Page 23 of Burning Up

“Mason says he didn’t share my schedule with Toby and Matt. You got any ideas who did?”

“Jack.” Gray’s tone was full of malice.

Jack raised his hand. “Guilty. I’d like to say I was sorry, but…”

Bryce wanted to be annoyed, but Jack was so damn sincere, not to mention cute. And he’d had an amazing night with Matt and Toby, a fucking unbelievably good night. If only he didn’t want another and another and…

Jack waggled his brows. “Mason said you left with them a few nights ago.”

“Now my sex life is evening entertainment for the three of you?”

Gray snorted. “I entertained them far better than that.”

Bryce chuckled at Gray’s defensive tone. “If they ask again, and I doubt they will, don’t encourage them.”

“All right. I’ll restrain my matchmaking abilities next time.” Jack pouted a little.

“Damn right you will,” Gray said. Bryce was surprised when Gray backed him up instead of defending Jack.

Gray must’ve sensed Bryce’s surprise. “If someone had pushed me toward Jack before I decided for myself I was ready to make a move?—”

Jack snorted. “You made a move? I’d still be waiting if it had been up to you.” He looked at Bryce. “I got fed up with waiting, and I told him?—”

“Enough,” Gray interrupted. “That’s not the point.”

Bryce sighed. “It’s okay. I know you were trying to help but…”

“Things didn’t go well?” Jack asked.

Bryce considered what he should say. “They went too well, and that’s the problem.”

He turned away from Mason’s boyfriends. There were more customers at the bar than Mason could handle on his own now, and Bryce was glad of an escape.

Gray continued to bitch at Jack as Bryce walked off. The little shit deserved it, but Bryce wasn’t really mad at him. Only one person deserved his anger and that was himself. He could have walked away and found a random fuck like he’d planned.

Telling them was the right thing. You needed someone to talk to before you drowned in those memories.

Maybe, but I didn’t have to get stinking drunk and fuck them afterward.

It was inevitable.

Why did that seem so true? Why were they so different from other men he’d been attracted to?

Because they’re perfect for you?

And now, after sleeping with them, he knew just how right that was. He’d always loved taking a dominant role in bed, but he’d only occasionally explored the limits of his need to take charge. Everything about the other night told him Toby and Matt would be willing to explore with him, to submit to more than a few commands and a rough fuck.

Bryce had tried the BDSM scene when he was their age, thinking that would be the best way to get some of his desires met. But most of the men he met wanted more from him than he wanted to give. He wasn’t interested in a slave or a twenty-four-seven sub. He wanted men who enjoyed being dominated in bed, then walked away the next morning, not a relationship. But some of his kinks required more trust and the time it took to build that trust, so he’d relegated those to the realm of fantasy.

Could he explore those with Toby and Matt? He imagined what it would be like watching them respond as he delivered pain and pleasure, but even if he’d guessed right and that’s what they wanted, he couldn’t seriously contemplate anything more than a fling with them. He sucked at hiding who he was and what he wanted, and he certainly couldn’t expect them to come out and change shifts or stations for him.

He pushed those depressing thoughts away and concentrated on making drinks and flirting with customers. He was feeling proud of how well he distracted himself. Then Matt and Toby walked into the bar.

10

Bryce made himself busy while they chatted with Mason, but he didn’t have the willpower to keep from checking them out after they walked away. They found a booth off to the side. Usually, if they weren’t ordering dinner, they hung out in back, chatted with whoever was around, played pool or foosball—fuck, when was the thought of that game not going to make his cock twitch?—but even Toby didn’t seem interested in socializing. Tonight they simply ordered dinner and kept to themselves. What was that about? Not about him surely. No, he wasn’t conceited enough to think they were pining for his attention. Hell, they’d had more than enough of that a few days ago.

Matt turned his way, and Bryce immediately looked down, pretending to be busy wiping the bar. When he looked up, he noticed Matt was bouncing his leg and giving Toby an agitated look.

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