Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 75663 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75663 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
“You as well. It’s been too long,” Krishna replied, his voice slightly flirtatious.
The conversation went back to art, and eventually Aanan and Krishna excused themselves. We stayed a few more minutes, but as soon as I could, I said, “If you’ll excuse us, we’re going to finish looking around before we head home. It was wonderful to see you again.”
“You too,” Kylie replied. “Give me a call. I’d love to go out sometime.”
“That would be lovely. I could always use more friends in Atlanta.” I hoped she got the message that we could only be friends without me having to spell it out. I didn’t want to hurt Kylie, and I did like her.
“I hate her,” Isaac said softly when we walked away.
I rolled my eyes. “You don’t know her. She’s very nice.”
“She wants to fuck you, Lane. There isn’t a person in the world who wouldn’t consider her a better match for you than me, including our parents. She told everyone I’m your brother, which means more people knowing the truth, more people who’ll see what we’re doing as wrong. I’m allowed to feel something toward her, even if none of it is her fault.”
I sighed. This was supposed to be a good night, and dinner had been perfect. Now things were beginning to unravel.
“But she doesn’t get to fuck me. And regardless of what everyone will think or see when they look at us, I’m not going to walk away from you. That’s what matters. And what about those men? Who are they? They want a piece of you.” His gaze darted down, and jealously spread like a virus through my chest. “You’ve been with them,” I whispered, so others wouldn’t hear.
“It’s nothing. It was just sex. They’re married. Every now and again they want a third, and I’ve been that for them.”
“So you’re jealous about someone who might want to date me when there are men here who’ve had their dicks inside you? Or yours in them?”
“Shit,” he said, rubbing a hand over his face. “I don’t know how to do this, Lane. I’m sorry if I’m fucking it up, but I’m trying here. All I wanted was for this to be a good night for us.”
We’d stopped walking next to a sculpture, which thankfully no one else was at. “I just want a good night for us too. Couples argue and frustrate each other sometimes. We just have a lot on our minds.”
Isaac nodded, and I wished I could reach up and cup his face and kiss his lips.
“I know,” he said. “Come on. Let’s keep going.”
We continued making our way through the displays. We were close to the end when we approached an exhibit with two other men looking at it. As soon as we were close, I realized it was Krishna and Aanan.
“Hey,” Krishna said. “Fancy seeing you again.” His eyes traveled the length of Isaac, making possessiveness grow roots throughout my whole body.
“Krishna,” Isaac replied.
Krishna’s gaze darted from Isaac to me, then back again. “Do you have plans later? Or this coming week? Aanan and I were just saying we haven’t hung out in a while.” What he said was innocent enough. He wouldn’t know that Isaac had told me he’d fucked both of them. And as far as Krishna was concerned, Isaac and I were nothing but stepbrothers.
It all bubbled up then, too hot and out of control for me to do anything about it. Not much time had passed, but I was already so fucking tired of this, angry that the first time we went out together was ruined by the reality of our situation.
I didn’t know Krishna and his husband, and I couldn’t find it in myself to care what they thought. Before Isaac could reply, my mouth was opening, words were falling out that I should probably have discussed with him before I said them, but again, I felt powerless to stop it. “Isaac isn’t available anymore.” My arm lifted, my hand settling at the small of his back.
Both men’s gazes darted between us. I couldn’t risk turning, couldn’t risk looking at Isaac in case he was upset, because what the fuck was I doing? I had no right to out us without asking him.
“I’m sorry,” Krishna said. “We didn’t know.”
“It’s complicated,” Isaac replied.
“I can imagine it is,” Aanan said.
“I would appreciate your discretion,” Isaac told them, making the guilt mount inside me.
“Of course,” Krishna replied. “Our relationship isn’t normal by society’s standards either. We fuck men together. Our parents would not… Let’s just say, it would not go well in our families, but it’s who we are, and others don’t get to decide who we love or how we do it. Every person gets to do that for themselves. The world is full of judgmental people who want everyone to live the way they do, who think their definition of love or life is the only correct one, when in reality, there are no rules except those we make for ourselves.”