Chapter Fourteen
Nixon
“Why do you look like the cat that swallowed the canary?” Titus asked. And fair enough. I suspected I wore the same smug expression as Barry’s.
“Because we maybe bought some things for us.” I bit my lip, wondering if, technically, I’d lied and he would sense it and— Aww shit. “I mean, he bought things. I picked them out. I wasn’t lying.”
Titus looked to Randy and then to me. “Oh, sweet bear, you don’t need to be so on edge around us. We accept you completely.” Both of them took one of my hands as if they’d planned the entire thing which they couldn’t have. They were just that in sync. “It’s how mates are made.”
“Sorry. I’m still on edge is all.” I thought that going out and getting fresh air, seeing a familiar face, and getting us something we could all do together would help me center myself or whatever, but nope. As soon as we walked back into the apartment, it hit again.
“Because we pushed with the sex too fast earlier?” Randy’s hand came out, but was quickly retracted. They thought sex was my issue. Of course, they did, but it so wasn’t. I mean, sure the entire sleeping-with-two-people thing was whoa, but it was my mates, and goodness knew my cock was willing.
“What? No.” I closed my eyes to refocus. Snapping at them like that would accomplish exactly nothing for any of us. “No, that was fine. Perfect even. It’s me who’s not.” No. I was very much anything other than fine, although I hoped I hid it well.
“You’re going to need to explain that more, omega ours. Because right now, my bear is clawing at me to fix all things, and I have no idea what any of those things are.” Titus’s eyes were more bear than human. I was so very much botching things up.
“We bought video games.” I pointed to the huge pile of things we’d bought but I’d been reluctant to set up. Sure, my excuse of not messing with Titus’s home while he wasn’t here was true, but it was more than that.
“Nice try, Nixon.” Randy squeezed my shoulder. “How about you tell us what you mean about being on edge and what you meant by being overwhelmed earlier.”
Because, of course, he’d picked up on that.
“Okay, here’s the thing. You’re both my mates.”
“This we know.” Randy gestured for me to continue.
“And because you’re my mates, my bear feels all insane about certain things when it comes to you.”
“I’m sure we can agree that’s not uncommon, not before the mating is complete, anyway.” Titus’s words were calm, but his eyes still shone bear. “There’s no rush. We can take our time when it comes to that.”
“You’re a doctor, and you just referred to the act of mating as that,” Randy scoffed, infusing much-needed humor into the moment.
“I was trying to be—fuck you.” He playfully pushed Titus. Their easygoing comradery in such a short period of time knowing each other had me smiling even with the heavy conversation.
“Anyway, the thing is…your apartment is sort of public. Not all of it, but your secretary buzzes in, and the building isn’t secure, so when you were having that earlier, all my bear could do was push me to flee, or at least figure out all the ways to get out if something happened yet at the same time, wanting to protect you both.”
They both just sat there looking at me, still holding onto my hands.
“I sound crazy, don’t I?”
“You...” Randy cupped my cheek. “You sound like an amazing mate. And this place is just that, a place. If you don’t feel safe here—done.”
“He’s right, omega ours.” Titus copied his gesture, his hand settling on the other cheek. “This is just a place, and I’ve already looked into moving my office to Randy’s building. We don’t need to be here.”
“You don’t think I have issues or what have you?” Because I sure did. I came with more baggage than a commercial plane—not that either of them ever mentioned it in that context.
“I think you have survived something most would not have.”
“And I think you are so strong, not only to come out of it alive, but to be able to let us know when you feel things, like your discomfort in this location.” Titus brought up my hand and kissed my cheek. “Let’s go home. We can even bring all of that electronic gobbledygook. Who knows? maybe I will kick your butt at it one of these days.”
“Home.” Randy yanked Titus to him by the shirt, and took his lips with his own all raw and powerful, my body leaning back to avoid getting between them and spoiling the passionate moment.
When the kiss broke, both men both were flushed and breathless and, from the tented pants, both of them as hard as I was. We opted to carry everything we’d purchased down to the garage and pile it into the back of the vehicle so we could go home. Randy wasn’t the only one impacted by that one little word.
Four letters and yet so very powerful.
We got home and upstairs fairly quickly, the items more bulky than heavy. We might have gotten a tiny bit overzealous with our purchases, but, somehow, they made me feel wealthy spoiled...cared for.
“Bedroom or living room?” Randy asked as he opened the door.
“Depends, I guess. Where will we play them most?” I asked as Titus rolled his eyes. Looked like he planned to play exactly not at all, despite his earlier threat to beat me at my own games. I was so going to convert him.
“You like to play in your boxers?” Randy asked.
“I prefer to play naked, but I guess that makes the living room a bad choice as long as we have apartment mates.”
And just like that, we were setting up the system in the bedroom. Not really we, although they lifted or held anything I asked them to. Between the two of them, they wouldn’t be able to set up one of those plug-and-go, all-in-one crappy joysticks they sell at Christmas time. At least I had one skill to contribute to our happy home.
“There. All set. What should we play first?” The system was a thing of beauty. I’d hoped they would select something user-friendly for entry-level players, but as Barry kept hinting at better options, Randy kept agreeing to them.
“Bowling.” Titus pretended to bowl a ball across the room.
“Bowling it shall be. Let me make us some sandwiches and we can get on with me whipping your butt.” I laughed as I stacked the empty boxes in the corner. We’d get rid of them once we knew everything was working, or maybe one of them was that consumer who kept them in case warranty work was needed. Either way, the pile that displayed our consumerism would be short-lived in the bedroom.
Instead of me making sandwiches on my own, they both followed me to the kitchen and helped. We topped it off with a bowl of cookie dough we found in the refrigerator. By the time we settled down to bowl, I’d relaxed completely. Okay not completely. My lower brain was currently sporting a woody, but the rest of me felt safe and at home with my two alphas—even as I lost beyond pitifully.