You Can See Me (23 page)

“So my parents want to come over this weekend,” Pres said as he forked his eggs Benedict and popped a large helping into his mouth.

Ric and Blair stopped eating and stared at him, both probably thinking the same question, so he’d figured he’d go ahead and answer.

“Yes, I’m telling them that I’m in a relationship with two of the most loving, talented, and sexiest men I’ve ever met. Okay, maybe I’ll leave off the sexy.” Pres laughed.

“I know they like Ric, I already saw that at the hospital, but do you think they’ll like me?” Blair asked, worrying his bottom lip.

Ric leaned over and kissed Blair’s cheek, nuzzling the side of his face in the small booth. “Who wouldn’t love you, sweet boy?”

“My parents are not judgmental, and even more so, they’re not homophobic,” Pres said.

“Yeah, but you’re in a ménage. That’s a lot for any parent to accept,” Blair said, still looking worried, and it broke Pres’s heart.

“Your parents have known all along, and they’re fine with it,” Pres argued.

“Because they’ve known for years that I’ve always wanted to be in a ménage, and I’ll love whoever I damn well want to love. My parents have had swingers’ parties for as long as I can remember, for Pete’s sake. It’s different with my folks. They’re the epitome of mature sexual liberation. Your folks are like June and Ward Cleaver.” Blair laughed.

“Oh, come on. They’re not that bad. Hey, they vote Democrat.” Pres smiled, making them both laugh at his weak argument. “I’m telling you it will be fine, but even if they don’t accept it, you aren’t going anywhere. Do you understand that?” Pres took Blair’s hand off the tabletop and kissed each knuckle, looking up at him through his long lashes, until Blair smiled again. “Better?”

Ric leaned back in the booth and draped his arm around Blair. “So when are we officially meeting the parents?” He smiled slyly.

“Well, I was thinking that we could maybe have a dinner party or something. Let everyone see how talented our baby boy is in the kitchen, and just keep it light and casual. Ric, you can ask Dr. Brown to come, since he seems to be a good friend of yours. I’ll invite Scott and his wife and probably Janice and her current flavor of the month. Blair, you ask your folks, okay?” Pres looked at them expectantly.

“Wow, don’t tell me we’re gonna be the gay guys that have dinner parties every other weekend where we have themes and costumes and shit.” Ric balked.

Blair laughed hysterically.

“You’re ridiculous.” Pres threw a piece of toast at Ric. “No, we’re having a dinner party because we’re chefs…not gay. Dumbass.”

Ric threw the piece of toast back at him.

“Okay, okay, cease fire.” Blair put both hands up. “Sure. I’ll ask them. I know they’ll come. They always ask a million questions when I talk to them on the phone. They’ve been dying to meet y’all. I will warn you that my dad has a pretty intense protective streak, so you will most likely get the whole ‘what are your intentions with my son’ speech,” he said smugly before finishing off his coffee.

“Wonderful,” Ric grumbled. “So this is our official coming out party.” He rolled his eyes. “I don’t see why we need to make some huge announcement. We’re dating…and we’re in love. We’re not inventing something new.”

“It’s okay, Ric. Like I said, we’ll keep it light. However, I do think we need to do this so that our friends and family can meet. In the future, there will be holiday gatherings and family dinners. I don’t want everyone to be strangers, you understand,” Pres reasoned.

Ric nodded once.

“Let’s get out of here.” Pres stood and grabbed the check.

* * * *

Ric hauled in the two large bags of ice his men had requested and dropped them in the deep sink in the kitchen.

“I hope everyone’s on time,” Blair said as he stirred a large pot of French onion soup.

After Pres and Blair carefully planned the menu, it was suggested a warm soup would make people feel toasty and like conversing, since it was a brisk fifty degrees outside.

“I’d hate to have to reheat some of the food.” Blair scurried around frantically.

Blair wiped his hand across the sweat that had popped up on his forehead, and Ric knew it wasn’t from the heat in the kitchen. No matter how many times he and Pres made Blair come last night, he still remained nervous at meeting Pres’s parents as their third.

Ric came up behind him and put his arms around his narrow waist, and Blair immediately sank back into him as if he had the weight of the world on him.

“Mmmm. My sexy boy.” Ric nibbled on Blair’s earlobe and inched his large hands inside his checkered chef’s pants. He cupped his soft cock and gave it a couple awakening pulls. “You are still stressing, baby, and I told you to stop it.” Ric pulled his hand out and made a seductive show of licking his entire palm before burying it back in Blair’s pants, giving his long cock some much-needed moisture to make his stroking smoother. He made slow pulls on Blair’s length and whispered in his ear, “Who do you belong to, baby?”

Blair rubbed his cheek across Ric’s and answered with a breathless whisper, “Yours, Bear. I’m all yours and Pres’s.”

Ric bit the sensitive skin over Blair’s pulse, feeling him release some of his tension while in his arms. Ric’s other arm held him snug against his chest. “Yes, mine. So, I don’t want you worrying your pretty little head about anyone not accepting or liking you. You just be yourself, okay?”

“Okay, Bear.” Blair pumped his hips back and forth, fucking his cock into Ric’s smooth hand.

“Need me to make you come again, gorgeous?” Ric said, licking the side of Blair’s face while his hand continued to stroke a now extremely hard dick.

“No, I’m fine. I need to constantly stir this soup so it doesn’t scorch on the bottom, but thank you.” Blair turned around in his arms and gripped Ric’s long hair. It’d grown out significantly in the past few weeks and was now to his shoulders. He let Blair caress his full, thick, wavy locks.

He had it pulled back and held off his face with a thin elastic band. He’d wanted to cut it a long time ago, but Blair was crazy about it…so he left it alone. He tucked it behind his ear and let Blair kiss him long and passionately before pulling back.

“I’m gonna go shower and change for this evening. If you guys make me go to the store again, I’m gonna strangle ya.” Ric popped Blair hard on the ass on his way out of the kitchen. “What time is Pres coming back?” he yelled over his shoulder.

“He’ll be back by four,” Blair yelled back.

Ric closed himself in their bedroom. The gathering was at six, and it was already a quarter till four. Ric went in the bathroom and commenced with his usual routine. After showering, he trimmed his goatee and plucked the few hairs that had popped up in places men didn’t want them to be, like his nose and ears. Some men didn’t give a fuck, and Ric was probably one, too, but unfortunately, Pres and Blair weren’t having it. Ric blow-dried his long hair, combed it back loosely, and simply tucked it behind his ears.

Ric was tucking his white wifebeater into his charcoal-gray slacks when Pres walked into the room. Ric smiled warmly. “Hey, baby, what took you so long?” Ric stopped short at the sheer lust he saw burning in Pres’s eyes. “Oh, fuck.” Ric knew that damn look. He stepped behind the ironing board and put both hands up when Pres advanced on him.

“You smell so fucking good,” Pres growled, trying to wrap himself around Ric’s huge form.

“Aren’t you supposed to be watching the food or something?” Ric stammered as he tried to pry Pres off of him.

“Everything’s done, and the kitchen staff we hired is here now finishing up everything,” Pres said while struggling to get a hold of Ric’s dick.

“Thank you for the compliment, but we are behaving right now. We only have a half hour before people will start to arrive.” Ric laughed as he unsuccessfully gripped at Pres’s groping hands. It was like the man had eight fuckin’ arms. He was touching and clawing Ric everywhere. “Baby, I’d love nothing more than to turn around and spread my ass for you and let you fuck me against this wall, but I sure as fuck don’t want to iron these clothes again, and those sexy black pants you have on wouldn’t look good with come stains on them…would they?” Ric stilled Pres’s erratic hips.

“Okay, you’re right.” Pres stepped back.

Ric got a good look at him as he did. Goddamn, he looked fuckin’ hot.

Pres had on black suit pants and black dress shoes. The top two buttons of his starched white collar shirt were undone, and his sleeves were rolled, giving him a look that said “I’m a hotshot and can get away with this look.” He appeared comfortable but still dressed up at the same time. His perfectly spiked, coiffed hair had obviously been done by Janice because there wasn’t one strand out of place. Pres’s jewelry was modest. He wore his large white-gold class ring on one hand and his Cartier watch on the same wrist, and he had two small diamond studs in both ears.

“You look great. How the hell am I going to be able to keep my hands off of you?” Ric asked as he slipped on his black shoes.

“If you think you’re going to have a problem with me, wait until you see Blair. I tried to attack him, too, but he threatened me.” Pres winked.

“When did he get dressed?” Ric asked, thinking that Blair hadn’t come in the bedroom yet.

“He got dressed in the guest room,” Pres answered.

As if on cue, Blair walked into the bedroom right at that moment, and Ric’s mouth dropped open. If his mouth had had any saliva in it, it would’ve been dripping out and pooling on the floor at his feet. Blair looked like he’d just stepped off the motherfucking runway for
GQ
.

He heard Pres chuckle. “I told you,” he said simply.

Blair’s eyes got wide at their staring, and he frantically looked all over his outfit. “What? What is it? Do I have something on me?” he asked nervously.

“Jesus fucking Christ, Blair. You look…fuck,” Ric panted.

Blair’s eyes glazed over. He had on chocolate-brown pin-striped slacks that hugged his ass so deliciously it made Ric want to drop to his knees and worship it. He had on a cream-colored collar shirt underneath a deep brown cashmere-silk vest, but what really set the entire outfit off was the brown snakeskin shoes he wore with it. Blair’s honey-brown hair was fingered back, but he’d used a little product to keep it in place.

Blair stepped in to embrace Ric, and Ric instantly tucked his face into that clean, fresh scent that always clung to his man.

“You look amazing, too, lover. Both of you do.” Blair laughed. “This is our first time getting dressed up together, huh?”

“Yep,” Pres answered. “I must say, we look pretty good together.” He came up behind Blair and wrapped his arms around him.

They held each other and whispered a string of “I love yous,” “I need yous,” and “I want yous” until they heard a light tapping at the door, telling them that Dr. Brown and his guest had arrived.

“Leave it to the anal neurosurgeon to be exactly on time.” Ric looked at his watch, and it read 5:58 p.m.

“Well, let’s go have a good time tonight and enjoy our families and friends with no worries, okay?” Pres said before kissing them both on the lips.

Ric and Blair agreed and followed Pres out into the beautifully decorated condo.

After everyone arrived, Pres decided to let people mingle and introduce themselves casually as he, Ric, and Blair circled around the spacious rooms. The food was prepared wonderfully, of course. They had a variety of hor d’oeuvres located in the rooms, and the servers kept everyone’s drinks filled with whatever spirits they preferred.

Ric was by the balcony drinking a rum and Coke with Pres’s father, talking about Pres’s progress on his recovery. Ric kept his eye on Blair at all times, making sure he didn’t look edgy or tense, but he appeared to be fine standing there talking with Pres and Janice. Ric felt that Pres should have his arm around Blair, providing him with comfort, but they’d yet to make their little announcement, so it may have seemed a little odd.

Ric saw Dr. Brown walking over with a tall, tan-skinned man who looked to be in his early fifties. His eyes told his age, but Ric could tell the man took care of his body, and he had a full head of black hair that had a few gray strands around his sideburns.

He hadn’t had the chance to talk to Dr. Brown yet, so when he approached Ric, he greeted him with a firm handshake. No introduction was needed for Pres’s father, because he and Dr. Brown had become very familiar while Pres was in the hospital under his care.

Dr. Brown put his hand in the small of his guest’s back and gestured him forward. Ric caught the act and knew what it was.

“Rickson, this is my life partner, Dr. Jacob Strauss. He’s a doctor of literature at the university I work out of. Jacob, this is the brilliant young doctor I was telling you about, Dr. Rickson Edwards.”

Ric gripped the man’s hand and told him he was glad to meet him, but he was desperately trying to keep his shock in check. He’d had no idea that Dr. Brown was gay.
Well hell.
At that precise moment, someone could’ve knocked him over with a feather. Dr. Brown just gave him a knowing smile.

After the surprise wore off, the four of them settled into easy conversation about authors, literature, and the ways social media has affected young adults and the learning system. Dr. Strauss was a brilliant man, and Ric found him very easy to talk to, and it looked like Mr. Vaughan did as well.

After an hour of socializing, Ric was ready to eat and get this show on the road so he could get tipsy and take advantage of his men. As if they’d had the same thought at the same time, Ric locked eyes on Blair and shot him a very discreet wink, making his boy blush beautifully. Ric’s cock liked it, and he had to take a couple deep breaths to make his dick stand down, but the way Blair was staring at him, Ric mentally prepared himself for a hard evening…literally.

“Can everyone gather around, please? There are a few things I’d like to say before dinner is served.” Pres stood in the middle of the large den and spoke with determination and courage. At that moment, Ric was glad that Pres would be his and Blair’s forever.

Everyone moved closer together and focused their attention on Pres. Blair and Ric stood off to the side. Ric desperately wanted to wrap his arms around Blair, but he didn’t…yet.

“I want to thank everyone for coming tonight. I’m having such a wonderful time, I almost forgot why we wanted to host this dinner in the first place.” Pres cleared his throat, and his look turned serious as he made eye contact with everyone, his beautiful blue gaze lingering on him and Blair.

“The people here tonight are who we consider to be close friends and, of course, our family. A couple months ago, God saw fit to bless me with my sight again, and at the time, I didn’t know what I’d done to be in his good graces. I was, however, told by a very wise woman—my mother—to not question God’s blessings, but to just say thank you.” Pres smiled at his mom. “When I came out of the darkness, there was brightness everywhere, but nothing shone brighter than the beautiful face of Dr. Rickson Edwards. I called him my ‘Sunshine’ way before I was able to see light again.”

Ric blushed terribly at Pres’s compliment, but he was also full of pride. He cut his eyes to Blair and saw the moisture building in his eyes, too. Ric moved closer to him and put his arm around his shoulder, pulling him into his chest. He’d be damned if he kept his hands off his man when he needed his comfort.

Ric didn’t look around at the reactions of their guests. He and Blair kept their attention on Pres. When Pres saw them connected, he smiled so brightly that they no longer needed the artificial lights that were on over their heads.

“Ric and I weathered a tough storm at the beginning of our relationship.” Pres looked at Ric and lowered his head, his sparkling eyes clouding over at obviously remembering their painful breakup. Then he smiled that fucking sexy smile, and Ric shook his head in awe at the man that was Prescott Vaughan.

Blair’s hands were covering his mouth, and tears were falling down his cheeks. Ric hugged him tighter and kissed him on his temple.

“But, eventually, the storm passed, and the dark clouds disappeared. The skies cleared, and that’s when we both saw a rainbow so bright and brilliant in color that it stole our breath away.” Pres moved closer until he was right in front of his men. He slowly brought his hand up and gently wiped the salty tears from Blair’s eyes before he spoke again, this time in a hoarse whisper as his emotions slammed to the surface. “Our rainbow has a name.” Pres winked at Blair. “Blair McKenzie.”

There were a couple gasps and aws around the room as Pres continued.

“There was so much feeling and passion that swarmed around between us that at first we didn’t know what the hell to do with it.” Pres let out a humorless laugh. “But our Blair knew exactly what to do. He told us that we belonged together. Regardless of what society says, we shouldn’t have to deny who we love…or limit it to only one.” Pres put his arm around Blair’s waist and hung on to his other side, both of them supporting him as he broke down in their arms.

Ric finally surveyed the faces of their friends and family, and there wasn’t a judgmental eye in the room. Ric let out a huge sigh of relief, glad that they weren’t going to meet any resistance or bigotry from the people they cared about the most.

“So, we called you here to tell you that we—the three of us—are in a committed relationship. We are in love with each other, and none of us will deny the other because being in a threesome is still so taboo. All that matters to us is our family and friends. Everyone else can go to hell. We love all of you and hope you can be happy for us.”

Pres placed his palm on the side of Blair’s face and brought his lips to his and kissed him with an overwhelming amount love and emotion. Ric buried his face in the back of Blair’s neck and placed soft kisses there. He pulled back, not wanting to put on a full show, complete with raging hard-ons.

Janice, Scott’s wife, and Pres’s mom clapped and squealed like schoolgirls at the public display of affection, while the men discreetly turned their heads and stifled fake coughs. Pres broke their kiss, and Ric heard him whisper, “I love you,” into Blair’s mouth before he put his hands up and told everyone to make their way into the dining room for dinner.

“Let’s eat this wonderful meal that my extremely talented man has spent all day preparing. When I say man, I mean Blair. We don’t allow Ric into the kitchen. The condo association will cancel my insurance if he’s going to be cooking.”

Pres took off running as Ric tried to grab him at making fun of his lack of culinary skills. Everyone laughed at their playfulness and made their way to the table.