"Freaky."

"Oh, it isn't freaky." Ellie popped an olive into her mouth and made a face at Miguel. "It's just...unexpected."

"Well, yeah," Miguel said, reaching for the dressing and drizzling it over the salad greens. "Julian dating a guy. Totally unexpected."

She nodded, then fished a cucumber slice out of the bowl, deftly avoiding a rap on the knuckles as Miguel brandished the wooden fork. "But they're really cute together, and Julian seems so much more relaxed. Is this ready?"

"Yeah." Miguel picked up the bowl and started toward the dining room. "They're out back - call them in for dinner."

Ellie leaned up for a kiss as she passed her husband, and took advantage of his full hands to pat him on the ass.

Outside, the last sliver of the sun was easing past the horizon, the back yard sinking into twilight. Ellie stepped out onto the deck and stopped to take in the view. The yard wasn't very big, but it had a couple of nice trees and a stretch of green lawn. She wanted to try and talk Miguel into a dog, but they both worked so much. Eventually, maybe.

"God, Emmett, don't." Ellie froze, hearing Julian's voice, low and strained. "Don't make me go in there with a hard on."

The answering chuckle was quiet and dirty. "Too late; you're already hard."

"Fuck," Julian swore.

Ellie turned her head just slightly to the right, and she could see them, crowded into a shadowed corner of the deck. Emmett's back was to her, and she could see Julian's hands, one in the back pocket of Emmett's jeans, the other clutching at his hip. Julian's head was thrown back, his eyes were closed, and Emmett's face was buried in his neck.

"Yeah," Emmett said, raising his head. "Fuck. You're gonna fuck me later, aren't you?"

Julian groaned.

"But first," Emmett said, his voice rough. "We're going to go in there and have dinner, and I'm going to do my level best to keep you just as hard as you are right now. Once we get out of here, once we're in the car, I'm going to suck your cock all the way home."

"Jesus Christ," Julian panted. "E, you're killing me."

Emmett laughed again, then leaned in, and Ellie heard Julian moan. She guessed Emmett was kissing his throat, maybe biting at the golden skin there. She felt herself flush all over. Julian wasn't going to be the only one squirming in his chair during dinner.

Ellie took two silent steps back into the house, then stopped to take and release a couple of deep breaths. She smoothed her hair and then stepped forward, making sure to tap her fingernails on the glass of the terrace door.

"Julian, Emmett," she called. "Dinner's ready."

By the time she stepped out onto the deck, they were both facing the rail, leaning out to look at the yard side-by-side.

Julian looked up, and she could see his blush even in the low light. "Excellent," he said. "Lead the way."