Page 81 of Touch In Excess

“Both?”

Feeling for Taylor’s head, Jet carefully moved his legs around his partner and then set his refresher down on the table before opening his arms. “Come here.”

Skye looked over at Taylor, checking in with his eyes, and Taylor rolled his own. “Go get your cuddles. I’m too swamped to care.”

Skye wasted no time leaning into Jet’s space, letting his much larger friend tug him into a tight embrace as they settledback against the cushions. Not to be left out, Thursday gave a loud trill and hopped up on Jet’s lap, shoving between them.

“What’s wrong?” Jet asked.

Skye took a small breath. “How do I fuck another man?”

Jet made a sound like he was choking on his tongue. “Babe, if you haven’t figured out that by now, I don’t even know what you’re doing at work.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Skye said, shoving at him. “How do you fuck someone else after you fall in love?”

“Oh,” Jet said very softly.

Taylor cleared his throat, then stood up. “I’m going to excuse myself from this conversation if you don’t mind.”

“Shit, I’m sorry,” Skye said in a rush. Taylor’s voice was very tense. “I didn’t mean?—”

“No, hon. It’s not you.” Taylor flipped his laptop closed and bent down, pressing a kiss to Skye’s forehead. “I’ve been having a bad week, and it’s making me feel irrational. Jet’s been amazing at giving me extra attention, but I don’t think I can hear this right now. I’m going to go bother August for some help with my photos.”

“He’s a finalist for this huge international award in photography. He has to submit a portfolio along with the piece that’s been nominated,” Jet said, grinning proudly. Taylor’s cheeks pinked.

“Will you show me the piece?” Skye asked him.

“Yep. Come by later after your crisis has been averted.” He squeezed Skye’s shoulder, then leaned in and took a filthy, quick kiss from Jet. “Tell me you love me,” he murmured.

“To the ends of the universe,” Jet said only just loud enough that Skye could hear it. He pretended he couldn’t. Those words belonged to Taylor.

Gathering his stuff, Taylor let himself out the front door, and Skye collapsed back against his friend. “I didn’t mean to screw up your harmony.”

“You didn’t,” Jet assured him. He ran his hand up and down Skye’s arm. “And I’ve been where you are. The first few sessions after I realized just how in love I was were…hard.”

“Did it go back to normal?”

Jet worried his bottom lip between his teeth, then let out a breath. “No. Not…not exactly. It got easier. But it took a lot of embracing the concept that Sloth isn’t all of who I am. That he’s the man who does this job, and Jet is the man who loves Taylor beyond all ration and reason.”

Beyond all ration and reason. That was exactly how he was feeling. It was too goddamn soon, but he was struggling to give a shit what everyone else considered normal or the right time. As Stone had said to him before, everything else was details. He had time to learn details, and he didn’t need to deny what was in his heart to do it.

Rami was his. And he was Rami’s—totally and completely.

“I’m going take your silence as understanding,” Jet said after a beat.

“Fuck. Uh…yeah. Yes. I’m just in total crisis mode because Rami is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and somehow, tomorrow night, I have to check that shit at the door and go make a man fall for me for a handful of hours.”

“You have to make him fall for Gluttony. You have to keep him wanting and needy and indulgent until that timer runs out. And then Gluttony clocks out, and Skye goes home to the love of his life,” Jet corrected.

Skye let out a rush of air. “How did you do it?”

“We spent as much time together as we could. Taylor was dealing with his own crisis over his studio, and he was kind of buckling under the weight of grief from all his terminal kids,”Jet said. “He needed more space than I did, and giving it to him was hard, but it was worth it.”

“I don’t know that Rami wants a lot of space,” Skye mused. “He wants time to be left to his art, and he likes quiet—which works for me. But he seems to want me nearby.”

“So be nearby. Figure out your new normal for the both of you. Figure out where you fit into his life and where he fits into yours.”

That was the only real thing that scared Skye in that moment. What if they fit together but didn’t fit anywhere else? What if Rami’s family hated him? What if Rami didn’t like the Sins? Things had gone well so far, but Skye had a long history of people disliking him for no real discernable reason other than he had that kind of face.

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