Page 122 of Suffer No Fools
"I would say I'm sorry about this," Vadim said as the world started to fade around Stan, "but I'm not."
Tovey slumped into Niall's arms, and Stan sank to his knees. His consciousness drained away, and then he saw nothing but the floor rising up to greet him.
Stan was jarred awake by Tovey's voice in his head."For fuck's sake. Vadim doesn't do anything half-assed. Where are my clothes? Who bathed us?"
"Why do you need clothes?"Stan felt Hugo's breath ghost around his nipple before he drew it into his mouth and sucked hard enough to bruise."I like you this way better."
Stan opened his eyes to watch. Hugo licked across his aching nipple, their gazes catching and holding as his hand dipped lower to tease the hair below his navel. Hugo gripped his cock and grinned up at him.
"Hey, baby."
"Hi." Hugo's lush eyelashes fanned over his cheeks when he blinked. "I think there's been a misunderstanding." He rolled his head to the side, and they both watched Tovey sit up against a mountain of pillows. "We should probably sit up, too."
Stan groaned when Hugo's warm hand left his cock. He ached everywhere. Once he was seated, he noticed a pitcher ofwater and three glasses on the bedside table. He reached over to pour it, but Tovey beat him to it with an air weave, tipping the pitcher over the glasses and then delivering them.
Stan gulped his down. His throat was so dry it hurt. "How long have we been out?"
"It's hard to tell in here." Hugo frowned as he dug into Stan's memory. "Vadim knocked you out?"
"He was being cryptic and unreasonable," Tovey said.
"He told you the truth." Hugo grabbed a pillow from the pile behind Tovey and hugged it to his chest, staring at the thick comforter spread over their legs. "I love you. I thought you loved me, too."
Stan met Tovey's gaze over the top of Hugo's head. They both leaned in. Tovey wrapped his arm around Hugo's waist, and Stan snaked his over Hugo's shoulder. He grabbed Tovey's neck and pulled him in closer.
"We do love you," Tovey whispered. "That's why we've got to let you go."
Hugo buried his face in the pillow, releasing a sound too much like a sob. Stan combed his fingers through the hair that had pulled free from his braid and kissed his temple. "You belong to Embertide, not to us."
"I belong to Embertide and to you." Hugo dropped the pillow into his lap, his gaze furious as he looked between them. "I can't do this alone. Today proved it. You both saved my life, more than once. Tovey, you taught me how to use a sword. Stan, you healed the tree. I don't think you understand how important those trees are." He sucked in a breath. "Both of you shielded me, or pulled me away from those things, or blocked Coryn for me ..." his eyes filled with tears as he took Stan's hand and Tovey's and held them both over the pillow in his lap. "I love you both so much, and I'm not letting you go."
Stan's throat constricted around the words he'd wanted to say for so long. He couldn't get them out.
Tovey inhaled sharply and brought Hugo's hand to his lips, kissing each knuckle. Hugo slid his hand into Tovey's hair and kissed him.
"I love you," Tovey whispered against Hugo's lips. He moved, spinning on his knee to straddle Hugo's thighs. He clasped Stan's cheek and hauled him in for a kiss, too, all tongue and teeth before a gentle peck of lips. "I've loved you since you invited me aboardStarlight Specter.I'm sorry I was too afraid to admit it."
"You ... have?" Stan frowned. Yes, he'd seen glimpses of Tovey's true feelings, but he'd always assumed Tovey's fear of commitment won. "We were friends."
"We are friends," Tovey said before kissing him again. "We'll always be friends. If you haven't left me yet, you never will."
"Aye." He cupped Tovey's cheek, mirroring Tovey's hand on him, and they kissed again until Hugo shoved them apart with a playful smirk.
The look turned raw and vulnerable as Hugo gazed at him through his eyelashes. "Stan?"
"Baby, you don't even have to ask. I love you both so much. I never expected to have you, to keep you." Hot tears streamed down his face, and he wiped at them with the back of his hand. "That's all."
"I'm so sorry I made you doubt it," Hugo said.
Tovey rocked back on his heels, giving Hugo enough room to twist so he could pull Stan toward him. He shoved away a few pillows to make it work, but when their lips touched, the shock was stronger than lightning. Hugo and Tovey loved him. They wanted to be with him. Hugo wasn't sending them away.
"What happens now?" Tovey asked when Hugo broke the kiss, his hot breath still ghosting against Stan's lips.
"Now, right now?" Hugo grinned at him as he sank back against the pillows. "Or now, tomorrow, and the day after that, and forever?"
"I know what should happen right now." Tovey grinned as he shoved the pillow from Hugo's lap, exposing his leaking cock. He stroked it from root to tip, making Hugo hiss. "While I'm doing this, tell us about tomorrow."
"Well, I'm ... ooh. I'm going to address the people of Hearthstone and tell them what's become of Coryn. I'll ask anyone who has professed loyalty to her to stand down. Then, I'm going to sail with you to Landale."
