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“…and that’s why I’ll never sleep with a man who can clone himself again.”
I was halfway done with my apple juice before I realized the three of them were frozen in place. Griffin’s jaw was hanging open wide enough I could tell he made Sebastian a happy man. Xander, on the other hand, didn’t believe me. If his eyebrow could move any higher up his face, he’d be wearing it as a toupee. But it was Bernard who maintained a poker face. Thankfully, his rapid blinking served as morse code, spelling out, “Alejandro, I’m proud of you.” Or at least that’s the lie I’d tell myself.
“What?” I asked, taking a bite of my eggs. “Lube is expensive.”
At any other coffee shop, detailing the events of my bedroom would be considered poor form, but not at the HideOut. I have no idea why this served as our base of operations. Something tells me Bernard had something to do with it. Once the rest of us passed the initiation, we joined the breakfast club. In the Ward, it was known as the gay-friendly place to get your morning caffeine buzz.
The owner, Chad, leaned over my shoulder, carefully pouring coffee into my cup. “Alejandro, I have no idea how you’re still upright.”
“Only time he’s not on his back,” Xander chimed in.
I glared at the brute before kicking him under the table. The paramedic puckered his lips and blew me a kiss. All was forgiven, for now.
“Or on all fours,” Griffin added. Great, they’re all going to take a turn.
All eyes turned to Bernard, waiting for his comment. I’ll admit, the daddy bear always had a good zinger. He had this knack for holding his tongue and then waiting for the least suspecting moment before he stopped us in our tracks.
“Don’t look at me,” he said before sipping from his coffee. “I’m still trying to figure out how triple penetration is even possible.”
“Chad, get me a napkin and a pen. I’ll draw you a diagram.”
The barista was gone before I could swipe his notepad. If it wasn’t so busy, I’d have Xander and Griffin help me put on a demonstration. As I counted the sugar containers on the table, I froze, eyeing the big man. He might serve as the father figure of this quartet, but I’d never consider Bernard a prude.
“Wait…” I made sure the grin was visible to everybody. “You know.”
“Know what?” He took another sip, eyes never making contact.
“You know.” That dirty man. I was almost proud.
“Bernard hasn’t had sex this century. Leave the man alone,” Xander said.
“I assumed he was celibate,” Griffin chimed in.
“I’m right here.” If Bernard was our father figure, we were triplets out of control. It meant breakfast was never boring.
Like always, the coffee shop was packed with patrons, and only a couple seats remained free as people guzzled coffee. At one of the long tables, half a dozen men sat with laptops open, treating the HideOut as their personal office. Overall, the vibe remained relaxed as Chad worked behind the counter, steaming milk for a man.
“Is the Alley picking back up?” Griffin asked, attempting to have a genuine conversation. I suppose I could round myself out and have a bit of depth.
“It’s picked up, but nowhere near the popularity from before. It’s almost like the heroes are a little less flashy since the depowering.” I could live with a slow workday, but my wallet didn’t enjoy missing out on tips. It was also messing with my extracurricular activities in the bedroom. Neither of those things made me a cheerful man.
“I bet they’re a bit shaken,” Bernard said. He wiped the dribble of coffee from his perfectly sculpted beard. If he wasn’t the patriarch of this breakfast cult, I’d have taken a stab at him. I’d have to ask Xander if he ever got the man naked while they were dating. I had questions that needed measurements.
“Aliens invade Earth. They all get together and beat up the bad guys. This was waking up one morning to find out they were helpless civilians. That must have shaken their confidence.”
Bernard’s eyes glazed over into that thousand-yard stare, where it’s obvious he’s processing his own words. Once he takes another sip of coffee, he wipes off his mustache. Damn, he was the one man who could pull it off and still be sexy as hell.
Griffin bumped my leg. It was the cue to not dig into the conversation any deeper. Bernard might think he was being subtle, but Griff and I knew his secret. He was the legendary Sentinel, a member of the Centurions. We pretended we didn’t know, but if he thought a mask was hiding his rugged jaw and fierce eyes, he was a fool. For now, I nodded, and Griffin put down the fork he prepared to drive into my thigh like a good friend.
I hung out with crazy people, crazy loyal, but still crazy. I held up the spoon used to stir cream in my coffee to inspect my beard. Running my hand over the dark hair, it felt as if there were only a few days before I needed to return to the barber. This mug made me money at the bar. I couldn’t look like I lived on the street. A tight shave would have just the right amount of black stubble peppering my face. Rugged, I liked to think it was the perfect word to describe me. I set the spoon down, not wanting them to consider me vain.
“I never thought I’d say it, but I’m glad the heroes are back.” In a world with superheroes, Xander opposed their existence for as long as I knew. After he met Aiden, his attitude shifted. I wanted to ask if Aiden was a member of the caped community, but I assumed it was a faux pas to out a hero.
“Speaking of heroes…” Griffin started.
“You’re going to start wearing spandex?” Xander interjected.
