Gatlin narrowed his gaze, smirking. “Did you leave anything out?” he teased, half joking, half green with envy.
Jay winced. “A kiss. A fairly innocent kiss. But the kind that knocks your socks off.”
Ledger groaned. “Those lips…”
“Yeah,” Jay agreed.
“You told her about us though, right?” Gatlin inquired.
Jay nodded. “Of course.”
“She didn’t seem completely opposed to the idea,” Nile muttered.
“No. She’s not,” Jay added. “But she’s fucking sheltered. Besides her father, she’s only set eyes on a few men from a distance when they made trades on her property. She’s never spoken to or touched a man before today.”
“Jesus,” Gatlin whispered in the growing darkness. “We must have overwhelmed her.”
“I think she handled it well,” Jay said. “But we need to give her time. Polyamory wasn’t really in her vocabulary before today either. She suspected that’s how people lived I suppose, but she hasn’t witnessed it or contemplated it for herself.”
“And her sister?” Gatlin asked. “What’s she like?”
“Younger. Nineteen. Quieter, but then again, who can know for sure what the two of them were like at home with their parents? They were dumped here into the care of a six-foot-eight black man without an ounce of warning. I scare myself when I look in the mirror.”
Gatlin chuckled. “It’s just your size. Once people get to know you…”
Ledger sucked in a breath. “Obviously she got to know him well enough to kiss him and sleep against his thigh.” He slapped Jay on the shoulder.
“So now what?” Gatlin asked as it occurred to him what the three of them were here for. Their job was to pick up newcomers and take them back to the main compound. If they left with Layla and Ariel, Jay would be left behind. That wasn’t going to make him happy.
Jay ran a hand over his short-cropped hair. He always kept his hair cut so short he was nearly bald. He turned to face one of the cabin’s small windows as if he could see out into the night.
“We’ll stay until tomorrow night,” Ledger decreed. “Twenty-four hours. We should do that anyway in case Maya or anyone else brings in more people. Two women aren’t really enough to make the trip.”
Jay set his hands on the windowsill and hung his head. “We’ll only be putting off the inevitable,” he pointed out.
Gatlin’s chest tightened. He knew his partner had to be feeling a sense of panic at the thought of watching Layla walk away with the rest of them so he could stay and man this post.
“I’ll stay to guard the post,” Nile said to break the silence.
Gatlin jerked his attention to their quietest partner. “No. That’s not fair.”
“And what does fair look like?” Nile asked.
Ledger stepped closer. “How about if two of us take Ariel and two of us stay with Layla? We can send someone to relieve the post for a while, and then the other two can join at the main compound.”
“It’s not a bad idea,” Gatlin agreed. “We’d only be separated for a few days if we don’t stop.”
Jay turned around, shaking his head. “There’s no way Layla would agree to be separated from Ariel or vice versa. And I don’t blame them.” He set his hands on his hips. “Life isn’t perfect. This is my assignment right now. Yours is to pick up newcomers and take them to the compound. If someone is available to relieve me when you get there, send them and I’ll join you when it’s feasible.”
Gatlin frowned. “I hate it.”
“We all do,” Ledger agreed.
Jay set a hand on Gatlin’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “I got the first kiss,” he teased.
“I’m sure that’s not making you feel warm and fuzzy right about now,” Gatlin responded.
“It is what it is. Just…please. For the love of God, don’t fuck things up with her,” he begged.
“I’m insulted,” Gatlin joked, reaching across his body to set his hand on top of Jay’s.
“And keep your damn hands off Ariel. She’s barely old enough for a double-take. Plus, you’ll fuck up our family unit,” Jay pointed out.
“Of course,” Gatlin agreed. He knew it wouldn’t be a problem. If Jay had his heart set on Layla, there was a reason, and Gatlin had no doubt the same attraction would exist for the rest of them. Already, he saw the appeal from what little time he’d had with her. Based on the tension in the room, Ledger and Nile agreed.
Jay released Gatlin and headed for the pantry opening. “I’ll send Ariel upstairs. Give me a few minutes with Layla.”
“Of course.” Gatlin watched as one of his life partners headed down that spiral staircase with the heaviest heart Gatlin had ever known the man to have. He took a deep breath and dropped onto one of the kitchen chairs. This was not how he’d seen tonight going when the three of them approached earlier. Not even close.