“Hmm,” Tristan said, opening the fridge. “Where’s my kale smoothie?”
Nick snorted. “I can’t believe I almost fell in love with someone who drinks a kale smoothie. Revolting.”
Tristan flipped him the bird. “Your brother is. He’s putting me on a new, ‘healthy’ diet.” Tristan made a face. “Apparently my cholesterol levels are so high it’s a wonder I’m still alive.”
Tyler chuckled. “You’re the one who married the man.”
Tristan shrugged. “Yeah, I know. No regrets, though. He fucks like a dream.”
“Too much information,” Nick said, handing Tyler a piece of toast.
Tyler ate it.
“Not boyfriends, huh?” Tristan said, eyeing them with quirked brows.
Nick seemed very engrossed in making his own toast, so Tyler was the one who had to answer this time.
Tyler suppressed the urge to claim that they were just platonic friends; it would be ridiculous. Tristan had probably seen them kissing yesterday, and Tyler had stayed the night—and they hadn’t exactly been quiet.
Tyler blushed at that thought and mumbled, “We’re best mates.” He paused before adding hesitantly, “We just fuck. We’re mates who fuck. Sometimes. Well, more like every day, but yeah. Mates with benefits. It’s a thing, right? People do it all the time.”
Nick didn’t lift his eyes from his toast.
Tristan gave Nick a long look before looking at Tyler. “Are you having a gay freak-out or something? Get over it.”
Tyler opened his mouth and then closed it.
“That’s none of your business, Tristan,” Nick said, without looking up from his toast. “Don’t bully Tyler.”
Tristan made an innocent face. “Who, me? Never. I just think if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it’s stupid to pretend it isn’t a duck.”
Neither Nick nor Tyler said anything.
Tyler stared down at his empty cup, trying to come up with something to say, something that wouldn’t sound as if he were in denial. He wasn’t in denial, dammit. He and Nick weren’t like that. They were just…They were just…
The tension was broken only when Zach entered the kitchen, looking sweaty and flushed. He must have been on his morning run. “Morning, sleepy heads,” he said, ducking in to give Tristan a quick kiss before getting orange juice from the fridge and drinking it.
Tyler watched Tristan as the latter hungrily watched his husband’s throat while Zach gulped down the drink.
“Gross,” Tyler murmured to Nick, who just snorted, clearly used to it.
“Someone must have drunk the smoothie you made for me,” Tristan said, not even trying to look upset about it.
Zach smirked at him and pulled out a kale smoothie from the smaller fridge under the counter. “Here it is, honey.”
Tristan looked crestfallen.
Tyler chuckled and looked from them to Nick, intending to share his amusement, but there was no trace of a smile on Nick’s face.
In fact, Nick’s face was expressionless as he sipped his coffee, his eyes hard, with that familiar unfriendly edge to them.
Tyler eyed him, unsure what had caused the change. Could Nick still be into Tristan? Could he be jealous of his brother?
Tyler frowned, disliking the thought immensely and hating how much it bothered him. Yikes. This was so gross. Jealousy was ugly in general, but getting jealous over one’s best mate was just gross and all kinds of stupid.
Thoroughly annoyed with the way he was feeling around Nick, Tyler decided it would be better if he left.
Trying to act casual, Tyler kicked Nick slightly under the table. “Hey, I have to go. I just remembered that the pub is running short on supplies.” It wasn’t even a lie, strictly speaking.
Nick nodded and followed him out of the kitchen. Tyler wasn’t sure why; it wasn’t as though Tyler didn’t know the way out. Nick normally didn’t bother accompanying him to the door.
Acutely aware of Nick’s presence behind him, Tyler slipped into his jacket and patted his pockets to make sure he hadn’t forgotten his phone or his keys.
“Um…right,” Tyler said, with an awkward half-smile, turning around. Shit, he had no idea what was wrong with him. He’d never felt this awkward and unsure in his life, his muscles tense and his stomach all weird and fluttery.
Nick just looked at him with the same unreadable expression, his shoulders absolutely relaxed. Asshole.
He also looked so fucking good that Tyler kind of wanted to lick him.
Grimacing on the inside, Tyler said, “I’ll go, then.”
“Tyler,” Nick said when he started turning away. “About what Tristan said…”
Tyler stiffened, looking at him warily.
“Ignore him,” Nick said, looking him in the eye. “He acts as if it’s easy to ‘get over a gay freak-out.’ It never is, especially with your par—with a background like yours, and he shouldn’t have been so flippant about it. He had no right to pressure you into something you aren’t ready for and may not ever be ready.”
Tyler felt his throat close up and he had to look away for a moment to pull himself together. “Thanks, man. I…You’re the best.”