Raising the Bar (10 page)

Harper shrugged and finished his sandwich. “You going to eat that?”

The guy consumed enough for three people. Then again, with all the energy they’d expended the night before, he’d earned it.

“What’s that smirk for?” Harper asked, suspicious.

“Nothing. Here, have it. You earned it.”

“Boy, did he.” Freddy fanned herself, and her blond bangs waved over her face. She hadn’t spiked her hair after the shower they’d all shared that morning, and the flutter of that silky bob softened her face.

He and she smiled at Harper, who colored.

“Did you see that, Doc?” She smirked. “Studly blushed.”

“Keep it up and I’ll start calling you ‘Smurfette’. You got that?” Harper growled.

Dylan laughed, unable to keep his joy to himself. God, he’d had the best time today. Most likely still riding an endorphin rush from last night and earlier that morning. A holdover from the incredible pleasure he’d experienced. But he didn’t want to let it go, and he was loath to verbally label this new dynamic. So he smiled and asked what he’d been thinking since they’d left the club earlier that morning. “What’s next?”

More shopping, some decorations they had to deliver to Freddy’s brother’s house while he was out of town, and an evening of wine and dinner at Dylan’s place. He felt pride in showing off his condo, as well as a need to see his new lovers in his home. To his satisfaction, Harper and Freddy looked good sitting on his furniture, at his table, in his kitchen.

Harper could barely boil water, but Freddy was an accomplished cook. So while she and Dylan worked together on dinner, Harper set the table and cleaned up after they ate.

Their unusual unit worked perfectly. Until they had to leave.

Monday had come knocking on Sunday’s door, and they all had work the next day. Freddy apparently did more than bartend. She was part owner in the club and did a lot of behind-the-scenes administration that demanded her constant presence there. Harper had more projects—as well as Natalie—to satisfy, and Dylan had patients to see starting at eight in the morning.

“Hey, Doc, so what’s next?” Harper asked as they all stood by the door. “For the record, we’re now an item.”

Freddy blinked up at him. “That’s nice.”

She didn’t seem pleased, though. Before Dylan could say anything, Harper took her chin in his huge hand. “By
we
, Smurfette, I mean the three of us. No sex outside of our little threesome.”

Her breathy “oh” explained a lot. As did her joyous grin. “Sounds good to me.”

“Doc?” Harper asked.

The pair looked at him, and he could no more deny them than he could deny breathing. “Yeah yeah. Okay. No sex except with you two,” he grumbled but couldn’t help smiling.

Harper’s eyes narrowed, but he nodded. The big lug had caught what Dylan couldn’t bring himself to say. A threesome in theory was a lovely thing. In bed, in practice, it was a dream come true. But a public life of polyamory was not only unaccepted in most social circumstances, but difficult, not to mention it was illegal to marry more than one person at a time. Though why Dylan would leap so far ahead of himself he didn’t know.

Or did he? As he said goodbye to his new lovers with kisses and hugs, and shut the door behind them, he conceded that today had been better than any date he’d ever had. He’d had fun. Real enjoyment doing something he normally would never have done. He’d attended a craft show, for God’s sake. And he’d bought
handmade
presents.

He didn’t try to stifle a sigh as he locked up then made his way into his bedroom. After plugging his phone into its charger, he undressed and put on his pajamas, a striped designer silk that usually relaxed him. Except, as he shifted in the soft clothing, he remembered hands and lips over his body, and he grew aroused. A quick trip to the bathroom and cold water to his face didn’t help any.

Damn it all, he missed Harper and Freddy. Not just Harper. Not just Freddy. But the pair of them, together. With him.

Loneliness descended as he lay in bed. Sleep refused to come.

Then the phone buzzed. He glanced at the clock. It hadn’t even hit ten o’clock on a Sunday night and Dr. Warren lay in bed feeling sorry for himself. How pathetic. He reached for his phone to see if perhaps one of his patients had called to cancel an appointment for tomorrow. God willing, it would be his eight o’clock.

But the text he read made him smile. Relief filled him and he found himself wondering what he’d bring to Harper’s house for dinner tomorrow night. The wine Freddy liked, or the beer Harper preferred?

By the end of the week, Dylan figured he and his new lovers had spent just about every free, waking moment together. A difficult but not impossible thing, considering their schedules. Dinner at Harper’s, then Freddy’s home. Lunch together with Harper or Freddy when they could manage it. Sometimes he met with them both, and at other times separately. But though they never said it out loud, he thought they all preferred to be together.

It was odd, how connected he felt to the pair of them, and he constantly wondered if he somehow thought to compensate for his mother’s new relationship. Was he clinging to Harper and Freddy because he missed having his mother to himself? But he liked being with
both
of them. Not one or the other. Why then had he deliberately not spoken of his new relationship to Derrick or Gage when he’d seen them on Wednesday?

He frowned as he straightened up his office. Linda Barry often liked to lie down on his couch for her sessions, though most of his clients preferred to sit across from him at his desk and talk. Personally he thought it suited Linda’s propensity for drama, as she often felt the need to weep and insisted he use a notebook to record all of her “childhood trauma”, which mostly boiled down to jealousy over her sister’s new husband.

Just as he’d finished returning his office to the pristine condition it had been in before Linda’s visit, the phone buzzed.

He pressed a button. “Yes?”

The secretary answered. “Dr. Warren, there’s a Dr. Kincaid here to see you. He’s not on the schedule, but your next appointment isn’t until six.”

Dylan checked the time and inwardly groaned. He had two hours to kill. “That’s fine, Melissa. Send him in, please.”

James entered a few moments later and looked around. “Nice. I’ve been in here before, but it’s been a while.” He grinned. “If you worked in our space, your office would be even bigger. And you could paint it if you wanted.”

Dylan shook his head. “Subtle.” He waved to a chair across from the desk. “Have a seat.”

“Thanks.” James sat and stared at him. He didn’t speak.

Dylan refused to play mind games. He only had a few more hours before he’d agreed to meet his friends at the club. Freddy had some time off and she’d wanted to try something new with them. He couldn’t wait.

Caging the smile wanting to burst, he raised a brow at his mother’s boyfriend. He’d been working on not reacting to the man’s new title and what it might or might not represent. He had only to accept that James was indeed Barbara’s significant other. Easier said than done.

He cleared his throat. “James?”

“You seem different. More relaxed. That’s good.” James steepled his fingers under his chin as he studied Dylan.

Normally this would have irritated Dylan to no end. Now he only wanted to get James out of his office so he could prepare for his next patient. The last one of the day. “I’m sure you’re not here to analyze me. You want to know my answer about the business?”

“Yes and no.”

“I’d like to partner with you and Mom. I’ll have a few terms I’d like you to accept, but nothing major. And I’ll need some time to give notice here, maybe start in the spring?”

“That would be fine. I know your mother is beyond thrilled to have you join us.”

“And you?” Just how did James feel about him? Maybe Barbara had forced the decision on him.

“I’m more than happy to have you with us. But it would be easier for us all if you’d come clean about how you’re really feeling.” A pause. “About your mom and me, I mean.”

“Do we really need to have this discussion right now?” Dylan made a show of checking his watch. “I have a patient coming in, and I need to review his folder.”

“I think this is something you’ve been avoiding. For good reason, but it’s causing your mother distress.”

Dylan frowned. “‘For good reason’? Don’t try to psychoanalyze me, James. Just say what you want to say.”
And get out
went unsaid. Not the healthiest relationship to have with his new business partner, but Dylan had enough on his plate. He was really looking forward to later tonight. He didn’t want James to ruin it.

“Let’s be frank. I’ve been in love with your mother for years, but she never got over your father. I understand that. Hell, I loved him like a brother. Andrew was a special man.”

A lump grew in Dylan’s throat. He remembered his father, a man in the prime of his life. He’d always made Barbara laugh, even after she’d scolded him for leaving his shoes out or not putting his dirty clothes away. And he always had time for his sons, even the one who didn’t fit into what society wanted of him. “Yes, he was special. But he’s gone.”

“He’s dead, yes, but never gone.” James looked him in the eye. “I love your mother, Dylan. That’s the God’s honest truth. And she loves me. It’s hurting her that you’re avoiding the issue.”

“And what issue is that?” Dylan answered coldly. “You and my mother are dating. She’s a grown woman who doesn’t answer to her sons.”

“Yes. Her sons. Gage and Derrick are happy for us. They’ve expressed their pleasure with the situation, to the extent they gave us their blessing.” His eyes narrowed. “But you haven’t talked to your mother in a week and a half. This from the man who eats with her on Saturday mornings and makes it a habit to call and leave messages just to say hello?”

“I’m not tied to my mother’s apron strings, James. She’s got you now, so she doesn’t need me interfering in her life.”
She doesn’t need me anymore.

James’s expression softened. “She misses you. Sure, she and I bounce ideas off each other at work and spend our evenings together, but you have a way of cutting through her bullshit. Say what you like, but she’s a lot like you. The woman has control issues.”

Dylan snorted. “Please. I’ve heard and seen you in action for years. You and she were made for each other.” Realizing what he’d said, he amended, “At work, you two fit. In a personal context, that’s not for me to say.”

“Oh?” James asked softly. “Why don’t you just admit how you feel? You don’t like us dating.”

“Dating? Is that what you call it?”

“I’d marry her tomorrow if she’d let me,” James said bluntly.

Dylan felt as if he’d been dealt a heavy blow. “Marriage?”

“Yes. That’s what two people who love each other often aspire to.” James stood. “I know I’ll never be your father. I don’t want to be. No one could ever take the place of Andrew Warren. But you and I have been friends for a long time, Dylan. I don’t understand why you can’t at least talk to me about how you feel.”

Dylan feared he’d say something he couldn’t take back, that he’d ruin his relationship with his mother, such as it was, and he wasn’t even sure
what
he felt. “James, all I want is my mother’s happiness.”

“Really? Then talk to her.” James shook his head. “I realize that no amount of time can ever totally erase the hurt of losing a loved one. But life goes on. Your brothers have found love. So has your mother. And maybe it’s time you did too. Maybe that would make this easier to handle.”

“What? That I go out and get laid so it’ll be okay for you to bang my mother?” Oh hell. That anger.
That’s
what he’d been worried about losing—his temper.

James blinked at him in shock. But Barbara’s voice was loud and clear when she answered from the doorway, “I cannot believe you’d say that to James.”

He groaned. Typical. His brothers cursed a blue streak, but she only ever heard Dylan swearing. The woman always managed to catch him with his foot in his mouth. But this time, she’d really nailed him. “Oh—hello, Mom.”

She crossed the room to stand next to James, her eyes frigid. “Do you really think all James and I have between us is sex?”

He inwardly cringed. He’d never admit it to his brothers, because he was a therapist after all, but hearing his mother mention
s-e-x
with James in the room made him nauseous. “I couldn’t say.” He sounded stiff, even to his own ears.

“James and I are in love. I’m sorry if that bothers you to hear.” She had tears in her eyes but never let a drop fall. “It’s been nearly eleven years without your father in my life. And I’ve missed him every single day.”

“Mom, I know.” God, if she cried, he’d lose it. “I want you to be happy.”

“No, I don’t think you do,” she said softly. “I’ve dated men since your father died. But no one stuck. James waited, and he supported me in ways I wasn’t aware of then.” She turned to smile at him. “Ways I’m only beginning to understand now. We love each other.” She turned back to Dylan. “I need to know. Do you accept us being together or not? It won’t make a difference to how I feel about him, but it will affect how you and I deal with one another. Son, I love you, but I won’t let you run my life.”