Page 60 of Complete Me

I snuggle against him and sigh happily as Kaino lays down on Bjorn’s other side. I meet their gaze across the huge expanse of Bjorn’s body. Their head is on the pillow, but they’ve hooked one ankle across Bjorn’s, and placed a hand on his chest, palm up. That’s when I realize we’ve been touching each other quite a lot, and it couldn’t have been easy for Kaino to do that. The fact that they’re still seeking touch, even something so small as crossed ankles or holding hands, has me swallowing the lump in my throat. I slide my hand into theirs and squeeze. They smile back, and I feel the last of my energy drain away as the warmth of Bjorn’s body seeps into mine, easing the remaining tension. I let my eyes slide closed, exhale in complete satisfaction, and drift to sleep.

22

Kaino

I check my appearance in Bjorn’s full-length mirror, smoothing nonexistent creases from the front of my button-down shirt while doing my best to stay calm. I’ve met most of the people coming to dinner, so my anxiety about tonight is unnecessary. I truly don’t care what they think about me. I’m used to being the outsider, the ‘odd duck’, the ‘eccentric.’ People judge me all the time, but I don’t want that to carry over to the people I care about. And that means I want things to go well tonight for Bjorn and Xander’s sake. They probably will. Bjorn’s family are good people, and as long as Bjorn’s happy, they most likely won’t bat an eye that we’re in a poly relationship.

I shake my head at my reflection, still a little overwhelmed. I’m in a relationship. A poly relationship, at that. The thought is almost laughable, given my spotty history with dating and my terrible track record. Yet, somehow, the three of us are making it work. Yes, Bjorn is a bit paternal and needs to chill out. Xander can be dramatic and a real brat, and I’m standoffish, but we’re learning how to work through the differences. After three months of friendship, two of those months dating, we’re still happy to be together. If things were going to blow up, I think they would have by now. Probably.

From the bathroom, the hair dryer goes quiet, and a minute later, Xander wanders into the bedroom, wearing a towel slung low around his slender hips. He meets my gaze in the mirror and winks. “You look very handsome.” He adjusts my collar, though there’s nothing out of place. It’s his version of considerate touching. It’s amusing and actually quite sweet. That’s possibly the most surprising thing about Xander. He’s a genuine sweetheart. “Purple is a wonderful color for you. And those pants really accentuate your assets.” He waggles his eyebrows. “By assets, I mean your ass.”

I snort. “I caught that. Very classy, Xander. But thanks, I suppose.”

He slowly leans in, giving me time to turn my face or step away. But I don’t, and our lips meet in a soft, affectionate kiss. “You’re welcome.”

Bjorn, Xander, and I spent the entire weekend together, not that it was intentional. Dinner on Friday was supposed to be just that. Dinner. With maybe a little fooling around after. I’m pretty sure I surprised all of us by wanting to be part of the physical intimacy. Friday evening was supposed to end with Xander and me leaving for our respective homes. Instead we ended up staying the night.

Then the plan was to go home the next morning, but Bjorn hit us with those damned puppy dog eyes, and we stayed for breakfast. He tried to get us to stay longer, but I was wearing the same clothes from the night before, and felt gross, so I put my foot down. Bjorn did use his wily charm to get us to agree to come back and stay the rest of the weekend. Xander drove me to my apartment and we agreed on a time for him to come back and pick me up after we both showered and packed an appropriate overnight bag. Or two. At least in Xander’s case. He wanted options for tonight’s dinner with Bjorn’s siblings.

Xander wanders to his duffle, plucking out a fresh pair of boxer briefs and pulling them on before stepping into dark brown chinos. He wanders closer, looking like he wants to reach out and wrap his arms around me, but he doesn’t, respecting my space. Instead, he gently bumps my shoulder with his. “Are you worried about tonight?”

I nod, and he exhales, his entire body relaxing. “Oh thank god, because I’m about ready to jump out of my skin. Intellectually, I know Bjorn’s family wants whatever makes Bjorn happy.” Xander bites his lip, his eyes going a bit wide and wild. “But what if that’s not me? For him or for you.”

“Xander.” I look him in the eyes, making sure he’s paying attention. “Much to my surprise, we three made it through the last forty-eight hours together without getting on each other’s nerves. Much.” I grin and he rolls his eyes. “The inadvertent experiment has actually been a rousing success. At least in my opinion.”

That’s in no small part because Bjorn and Xander always try to put me at ease, allowing me to initiate touch or asking before they do. They check in and respect my boundaries even though I’ve given consent, never assuming one yes means all physical contact is okay. Being with them is more than just sex. It’s intimate, absolutely intense, and far more emotional than I expected.

Bjorn and Xander touch each other almost constantly, spending much of the time with their arms around each other. But they never pressure me to join them. The intimacy is still there, and I feel included, but they clearly respect my desire for space. Which I’d sorely needed after spending so much time in physical proximity to them this weekend.

Xander nods. “It has been incredibly successful. In spite of our very different personalities. I was fully expecting more drama.” I raise an eyebrow at him, and he rolls his eyes. “Fine. I fully expected that from me. But this weekend has been fun. Relaxed.“ He takes off his glasses and pulls on a lightweight V-neck sweater. It looks comfortable, and the toasty hazelnut hue complements his coloring. “As far as his family goes, the person I’m most worried about is Gunnar. If anyone has a negative reaction, It’ll be him. Even if the others don’t approve, they’ll be polite. With Gunnar, who knows what you’ll get.”

“Bjorn’s convinced it’ll be fine, and I can’t think of a reason Gunnar would object.”

Xander pulls his fingers through his long hair, fluffing the parts that the shirt flattened, before putting on his glasses again. I take a slow breath in and quietly exhale, suppressing the hot professor fantasy reel playing in my head. I may not have a strong libido, but I can appreciate a sexy person, especially when they’re right in front of me. Xander tugs his cuffs over his wrists and grins. “Ready?”

No. Not really. “Let’s go.”

By the time we reach the bottom of the stairs, the delicious scent of roasting meat, tomatoes, and spices reaches us. I inhale deeply. “Something smells amazing.” We hear Bjorn’s animated voice coming from the kitchen and head in that direction. “I think that’s a great idea. You seem to get a lot of comfort from Pita when you’re here. A service dog of your own might be a huge help for you.”

I step into the room, slipping around Xander’s tall body so I can see more than his lovely backside. A huge wall of a man, comparable in build to Bjorn but closer in height to Xander, with a mane of thick blond hair well past his shoulders, has his arm around Jules Evans. Based on family resemblance and the intimate way Jules is leaning into him, the blond must be Erik. The moment we’re spotted, Pita presses heavily into Jules, who slides the fingers of one hand into his fur. “Thanks bud, but it’s okay. I know Kaino.” I read the words on his lips more than hear them, and I realize he’s using Pita as an emotional support animal.

Bjorn turns, following their gaze, and practically beams at us. “There you two are. I was wondering if I’d need to come find you.”

Today’s apron is navy blue and emblazoned with ‘Once you put my meat in your mouth, you’re going to want to swallow’ in white lettering. I snort, gesturing to it. “Once again, very classy. You two are a pair this evening.” I jerk a thumb at Xander. Bjorn laughs and looks like he wants to haul us into a hug, but he hesitates, glancing at his brother. His reticence is understandable, and it doesn’t bother me, but Xander doesn’t seem quite as understanding. Before things get tense I nudge Bjorn. “Care to introduce us?”

As if he knows what I’m doing, Bjorn winks at me and turns to his brother. “This is Kaino and Xander. And, this”–he jerks a thumb toward Jules and Erik–”is my brother Erik and his fiancé Jules.”

“Hey, guys.” Erik takes a step toward me, hand outstretched.

I clasp my hands behind my back as Xander steps between us and takes Erik’s hand, shaking it. “It’s nice to meet you, Erik.” He waves to Jules. “And you too, Jules. I’ve heard a lot about both of you.”

Erik glances at me, unsure what to make of my reaction or Xander’s intercession, but Jules reaches forward and grabs his hand, tugging firmly. “Hi, Kaino.” He looks up at Erik. “We’ve met. Kaino is Tadhg’s interpreter friend.” He nods at Xander. “It’s nice to meet you.” Jules’ voice is quiet, and he’s gripping Erik’s hand so tightly that his knuckles are white, but he manages a tentative smile and returns his gaze to Erik. “You know how I’m not comfortable talking to people I don’t know?” Erik gives Jules his full attention, and I see them both relax a bit. “Well, Kaino doesn’t like touching people they don’t know.”

Erik’s eyebrows shoot upward in surprise, then he nods, mouthing a silent “Oh” before turning back to me. “It’s nice to meet you, Kaino. Sorry, I wasn’t aware.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Erik. And I would have said something about the handshake, but Xander has a chivalrous streak.” Behind me, I hear Bjorn choke on something, and I try not to smile. “And, as Jules mentioned, my pronouns are they/them.”

“Thanks for letting me know.” He slips his arm around his fiancé and pulls him closer, kissing the top of his head. “You too. Thank you.”

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