Page 51

The Three of Us

Harrison

The glow of New York greets me as I step out of the cab in front of Sardi’s. Charlie takes my hand as Daniel drapes an arm around my shoulders. Together, we make our way inside to a feast for the senses.

Warm lighting casts a golden glow over the rich mahogany paneling, the burgundy leather banquettes, and the crisp white tablecloths.

The walls are adorned with hundreds of caricatures of legendary performers.

The air is filled with the clinking of glasses, the murmur of conversation, and the faint strains of jazz music.

As the ma?tre d’ leads us to our table, I’m filled with a sense of awe. This is a place where the greats of Broadway have gathered for generations. And here I am, a graffiti artist from Brooklyn, sharing that magic with the two men of my dreams.

We settle into our seats, and I peruse the menu until our server comes by to take our drink orders. Charlie and Daniel wind up deep in conversation, discussing the show we just saw— & Juliet, a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s classic tale with a pop music twist.

“I must admit, I was extremely skeptical. You know I’m not a big fan of musicals, but this one was awesome,” Daniel says with a grin that has been on his face since “Larger than Life” started playing.

“I knew you’d come around eventually,” I nudge his foot under the table. “There’s something about the magic of live theater that has a way of getting under your skin.”

Daniel nods. “I guess I can’t argue with that. But don’t expect me to be belting out show tunes anytime soon.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Charlie muses. “I think you’d make a pretty good Jack Kelly.”

He sings the first few bars of “Santa Fe”—horribly, might I add—and we break out into laughter. We draw curious glances from the nearby diners, but I don’t care. Nothing can ruin such an amazing night.

After the server comes back with our drinks and takes our orders—a filet mignon for Charlie, roasted duck for Daniel, and seared scallops for me—a group of guys walks past our table. One of them does a double-take and grabs the arm of his friend.

“Holy shit! Are you guys Daniel Hollingsworth and Charlie McManus?” The awe in his voice is almost comical.

Charlie grins, looking genuinely pleased. “That we are, man. Are you Green Wolves fans?”

“Hell yeah!” The guy beams. “We go to Ashford! We’re huge fans!”

“Do you think we could get your autographs?” his friend asks, holding out a napkin and a pen. His eyes are wide with admiration.

“Of course,” Daniel says, taking the pen and scribbling his name with a practiced flourish. Charlie follows suit, adding an encouraging “Go Wolves!” beneath his signature.

I watch them interact with the guys with a strange mix of joy and apprehension. The attention they get whenever we’re out on the streets is still new for me to witness. They handle it so naturally, whereas I could never.

I’m about to leave to use the restroom when one of the guys notices me, and his eyes widen even further .

“Oh, wow,” he mutters, nudging his friend again. “Is that Harrison Price? I heard the rumors, but I didn’t think…”

My stomach flips. So much for flying under the radar, I guess.

The first guy leans in closer, his eyes ping-ponging around the table. He takes in the closeness that three friends don’t typically have. “They’re definitely together.”

There it is—the moment of realization I’ve been waiting for—and dreading. A part of me wants to crawl under the table, but another part is strangely liberated that there is no hiding our relationship.

Daniel catches my eye and gives me a reassuring smile before turning back to their admirers. “Yup. That’s Harrison.”

The guys stare at us for another second before one of them blurts out, “That’s insane! You’re like…the coolest people ever.”

Charlie chuckles, clearly amused by their enthusiasm, and flashes a wink that sends them into another frenzy.

I blink, trying to process what I’ve heard. “Wait a sec. You find us…cool?”

“Cool? Yes!” The guy looks around at his buddies for confirmation, and they nod enthusiastically. “You love who you love, no matter what anyone else thinks about gender or the number of people in the relationship.”

He sounds…almost envious.

“We wish we had the guts to do the same,” he adds, confirming my suspicions.

This is not at all how I’d imagined any of this would unfold. Instead of scandalized whispers and side-eyes, we’re being treated as rock stars for going against society’s rules.

Charlie beams at me and Daniel. “See? We’re not as crazy as we thought.”

Daniel laughs, also clearly pleased with this unexpected turn of events. “I guess we’re trendsetters.”

“Or we’ve been worried about nothing,” I add.

The guys linger for a few more minutes, asking about game schedules and requesting selfies with Charlie and Daniel. When they finally head back to their table, I grab my glass of water. “Here’s to defying expectations.”

“And doing it in style,” Daniel adds with a playful grin.

We settle back into our seats as our food arrives.

As I watch Daniel and Charlie dig into their food as if they haven’t eaten in years, I reflect on everything that’s happened since that fateful New Year’s Eve.

What started as a wild kiss behind bars has turned into something none of us could have predicted.

The rest of the evening passes in a blur of delicious food and endless conversation about everything from Charlie and Daniel’s baseball superstitions to my favorite Broadway shows.

When we finally step back out into the warm night air, I’m lighter than a feather despite the amount of food I packed away in my belly.

“What now?” Charlie asks, slinging his arms around Daniel and me as we walk down the crowded sidewalk.

“We could go for a walk in the park,” I suggest. “It’s a nice night for it.”

“Ooh, that sounds fun,” Charlie says, smiling at me. “Let’s.”

Central Park is a welcome respite from the bustling city streets of Manhattan. Charlie takes my right hand while Daniel grasps my left, our fingers intertwining as we amble along the winding paths.

We come upon an empty bench beneath a lamppost and settle onto it. The moonbeams cast everything around us in an ethereal glow.

It’s romantic. Intimate. Perfect for the conversation I’ve been wanting to have, but couldn’t because a fancy restaurant was certainly not the place.

“So, Chuck,” I say with a smirk. “I have a confession to make. Remember last week when Daniel was walking funny?”

Charlie nods. “Yeah, I’ve been meaning to ask about that.” He cranes his neck around me to stare at Daniel, whose eyes are resolutely glued to the ground. “Did you pull a muscle or something?”

“Or something,” I snort.

Charlie’s brow furrows in thought before his eyes widen. “Wait, are you saying…”

I nod, my smirk widening. “Yup. I popped his cherry in the shower. Bent him over and showed him what a graffiti artist can really do.”

Charlie’s mouth falls open in shock, but I don’t miss the way his khakis suddenly tent. “Wow. That’s, uh, that’s really hot.”

Daniel flushes, ducking his head bashfully. I reach over and tilt his chin up, forcing him to meet my gaze. “And you wanna know something else?”

“What?” he breathes, pupils blown with desire.

“That I want to pop Charlie’s cherry next. Can you imagine it? Me sinking into his tight, virgin hole, making him scream my name…”

I trail off suggestively, delighting in the sharp intake of breath from Charlie and the obvious bulge now straining Daniel’s pants. They’re both incredibly turned on and desperate for it. I can practically smell their arousal mingling with the scent of grass and summer air.

Chuckling, I lean back and spread my arms across the back of the bench. “You know, if you boys cover your laps with your jackets, I’d be more than happy to lend you each a hand.”

“Here? Now?” Charlie sputters, eyes darting around the deserted area. “What if someone sees?”

“That’s half the fun,” I purr, sliding my hand up his thigh until my fingers graze his zipper. “The thrill of getting caught.”

Daniel swallows audibly. “I don’t know, H. It sounds risky.”

“Risky? Says the guy who walked the streets of New York in a hot pink mankini.”

“That was different,” Charlie grumbles.

“How so?”

“We were dared.”

“All righty then,” I say with a roll of my eyes. “I dare you to let me give you hand jobs right here, right now.”

“I don’t know,” Daniel says yet again, even though he’s visibly throbbing.

“Yeesh, live a little, Hollingsworth. When’s the last time you did something as wild and reckless as New Year’s Eve? Let me take care of both of you.”

They exchange a heated look, silently debating. After an excruciatingly long moment, Charlie shrugs out of his jacket and drapes it over his lap. Daniel follows suit, and I grin lasciviously at the erotic sight before me.

Daniel and Charlie, two grown men, sit on either side of me on the park bench, their jackets draped provocatively over their laps as they manspread shamelessly. Their eyes are dark with lust, boring into mine, silently begging me to touch them.

With deliberate slowness, I reach for Daniel’s zipper first, tugging it down tooth by agonizing tooth. His breath hitches as I slip my hand inside and fish out his straining erection. It’s hot and heavy against my palm, the skin velvet over steel.

“Fuck,” he groans quietly as I give him a few firm strokes.

Keeping my left hand wrapped around Daniel’s cock, I turn my attention to Charlie. His zipper parts easily, and soon I have his impressive length in my other hand. He’s as thick as I remember, but not quite as much as Daniel. He’s definitely longer, though, and the contrast is delicious.

As I stroke them in tandem, their jackets rise and fall with the motion, the fabric brushing against my knuckles. Charlie and Daniel throw their heads back, eyes fluttering shut in bliss. Their hands grip the armrests of the bench, knuckles turning white.

“Just like that, H,” Charlie pants. “Don’t stop.”

Oh, I have no intention of stopping. Not when I have them both deliciously at my mercy. I vary my technique, twisting my wrist on the upstroke for Daniel and rubbing my thumb over the sensitive crown for Charlie. Their low moans and bitten-off curses spur me on .

Daniel is the first to crack, his hips bucking up into my fist as his orgasm crashes over him. He spills over my fingers with a guttural groan, coating his jacket and my hand with his release. The sight and sound of Daniel coming undone is enough to send Charlie over the edge.

With a choked cry, he pulses hotly against my palm, adding to the mess.

I work them through the aftershocks until they’re both spent and trembling. Carefully tucking them back into their pants, I sit back with a satisfied smirk, admiring my handiwork coating my fingers.

I suck their semen off my fingers, relishing the tangy taste. I’m about to suggest we head back to their place—or mine, since we never hang there—for round two, when the sound of someone pointedly clearing their throat makes me freeze.

I glance over my shoulder to see the same two police officers who arrested all of us on New Year’s Eve standing a few feet away, arms crossed and smirking.

“What do we have here?” the taller one drawls. “Looks like you boys had a good time.”

His partner chimes in. “While that was certainly a stimulating show, I’m afraid public indecency is still against the law.”

Charlie and Daniel stare at me with wide, panicked eyes. Busted.

I leap to my feet, grabbing Charlie and Daniel by their arms and yanking them up. “Run!” I hiss, already taking off through the park.

Charlie and Daniel don’t need to be told twice. They stumble after me, their pants still undone and soiled jackets flapping behind them as we sprint across the grass.

“Stop!” one of the officers shouts. Heavy footfalls and curses tell me they’ve given chase.

My heart pounds in my ears as we weave through the trees, darting around benches and trash cans. I chance a glance over my shoulder and immediately wish I hadn’t .

The cops are gaining on us, determination etched on their faces. As I turn back around, a loud zap splits the air, followed by a yelp of pain.

Charlie hits the ground hard, his body convulsing as the Taser’s electric current courses through him. Before Daniel or I can react, another zap sounds, and Daniel crumples next to Charlie, twitching and groaning.

“Fuck!” I skid to a stop, torn between helping my boyfriends and making a break for it. But it’s too late to do either. The officers descend on us, roughly flipping Daniel and Charlie onto their stomachs and wrenching their arms behind their backs.

“Harrison Price,” the taller cop says, slightly out of breath as he approaches me. “Why am I not surprised?”

With a huff, I pop my hip and cross my arms over my chest. “Officer Kowalski. Nice to see you again.”

He snorts. “Right. Causing trouble as usual, I see.”

His partner has confusion written all over his face. “You two know each other?”

Officer Kowalski nods, pulling out his handcuffs. “Sure do. Harrison is my wife’s tenant. Though I’m starting to question her taste in renters.”

I hold my hands out in surrender as he snaps the cuffs around my wrists. “Look, this is all a big misunderstanding. Just like the last time.”

“Sure it is,” he cuts me off. “You can tell me about it down at the station.”

As he marches me toward the squad car, I glance back at Charlie and Daniel. They glare at me from their prone positions on the pavement, clearly annoyed that I got off with only handcuffs while they suffered the indignity of being tased…again.

I offer them an apologetic shrug before Officer Kowalski shoves me into the backseat.

The night definitely didn’t go as planned. But then again, with the three of us, does it ever?