Page 35 of The Princess

Taylor walked away and Nash wanted to follow him, pin him to the wall, and kiss the fry salt off his lips. Why had he said they had to go slow? Nash wanted to pound his head on the table but that would draw too much attention, so he settled for finishing Taylor’s fries.

But if he was seriously considering spending an evening alone with Taylor, he might need to have a conversation with his boyfriends first about what speed they were going to take things going forward. Nash wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep putting the brakes on.

CHAPTER 15

DAMON

Every few weeks, Damon met up with Jonah and Spencer. It was a long-standing tradition, but damned if he wanted to be there that night. Ever since Jonah and Spencer had become a couple, it felt weird for Damon to go out for drinks with them. Oftentimes he felt like a third wheel, even though he knew that nothing had changed between the three of them. It wasn’t even that they drank and he didn’t. It didn’t bother him to be around people who still drank. Damon had to admit that maybe he didn’t want to go out with them because he’d rather stay in with Nash and Taylor.

Damon knew he was being silly. Jonah and Spencer were still very much the same as they’d always been. Just now with more kissing. Jonah couldn’t have found a nicer guy to end up with.

Tonight, when Damon could have used the distraction of a few games of darts, there was some sort of unofficial dart tournament going on and was already underway when Damon arrived. He was on time for once because he didn’t have to pry himself off Nash to get there.

Damon slid into the booth opposite to Jonah and Spencer. “Looks like it’s just drinks tonight.”

Jonah blinked at him and Damon thought he looked like a startled owl. “You’re here.”

“Of course I’m here.”

“You’ve been late a lot,” Jonah said. It wasn’t meant to be mean or judgmental, but the honesty of it sliced Damon open.

“Sorry. I’ve been a bad friend.” Running late because he was busy getting tangled in Nash. Ignoring Jonah and Spencer and telling himself it was to give them space in their new relationship, when really it was because Damon was obsessed with Nash.

“You haven’t,” Spencer and Jonah said at the same time. Damon frowned at them.

“Don’t do that again. It gives me the creeps. First you’re finishing each other’s sentences, and next you’ll be wearing matching track suits.”

Spencer put an arm around Jonah. “How did you guess our Halloween costume? We’re zombie gym teachers with matching track suits.”

Jonah poked Spencer in the ribs. “We are not. And you haven’t been a bad friend. Just…if there’s anything you want to share, you know you can. We won’t tell anyone.”

“I know.” Damon sighed. Part of him wanted to tell Jonah about Nash. It seemed increasingly uncomfortable to keep it a secret. Especially now that the addition of Taylor had upgraded him and Nash to boyfriend status instead of friends with benefits.

But if he told Jonah about Nash, he’d tell him about Taylor, and Damon wasn’t ready to face the rest of the Bennett clan about starting something up with the youngest member.

“There’s nothing to tell. I’ve been preoccupied.”

“And we haven’t?” Jonah motioned to himself and Spencer. “I swear sometimes I forget anyone else exists. If it wasn’t for the Sunday brunch and the fire nights, Colby would think I’d gone missing.”

“He’s protective.”

“He’s better now with Milo.” Jonah gave Damon a knowing look. He was certain that Jonah didn’t know all his secrets, but maybe he’d been kind of obvious. Or maybe Jonah was more observant than Damon gave him credit for.

“What can I get you boys tonight?” Yvonne was their usual waitress. She had short, dark hair, tattoos down both arms, and the look of a woman who would take no shit. But she was also really friendly and always seemed happy to see everyone. “The usual?”

The three of them agreed, and Yvonne took Damon’s card.

“But it’s my turn,” Spencer argued and Yvonne shook her head.

“Sorry, nope. It’s Damon’s turn. Don’t argue with me. I have it all up here.” She tapped her temple with her index finger. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

Spencer tucked his card away. “I could have sworn it was my turn.”

“Jonah bought last time, and you did the time before that.” Damon shifted his gaze over to the dart tournament and let himself look interested in what was going on over there instead of what was going on at Nash’s house between him and Taylor.

He poked around his emotions, looking for any sign of jealousy, but thankfully he found none. He wasn’t sure how he’d manage it when he did arrive at that particular bend in the road, because it was sure to happen. But, for now, he was happy that Nash and Taylor were into each other. Nash had been right to call him out on his need to be constantly reassured that it was okay for him to date them both. He’d let himself fall down some sort of doubt spiral and he hadn’t been able to climb back out.

Now, though, those feelings of unease were gone. Almost gone. He still had the odd moment of what-the-fuck-am-I-doing, but it was increasingly rare now.

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