Friends Like These, Page 2

  She wanted their child raised in Florida, away from the crazy unreality of Hollywood. No spoiled brat kid for them, they wanted their child to grow up as normally as they could allow them to, exposed to the real world and not some sanitized Hollywood, helicopter-parent, entitlement-minded fantasy land.

  It wasn’t just the people Leigh felt oppressed by when out in LA. While yes, California did have its own particular kind of beauty, having been born and raised in Florida spoiled her. She loved the Gulf, the crystal-clear blue skies, the easy pace of living.

  Being in LA didn’t just feel wrong from a fish-out-of-water business standpoint, it felt wrong on a visceral level to her. She wasn’t a woman who could just gypsy her way through life. She enjoyed stability, peace, smooth sailing.

  “She’s thinking again,” Nick said, ratting her out and pulling her from her thoughts.

  Lucas caught her chin with the end of his index finger and turned her head, forcing her to look him in the eyes.

  “What are you thinking about so hard, sweetie?”

  “Hiring an assistant,” she grumbled.

  “Well, while that is work, I’ll allow it.” He pulled her in for yet another hug. “I know you don’t like bringing someone in, but it needs to happen sooner rather than later. Because if your first choice doesn’t work out, we have to go through the process all over again. The longer you wait to do it, the harder it will be when you’re dealing with your pregnancy, or after the baby arrives.”

  “I know. I’ll do it. I just don’t like having to do it.”

  “I appreciate you trying,” he said. “And I know it’s hard on you. Believe me, if we didn’t think it’d be critical down the line, we wouldn’t be pushing you.”

  “I know.”

  “Let’s try to enjoy tonight, at least. All right?”

  “Yeah. Can I have my iPad back now?”

  “No,” both men emphatically said in unison.

  Chapter Three

  Nolan Becker fought the urge to repeatedly glance over at his partner, who occupied the front passenger seat. Kenny Yates wasn’t simply in a bad mood.

  Bad didn’t come close to describing it.

  When Nolan had asked Kenny if he wanted to skip Lucas and Leigh’s party tonight, Kenny had pleasantly surprised him by insisting they still go. They didn’t often get to see Lucas, Leigh, and Nick. The other Nick, since they now had two friends in their kinky social circle named Nick.

  Movie-star Nick, aka Trevor Nichols, had been dubbed Nick-2, while Nick-1 and his fraternal twin brother, Rich, were partnered with Chelbie.

  Kenny sat slumped in his seat and stared out the passenger window.

  “Dennis is a dick,” Nolan said. “We always knew there was a better than good chance he’d react like this when he finally found out about us. It was just a matter of time.”

  “I know,” Kenny mumbled. “I know.”

  Kenny’s step-father, Dennis, had practically thrown the men out of his house earlier that morning. Kenny’s mom, Michelle, had asked them if they could come by that morning and help her with some gardening chores. She had a small tree in her backyard damaged by afternoon thunderstorms storms earlier in the week, and she needed it taken down before it fell on their lanai. Kenny’s step-father had to work that day.

  Kenny had confided to his mom years ago, before she met and married Dennis Trafford, that he was gay. She hadn’t had a problem with it. Kenny was her only child, and she had raised him as a single mom when his biological father had skedaddled while she was pregnant with Kenny.

  Kenny was now thirty-four and had never even met the man, nor did he have any interest in meeting him. He even had his mom’s maiden name. She’d accepted Nolan almost as another son, since Nolan’s parents lived overseas. Kenny’s step-father, Dennis, had entered his life when Kenny was twenty-five and had already graduated from the local community college.

  As far as Dennis had known, Kenny and Nolan were simply roommates and buddies from college. They’d moved in together six years earlier after nearly a year of dating.

  Dating which Kenny’s mom knew about and approved of, but it was easy enough to hide from Dennis. Especially when they occasionally brought a woman with them, sometimes passed off as Kenny’s girlfriend, or Dennis’, depending on the circumstances.

  In other words, they hadn’t spent enough time around Dennis to ruffle his feathers. Kenny’s mom seemed happy, Kenny didn’t have a problem with the guy in any other way, so who cared if Dennis was a narrow-minded pinhead?

  While his mom had left the choice of whether or not to tell Dennis up to Kenny, Kenny had known it would be a likely source of friction. He didn’t want to be the reason his mom lost a chance at happiness, and it was an easy sacrifice to make for what he considered a good cause.

  He loved her for being okay with telling Dennis, but from the first time Kenny had met the highly conservative guy, Kenny knew it would be a hot-button issue that couldn’t lead to anything positive.

  Nolan and Kenny usually didn’t consider their personal lives up for discussion. When he and Nolan were around Dennis, they were always careful to keep things cool between them. It kept the peace and made Kenny’s mom happy because she got to see them several times a week.

  Unfortunately, what they hadn’t realized that morning was that Dennis had arrived home early from work and walked into the backyard just in time to see Kenny and Nolan exchange a relatively chaste kiss before Kenny had turned to head toward the house to get them all some iced tea.

  And then…

  Sarasota didn’t put on such a good fireworks show for the Fourth of July as what had followed as Dennis rapidly connected the dots.

  The only reason Kenny and Nolan had left was because Kenny’s mom asked them to after promising to keep them updated, or to call them if she needed backup.

  “I think Mom is more than capable of holding her own against him,” Nolan said.

  “I know she is,” Kenny said. “I just hate that she’s standing up to him alone.”

  “I’m sure she wouldn’t have sent us on our way if she felt she needed the backup,” Nolan said. “It’s not like he’s going to take a swing at her or anything.”

  “He damn well better not.” Kenny’s tone sounded darker than Nolan could ever remember hearing.

  “If he does,” Nolan assured him, “if Mom leaves anything left for us to help with once we find out about it, we’ll clean his clock.”

  Kenny’s sigh weighed approximately three tons. “I can’t imagine him getting violent. He’s a dick, but he’s not physically abusive.” He looked at Nolan. “Figures my liberal mom would fall in love with a Teapublican.”

  Nolan reached across the seat and laid a hand on his partner’s thigh. “Glad you talked her into the pre-nup.”

  “Yeah. Me, too.” He stared out the windshield. “She was right,” he quietly said. “I should have told him when I met him. It would probably have made him hate me, though, and would have made her choose between him and me. I didn’t want to do that to her. I knew she really liked him.”

  “Well, look on the bright side. We’d talked about getting married in secret. Now maybe it doesn’t have to be so secret after all.”

  Kenny laid a hand on top of Nolan’s and squeezed. “I’d already thought about that.” He glanced at Nolan again. “The irony is if we ever find a permanent third, we might have to fib to Mom about who she is. I don’t mind lying to Dennis, but I hate the thought of lying to Mom.”

  Nolan snorted. “Yeah, I’d already thought about that.”

  * * * *

  Kenny used to feel sorry for Nolan. Nolan’s parents were stationed in Germany, his dad still in the Air Force. Nolan only got to see them once a year, if that often.

  Kenny got to see his mom several times a week.

  Well, until this hit the fan. Now maybe it was better Nolan’s parents were an ocean away and unable to give them grief about their relationship.

  Kenny didn’t want to cause his mothe
r grief. As long as Dennis wasn’t a dick and didn’t try to forbid her from seeing Kenny, Kenny would do his best to work around the situation. It wasn’t ideal, but he was also a realist. He didn’t want his mom to lose her husband if there was a way to smooth this over. He wouldn’t force her to choose between her husband and her son.

  As long as the dick didn’t try to make her choose.

  But Kenny strongly suspected if Dennis was stupid enough to push that, the man would find himself out on the street. The house was in his mom’s name, and the pre-nup Dennis signed prevented him from taking the house from her in case of a divorce.

  She’d worked too damn hard in her life as a single mother to risk losing everything on a relationship. Kenny had promised his mom he would support her one-hundred percent with whoever she wanted a relationship with…as long as she protected herself with a pre-nup.

  “The truth is,” Kenny said, “I need tonight. I need to lose myself with our friends for a little while. Take my mind off things.”

  Nolan squeezed his thigh again. “I can understand that.”

  “I appreciate you asking, though. I really do.”

  “Hey, I don’t want to be a dick.”

  “But you have a nice dick.” Kenny forced a smile he didn’t totally feel.

  Nolan laughed. “It always amazes me how you try to deflect with humor when you feel shitty.”

  “Beats wallowing in self-pity.” He lost himself in his thoughts for a moment. “Would you mind topping me tonight?”

  “You sure?” Kenny didn’t miss the wary tone in Nolan’s voice.

  “Yeah. I’m sure. It’s been a while, and I think I need a good beating.”

  Even if they didn’t have play pre-arranged with someone, they always brought their implement bag with them, just in case. The men considered themselves mostly dominant, even though they occasionally switched with each other for play. In and out of bed, they were mostly equals unless one or the other specifically asked for bottom or top time.

  That’s why the times they’d taken a woman as a third were especially hot, because they could tag-team her as Dominants and blow her mind.

  “Did you want a good fucking to go along with that?” Nolan joked.

  “Maybe. Depends on the mood of the room.”

  “Then again, if Max, Cali, and Sean are there tonight, the mood will likely get pretty crazy and kinky right off the bat.”

  “True,” Kenny said. “They do have a way of encouraging other people to let loose.”

  “Especially when they end up playing the party starters and kicking off the action,” Nolan joked.

  At the private parties, it was anything goes, as long as everyone was at least eighteen years old and everything anyone did was consensual. Including sexy play and outright sex.

  At the club, sex was a no-no, and there were restrictions on the kinds of sexy play patrons could engage in.

  “We’ll play it by ear,” Nolan said. “Whatever we end up doing, I’m sure I can find some way to distract you.”

  “You always do, buddy.”

  They’d met in college. Dated off and on for a a couple of months, until one Saturday night when a little too much tequila and a very horny and kinky mutual female friend of theirs convinced them that maybe they weren’t as gay as they’d thought they were. That maybe, with the right woman, they were a little homoflexible in some ways.

  Even after she’d moved on with her life, the men had realized they didn’t want to move on or keep searching for someone else when they pretty much fit together perfectly as partners.

  Moving in together had been a scary next step for both men, because they bought their house together. At least Kenny’s mom had been okay with it. Nolan’s parents still didn’t know anything beyond the men were friends and roommates.

  When Nolan’s family came to town, they stayed in a hotel, thankfully. But it was always stressful for the men to pretend they weren’t lovers and life-partners.

  Kenny wouldn’t pressure or force Nolan to tell his parents, either. It wasn’t something he could do, even if he wanted to. He knew Nolan had to work through that on his own, in his own way.

  And yes, six years later, Kenny was still wondering when—or if—Nolan would get around to it. Nolan was thirty-six, not exactly a kid anymore. They both had good jobs that paid decent money, and they both had health benefits.

  Then again, he didn’t have much room to talk since he’d dodged the issue with Dennis for all these years.

  That’s when their spooky little mental connection kicked in again. Nolan spoke. “I’ve been thinking about having a talk with my parents,” he said, keeping his eyes on the road. “With the marriage ban falling, we could talk about getting married, if you want.”

  Especially on top of the morning they’d had, this was the last thing Kenny had expected to hear from his partner. “What?”

  “Married.” Nolan barely glanced his way before returning his focus to the road. “I need to tell my parents. I’ve been putting it off and I shouldn’t. I’m an adult. Either they’ll accept me, or they won’t. Putting my own happiness on hold isn’t an option any longer. And I’m happy with you.”

  Kenny turned his hand palm-up and he tightly squeezed Nolan’s hand. “If you want to do that,” he said, his voice hoarse, “then I’m right there with you one-hundred percent.” He took in a deep breath and slowly let it out again. “So am I supposed to get down on one knee, or are you?”

  * * * *

  Before they reached their friends’ house, Kenny called his mom. She answered on the second ring.

  “Are you all right?” he asked her.

  “I should be asking you that question.”

  He ignored Nolan’s inquisitive glance from the driver’s seat. “Did he give you too much of a hassle?”

  “He tried to, before I laid down the law to him. That he didn’t have to agree with your lifestyle, but he had no right to criticize you for it, and that I wouldn’t tolerate him treating you badly.”

  “I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t mean to cause trouble.”

  “You stop apologizing right now,” she said. “We knew this would happen one day. I gave him two options, to either stay, or leave. I told him that when you two come over, if he wants to make himself scarce, that’s his problem, but he will not be insulting you or making any snide comments to you while you’re in my home. You’re family, both of you. I love Nolan almost as much as I love you, and you’re both welcome here whenever you want to be here.”

  He loved the way she’d emphasized who the home belonged to. “Guess he won’t be coming over to our place with you for dinner anymore, huh?”

  “His loss. You guys are fantastic cooks.”

  “But…he didn’t hurt you or anything after we left, did he?”

  She let out a laugh that lightened his heart a little. “I’d like to see him try it. No, sweetie. I know he’s not a perfect man, and his views and mine politically don’t align. We agreed when we got married that not only would we never discuss politics, but we wouldn’t even tell each other who we’d voted for, either. It’s worked well so far.”

  “Until we screwed it up for you.”

  “You didn’t screw up anything. I’ve always felt badly that you boys thought you had to hide who you really are around him.”

  “We didn’t want to cause you trouble.”

  “And again, I know, and I love you both for it. But I’d rather see you happy and being authentic. Life’s too damned short not to live the way that makes you happy.”

  “Does he make you happy?”

  “When he’s not acting like a spoiled brat, yes. And, honestly, most of the time he is a loving, kind, conscientious man. I know that doesn’t sound like the man who went off on you this morning, because it’s not. None of us are perfect, and no, I’m not just trying to make you feel better. I never would have married him if I hadn’t thought he was worth it. So please, don’t worry about me. I’m worried about you. You sound upset.”r />
  He let out a deep breath. Yes, his mom always could tell when he was upset. “I’ll get over it.”

  “Please do, because I don’t want you to be upset on my account. Now, are we still on for dinner tomorrow night?”

  “If you want to.” They were supposed to cook for his mom and Dennis.

  “Absolutely. If Dennis doesn’t want to come with me, well, he can stay home and I’ll bring him a plate of leftovers. He’s never had a problem pigging out on your food before, so if he’s juvenile enough to let it stop him now, then I can take it to work Monday and have it as lunch.”

  That finally drew a small laugh from him. “I love you, Mom.”

  “Love you, too. Tell Nolan I love him, too.”

  “Mom says she loves you.”

  Nolan grinned. “Of course she does. I’m faaabulouuus,” he said, putting on a mock accent. Then he dropped back into his normal voice. “Love you, too, Mom,” he called out.

  “Did you hear him?” Kenny asked.

  She was laughing. “Yes, I heard the brat. I’ll see you guys tomorrow at six, then, at your place. Plan for four for dinner, but don’t hold your breath that I’ll have Dennis with me.”

  “Will do.”

  He ended the call.

  “Well?” Nolan asked as he slowed for the final turn.

  “She’s got him under control. She sounds okay.”

  “Of course she does. He’s lucky to have her, and he knows it. Still on for dinner tomorrow?”

  “Yes. Maybe just her, but that’s okay.”

  “It’s okay with me, too.” He glanced at Kenny. “This will all work out all right. The way it should.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  “Of course I am. Besides, someone said they wanted to be on bottom tonight, so you’ll have to listen to me.”

  Kenny patted Nolan’s thigh. “Roger roger,” he said.

  Chapter Four

  Tilly was content to sit in the back seat and let Cris do the driving while Landry rode shotgun. Her mind wasn’t exactly into the spirit of the evening, despite assuring her men otherwise.