If Sam’s cooking weren’t so ungodly delicious, Tucker wouldn’t have been able to stomach more than a bite. There were too many butterflies to make room for much else. But after every bite, he wanted to keep the flavor in his mouth, so he took another bite, and another, and another, until only a few grains of rice and a smear of sauce remained. The wine did help relax him a little. All three of them were nervous though. It showed more and more as the meal drew to a close. Sam normally got flirtatiously physical when she was tipsy, but two glasses of wine in and she barely even played footsie with Tucker under the table. The paralysis of waiting to see who made the first move was worse when there were three people involved.

Tucker stretched his arms out wide over his head with a satisfied groan then patted his belly. “Sam, thank you once again for bringing out your specialty dish tonight. Kylan and I will do dishes if you want to take a load off for now. Then um ... we can join you? On the couch or ... or something?” He had to make a move, regardless of how basic it might be. It was better than sitting here stewing in the tension.

Kylan nodded. “I’d be more than happy to help clean up. You know I don’t mind getting my hands dirty. Or wet. Or ... yeah.” It was so endearing how flustered Kylan could make himself. He tried his best to be suave and seductive, but sometimes the words came out faster than he could fully think about them and by the time he said them he realized how corny or suggestive they actually were. It happened more after a few drinks. Tucker adored him regardless. He kissed the top of Kylan’s head and ushered him with some dishes into the kitchen before Kylan could try to justify his metaphors.

They worked out a system where Kylan rinsed the dishes and Tucker loaded the dishwasher, since Tucker knew how to fit everything on the racks properly. Neither spoke for a few minutes. Tucker still had no idea where to begin. He had already promised Sam that things wouldn’t get weird, and he felt he should make the same promise to Kylan. He didn’t know how to bring that up without admitting that he was afraid the promise might get broken by the end of the night.

“Hey Tuck?” Kylan said quietly as he handed Tucker the last bowl.

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

Tucker smiled. “I love you too.”

“And I love Sam.”

“So do I.” Tucker’s heart dropped. Was Kylan having second thoughts?

Kylan shook some water from his hands. “I ... I really hope I’m ... enough. For both of you. At the same time.” He cleared his throat. “These past few months have been ... amazing. I’m so lucky to have matched with you two. But um ... if it turns out I can’t ... really ... perform well when it’s all three of us, I --” He turned his eyes to the floor. “I really hope I do well, but if I don’t, it’s something I’d want to work on. I can’t describe how much I’ve been waiting for this, and if it doesn’t go right the first time, I’m not going to give up. Just ... forgive me if I have to tap out and watch you two instead, okay?”

Even the thought of Kylan watching him and Sam have sex turned Tucker on. “Ky,” Tucker said. “Sam and I didn’t invite you over for a threesome so you would do all the work. I was looking forward to pleasing you both at the same time too. If you feel like you’re not up for topping anymore, one or both of us will take care of you instead. That’s the main reason this whole thing works: we’re all willing to give and take in equal measures.”

Some of the partners Tucker and Sam dated were clearly not actually interested in becoming part of the relationship. Some just wanted the sex, some were more attracted to one person and largely ignored the other, and one guy blatantly told Sam he intended to make her break up with Tucker to be with him instead. Kylan had fit right in though. Tucker and Sam weren’t dating him as a couple; all three of them were dating one another, but Tucker and Sam happened to live together already. Although Kylan was currently living with a friend to help them pay rent, it had been agreed that once Kylan’s friend found a better situation, the three of them would find their own place where they could all be together.