Page 101 of Fourplay & Fatalities

“Yes, Poppy,” they said in unison.

Zane snorted, turning back to the pan on the stove. He removed it from the burner, depositing more bacon on Oscar’s plate before divvying up the eggs for himself, Asa, and Avi. He added bacon and toast with some sliced avocado, then started assembling Felix’s Acai bowl. Extra strawberries. One drizzle of honey. Any more and Felix claimed it was too sweet. Any less and he said it tasted healthy. When that was finished, he washed the dishes, loaded the dishwasher, then pulled everyone’s lunches from the fridge, lining them up on the counter.

He felt Asa’s presence before he saw him. Maybe it was habit. Maybe it was years of sharing a home, a bed, and two children. Whatever it was, Zane always knew when Asa was nearby.

He wrapped his arms around Zane from behind, kissing his neck, then his ear. “Morning, sexy. How’d you sleep?”

“Morning,” he said, twisting to press a kiss to his mouth. “I must have slept pretty good. I woke up in the same position I fell asleep in.”

“You fell asleep drooling on my chest,” Asa said, mouthing at the back of Zane’s neck just above his T-shirt.

Zane had long given up on chastising him about groping him in front of the children. They were oblivious to the wandering hands of the four adults in the house. Or—more likely—they just didn’t care. The boys had grown up surrounded by affection. Random kisses, shameless flirting, somebody always curled up in somebody else’s lap. To them, it was just part of home.

Asa turned him in his arms to back him up against the counter, kissing him slow and deep. His mouth still tasted faintly of toothpaste, warm and familiar enough to make Zane’s knees soften despite the spatula still in his hand. When the kids giggled, Zane pushed him away gently, taking in his navy suit and pale pink button-down shirt.

Zane looked his fill, running his hands along Asa’s chest. “You look too good in this. Go change,” he teased.

“You jealous, Lois?” Asa murmured, his hands sliding down to cup Zane’s ass, squeezing until Zane gasped. “What’s wrong? Hmm? Thought you said you could handle it? You swore that it wasn’t too much.”

“Shush,” Zane whispered, side-eyeing the children.

Asa had gotten a little overzealous with the belt last night. Well, Zane had begged Asa to “let go” and stop being so cautious, and he’d listened. Not that Zane was complaining.

He loved the aftercare and the babying his husband did when he went a little too far. He loved the way Asa held him afterwards and the way he could feel the ache and sting of Asa’s love every time he sat down for days after. Loved the quiet morning-after tenderness even more, when Asa got this smug, soft look on his face every time Zane moved too carefully.

But now that they could no longer escape to the sex attic, they were having to find new and creative ways of keeping Zane quiet during his punishments.

“Addy, look,” West said, holding up his pancake for Asa to see.

It now looked like something out of a horror movie.

Asa nodded approvingly. “Sick.”

West beamed at him, making a show of jabbing his tongue through the hole he’d made in his pancake. The children were just as savage as any other Mulvaney. They just didn’t realize it yet. Unfortunately, their pre-school was starting to take note. Luckily, they would be transferring soon and all the Mulvaneys would once again be the scourge of St. Aggies Prep.

Zane shook his head, giving Asa a chaste kiss and a pat on the butt before handing him his plate. “Your coffee’s on the table.”

“Thanks, Lois.”

“Mm,” Zane said, turning away from his husband before they got themselves in trouble. The problem with Asa was that, even fully dressed and behaving badly in front of their children, he still looked like every bad decision Zane had ever happily made.

As soon as one brother was seated, the other arrived, dressed in a bright pink Gemini hoodie and joggers, part of his collaboration with FNM. He crowded up behind him. Zane, once again, found himself pressed into the counter. Avi wrapped his arms around his waist, sliding his hand up under his shirt as he kissed each of his cheeks.

Where Asa was all heat and pressure, Avi came with sleep-warm softness, smelling like expensive moisturizer and the vanilla protein shake he downed before hitting the gym every morning.

“Morning, Zaney,” he said in that sleepy rasp that always ran over Zane like a caress.

“Morning, Avi,” he murmured, handing him his plate.

“Looks good,” he said, not even looking at his plate.

“Don’t start,” Zane warned, pushing his hips back and bumping his ass against Avi. “You and your brother are both very handsy this morning.”

“It’s been a while since the four of us got to play,” he said, just quietly enough for Zane to hear it. His thumb swept lazily over Zane’s stomach, affectionate and deliberately distracting.

“Hush,” Zane said, pushing him towards the table. “Soon enough.”

“Daddy, look,” West said.