Page 8 of You're Ours

“I’ve got you, love,” he whispered.

He just hoped after this weekend, maybe he’d have Tyler, too.

ChapterThree

SKY

Sky walked back to his desk, reveling in the scrape of cotton against his bruised knees and the slight soreness in his back. It had been a long time since he and Jackson had gotten up to anything naughty during the work day. The fact that it was their shared lover who inspired the midday tryst made it ten times hotter.

He wasn’t expecting to run into anyone on the way to his cubicle. Unlike Jackson and Tyler, the marketing department had a bullpen style layout. Sky much preferred it to the lonely offices upstairs. Then again, it meant he’d never get to have a mid-day rendezvous with Tyler, but he was glad Jackson got to spend time with their tempting lover–

Sky nearly ran head first into said tempting lover and only managed to avoid the collision by falling sideways into the hallway wall.

“Sky! Hey!” Tyler said, his broad grin leaving Sky momentarily speechless.

He pressed his hip into the wall and found another bruise, this one most likely left by Jackson’s strong hands, hands that had held him through breakups and heartbreaks but also through new beginnings and second chances at love.

For a while there, Sky had wondered if Jackon would ever really want to take a second chance at polyam love. To be honest, there had been some dark times where Sky wondered the same for himself. Connor had really done a number on them.

Sky had met Jackson and Connor at a Toastmasters club of all places. Unbeknownst to Sky, Jackson had already been actively courting Connor at the time. Sky had been a little more insecure back then, hence joining a public speaking group, and he’d been ready to concede his crush on Jackson, believing there was no way Jackson would pick him over Connor. Surprising them both, Connor had invited them out to dinner and said he knew about Sky’s interest in Jackson before admitting his own feelings for Sky. He proposed they try being a triad, and it worked out perfectly because Sky had always known he was polyamorous, and Jackson was, too. Sky hadn’t known Connor all that well, but he liked him well enough to give it a shot. He’d ended up falling in love with him over their next two years together.

At first, everything seemed great. They fit together almost effortlessly, but in the end, that had been part of the problem. Connor had said and done all the right things, been exactly the energizing partner Jackson needed and the grounding force Sky was looking for. He challenged Jackson to try new things and harnessed Sky’s boundless energy into something constructive. It was only through Connor’s support that Sky finally pulled the trigger on starting testosterone. He’d always wanted to try it but had never found the time or headspace to investigate the pros and cons. Connor had been the one to sit him down with a list of recommended doctors and even went with him to his first appointment.

At the two and a half year mark, they’d begun to talk about ways to make their arrangement more long-term, including powers of attorney, shared leases, and living wills. For once, Sky had been the one to lead the charge, finding all the necessary lawyers, getting their documents in order, and going so far as to purchase a set of three matching promise rings. It made it all the more painful when Connor announced he was leaving them to be with another man who was only interested in monogamy.

While Sky had initially been crushed, he threw himself into his relationship with Jackson, and time had healed most of his heart’s wounds. Eventually, he began to think that if they had come so close to everything they wanted once, they could probably do it again with the right partner. Jackson had been much quieter in his grief, just as he was often quieter with his joy. He’d supported Sky’s ventures into finding another partner, but he’d been more reserved with them, never really opening up the way he did with Sky and Connor.

Things had slowed down after they’d gotten married for a myriad of reasons. Sky had been between jobs, and his top surgeon had an opening pop up almost nine months earlier than originally planned. Sky said he was willing to wait, but Jackson had gotten down on one knee only a few days later and produced a sparkling rose gold ring.

“Sky, there’s not a doubt in my mind that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I know traditional marriage doesn’t interest either of us that much, but with your surgeries coming up, it will make things a lot easier for insurance, power of attorney, and for buying that condo I know you’ve been eyeing.”

Sky had cried, something that became surprisingly hard after starting T, and asked Jackson over and over again if he was sure. Jackson hadn’t waivered once, not even when he’d begun to develop a big ol’ crush on his coworker, his “work husband,” as Tyler liked to say. Sky found it incredibly endearing that Tyler called him that—and even cuter that he called Sky his “work husband’s husband.” It didn’t seem to bother Tyler in the slightest that they were married. The previous Saturday he’d absently run his thumb back and forth over Sky’s ring and only stopped to tangle his fingers in Sky’s hair when he initiated a kiss.

Now, Sky ran his own thumb over his ring as he looked up into warm brown eyes, which were turning cloudy with concern the longer it took Sky to greet him.

“Hi,” he finally managed to say, giving his ring one more spin for good measure. “What are you doing down here, darling?”

The clouds in Tyler’s eyes turned stormy and dark as he stepped forward into Sky’s space and dropped his voice. “You know, I don’t think I’ve had the chance to tell you this…but I really love it when you call me that.”

Sky’s stomach clenched, and he felt renewed wetness mix with what Jackson had left inside him. In bed, it was one of Sky’s favorite parts of being trans, ready-to-go lube that allowed him quicker prep and faster access to intimacy with his partners. Right now, though, it was more of an annoyance he’d have to deal with the rest of the afternoon.

Sky pressed a hand to Tyler’s chest, allowing himself only a second to appreciate the firm muscle beneath his palm. “I’m glad, darling, but that doesn’t really answer my question.”

Tyler stared at him for a moment longer before taking a step back, placing a more appropriate distance between them. Sky wondered if he was here to share his test results, like he’d done with Jackson that morning. It wasn’t the most appropriate hallway conversation, but given what Sky had spent his lunch break doing, he supposed he wasn’t one to talk.

“I’m actually supposed to be checking on a recent purchase with your Director, but I can’t seem to find her.”

“Oh,” Sky said, the breath leaving his lungs in a huff.

He tried to hide the way his shoulders had fallen by crossing his arms over his chest. Unfortunately, this seemed to draw more attention than if he’d just let them hang loosely at his sides. Tyler glanced at his crossed arms and then back into his eyes, his brows furrowing in concern.

“You probably should have sent an email first. She’s out today with a sick kid,” Sky said, trying to hide his disappointment.

Tyler’s eyes roamed over his face, and Sky had the distinct impression that he could read Sky just as easily as one of his spreadsheets. “Yeah, I guess that would have been faster than coming all the way down here, but…”

He leaned forward until Sky could smell his woodsy cologne. Sky hadn’t washed his pillowcase in almost two weeks, loving the way Tyler’s scent still clung to the purple satin.

“But?” Sky hedged, his traitorous shoulders rising towards his ears as he waited for Tyler’s response.

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