Breaking through the Bond (Espen Jetties #2)

12. Hayes

12

HAYES

“Jesus, you’re like a chicken with its head cut off,” I said to King as he bustled around the kitchen. He had on his dick apron, as I called it. There was an illustrated man on the front with no head, balls and a dick out for all to see. Way too much hair at the base.

“I want it to be perfect.”

“You’ve made him breakfast before. You’ve already slept with him. I don’t think you have to worry.”

King put down the knife he was using to chop up fresh parsley and turned to me. “But that was before he said I was worth it. Worth the attention that’s going to come at him from being with me. Now I have to make sure he doesn’t regret it. Because we both know I don’t have a record of serious relationships. I could fuck this sideways before we even make it official.”

“You’re not giving yourself enough credit. He wants to be with you.”

After King and Jamie went out to Reese’s, King came home with a big smile on his face and spilled their conversation to me. He knew I’d never breathe a word of it to anyone else. I was glad to see him happy. I only wanted the best for him. But I had to admit, there was this little pinch in my chest at the thought of them being happy together and me being left behind with no one. I had to snap out of it. I was a grown man. There was no need for this melancholy.

“You have to say that because you’re my best friend,” he replied.

“I say that because it’s the truth. How often do I lie to you?”

He shook his head. “Never.”

“Then there you go.”

I sat at the island while King put the finishing touches on dinner. He made a roast that he slow cooked in the oven for hours on a lower temperature. Glazed carrots, mashed potatoes. Hell, there was an au jus sauce to go along with it. He was pulling out all the stops for Jamie.

“I want to know what you think about him.”

That made me pause. “What?”

“If he and I are really doing this… this relationship, then I need to know you like him. That you’re okay with everything between us.”

“Last I checked, I wasn’t in the relationship with you and Jamie. It shouldn’t matter what I think.”

King stirred the sauce on the stove then turned to me while he took his apron off, revealing a pair of decent shorts—not the basketball kind—and an olive-green T-shirt, which I should not know how it brought out his eyes.

He leaned on the other side of the island from where I was sitting. “You’re my best friend. No matter what happens with me and Jamie, that doesn’t change. I will always be there for you, always have time for you.”

I couldn’t help the edge of bitterness in my tone, but it wasn’t coming from me not wanting them together. It was from fear of losing him. “You say that now. But what happens when Jamie thinks you spend too much time with me? That we’re too close? Don’t you think he’ll get jealous?”

Jesus, project much, Hayes? Fuck.

“I don’t know Jamie that well yet, but not once has he made a comment about my friendship with you. And if he does, I’ll tell him I won’t drop you. You’re important to me.”

My gaze went to the counter where my hand was gripping a glass of water. I heard the words King said. Knew he meant them, but he also wasn’t in a position where he had to choose between Jamie or me. I hoped he never was, but I couldn’t predict the future. I didn’t know Jamie and how he’d react when he saw how freakishly close King and I were.

If King hadn’t specifically asked me to have dinner with him and Jamie tonight, I would have been out of here. I didn’t understand what was going on with me. I barely had a leash on my emotions. And I was making it obvious there was an issue when there shouldn’t have been. I was being a dick for no reason.

King opened his mouth to keep talking but the doorbell rang, effectively ending our conversation. I’d never been so grateful to hear that sound. King must have told them downstairs to add Jamie to our visitor list.

He made no move to answer it, just watched me like he was waiting for me to say something else. No way that was happening, so I stood and went to the front door. One way to get the conversation off me was to add another person to the mix.

I opened the door to find Jamie on the other side in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Nothing fancy but he looked nice. The shirt fit his arms and chest well, showing off how in shape he was. Why was I standing here looking Jamie over? I needed to find a nice spot to dig a hole and hide in it. Apparently, I wasn’t suited for being with them tonight.

Monday couldn’t get here fast enough. We started strength training. I could only run so much. It used to clear my head. Not anymore. It was like every time my foot hit the pavement my mind found something else to conjure up in regard to King.

“Hayes?”

Shit. I was in my head again. “Sorry, come in.” I stepped to the side.

“Everything all right?”

“Been a long day.” It hadn’t. I literally did nothing outside of going for a run and using the equipment in the gym downstairs. The rest of the day I was on the couch watching stupid shit on TV, living the glam life.

“I hear you’re joining us for dinner.”

“You can’t eat everything King made. You’d think he was feeding his whole family.”

Jamie chuckled. “I heard he has a lot of siblings.” He stepped inside and I closed the door behind him and locked it.

“Just wait until you meet them. You better find some sort of hug repellent. They’re going to engulf you to the point where you won’t be able to breathe.”

“Don’t listen to him,” King said as he walked toward us. “The Walkers are just an affectionate bunch.” He put his arm around my neck and started to rub my hair.

I shoved him off. “What the hell? I’m not Dev. You only do that to him.”

“Yeah, but you’re in a mood and I’m trying to lighten it.”

“Whatever,” I grumbled and turned away from them to go back into the kitchen.

I heard their muffled words though couldn’t make them out. Being here wasn’t the smartest idea tonight. No way could I bail on dinner. King wanted my opinion about Jamie. No matter how many times I tried to dodge it, I wouldn’t be able to. It was important to him to hear what I thought. I’d be honest with him. It was King. He’d know if I was lying. So, I’d have dinner with them and tell him how great Jamie was.

Because no matter how I felt, Jamie was a nice guy. And King deserved someone like that in his life.

After dinner and dessert, I was going out. King would get laid and so would I. There was no reason for me to have a front-row seat to his every sound. Or Jamie’s.

My hand wasn’t working anymore at keeping me satisfied. Well, it was doing its job but no matter how much porn I watched, I still heard King’s moans. I had a feeling if I heard them again tonight, my dick would pop up and demand attention to the chorus of one Kingston Walker. I couldn’t keep jerking off to that sound, no matter if it was a memory or not. It wasn’t right. Not when it was my best friend. Not when he was with someone he cared about. Hell, I was straight. It made no sense to me why it made my dick hard as steel. I shouldn’t have heard them and I didn’t want to again.

I was standing at the island with that damn glass of water in my hand again when King came into the kitchen.

“I’m not sure what’s going on with you,” he said, “but we’re talking about it.”

“No, we’re not because I’m fine. I just need to get laid.”

King went to the fridge to grab drinks for us then turned to me with a smile. “Is that all? You’ve been grumpy. Sex will surely cure that.”

“Hopefully.”

I had thought repeatedly I wanted someone to come home to. Someone to call my own. That random sex wouldn’t be enough. It didn’t look like I was finding my happily ever after any time soon, so a hookup was what I was after tonight. To get lost in the feel of a woman for a little while.

“Help me carry stuff in,” King said. We each grabbed a dish and took it into the dining room. Jamie followed us back to the kitchen so he could help.

Dinner went well. Once I made up my mind to go out afterward and give in to my desire to find someone for the evening, I was happier, calmer. I was even able to ignore that pinch in my chest when King and Jamie held hands and stared at each other like the rest of the world fell away when they were together.

I envied them. I really did. I wanted that. I also hated feeling like I was intruding on something private between them. Like I was standing at a window, looking in.

The more we talked, the more I got to know and like Jamie. I didn’t bring up his family, not wanting to do anything to change the mood of dinner. He mentioned hockey and we talked about what we’d be doing for the rest of the summer. It was easy conversation. When King asked me tomorrow what I thought, I wouldn’t have to make anything up. Wouldn’t have to lie. Jamie was a good man. Good enough for my best friend.

I offered to clean up after dinner, but King promptly shooed me out of the kitchen and told me to get ready. It wasn’t late yet, no doubt the club wouldn’t be full but maybe that was a good thing. I could have a drink, relax, and watch as it filled.

Flipping through my closet, I found a pair of jeans to put on and left my black T-shirt I was already wearing in place. I’d probably meet someone who knew who I was and didn’t care what kind of clothes I wore. Being with King a lot meant my face was in the media more than I liked. Women would recognize me. Might ask where he was too.

Tonight, I was going to use my status as a hockey player to my advantage.

When I finally left my room, I found King and Jamie on the couch pressed close together, with King’s arm around him. They had the TV on, searching for something to watch.

King appeared behind me when I grabbed my keys off the hook by the door. “Not going to say goodbye?”

“You two looked comfortable. I didn’t want to interrupt.”

“Have fun tonight.”

“Yes, Dad.”

King pinched my cheek. “Don’t get smart with me, young man.”

“I’m a year older than you, in you case you forgot.”

“Doesn’t mean anything. Here.” He waited for me to open my hand and dropped a few silver packets into my palm.

“Condoms? What am I sixteen? I think I can handle it myself.”

“I have no doubt you know how to roll one on, but I wanted to make sure you didn’t forget to bring some with you.”

“Maybe we should put a condom jar by the door for easy access before we leave or if we come home with someone,” I said dryly.

“Add in packets of lube and I’m sold.”

I rolled my eyes. “Night, King. Have fun with Jamie.”

He straightened his back and puffed out his chest. “Night, son. Remember, no rubber, no lover. Slick it before you stick it. Foreplay is the best way.”

Chuckling, I said, “Okay, I get it.”

“With any luck, you’ll get to fuck. Don’t make sex more complex than it needs to be. Put on a glove when above. Don’t be dumb, let her come… first.” He shook his head. “Shit. I can’t think of what to rhyme first with.”

I could hear Jamie laughing. “Use the condoms King gave you!” he called out. “Thrust with trust, Hayes!”

“Ha!” King yelled. “Good one!”

“And I’m gone.” I smiled and opened the door to get away from more rhyming.

When I rolled on a condom tonight, if I did, I hoped to hell I wasn’t thinking about other words glove and rubber rhymed with.