Four Letter Word (Love Logic #2) - K.M. Neuhold Page 0,118

several stomachs start to growl.

“I’ll make lunch,” Leo says, sounding sleepy and relaxed.

“I can do it,” I argue, not feeling any more motivated than he sounds.

“Want to do it together?” he suggests. I don’t bother to hide my smile as happiness expands in my chest like a balloon.

“Sounds great.”

Riot

After dinner, we spend some more time in the pool, followed by more sex before the four of us collapse into bed. I lay awake for a couple of hours, listening to their steady breathing and watching the light breeze rustle through the trees through the large patio window.

Leo rolls over in his sleep, moving his head off of my chest and cuddling up to Bishop, who’s spooned around Hudson. I smile at the sight, my heart feeling so full I’m surprised my chest doesn’t burst.

When Leo suggested the four of us find a place together, I may have had a mini panic attack. I wasn’t lying when I told Bishop I’m good at commitment all those months ago, but living together is next level type commitment. Not to mention an entire polycule living together? There’s so much that could go wrong over time. But in the back of my head, a little voice had whispered that there’s so much that could also go right.

With the three of them sound asleep, I grab my phone off the nightstand and slip out of bed. I make my way quietly downstairs and slip out onto the back patio with the pool. Even with the sun down, it’s warm enough out that stretching out naked on one of the chaise loungers under the stars seems like the best idea in the world.

I pull up my mom’s number on my phone and hit the call button. It doesn’t occur to me how late it is on the East coast until it starts to ring. I consider hanging up and calling back at a more decent hour tomorrow, but she answers before I can decide.

“Is everything all right?” she asks immediately.

“Sorry, I forgot about time zones,” I answer with a chuckle. “Should I call back tomorrow.”

“No, it’s fine. Let me just get my heart rate under control for a second.”

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you,” I apologize.

“It’s fine. How are things? Are you still in California?”

I lean back in the chair and look up at all the stars overhead. “Yup, still in California. I’m at a fancy cabin in Lake Tahoe right now,” I tell her.

“What are you doing there?”

“It belongs to one of my partners.” I was seventeen when I told her I was bi, and she took it in stride, telling me that she loved me and nothing else mattered. I tested that theory a few years later by telling her I was also polyamorous. That one threw her a little more, but she came around quickly, telling me that as long as I was treating everyone I dated with respect, she didn’t see why it was anyone else’s business.

“I didn’t know you were seeing anyone. I can’t believe you’d keep important information like that from your poor mother,” she pouts, and I laugh.

“I’m seeing three men, actually. They’re…” I trail off, trying to think of the right way to describe them. “Special,” I finally settle on.

“Special?” she repeats, not bothering to conceal the curiosity in her voice.

“Yeah, we’re talking about looking for a place together,” I admit.

“Does that mean you’re staying in one place for more than a few months?”

“For the foreseeable future.”

“Hmm, maybe it’s time I start looking at apartments in Pasadena then.”

“Seriously?” I perk up. I haven’t lived near my mom in way too long. I’ve always tried to get back to visit often, but it never feels like it’s often enough. Yes, I’m a tiny bit of a mama’s boy, but she’s the best, so no shame. “You know, your loving son could probably be convinced to buy you a house if you were serious about it.”

“I’m very serious about it. And I’m serious about wanting to meet these men if they’re so special.”

“You’ve got it, Mom,” I say. The patio door opens, and Hudson shuffles out, looking half asleep. He yawns and crawls onto the chair beside me, putting his head on my chest and closing his eyes. I smile down at him, running my fingers through his hair and continuing my conversation with my mom, talking about nothing and everything for at least an hour until I can hear how tired she is, and I reluctantly end the call