“No. It’s not likethat. I’m just not used to it.” He took a breath and it looked like he wastrying to sort it out in his head. “It’s always been separate. Working out howto balance both sides of me at the same time is weird. I feel like a scalethat’s not quite balanced—almost, but like it’s not right yet.”
“That might comein time.” Brent gave him a serious look. “You seemed to be running from therelationship for a while, and maybe that’s made you overthink it. Do you guysspend all your time together, or is it mostly separate?”
Bryce shrugged. “Abit of both. The date was together, and they came into the office together afew times to sign paperwork. When we talk on the phone, it’s usually just twoof us at a time.”
“Do you talk tothem a lot?” Wyatt’s curiosity was showing again, but Bryce didn’t seem to mind.
“Yes. At least oneof them, almost every day. Most of the time we talk after work.” Bryce blushedagain, and he stared off into the distance. Relaxing back in his chair, Bryceshifted, and for a minute reminded Carter of Wyatt.
He couldn’t helpwondering what Bryce was thinking about. Something he was remembering clearlyflipped the switch to sub for Bryce. Carter had a feeling it was one of thoseoccasional work conversations Bryce had hinted at.
Most of the timewasn’t all the time.
Giving Wyatt a lookbefore the curious sub could even open his mouth, Carter shook his head. Wyattfrowned but didn’t push it. Brent didn’t seem to feel the need to restrainhimself, since he leaned back in his chair and gave Bryce a grin.
Brothers.
Carter did hisbest to hide his frustration, but the way Brent grinned, he didn’t do a goodjob of it. Brent’s wicked smile turned to Bryce. “Your Dom keeping you on yourtoes? I can’t imagine any Dom behaving that well with someone they’reinterested in.”
“He’s not my Dom.”Thenot yetclearly implied, Bryce gave Brent a stern look. “And weagreed to behave at work.”
Laughing, Brentshook his head. “Knowing all of us, I’m not sure that rule will work.”
Carter decidedBrent was easier to deal with when he was sad and moody.
The way Wyatt wasnodding enthusiastically, a dreamy expression in his eyes, Carter knew the rulehad already been tossed out the window. Bryce just hadn’t gotten the memo yet.Had Grant? Not that he wanted Grant to invite him to work and do something outrageous.Not yet, anyway.
Wyatt giggled.“Just don’t get caught.”
Bryce gave them acurious look, sitting a little straighter. “I’ll have to remember that nexttime Oliver comes in to pay a bill.”
Wyatt couldn’trestrain himself. Carter didn’t blame him; the whole conversation was tootempting. “I’m sure Troy could help you remember.”
Laughing, they alltook turns heckling Bryce until the waiter arrived with their food. After startingto eat, the conversation turned back around to Wyatt and Garrett. Oversharingand tattling on each other seemed to be part of the family dynamics, so Carter feltit was his duty to make Wyatt feel more at home. “Did I hear you say thatGarrett had invited Grant and Calen over to your house for dinner?”
Wyatt lookedsuspicious, but he couldn’t see the issue. Nodding slowly, his brain wasrolling things around, trying to see what Carter was up to. “Yes. He thought itwould be fun, since we were hanging out.”
Carter glanced atBrent and Bryce, then with an innocent look shoved Wyatt under the bus. Pickingup an oversized steak fry, Carter gestured with it to Wyatt. “I think the exactwords I heard were more likeourhouse?”
That goteveryone’s attention.
Wyatt squirmed andtried to play it off, but no one was having it. They latched on like the gossipbloodhounds Carter had suspected they were. Bryce seemed to be glad it wasn’thim getting the third degree and jumped right in. “Ourhouse, huh? Youtwo have something you want to share with everyone?”
“If Garrett thinkshe can hide moving in with someone from Mom, he’s lost it.” Brent grinned andreached for his glass to take a sip of his soda. “I think a phone call might bein order.”
Bryce had an odd lookon his face, but seemed to push it away because it was gone before Carter coulddecipher what it meant. Bryce nodded, a grin that matched Brent’s on his lips.“I think she’d want to know that he’s moving in with Wyatt before collaring himor something more traditional.”
They both noddedlike it was a serious topic that was a terrible breach of etiquette, but Cartercould see the gleam in their eyes. They were going to have fun tormentingGarrett. Wyatt was bouncing back and forth between nervous and eager. “Don’tget Master in trouble.”
The other guysmissed what Wyatt hadn’t said, but Carter didn’t. Wyatt was doing his best notto deny or confirm anything, but he was so excited he was ready to pop. Whathad he and Garrett been up to lately? Carter knew Garrett had been spendingmore and more time over at Wyatt’s house, but he hadn’t realized it was gettingthat serious.
Wyatt couldn’t keepa secret like that for long; his natural inclination was to share. It couldembarrass Carter, but it was who Wyatt was. In the beginning of their friendship,it was what had drawn him to Wyatt. Finally meeting someone who was just asunique in their own way as Carter was had made him feel so much more normal.He’d needed Wyatt’s outgoing, sweet oversharing. Without it, he probably wouldn’thave found the courage to be himself.
He wouldn’t outWyatt now, but the next time they were in the shop the nut was a goner, becauseCarter was going to corner him and find out what was going on. Wyatt lookedexcited but too nervous for Carter’s comfort. Wyatt had always been the moreoutgoing person between the two of them, but to Carter, it felt like he was theone corralling Wyatt.
It mighttechnically be Garrett’s job now, but Carter knew it would always be a big partof their friendship. He had a feeling he knew what they were up to, though.Wyatt’s reaction…yeah, Carter knew they needed to talk.
“We won’t get himin too much trouble.” Bryce had a wicked look on his face that Carter didn’t believefor a minute.
