Page 15 of Double Dare

She rolls her eyes at me.

“Like, who the fuck is cool with that?” I ask, honestly wondering.

“People who want it. People who like more than one person. People who like threesomes. People looking for more than the normal relationship dynamic. I don’t know. Plenty of people, I’m sure. Why you fighting it?”

I chug the tea like it’s a double shot of whiskey, setting the cup down on her nightstand. “Because I’m scared. Scared that what I want isn’t obvious, so the discussion might have been misguided.” Because it’s not just sexy times and hot threesomes I’m after. I’m after a relationship. With her. With him, too, but I want her heart just as much as he has it.

“So take your own advice and be honest.”

I shake my head. “Not yet.”

Maeve smiles at me. “Plan?”

I shrug. “Make it about sex for now. Test the waters. See how everyone feels after things shift a bit and then figure it out from there.” If it’s just a physical thing to start, it makes me less vulnerable. For now. I’m not going to jump all in and hope for the best because things like these don’t always work out. My heart can’t handle any more breaking, but my whole damn self can’t handle not trying, so here we are.

It sucks that I couldn’t fall for Maeve. She’d be an amazing life partner, but I’m still lucky enough to have her as a best friend. On nights like this, I need her more than I need art.

“Remember when you told me you love me?” I ask, grinning at her. She nods, laughing at the memory of my minute freak-out. “We might not have worked out how we wanted, but I think we got something better.”

“What’s that?” she asks.

“Respect and understanding. A hype team. I will forever bust your balls about confessing who you are, and you’ll always be here, nagging my ass about Laken.”

“So eloquent,” she chides. “You know I love you, Kade. You’re stuck with me and my Laken nagging.”

“And I’ll chase off all your pathetic boyfriends,” I laugh. “And this dick?” I motion to mine. “You’re cut off. If you want kinks, you gotta admit to this guy what you’re after.”

“Yeah, because that’s the reason.” She smiles at me, winking. Everything is the reason. Our arrangement has just come to a natural end, and I’m okay with it. “Thank you,” Maeve says. “For everything.”

I don’t even know how to thank her, so I just nod and pour myself more tea.

Chapter 7

Dom tries to hide his exhaustion from Liam, but it’s no use. Liam might be slightly medicated, but he isn’t dumb. With a tight smile and love in his eyes for his boyfriend, Dom heads out to use the bathroom and freshen up.

Liam is looking a lot better. He has more color to his face, his eyes are open and pale blue, he’s no longer sweating and weak, and his voice has a lot more strength behind it. Seeing him now, I realize we made the right call bringing him here. He was so gaunt it was hard to look at, for shit’s sake.

“Thanks for doing all this, Laken,” Liam says, touching my hand in gratitude. Even though he’s looking better, I kind of love that he’s still gruff and a little rough around the edges. I think that’s just who he is.

“Always. I hate that he kept you a sexy secret,” I laugh.

Liam groans, but there’s a smile on his face. “I think he’s still trying to convince himself there might be a possibility he isn’t gay.”

“Does that bother you?” I can’t imagine Dom being ashamed of it. Maybe he’s just coming to terms with something he never really knew about himself. Who am I to judge?

Liam shakes his head. “No. It took me a really long time to come out, and when I finally did, it wasn’t how I wanted it to happen. I got pressured into it, and it didn’t go well. He’s gay as balls, just so we’re clear, but I’ll give him that time. I’d never force him to reveal himself. I’m considering it a good step that he told you.”

“Well, I’m warning you right now, if shit gets to be too much for him during your recovery, I’m telling his mom so she can be there for him. I don’t want to betray his trust, but I do want to protect him.”

Liam nods, his eyes glistening with tears he won’t let fall. “That’s fair. I wish I could just afford rehab, so I don’t have to put this on him. I’m a catch, eh?”

“You are,” I say, meaning it.

“How’d you get clean?”

I think back on those days, and the most prominent memory from all of it is my dad. “I did a rehab program at the hospital in my hometown. It was a day program thing, like summer camp, for fuck’s sake,” I laugh. “Spent all day there, and then my dad picked me up at five. It helped, but mostly, it was my dad who got me through it.” Forever grateful to that man. I miss him.

“You don’t look like an addict.”

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