, but Mike caught his eye and shook his head. Adrian’s eyes lit up with understanding. A knowing smirk curled his lips. “I see. I didn’t know cowboys were so worldly.”

“Yeah. I mean, I was quite surprised,” Jared replied.

“And you went with it.”

“I guess I did.”

“Don’t regret it,” Adrian warned, just about as Jared began to sigh.

“But it’s the kind of situation that warrants regrets,” Jared said. “I mean, we met at the wrong moment.”

“That’s just your opinion.”

“I’m not in a mood for a new relationship. I feel jaded, and I’m afraid I’m going to be mean and suspicious, and treat Shane badly when he doesn’t deserve it.”

“And being fuck buddies means that you don’t have to worry about any of that.”

“Pretty much, yeah,” Jared replied.

Adrian rubbed his chin in thought. Mike exchanged another look with him. It wasn’t totally fair that they were doing that with Jared present, but their friend was a bit of a head in the clouds kind of guy, and he felt the need for emotional complications. Maybe someone grounded like Shane was the best fit for him. Plus, it looked like Shane knew how to deal with Jared better than anyone could have imagined.

“Then that’s a great idea,” Adrian said. “We also like Shane, so it’s cool that he’s hanging out with us. Isn’t that right, Mike?”

“We love Shane,” Mike confirmed. “I like it that our group is getting bigger. And, you know, we never brought anyone we liked into our circle. Isn’t it a shame?”

Jared threw Mike a curt like. “This is about having a new friend, not bringing anyone we liked in a different way, right?”

Mike swallowed. “Yeah, that’s what I meant. Since we all like Shane and all. And not the kind of like that makes us want to sleep with him, I mean, nothing is wrong with that, but --”

“I get it, Mike,” Jared said, amused now. “It’s kind of crazy what I’m doing. Don’t you guys think?”

“Hey, as long as he’s a good lay, I say go for it,” Adrian said with a shrug.

“And I think so, too,” Mike added. Adrian could keep a straight face while saying that, but, for him, the struggle was real.

“Are you guys making fun of me a little?” Jared narrowed his eyes and stared at them in turn.

Great. Mike was sure he was making a face, and now Jared was starting to get suspicious.

“We always make fun of you,” Adrian replied promptly. “You’re too easy to tease.”

“I thought that was Mike,” Jared said. “Sorry, Mike, not like we think badly of you or anything. It’s just that you’re too cute sometimes, worrying about the smallest things.”

Mike smiled. “Yeah, that’s totally me. And I don’t mind, at all. And we’re not making fun of you. It’s that, just, this friends with benefits thing is too new, at least for me.”

“Frankly, I don’t recall ever having a friend with benefits, either,” Adrian added. “See, Jared, you’re advanced compared to us.”

Jared rolled his eyes. “Seriously, dudes, I’m not buying it. But I laid my bed, and I have to lie in it, I guess. There’s no turning back for now, or I’d hurt Shane’s feelings.”

Mike fought the temptation to seek Adrian’s eyes again.

Jared continued. “I need to ask you guys something. I told Shane that I want to keep it a secret from you, and he now thinks that you two don’t suspect anything. Can you keep it a secret from him that you know?”

“Sure,” Adrian said.

The answer took Mike by surprise, but usually, Adrian knew what he was doing. He would have to ask him later. “Yeah,” he agreed, too.

“All right. Thanks a lot, guys,” Jared said. “Just so you know, the moment he finds someone he wants to be with, I will just get out of the way, no hard feelings.”

“Yeah, that’s like the first rule of friends with benefits,” Adrian replied.

“And how do you know? I thought you said that you never had any relationships like that,” Jared shot back.

“Hey, I’ve never been to the North Pole, but that doesn’t mean that I cannot point it on the map,” Adrian said with a smile.

Jared shook his head. If he had any suspicions, he looked like he kept them for himself. “So, no word of it when we hang out.”

“Of course,” Adrian said. “Shane is one of the guys. We totally get it. Right, Mike?”

“Yeah,” Mike hurried to say. “Now that you know all about our crazy night, how was yours, Adrian?”

Adrian leaned against the kitchen counter. “Quiet. I slept in my own bed. Alone.”

Jared turned toward him. “Alone? How come? Weren’t you supposed to be with Edward on his yacht or something?”

“That was during the day. And we did fuck like rabbits,” Adrian said matter-of-factly. “But he got an emergency call from work, so he had to leave.”

“You don’t seem disappointed. You fucked your fill, right?” Jared teased.

“Yeah, that, too. But, you know, I like this about Edward, that he takes his job seriously. The guy has a frigging yacht, but if there are people who need him, he doesn’t hesitate. I’d say that makes him a good guy.”

Jared laughed and pushed himself against Adrian’s shoulder. “Since when are you into good guys, Adrian?”

“Since I kind of feel the need to settle down with one guy.”

Mike felt his jaw-dropping. All their teasing, his and Jared’s, about how Adrian had found himself a boyfriend, had been only that. To hear Adrian say that he wanted to settle down was the biggest thing ever. “Settle down? Like marriage?”

Adrian smirked. “Hey, let’s not jump the shark here. I’m only talking about a serious relationship, like in the kind of guy that I would bring home to mom and dad.”

“Oh, damn, Adrian, you are serious!” Jared exclaimed. “Look who’s the advanced one of all of us. And what does Edward say about it all? I thought he was against relationships or something.”

“He’ll come around. We’re getting to know each other more and more. I told him that I’d win the game.”

“What game is that?”

“The one in which I make him need me, for real. He likes to think that he’s this cynical bastard that will never do relationships. And I told him that I wasn’t after some romantic thing.”

“Aren’t you?” Jared asked a bit puzzled now.

Adrian smiled. “Well, I am, but I’m not going to let him know that. I’ll just be so deep in his business that he won’t be able to say ‘no’ to anything I ask.”

Jared seemed to ponder. “Adrian, there is a chance Edward is, indeed, the cynical bastard he claims to be. He says it without hesitation, from what you’re telling us.”

“Hush, J. Don’t project your disappointment in dudes over this. Edward just hasn’t met the right person. I mean, until me.”

Mike remained silent, although he did have to agree with Jared; Edward did seem a cold person, and Adrian was getting worked up over him. Maybe the opposites attracted, and that was why things like that were happening. Still, it wasn’t like Adrian to be blind; it looked like he was caught up in a challenge, and there was no way of telling just how involved he could end up.

“Maybe you could bring him to meet us,” he said. “I mean, it would be cool. J and Shane already met Ryan, kind of. It’s only fair that we get to meet this famous Edward.”

“It’s an idea,” Adrian agreed. “All I’ve been thinking is how to infiltrate his life outside what he does with me when I could get him more involved with mine, too.”

“That sounds swell,” Jared replied. “I’m curious to meet him, too.”

Mike watched Adrian. He seemed preoccupied all of a sudden. It was great that he liked this guy so much, but Mike knew that Adrian, as tough as he wanted to believe himself to be, he didn’t take being hurt well. When he had ended things with Alexander, he had been down for months and then chosen to be a playboy who took guys and discarded them at will. Mike could only hope Edward wouldn’t be another Alexander. It had taken Adrian so much to be over that hurt from a long time ago.

***

They parted ways with the promise that they would hang out in the evening as usual. Jared was barely home when his phone rang. He smiled when he saw who was calling. “Hey, Shane. What’s up?”

That was totally normal between friends. There was no need for excuses to call.

“How’s Mike? Is he all right?” Shane asked after greeting him. There was genuine worry in his voice.

“He’s fine. We helped him think up the resignation letter so that he doesn’t get cold feet tomorrow.”

“We? Was Adrian there, too?”

“Yeah, he came a little later.”

“Ah, cool.”

“We’re hanging out tonight. Do you want to join us?” Jared asked.

“Sure thing. I’ll have to do something at the pub, but then I’ll join you. Same place?”

“Yeah. We’re creatures of habits,” Jared explained. “You might get bored with us.”

“I have my doubts about that,” Shane replied. “You’re a cool bunch. And I had fun with you and Mike the other night. It wasn’t boring at all. Actually, it was pretty exciting.”

Jared laughed. “Yeah. Mike quit his job.”

“Yeah.” Shane chuckled. “But I wasn’t talking only about that.”

Jared could feel his cheeks catching on fire. “Ah, you’re teasing me.”

“Just a little,” Shane drawled.

“O-kay,” Jared replied in turn. He was new to the whole friends with benefits thing, but he could hold his own. “So, will you come to the bar directly, or should I pick you up? I really won’t drink tonight, so I think it’s a safe bet for me to be the driver tonight.”

Shane chuckled. “Are you looking for an excuse to drive me around as you please?”

Jared snorted. “Better said, I’m looking for an excuse not to drink, for once. It looks like I take the craziest decisions while I’m under the influence.”

There was a moment of quiet on the other side. “Do you regret it?”

Jared didn’t need additional explanations for what Shane was talking about. “No, not one.” He was, sort of, lying, but he didn’t have the heart to retreat, not at this point. As long as they played it safe, no one was bound to get hurt.

“Good, that’s good. Will you wear those tight jeans tonight, again?”

“I think I’ll go for something more comfortable.”

“You look good in those.”

“Thanks,” Jared said quickly. “So, should I come to get you tonight? I’m just being a good friend, I swear.”

“Come by the pub. I’ll be there until later.”

“Sure thing. See you, Shane.”

“Bye, Jared. Can’t wait to see you.”

Jared sighed as he put the phone back into his pocket. It was nice talking to Shane. Everything seemed so simple, so direct with him. Even this friends with benefits thing. Nothing was awkward. Shane was an awesome guy all around, and Jared was happy to have him as a friend.

Maybe he could wear the tight jeans again, just for Shane.

***

Adrian frowned as it looked like the person on the other end didn’t want to pick up. He was about to give up when Edward’s voice came through.

“Hello, Adrian.”

“Hi,” Adrian replied, a bit surprised that Edward had picked up the phone, after all.

“Is there something the matter?” Edward’s voice was distant.

“Are you free tonight? If you are, I’d like you to meet my friends. My best friends.” Adrian spoke quickly as if he was afraid he would be refused.

“Meet your friends?” Edward said every word as if he needed the time to understand their meaning.

“Yeah. You must be done with your obligations by now.”

“Not by far.” Edward’s tone was clipped.

Adrian got a bit annoyed. “What is it that you have to do all Sunday? And it’s not until tonight so --”

“Are we doing this, Adrian?”

“This? What do you mean by this?”

“Are we having our first conflict? And over the phone?”

Conflict. Not a fight, like between lovers. They weren’t part of adversary debate teams, for fuck’s sake.

“No, we’re not.” Adrian needed to chill a little. Getting hot-headed with Edward wasn’t a good idea. He had the power of an iceberg on his side. “I just wanted you to meet my besties.”

“Intriguing,” Edward commented. “And what, exactly, would it achieve?”

“Achieve? Nothing. They’re just curious about you, and they want to know you.”

“Have you told them a lot about me?”

“Just that we fuck,” Adrian said. He didn’t like to become vulgar like that, but Edward was getting a bit on his nerves.

“I see. So they must have a strange idea of me already.”

“No, they don’t. They just know you’re the guy I like.”

Shit. Talking about slips of the tongue.

Edward laughed. Adrian wanted to strangle him through the phone.

“Honest to a fault, aren’t you, Adrian?”

“Nah, that’s not it. You know already that I don’t want to take you for moonlight walks.” Adrian was in full damage control now. He and his tongue.

“Good. Does this little meeting matter to you, then?”

“A lot.”

“Say ‘please’.” Edward’s voice dropped to a seductive whisper.

Adrian wanted to laugh it off, but he wasn’t in the mood for games. “Please, Edward, come and meet my friends.”

Another chuckle followed. “You are disarming, Adrian. Send me the details, and I’ll see what I can do.”

“That’s great.”

“Is this all?”

“Yeah. Wait. About your emergency yesterday, how did it go?”

Edward sounded a tad surprised when he replied. “There was an accident involving kitchen equipment. There were quite a few victims, and I can help when there’s a shortage of hands on deck.”

Adrian smiled. Edward’s voice warmed considerably when he began talking about his work. He sat on the couch and stretched his legs. “Tell me all about it.”

“Are you certain? I might bore you to death with medical terminology, or gross you out with details on human suffering that should never happen to anyone.”

“I’m not squeamish. And I’m sure those people were lucky to have you take care of them.”

Edward hesitated for a moment. “I suppose I can spare a few minutes and tell you all about it.”

“Go ahead,” Adrian encouraged him.

“It’s unusual to have non-sex talk,” Edward pointed out.

“Not at all,” Adrian replied, determined not to let Edward off the hook.

“All right then.”

Adrian smiled as Edward began talking. Whoever the guys who had Edward’s attention before had been, they must have been idiots not to get to know the real man. Adrian really wanted that; he wanted to get to know Edward completely. He had a hunch that he would like him even more.

***

“Hey,” Shane greeted him and kissed him on both cheeks, the moment he climbed out of the car.

Jared replied in kind and kissed back, although he couldn’t completely deny the sudden trepidation he was experiencing when Shane let his hands lingered on his waist. “So, all done here, then?”

“Yeah. Now I’m free to hang out with you and the rest of the crew. How’s Mike feeling?”

“I think we’ve already talked about Mike over the phone.”

“Yeah, but I want to make sure that he doesn’t want to strangle me the moment we see each other.”

Shane hooked one arm over Jared’s shoulder. It was just casual, and it didn’t mean anything.

“I wouldn’t worry if I were you. Mike’s a sweetheart, really.”

Good thing they had to get in the car and Shane let go of him. His reaction toward the simplest touch from Shane was totally out of whack. He needed to rein in his stupid attraction. The point of getting laid like friends was to take the edge off that. So far, it didn’t seem to work so well.

Maybe more of the same thing was needed. The attraction would have to wear off if there were no feelings to sustain the sex. With that in mind, Jared climbed behind the wheel. A short look at Shane and his knees were butter.

Shane leaned toward him before putting on the safety belt and whispered in his ear. “You really look great in these jeans.”

Jared blushed but ignited the engine without a word. Shane was just fooling around. He was too serious to play him, right?

***

Adrian and Mike were already at their usual table when they arrived. Mike hurried to embrace and kiss Shane on both cheeks, while Adrian offered him a manly hug. Jared couldn’t be happier to see his best friends taking so well to their new addition to the group. Shane was a swell guy, and he was a great friend.

This time, Jared didn’t bother when Shane let his arm hanging on the back of his chair in a gesture of possession. Since Adrian and Mike knew what was going on, Jared was no longer on guard about not letting things become too obvious. The only one not aware of what the others knew, like in a reserve game of musical chairs, was Shane. Somehow, Jared felt that it wasn’t fair, but he had already complicated the situation by becoming fuck buddies with Shane and then telling him to keep it a secret.

“Mike, I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’re not mad at me,” Shane started. “I tend to be the idea guy when no one really needs my ideas.”

“I’d say you’re a guy full of smart ideas,” Adrian said with a knowing smirk.

Jared threw his friend a cutting look. Adrian met his eyes, and his grin grew bolder. He should have known that Adrian would find the situation too funny to leave alone. Under the table, he stretched one leg and kicked Adrian subtly in the shin. The grin on his friend’s face faded a little. Jared smiled sweetly.

Mike hurried to put Shane’s mind at ease. “Don’t worry. I was the one who drank too much and then quit his job. You didn’t hold a gun to my head to do all that. I will assume full responsibility.”

“That’s great to hear. I really meant what I said. If you can’t find work fast or just need something to tide you over, I think I can use an IT guy to modernize the equipment I have at the pub.”

“Thanks, Shane. You’re awesome.”

“You’re welcome. And your boss, he’s a looker.”

“Yeah, he is,” Mike said, and let out a dreamy sigh. “Maybe, one day, we’ll all get to sit at a table like this one, with all our boyfriends.”

Jared tried to pin down Mike with his eyes, but without success. Mike was already lost in a fantasy world, probably dreaming of Ryan and how it would feel to be with him. He would just let this one pass. It didn’t seem that Shane had picked up on that allusion. Yeah, ’cause he was a straitlaced kind of guy, and he didn’t read anything into words like that.

“I called Edward,” Adrian announced. “And he might just drop by,” he added quickly.

“Really? Edward the royalty?” Shane asked. “I should have worn better clothes.”

Adrian laughed. “I won’t let him look at you too much, Shane. You’re a charmer, and I don’t like competition.”

Jared snorted. “Seriously? Since when?”

“Since I don’t want other guys to get close to my guy.”

“Your guy, huh?” Jared smiled. “Does he know?”

Adrian wasn’t easy to faze. “He’ll know, don’t you worry your pretty head about that.”

“I can barely wait to meet him,” Mike intervened. “But I should have worn better clothes, as Shane said.”

Jared patted Mike’s hand. “Shane was just joking.”

“I’m not,” Mike replied. “I don’t want to reflect badly on Adrian.”

“I can’t see how that would be possible,” Jared protested. “Plus, if Adrian thinks we’re worthy of meeting His Highness, I don’t see why we should be anything but our true selves. Right, Adrian?”

“Sure thing. And this is a test for him, not you, guys.”

“A test? Like how? Will you drop him if we don’t like him?”

Adrian chuckled. “Let’s not go down that path. But so far, we’ve always gone where he wanted and in his type of environment. I just want to see him away from that. You know, in a real light.”

“That’s kind of deep, Adrian. I had no idea you’ve matured so much lately.”

“What can I say? I’m the wunderkind.”

“Hey, hey, tone it down,” Jared said. “We love you, but we don’t want it to go to your head.”

Adrian stuck out his tongue. “Too late.”

Jared looked around for a server. They had been in there for at least ten minutes, and no one had cared to take their order. “It’s a bit busy tonight. Should one of us go seek someone and tell them that we’re parched down here?”

Shane made a move to stand. “I’ll go.”

Adrian intervened. “Not you. Let Jared go. He knows the place.”

Jared patted Shane’s thigh. “It’s true. And you’re still new. Let me handle this.” He stood up and searched the place with his eyes. It was packed, all right, so he needed to head over to the bar.

***

Adrian waited a few moments for Jared to be out of earshot, and then he grabbed Shane by the shoulder. “Look here, lover boy, we know what your game is,” he said in a low, funny voice.

Shane grinned at him. He didn’t seem impressed. “Did Jared tell you everything, then?”

Mike whispered, “No, but we kind of figured out, and then he couldn’t deny it. Now, he thinks that you don’t know that we know.”

Shane laughed. “Wow. What kind of best friends are you, you sly foxes?”

“Isn’t that a case of the pot calling the kettle black? What’s the end game, cowboy?” Adrian increased his hold on Shane’s shoulder.

“Haven’t you guys figured it out already? I’m not going to let Jared walk into the sunset with some random guy while I still have a chance.”

“You know that he’s bent on this idea that it’s not the right moment and all that.”

“Yeah. That’s why I’m leaving him a breather. You know, to discover on his own that he likes me.”

“He likes you,” Mike confirmed.

Adrian patted Shane on the back. “Stay true to your words, cowboy. If you hurt our friend, it will be hell to pay. Mike here, he bites.”

Shane made a face like he was terrified.

“I do?” Mike asked.

Adrian nudged him playfully. “You do.”

“Yeah, totally. I’m like a vicious dog.”

“A Chihuahua?” Shane teased.

They began laughing.

“Don’t worry, guys. I really like Jared. I won’t let him get away from me that easily.”

Adrian smiled. That was a man who knew what he wanted, just like him. For the umpteenth time since he had walked in, his eyes traveled to the entrance. It could be that Edward wouldn’t come at all, but he couldn’t stop hoping.

The noise in the bar died down a fraction, just as Adrian moved his eyes away. And then, his head turned toward the door on its own accord.

Looking perfectly yummy in a casual shirt and khakis, Edward was there. He didn’t need a neon sign above his head. The guys sitting at the tables close to the entrance were gawking at him.

Yeah, that was his guy right there.

TBC