Sandpipers' Secrets (15 page)

Lark dragged a chair over to the sink then waited for Wolf to climb up before he filled a bowl with water and laid a hand towel on the drainer. He’d actually already washed the fruit, but figured this would be a good way to break the ice.

“Here you go. You wash the strawberries off for me and then put them on the towel to dry. Think you can handle that?”

Wolf nodded, his little brow furrowing in concentration as he placed one large, ruby red strawberry in the bowl and watched it bob around. He carefully rolled it about so it was thoroughly washed all the way around.

Lark grinned at the little boy’s diligence as Wolf placed the berry aside and reached for another. It looked like Wolf was going to be happily occupied for quite a while. At least until the pancakes cooked, anyway.

“You better taste one to make sure they’re okay, too,” Lark suggested.

Wolf lunged at the washed berry and stuffed it in his mouth, grinning around the fruit. A trickle of juice dribbled down his chin before he licked it away.

“Make sure you leave enough room for pancakes.”

“I will,” Wolf replied brightly.

The little boy sounded completely relaxed and at home now, and Lark felt a wave of relief wash over him. He was going to like Wolf.

Turning back to start heating the pan for the pancakes, he saw Brody watching with a strange, slightly confused look on his face, as if he hadn’t expected Wolf to be welcome in their home. And perhaps he hadn’t. By the sounds of it, their own mother had pretty much rejected Wolf from birth.

Lark felt a spike of anger and protectiveness flare inside him. What sort of a person would abandon the bright, happy little child currently munching his way through the bowl of fruit at the sink?

“Thanks,” Brody said quietly, his cheeks turning a little pink. “You…umm…”

Damn, the man looked even more uncomfortable now. Brody was obviously going to be a much harder sell than his brother. Lark racked his brain for the right thing to say. Maybe putting Brody to work was the answer with him, too.

“Could you ge—”

“Morning,” Zak rumbled in a deep, sleepy voice as he padded into the kitchen.

Lark saw Brody tense and look over to where Wolf stood at the sink, industriously ploughing through the strawberries even before he had washed them. Wolf turned, his lips stained red with the berry juice and stared at Zak.

Lark felt his own muscles tighten. Zak was big. He was imposing. He was as soft and sweet as a toasted marshmallow, but with anyone that didn’t know him, the first thought that probably crossed their mind was something along the lines of not wanting to bump into Zak in a dark alley.

Lark was just about to jump in to soothe the little boy, when Zak said, “Mmm! Those look good,”

pointing to the strawberry the little boy was holding. “Can I have one?”

Wolf calmly held out the berry and watched Zak walk over to take it out of his hand.

“Thank you.” Biting into the fruit, Zak moaned theatrically. “Ooh! Yummy!”

“My name’s Wolf,” the little boy announced.

“Cool name. I’m Zak.”

Wolf smiled and held out another berry.

“Yes, please.” Once more Zak plucked the berry from the little boy’s hand and popped it in his mouth.

Slowly, Lark felt himself relax. He wondered if it was some innate survival instinct that told the child Zak was safe. Or perhaps it was just that Brody had somehow—miraculously, given the circumstances—managed to do an absolutely amazing job of protecting and nurturing Wolf. He didn’t
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seem the least bit insecure or intimidated by talking to the strange adults in a strange place.

Looking over, Lark saw Brody staring at Zak and Wolf as they continued to share the last of the strawberries.

“Mmm…smells like Lark’s making pancakes,” Zak said to the boy, reaching for another strawberry.

“Do you like pancakes?”

“Oh yeah!” Wolf enthused as another berry disappeared into his mouth.

“Me too.”

“If you guys will stop scarfing all the fruit and get the table set, we can all have some.” Lark waved the spatula at the empty breakfast table, grinning when Zak and Wolf smiled around the last berries before getting to work.

For a moment, Brody didn’t move. He looked too stunned to do anything but stare at them as they all moved around like it was part of some long established routine—Wolf setting out the plates and cutlery, Zak collecting cups and juice.

Lark felt the small cloud of doubt and uncertainty that had shadowed his mind lighten and drift away. He smiled over at Brody. This was going to work out. He just knew it was. And Brody would catch up soon.

“Come on, Brody. If you don’t help you don’t get any,” Zak announced, handing Brody a jug of syrup.

“Can I have Brody’s?” Wolf asked hopefully.

“Hey!” Brody cried, finally snapping out of his daze.

Lark chuckled and went back to flipping over the pancakes. Not settled, but they’d get there, he was sure of it.

* * * *

“That was yummy,” Wolf announced. “You’re nearly as good at pancakes as Brody.”

“Oh, really!” Lark said, straightening his shoulders and puffing out his chest as he pretended to be affronted by the very idea. “I think we’re going to have to put your brother to the test on that one. I’ll have you know I am the reigning pancake king.”

Zak chuckled. “I can see a lot of pancakes in our future.”

“Yay!” Wolf shouted, bouncing in his seat.

“I don’t think I could look at another pancake again,” Brody moaned, rubbing his belly.

As the meal had progressed, with Wolf chattering away and pancakes filling their bellies, Brody had gradually relaxed. Now he looked almost as comfortable as his brother.

Lark breathed in and let a deep, contented smile form. He knew pancakes were the answer to everything.

“How about some TV time, Wolf? We need to clear up this mess and have a bit of a chat with your brother about some stuff,” Zak said.

Before Zak had even finished the sentence, Lark could see the easy, relaxed zone Brody had found instantly disappear. He would have cursed if Zak hadn’t been right. Damn it!

“Can I, Brody?” Wolf asked.

“Umm…sure.” Brody looked across at Lark, doubt and uncertainty once again shadowing his eyes.

“Brody—” Lark started to reassure, but Zak interrupted.

“I’ll be right back. Don’t start without me.”

Wolf bounced out of his chair and headed towards the living room with Zak following along behind him.

Looking over at Brody, Lark couldn’t resist reaching out to take his hand. Brody looked so tense and worried right now. “It’s going to be alright, Brody. We just need to—”

The sound of the TV coming to life cut Lark off. Within seconds, Zak came back into the room. Sitting at the table, he looked over at Brody, his face intense and serious now that Wolf was no longer present.

“I think the first thing I need to know is, do you want Wolf to know? About us, I mean.” Zak leant back in his chair, crossing his arms and watching Brody closely. “I have to tell you, I don’t do closets well, Brody. And Lark couldn’t keep a secret to save his life.”

“Hey!”

“Just telling it like it is, baby.”

“I don’t want you to have to change—” Brody began to say, but Zak stopped him.

“Brody, I’m not talking about just Lark and me. I mean all of us. I want you, Lark wants you, and you want us. And hiding it just isn’t who we are. The question is, are you going to be okay with that? What are you going to tell Wolf?”

Brody got up and began pacing around the room, not really looking at anyone and tugging on his lip pensively. Finally, he turned back to them.

“I’m not going to hide who I am from Wolf. I like you guys. I want to be with you. But Wolf needs stability right now. He needs—”

Lark jumped up and marched over to where Brody stood, stiff and tense and shifting anxiously as he struggled with everything they were laying out. Enough was enough.

One, if Brody couldn’t handle them hugging and kissing while Wolf was awake, they needed to know that now. And two, they needed to stop with the bullshit and just get to the good bits.

Wrapping his arms around Brody, Lark leaned up and stole a brief, chaste kiss.

“So you stay here. Move in with us. We make the spare room Wolf’s bedroom and you share our bed every night. Simple.”

“I can’t…”

“Stop,” Lark demanded, barely resisting the urge to stomp his foot in frustration. “Do you love us?”

“What?” Brody looked genuinely shocked and a little panicky.

“Do you love us?” Lark reiterated, trapping Brody with his eyes so he couldn’t hedge or look away.

“Lark, it’s too soon,” Zak started to say as he stepped towards them.

Lark turned on Zak, still holding on to Brody fiercely. “Do you want him to go? Could you stand it if Brody left? I want them to stay. I want—”

“Yes,” Brody said.

“—them…What?” Lark looked back to Brody.

“Yes, I want to stay. Yes, I want to tell Wolf about us. Yes, I love you. Both of you. I know it’s stupid and fast and—”

Lark sealed his lips over Brody to shut him up. He’d heard all he needed to know. The rest was just detail, and detail could be worked out as they went along.

Zak wrapped his arms around them both as they stood locked in each other’s hold in the middle of the kitchen. Surrounded by dirty dishes, pots, and the sweet smell of warm maple syrup, Lark couldn’t imagine a more perfect moment.

“You want to tell him about all of us? About being together?” Zak asked, a hint of uncertainty still lingering in his eyes.

Brody nodded. “Yes. And I want to stay with you. With both of you.”

Stretching up, Brody placed a gentle kiss on Zak’s lips and Lark’s heart missed a beat. They were so beautiful together. Details would work themselves out.

Right now, Lark just wanted to bask in the lovely warm glow of sharing a precious moment and a brand new start with his men.

Brody laid facing Lark, running his hands lazily along the smaller man’s flank. He loved the soft, contented smile that played over his lover’s lips and couldn’t resist closing the distance between them to place a gentle, undemanding kiss there. One wasn’t enough of course, so he did it again. Then a third time while he moved his wandering hand down to their cocks.

The three weeks since he and Wolf had moved in with Lark and Zak had been the best, most blissful and contented weeks Brody had ever known. He’d heard enough to know what a honeymoon phase was, but he didn’t give a rat’s ass. He was going to enjoy every wonderful moment without question.

Maybe Lark was rubbing off on him. Speaking of which…

Shuffling to reposition himself a little, Brody brought their cocks into alignment and gently touched the tips together. It felt lovely just to cradle the two shafts, still only half-hard as they both recovered from their recent lovemaking. But it wasn’t enough. Brody wanted more. Very gently he began to manipulate Lark’s foreskin.

“Mmm…I don’t think I can,” Lark mumbled as he nuzzled against the side of Brody’s head and kissed his temple, before looking down between their bodies to where their cocks met and kissed.

Brody turned his head and placed his lips softly to Lark’s forehead. “Shh. I just want to play a little.”

Even though Brody was sure he wouldn’t be able to muster another orgasm for a while either, he still wanted to share the intimate feeling of being connected to his lover. He had found he could never get enough—with Lark or Zak or all of them together. He always wanted more. He didn’t want to waste a moment.

Slowly and carefully, he worked Lark’s long foreskin over the head of his own cock until the two of them where locked together by the thin, sensitive fold of skin.

“Oh!” Lark breathed in awe, one trembling finger reaching down between them to trace along where they were now joined.

Brody couldn’t believe how incredibly blessed he was to have found not one, but two uncircumcised lovers. Firstly, it was something he had never experienced with another lover. It made each and every time he stroked and caressed their cocks unique and therefore all the more special and intense for him.

But more than that, the difference working that extra piece of flesh made to Zak and Lark’s pleasure was astounding. And Brody had grown to love pleasuring the men.His men. They were so sensitive and responsive to his touch and he soaked in every moment of truly giving for the first time in his life.

When Lark looked back up at him, his eyes bright and curiously shiny in the early morning light, Brody’s heart missed a beat—knowing he wasn’t the only one affected. He leaned in and kissed Lark again, lingering over the sweet taste of his smaller lover.

“Love you,” Brody whispered, still a little afraid of the words—as if saying them might make it all disappear somehow.

Lark smiled and kissed him back. “Love you, too.”

Brody closed his eyes. His hand still supported their cocks where they rested together. He soaked in the amazing feeling of contentment and love he had somehow found and sighed happily. As the moments ticked by, Brody slowly let himself relax completely. It didn’t get any better than this.

Except of course, Zak wasn’t with them. He’d offered to take Wolf to preschool this morning so Brody and Lark could sleep in. The lazy morning start was pure heaven. Brody couldn’t remember the last time he hadn’t been forced to get straight up and look after Wolf, whether he was exhausted or not. And Zak would be home soon. Then their day off together could really get started.

“Thanks for finding Wolf a place in the preschool programme. He’s having so much fun. I just…I can’t believe how good you and Zak have been to us.”

Lark kissed him again.

“You don’t have to thank us. It’s our pleasure.”

“I still don’t feel right about you paying—”

Lark leant forward and cut him off as he sealed their mouths together for a deep, intense kiss. The movement shifted their cocks and Brody felt Lark slip away from him, but the kiss and the hand that began to stroke over his back and shoulders did a lot to soothe his disappointment.