Page 37 of Party of Three

Feeling both embarrassed and aroused, Jeff turned. “Let’s head back to the room.”

“Yes,sir,” Buckley answered with what sounded like delight in his voice.

Neither of them spoke until they’d entered the broad lawn that lay between the hotel’s main building and the first row of terraced villas.

“So maybe this is a tomorrow conversation, but I’m thinking this little moment was a bit of projection.” Buckley still sounded thoroughly amused.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. It sounds like a lot of people have walked out on you. Maybe you protect yourself sometimes by walking out first.”

Jeff froze, turned to face the boy who drove him wild in every definition of the word. “Like I did with Mateo, you mean.”

“Maybe.” His voice was soft, his eyes slightly downcoast. Confident, strutting Buckley was trying to be gentle with Jeff’s heart. And his past.

“On the way up from the beach, I should have told you what I was going to say. We could have talked strategy. Made it sound like it was your idea too.”

“Why would I need it to be my idea? You think I brought you back into his life for that? Because Idon’twant him to have your wisdom and experience?”

“I guess not.”

At first, Jeff thought the heat on the side of his face was his own embarrassment. Then he opened his eyes and saw Buckley had rested one hand there.

“I like this part, Jeff,” he whispered. Not master sergeant, but his name, which meant Buckley wanted him to hear these words down to his bones. “You and me, trying to make his life better. Together. I like it as much as everything else we’ve been doing.”

“I like it too,” Jeff said.

Buckley’s lips parted, and for a few head-spinning seconds Jeff thought they might kiss right there. But instead, Buckley took his hand and pulled him gently back inside the lobby. “Come on. We don’t want Mateo to wake up alone.”

Mateo was still sleeping when they returned to the villa, but he’d shifted position in bed and was lying on his back, the sheet halfway down his chest, suggesting he’d stirred in their absence. Buckley set the bag down on the dresser, then crawled across the bed until his mouth was inches above Mateo’s. He caressed the side of his face gently. Mateo’s dark eyelashes fluttered. Theirlips met gently, then Mateo curved one arm around Buckley’s back, driving their bodies together as he let out a sleepy, satisfied groan.

It thrilled Jeff, observing this moment of intimacy between them. Their easy confidence with each other’s bodies. Maybe he had more of a voyeuristic streak than he’d realized. But they weren’t acting as if he wasn’t there. They were acting as if his presence were natural, fated, and nothing needed to be held back in front of him.

“Where’d you guys go?” Mateo asked, sounding groggy.

“Jeff had a moment.”

“Ididn’thave a moment.”

“He had a moment.”

Mateo’s sleepy eyes met Jeff’s. “What kinda moment?”

“He thought I got jealous and walked out.”

Brow furrowed, Mateo looked up at his boyfriend. “Did you?”

“Nope. I went to get condoms so he could fuck me. A lot.”

Jeff shook his head. “I swear to God, kid. Your mouth…”

“Now he feels kinda silly. But it’s okay.” Buckley gently rolled over onto his back, scooting down Mateo’s body so the man could embrace him from behind. “I’m still going to let him fuck me. If it’s alright with my boyfriend, that is.”

“You two…” Jeff whispered. The aftereffects of the possessive anger he’d felt at the sight of Buckley walking toward the motor court had sharpened his desire. Made him feel like the guy had been snatched away and given back.

“We three,” Buckley whispered in response, his smile fading into a look more intent, hypnotic. A look that made Jeff feel like he was floating up out of his skin, preparing to descend upon the two men before him like a cloud of pure force, pure want.

“That’s all well and good,” Mateo said. “But I believe we’ve got some dares in the bank.”

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