Where There's a Will (16 page)

Troy thought Will was pretty damn amazing, and he bent to kiss the man’s parted lips even as he flicked the last lock on the door then twisted the knob. Locks handled, he stepped back and to the side, holding the door open as James entered with Glenn right behind him.

Troy didn’t know James very well—he doubted anyone other than Glenn and Chase really knew James—but he thought the man looked pale, the dusting of freckles Troy hadn’t noticed before standing out starkly across the bridge of his nose.

James’ eyes darted around the room, glancing off Troy and Will several times before finally settling on Glenn. The smile James bestowed on Glenn sent a pang of envy through Troy, which was immediately followed by a wave of guilt for being envious. He wanted someone to look at him like that.
No, I want Carlos and Will to look at me like that.
But did he deserve it? Could he keep it? James deserved it, and so did Glenn, and they’d probably be together for eternity, one way or another.

“Troy, you’ve met James before.”

Troy nodded and held out his hand. “Yes, how’s everything going?” He hoped he hadn’t put his foot in his mouth by asking, but he sincerely doubted James wanted to be treated any differently than anyone else.

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WHERE THERE’S A WILL

Bailey Bradford

99

“Good,” James said, shaking Troy’s hand then immediately switching to offer it to Will.

There was a caution in James’ eyes, Troy thought, but a very genuine, small smile on his lips.

“And you must be Will Leaks.”

Will opened his mouth as he shook James’ hand, only to be cut off before he could speak.

“I wanted to meet you, face to face.” James’ smile kicked up a notch. “I’d thought maybe you’d approach me, but Glenn assured me you were better behaved than that.”

Will snorted even as he blushed adorably. “More like Glenn put the fear of his boot up my ass in me. Besides, I doubt I’m anything other than badly behaved.”

James arched both eyebrows and looked at Troy. “So I’ve heard. I’m just glad you didn’t insist on pursuing my man. I’m not sure how long he’d have held out.” The flirtatious look he shot at Glenn told another story, though. James knew Glenn wouldn’t have given in.

Then James looked at Troy and didn’t seem quite as amused. “You, however, I might have a problem with.”

“James,” Glenn groaned, covering his eyes with one hand. “Christ, I was really drunk and you wouldn’t even look at me. I thought we were past this.”

“And I didn’t maul him or anything,” Troy pointed out, desperate to get away from this whole uncomfortable subject. “He didn’t mean it either. He was totally in love with you.”

“What?” Will looked back and forth between Glenn and Troy. “What am I missing?

Don’t tell me you two—er—” he bit his bottom lip and glared at Troy. “Seriously?”

“Nothing happened,” Glenn snapped, glowering at them. “It’s not funny, either. My heart was broken and you wouldn’t give me the time of day. I was drunk and stupid, on top of being emotionally wounded.”

“Gee, thanks,” Troy teased, adding a hint of hurt to his voice. “Nice to know you only wanted to get in my pants because you were really, really drunk and desperate.”

James snickered and Will giggled when Glenn threw his hands up and huffed. “I am so never gonna win this argument or discussion, whatever the hell it is!”

Will stepped forward and patted Glenn’s arm. “Just accept it now. We, the boyfriends, are always right, and you’ll save yourself a lot of trouble.” Then he canted his head and looked at Troy, a knowing light in his bright eyes. “Same goes for you, too, and Carlos, although I think I better let him figure it out on his own, unless…”

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The sultry smirk on Will’s face must have ratcheted the temperature up in the living room by a geed ten degrees. Troy knew Will was thinking about the spanking in the parking lot. Troy damn sure was, and his dick was hard and squished against his inner thigh in a very uncomfortable manner.

“You are an evil little man,” Glenn murmured. Troy didn’t think he imagined the admiration in Glenn’s voice, and he sure didn’t miss the thumbs-up sign James gave Will.

“I’m a very happy man,” Will corrected, then purred, “and not so little where it counts.”

And the conversation was quickly degenerating into the gutter. Troy clapped his hands together. “All right, enough of the weird conversations. Anyone want a drink?”

He and Will got their guests settled in the living room then brought in a tray piled high with Oreos and chocolate chip cookies, along with cold beer.

“Too bad you don’t have any of Charlene’s cookies,” Glenn said around a mouthful of cookie.

James nodded and chased his bite down with beer before speaking. “Yeah, oh my God, she makes the best cookies, pies—pretty much any kind of food. I want to move her into our place but her husband won’t give her up.”

“I imagine Adam wouldn’t like it too much,” Troy pointed out. “Les either.”

“They’d go into cookie deprivation and probably starve to death, period,” Glenn said.

He looked at Will. “You’ve never had any of Charlene’s cookies, have you?”

“No, but I don’t understand all the fuss.” He blinked when Troy and their guests gaped at him. “What?” Will looked at each of them. “They’re just cookies, right? And food? I’m not a foodie. I mean, I eat food, I like the way some of it tastes, and I have favourites, but it’s not a big deal. I’d be fine if I could survive without ever eating again.”

Troy leant back and caught Will’s hand in his own. “Didn’t your mom cook?”

Will shrugged. “Yeah, she stuck to the same menu ever since I could remember. Do you know how many kinds of Hamburger Helper they make? Oh!” he perked up and pointed at the kitchen. “We did get some different stuff the last few years I was in high school when she found some kind of chicken meal starter thing. She tried the tuna one once but dad threw a fit and…”

And what?
Troy wanted to ask, but Glenn shook his head slightly and James did, too.

What
had
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instead shifting closer to Will and cradling Will’s head against his shoulder. He didn’t want to learn about Will’s past from someone else, he wanted Will to trust him enough to share with him.

James cleared his throat and Troy focused on him enough not to be rude. “So, Will. I wanted to thank you.”

Will grunted and sat up, a frown marring his smooth brow. “Thank me for what? For following you all over, leading your parents to you, making a hard pass at your partner.”

Will blushed from his neck to the roots of his hair with his last admission. “Being a general pain in the ass?”

James had held up a hand about halfway through Will’s diatribe. “No,” he said shaking his head slowly. “I get it. You had a job to do. I can’t hold your job against you. I also know,” and James looked at Glenn, who nodded encouragingly, “I know you were supposed to grab me and take me back to Montana, and you didn’t. I know you stalled my parents, and tried to keep them from getting me, from removing me from the one place I felt safe. And I know you only follow me when I have my therapy appointments at The Xxchange, and doing so little spying on me got you in deep shit with your dad.”

“Fired, actually,” Troy said as Will’s complexion darkened to a deeper shade of red. His lover sunk against him, as if trying to melt into the cushions.

“I quit,” Will muttered. “I didn’t wanna go back.”

Troy’s smile was so broad his cheeks hurt with it, and it was all directed at Will. “Which works out good then, doesn’t it? ‘Cause me and Carlos, we don’t want you going back, either.” It was something they agreed on, along with their need to keep Will safe. It may have been unspoken, but Troy knew how he felt, and he’d seen the look in Carlos’ eyes when he watched Will. Troy didn’t know if they could make this ménage work, but he did know he and Carlos would do whatever it took to take care of Will.

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Carlos eyed the vehicles in Troy’s driveway. There was only one he didn’t recognise, which probably meant it was some friend of Troy’s over, then. Carlos parked in the street against the kerb. He hesitated for a moment before getting out, his hand not quite on the straps of his duffle. Should he wait and ask, or—

Carlos grabbed the bag. There was no reason to pretend, not with Troy or Will. They were all grown men here, and there was enough desire between the three of them to burn the town down. If whoever was in there with Will and Troy had a problem with Carlos walking in holding a bag of clothes and stuff, they could leave. Unless Troy didn’t want them to, then Carlos would have to do some quick thinking.

Which he could do. His slow drawl could be deceptive to people who were quick to judge by such things. Carlos’ lips twitched as he thought about another cowboy who knew how to work it when other people’s perceptions were thrust on him. Max might have been a little guy, but he was definitely one of the strongest men Carlos knew. And smart, although he didn’t advertise it, relying on an easy grin and a molasses-thick drawl to throw people off when necessary.

Maybe it was a cowboy thing, Carlos mused as he loped up the porch steps, eager to see his guys. Laughter rang out from inside the house, and Carlos’ stomach warmed and tingled like he’d chugged a bottle of ginger ale. He liked hearing the sounds of happiness, or at least Troy and Will’s laughter. It was good knowing they both were happy, although he hoped to make them even happier.

Carlos raised his hand to knock on the door only to startle when it was pulled open.

Will beamed at him from inside, then Will’s eyes twinkled a warning and Carlos was glad he had quick reflexes. Will leapt, arms going around Carlos’ neck and his slim legs winding around Carlos’ hips. Carlos dropped the bag a second before he found himself plastered front to front with the sexy, squirming man.

“Mmm,” Will hummed, rubbing his face against Carlos’ neck. “You smell so
good
! Like leather and sweat and man…”

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Carlos worked his hands down to cup Will’s ass as the younger man nipped at his neck.

“Looks like someone missed you,” Troy commented.

Carlos opened his eyes—when had he closed them, even?—and spotted Troy on the couch, grinning happily and slapping the cushion beside him. “Come on in before y’all scare the neighbours.”

“Fuck the neighbours,” Will snarked, which was pretty much what Carlos was

thinking. More laughter drew Carlos’ attention to the love seat, where Glenn and a thin, attractive red headed man sat.
Glenn’s partner, James Stratton.
The facts snapped into place along with what bits Carlos had heard about James Stratton. He slapped Will’s bottom gently. “Slide down, honey, and introduce me to y’all’s guests.”

“Our guests,” Will corrected, and damned if he didn’t add a grind as he slid against Carlos’ crotch.

Carlos narrowed his eyes at Will. “You’ll pay for teasing me later.”

“I’m counting on it,” Will replied with a wink. He picked up the bag and handed it to Carlos before he took hold of Carlos’ wrist. Will didn’t seem the least bit embarrassed by his prominent erection. Carlos mentally shrugged, glad his own dick was only at half-mast. Still noticeable, but not in the put-your-eye-out way Will’s was. One of the benefits of tucking the way he did, even if it was uncomfortable.

Will took the bag and held out a hand towards the redhead. “This is James Stratton.

James, this handsome cowboy is Carlos. He belongs to me and Troy.”

James Stratton stood and grinned as he shook Carlos’ hand. “I’m thinking they probably belong to you as much as the other way around.”

Carlos nodded. He sure wasn’t going to tell anyone Troy and Will already had him by the short and curlies, not to mention somewhere a couple of feet higher up. “Good to meet you.” Carlos shook Glenn’s hand as well, then let Will lead him to the couch.

Carlos took one look at Troy and had to bend for a kiss, just taste those full lips for a second before he sat beside him. Will sighed and sprawled across both their laps, laying on them as if they were his own personal pillows.

Every so often Will would brush his fingers between Carlos’ thighs, keeping his dick from going completely soft even though Will didn’t stroke it directly. Carlos thought the only reason Will was holding back probably had something to do with what had happened to James, but when Carlos looked at the redhead, James didn’t appear to be uncomfortable.

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Actually, James’ skin was flushed in a manner that bespoke arousal, if Carlos wasn’t mistaken. When James looked up at him, the flush to his cheeks confirmed Carlos’ suspicion.

James had definitely been watching Will touch his thigh, and knowing so firmed Carlos’

erection up fully. James’ gaze darted back down and his flush deepened as his lips parted.

Glenn coughed and Carlos looked at him while James jerked as if he’d been shocked.

Carlos glanced at Troy, then at Will, and saw they were as aware as he was of James’ arousal.

And Glenn’s, Carlos realised when he looked into the man’s grey eyes. Glenn’s lips quirked and he reached for James’ hand. “I think we’d better be getting home.”

Will sprung up before Carlos or Troy could get a word out. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t—I didn’t touch him
there
.” Will wobbled a little. Carlos wondered if it was nerves or something else. “I’m new at this stuff, you know. Not the fucking,” he added when Troy cleared his throat. “I mean the stuff besides the fucking. I just wanted to touch, you know? I didn’t mean to make either of you uncomfortable.”