Page 26 of The Princess

“Like I said before, we can’t do this if everything between us turns into one of us reassuring you that what we’re doing is okay.” Nash felt like he’d been cast in the role as bad cop, the hard-ass who laid down the law. But, most of the time, it was what worked between him and Damon. It would be silly to change how he did things now.

Nash turned his gaze over to Taylor because he could still feel Taylor’s eyes on him, searching for something. Validation? Maybe. The truth? Probably.

The truth was the age gap didn’t matter to Nash. Taylor was confident in many ways. Sure of his skills in the kitchen and with plants, but still unsure about other things. Like his new look, which Nash loved. Even when Taylor added softness to his features with makeup, he still looked very much like Taylor. It didn’t transform him. It revealed him.

“I’ve had the hots for both of you for-fucking-ever. So forgive me if I sound overwhelmed, but…me? Seriously?” Taylor looked to Nash for answers. “How long?”

Nash shrugged. “I don’t know, to be honest. You’re Colby’s brother, so I tried not to notice you, but you make it pretty fucking hard.”

“You did a good job of hiding it.” Taylor clung to the blanket like it was a lifeline.

“I’ll say,” Damon agreed. “I should’ve realized sooner. But why didn’t you say anything when I told you that I liked him?”

“Because you liked him,” Nash said, unable to keep his tone even. Surely even Taylor must have heard the well, duh behind the words because he snickered. “And I wasn’t sure he liked me.”

“Oh, trust me.” Taylor’s voice had a dreamy, husky quality that had Nash’s dick taking notice. “I saw you guys kiss one time, and it’s all I’ve been able to think about ever since.”

“Do it,” Damon said, and Nash turned to look at him. “Kiss him.” Damon appeared almost beside himself with happiness and probably arousal, if he was feeling anything close to what Nash was. This burning need in his blood. A spike of adrenaline and that feeling of awe he got whenever there was a big storm brewing on the horizon. Like this thing was a force of nature and Nash was powerless to stop it.

Aware of movement, he turned just in time to see Taylor shove the blanket away and slide across the gap between them.

His cheeks were rosy, either from makeup or maybe the wind still. His eyes were impossibly bright and deep, like glimmering lakes Nash could get lost in.

“You can say no,” Taylor’s lips said, but his eyes dared Nash to refuse. Dared him to say no while they begged him to give in.

Nash didn’t have to be asked twice. They leaned in at the same time, drawing together like magnets. Taylor’s skin was soft. That was the first thing Nash noticed when he skated his hand over Taylor’s cheek, caging the back of his neck and pulling him closer, tilting his head up so Nash could meet his mouth at the perfect angle.

Taylor made a little sound of surprise, then reached for Nash, gripping handfuls of his shirt. He scooted closer, winding his arms around Nash’s neck. Impossibly soft lips parted and Nash took the act as permission to slip his tongue into Taylor’s mouth.

Nash couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. There wasn’t enough oxygen in the room or blood in his body to supply his brain with the proper function it needed to fathom what was going on. He’d been at home alone one minute, then the next Taylor and Damon were here and everything was different.

The kiss. The confession. They’d changed everything.

Taylor was the first to pull away and he gazed up at Nash, lips parted and shiny. Breathless. Doe-eyed and so fucking pretty Nash wanted to pin him down and kiss him everywhere.

“Holy fuck,” Taylor said. His breath hadn’t returned and the words were barely a whisper.

“I’ll say.” Damon, however, had no trouble speaking. He’d moved closer and was sitting on the edge of the recliner. Watching with obvious interest as Nash and Taylor stayed tangled up together.

Taylor pulled away, a frown appearing on his face. “I don’t want to come between you.”

Damon snorted. “That’s funny, because I do want you to come between us. Over and over and over.”

Heat seared through Nash, frying all the synapses in his brain like scorched earth.

“I—” Taylor was dumbstruck. “That’s not what I meant.”

“I know exactly what you meant, but seriously, Taylor, this is sort of perfect, don’t you think?” Damon moved out of the recliner and sat on Nash’s coffee table like the heathen he was sometimes. Nash didn’t have it in him to care, though, because it put Damon within touching distance for both him and Taylor. “I like Nash, and you. And Nash likes me?—”

“Mostly,” Nash teased, earning him a scowl from Damon.

“If we all like each other, we can all see each other. Either as two couples or one big, happy, love triangle.”

Taylor frowned again. “Isn’t that where one person has to choose between two people?”

“That’s a vee,” Nash said. “Like a triangle without a bottom. In a real love triangle, everyone is connected.”

“Well, we don’t have to worry about a bottomless triangle in this situation,” Taylor supplied with a straight face. His eyes darted back and forth between the two of them. “I don’t mean to be forward or whatever, but I’m so fucking turned on right now, it feels like my dick might explode.”

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