Page 4 of Duped

“Why aren’t you at work?”

Tarek stuffed a throw pillow beneath his head so he could hold Dodge’s stare while they talked. He was painfully aware of exactly how far his feet were from Dodge’s massive dick. “I’m off today.”

“Cool. We should get high.”

Tarek fought not to roll his eyes. “You know they randomly drug test at my job. I can’t afford to be unemployed.”

Dodge blinked at him—like the concept of money eluded him. “Sure you can. Quest and I would take care of you.”

Tarek’s smile was out of his control. Dodge was sweet. Tarek knew if he needed them, Dodge and Quest would have his back. Salem would snap his fingers and they would do anything to keep him happy. It was almost funny. The stepbrothers were straight, but they adored Salem. People thought the three shared the mansion JD left to them because none of them were willing to let go of their portion. Nothing could be further from the truth. The three were inseparable. From the day JD brought Salem to live with him and his sons, it was like the three of them met their soulmates. Sometimes Tarek felt like an outsider. That was why he needed to forge a new path. No matter what they claimed, Tarek was an interloper here.

“You’re sweet.”

Salem’s head appeared over the couch. He kissed Dodge’s cheek. “Hello, sweet angel. Where are your clothes?”

The same clueless chuckle Tarek had gotten fell from Dodge’s lips. This time, it was accompanied by a blush. He grabbed a throw pillow and covered his crotch. “I forgot them.”

Tarek and Salem exchanged a glance. Salem rolled his eyes, but he still affectionately ran his fingers down the back of Dodge’s neck—like stroking a pet. “Go find them and I’ll make you breakfast.”

Dodge nodded. His blush didn’t recede.

Tarek was fascinated.

Salem headed for the kitchen while Tarek stared at Dodge.

Dodge didn’t move. For a moment, he seemed to disappear inside himself before focusing on Tarek once more. “I don’t remember what we were talking about.”

Tarek smiled. “That’s okay. Salem’s cooking will do that to a person.”

The way Dodge smiled nearly made Tarek sigh. Yeah. God had favorites. Dodge stood and tossed the pillow aside. He turned away before Tarek got the full show. Tarek kind of wished he hadn’t. For a moment, he almost swore Dodge was semi hard. He had zero interest in Dodge beyond friendship and the enjoyment he got from looking at the guy. Still, he would have paid good money for that show. It had been way too long since Tarek had sex. He had never been one to enjoy casual flings. Maybe he just had bad taste or something, but he had never gotten to enjoy a one-night stand that hadn’t been all about getting used with zero thought to his pleasure. Tarek wouldn’t waste precious prep time on that bullshit. He was done with settling.

For a full five minutes, Portland sat in his car and stared at the three-story stucco beach house. It sat on a corner lot and had its own lighthouse. While Portland had heard the stories of the mansion JD had left behind, Portland hadn’t realized this was the one. He loved it, except now he truly couldn’t picture Tarek being interested in his money. Why would he need Portland if he lived here? His mind had glitched a bit since pulling into the driveway. The more he learned about Tarek, the more it looked like the guy actually wanted Portland for Portland. He didn’t know how to feel.

Giving up the puzzle for now, Portland climbed from the car and headed for the door. Every new detail of the house he saw made him fall a little more in envy. The front door was unlike anything he had ever seen. It was mostly glass but solid and intricate-looking—like it was an indestructible beauty. He rang the doorbell. A musical chime floated through the air, caressing his ears. Fuck. Everything about the place was magical. The door swung open and a tiny blond sprite stared out at him. Portland knew immediately it was Salem.

Salem’s sparkling green gaze slid down Portland’s body before meeting his stare. He looked young. Uncomfortably young. Portland knew he had to be old enough to get married and work at a casino a few years ago, so he had to be at least Tarek’s age, if not a little older. He looked fifteen. Portland didn’t find that attractive in the least.

“Is Tarek home?” Portland asked when his brain worked again.

“Portland, right?”

That threw Portland every bit as much as the sight of the house. Did Salem recognize him from somewhere, or had Tarek talked about him? Fuck. What was this feeling in his chest? He was acting like a goddamn teen with his first crush. “Yeah. You must be Salem.”

An irresistible smile snapped to Salem’s lips. “That’s me. Come on.” He waved for Portland to follow.

Portland stepped inside and closed the door behind him. “This is a beautiful house.”

Before Salem responded, a half nude man who looked like a Greek god appeared at the bottom of the steps.

Salem snapped his fingers. “A shirt too, beautiful.”

Looking pouty, the guy headed back up the steps.

Portland didn’t ask, but he was dying with curiosity. Then it hit him. Tarek lived here with these young, beautiful men. Jealousy wormed its way through his gut, darkening his mood. He felt his features hardening with every step.

“Hey, babe. Portland is here.”

For half a second, Portland was confused as to why Salem spoke to an empty room. Then Tarek shot upright from a couch that had its back to the doorway. His hair was a mess. Portland didn’t see anything but his beautiful smile. It was real.

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