Page 114 of Bonus Game
Onion hands or not, Jake grabbed onto Riley’s arms tightly, stopping him from pulling the object from his pocket. “Don’t?—”
“I won’t,” Riley reassured as he pushed Jake more firmly against the counter. “I knew something was up. You’ve been stimming more than usual, and you keep checking the time. What time are you leaving for your date with Allen? Is that when you’re doing it?”
Jake nodded, shooting a look past Riley’s shoulder to make sure Allen was still distracted with Kingston. His two boys were right where he left them, on the sectional watching a movie—Kingston curled around Allen, who was sitting in his lap.
“I’m going to mess it up,” said Jake, finally voicing the fear he’d been holding in all day. “Proposing is supposed to come from the heart, and I don’t know if I can articulate how I feel.”
Riley held his smile, but Jake could tell he was upset by the way his brows pinched together.
“You’re going to do amazing, so stop doubting yourself.” Riley drew back only so he could pepper Jake’s cheeks with kisses. “I’m so proud of you, man. I can’t wait to hear about it when you get home.”
Jake dropped his gaze, suddenly feeling insecure. “And it doesn’t…change anything between the four of us?”
He didn’t have the strength to look Riley in the eyes, and Riley didn’t force him, but his voice was clear when he spoke.
“Nothing at all. I know marriage is a big thing for you, and I refuse to let you hold back. I don’t think you understand how excited I am about you and Allen getting hitched. It’s literally perfect.”
Jake shrugged out of nervous habit, and Riley chuckled and finally removed his hand from Jake’s pocket.
“Besides, poly marriage isn’t a thing yet, so we would end up pairing off eventually.”
Jake raised his head and met Riley’s gaze, instantly soothed by the kindness in his friend’s eyes.
“It’ll still be the four of us, even if I put a ring on that miserable bastard over there,” Riley added.
Thatcaught Jake’s attention, as did the red blooming on Riley’s face when he realized he was under sudden scrutiny.
“Not for a long time,” Riley whispered quickly. “But you know…eventually if I decide he’s wifey material.”
Jake couldn’t help but think that Kingston was perfectwifeymaterial. He caught onto subtle hints of discomfort just as quickly as Allen—sometimes faster.
It was Kingston who suggested he and Riley should move into the penthouse when it became obvious that the separation bothered Jake. He had been trying his best not to be clingy and give their new relationship time to breathe, but it was hard for Jake torelaxknowing he had other people in other places where he couldn’t immediately check on them.
Allen, who was extremely independent and liked his space, also voiced that he was happier having Kingston and Riley with them, no matter how rushed it felt.
Kingston claimed he’d noticed the whirlwind of anxiety and was happy to decide for them, and they had been cohabitating peacefully since. Kingston kept the place clean, and he wastouch-starved, so he was always excited when Jake demanded hugs.
Perfect wifey.
Hopefully Riley’s wifey soon if Jake had anything to say about it.
“Do you want to know my plans?” Jake asked, blinking when Riley immediately shook his head.
“I’ll wait to hear about them once you’re back and you tell us how it went,” said Riley. “If you tell me now, you’ll start doubting yourself and try to change it. It will be amazing no matter what. I’m rooting for you, buddy.”
IfJake could go through with it. He was so nervous about messing up or Allen saying no that he was finding it difficult to summon the courage.
Riley caught onto his mini spiral and held his hands up like he was stopping a charging elephant. “If you don’t do it tonight,I’llpropose to Allen instead. Use that as motivation.”
Jake didn’t believe him, but he was reaching the limit of how long he could let his hands stay sticky, so he had no choice but to agree so he could wash them.
He thought Riley would hang around to torment him, but he narrowed his eyes when he spotted him slinking off to the living room to harass Allen instead. Jake wasn’t fast enough to stop Riley from scooping Allen off Kingston’s lap and stealing him away to the recliner, where no one could touch him.
“Can you assholes stop picking me up? I’m a fully grown adult, thanks.”
Jake locked eyes with Riley from across the room and contemplated his next move. He could try to remove Allen from his newly acquired spot, but that would probably end with him being chastised for hogging his boyfriend.
Thankfully, there was another person in the penthouse who was now sitting alone and looking a little forlorn after his cuddle partner had been stolen away.
