Chapter 14
HAZE
I’M NO WEATHERMAN, BUT WE CAN EXPECT A FEW INCHES TONIGHT
“I told you I’m fine,” Jovi mutters, but her voice wavers, betraying her words.
She’s lying to herself about as much as she’s lying to us, so I don’t respond.
I don’t need to. Jovi is holding herself together by sheer stubbornness.
My hands are wet with water from the small container Beau set up earlier, and I wet the washcloth before pressing it to her arm, tracing the shallow scratches left by the shattered glass.
They’re nothing more than superficial lines, but that’s besides the point.
She was hurt, and it could have been a whole lot worse.
The image of her standing by that window before the power went out, followed by the screaming wind, and hammering rain crashing in through the hole in the glass wall, makes my chest ache in a way I’m not used to.
I don’t panic easily. Yet down there, when I couldn’t see her, when I couldn’t make sure she was safe, I lost it.
The dread, the need to get to her, to keep her from the storm, it’s a feeling I don’t ever want to experience again.
Beau is behind Jovi as we stand in the middle of the room, whispering things meant to calm her, and I catch the slight shiver of her shoulders beneath his touch.
Her damp hair clings to her neck, the silk of her nightie is darkened where water hits it, and her skin is glinting like gold in the candlelight. She’s holding me fucking captive.
“Really, Haze. Beau. You don’t have to do this, okay. It sounded worse than it actually was,” she says for the tenth time, brushing a strand of damp hair from her face. But I see it. She’s not fine, and something is telling me that the storm isn’t the reason why.
“Jovi, just let us clean you up,” I say quietly. I’m not usually this lost, but I can’t be any other way with her right now. The only thing that matters to me is making sure she’s okay.
“It’s not a crime to let others take care of you, you know,” Beau says, feeling just as helpless as I do, and I glance over at West. His back is rigid against the chair in the corner, keeping his distance as usual.
His eyes are locked on the pitch black view outside our window.
I know what’s running through his head. He’s got that look about him.
He’s blaming himself for what happened. For insisting we wait out the storm downstairs, but the truth is, none of that was his fault.
It’s a fucking hurricane. He had about as much to do with the weather as we did.
Then there’s the way he reacted. He showed all his cards for a split second, and judging by the look of sheer fucking terror on his face earlier, I’d say he’s just learned that those feelings he’s pretending he doesn’t have are actually stronger than simply liking her.
Jovi isn’t a girl you just like. She’s the girl.
Always has been. Her kindness. Her organized chaos.
Her complete and utter inability to see just how beautiful she is.
Everything about her is perfect. And I know West sees it.
It’s no secret that Beau does too, but only two out of three of us are willing to admit it.
That needs to change, or I’m throwing a fit.
I don’t want to say goodbye. Not after tonight.
Not when the thought of walking away feels like tearing something vital out of my body.
I’ve spent every damn day with her since this vacation started, getting to know her.
Learning about her life. Her goals. The love she has for her cat, or her child, as she called it, which I am prepared to get on board with.
Even though I’m the opposite of a cat person.
Am I just supposed to go back home knowing she’s there too?
Close enough to breathe the same air as us, but is completely untouchable.
Off-limits because Theo and her used to date?
Fuck that. Theo has ploughed through Blue River more times than a plough during snow season, and he doesn’t get to fucking dictate who we’re in love with.
Love.
Fuck!
My thoughts are running rampant, and I try my best to act like everything is fine for her sake, when all I want to do is find a way to get through to West in whatever way he’d listen.
I don’t want it to end like this. I don’t want it to end at all.
Not before we’ve had the chance to see what this could become.
I drag the cloth over her arm again because I just want to touch her, while Beau threads his fingers through her hair.
When I glance up, she’s staring straight at me and I watch the candlelight dance in her pretty, hazel eyes.
Then, I feel it. I look over at West. He’s no longer staring out at the storm.
He’s staring at us. At her. And Beau and me and the way we are together.
With the same heat in his eyes he wore by the pool that day.
This is it. No more pretending. No more walking around on eggshells.
This is the moment where the cards hit the table and nobody gets to fold. I won’t let him.
I drop my gaze back to Jovi and finally pull my hand away. I dip the cloth into the container, wring it out, then set it aside. West watches every move and the tension in the room shifts into something much heavier knowing that we’re touching her, and he isn’t.
“You feeling okay, Princess?” I ask quietly, my hands settling at her waist. She lets out a small, exasperated huff.
“Yes, you’re overreacting. I’m fine, I promise.
” I take a step closer. Everything is about to change.
Whatever line existed between us is already smudged beyond recognition and we all know it.
This will either bring us together or blow everything apart.
I don’t want this to go sideways, but it could.
We won’t know unless one of us tries and I’m the only asshole with their hand up willing to take the gamble.
My breath ghosts over her neck as I lift her hair away from her shoulder, my fingers grazing her bare skin. I lean in and press a soft kiss there, right where her pulse is and it jumps beneath my lips. She gasps, not because she’s surprised, but because she wants more. More of me.
“Tell me you’re all in, Jovi,” I whisper against her ear, my fingers lifting to cradle her chin, and tilting her face toward mine.
Her eyes widen as they lock onto me, and I don’t miss the understanding there.
The trust. I told her I’d talk to West, but we both know there’s no time for that.
If we talk to him, we’ll be giving him an opportunity to talk us out of it and I don’t want that.
None of us does. The only way through to him is by showing him what it could be like.
Giving him a little taste of what he’s too afraid to reach for. She’s worth it.
“I’m all in. You know I am. Always will be.” Her words are soft, but she may as well have shouted them because I swear my fucking heart skips a beat. Beau moves around us and without looking, I know he’s worked out what’s about to happen.
“Beau?” she breathes, uncertainty threading through her voice.
“All in, Babydoll,” he answers without any signs of doubt.
He steps in closer, settling in the spot behind our girl, and there’s no mistaking his intentions.
He reaches out gently until his fingers find hers.
Then, his touch slowly roams from her hand, following the curve of her skin, sending visible goosebumps all over her body, all the way to her shoulder.
He kisses her there, and I move back just a fraction, noticing her nipples hardening beneath the silk fabric covering them.
I press my lips to her jaw, then trail a line down her neck, to her collarbone, snaking a hand down to cup her full breast. My cock jerks in my sweats when she inhales sharply, tipping her head back to move closer to Beau, whose hand is splayed across her stomach as he nuzzles into her neck.
Her body fits perfectly between us, as if it knows exactly who’s holding her and doesn’t want to fight the feeling we’re giving her.
Jovi hasn’t once held back from us, and that wasn’t something I expected.
I don’t think she expected it either. She’s taken control of every moment we’ve shared and made it hers, and we’ve just willingly fallen in line.
She reaches out and twists her fingers into my hair, and I drag my mouth along her throat, tasting salt and rain, my hand reaching up to gently toy with the strap of her nightie.
“Fuck,” she gasps, and I look over to see Beau pull her lobe between his teeth. Her knees buckle slightly, but we won’t let her fall. We’ve got her. Always. I hold back a chuckle because we haven’t even touched her yet and she’s already responding to us so well.
This will be fun.
“Do you trust me?” I whisper against her skin. Her eyes, squeezed shut I realize, open wide and gaze longingly into mine.
“Yes. I trust you. Both of you.” Her words are breathy but sure, and I drop to my knees before her.
I rest my hands lightly on her thighs, not once breaking our connection.
There’s something about the way she holds my stare that fuels me to keep going, even though I know that the broody asshole in the corner could put a stop to what we’re doing at any moment.
I’m holding onto the hope that he won’t.
Beau’s hand slides to her waist, anchoring her from behind.
His knee spreads her legs for me, and I couldn’t hide my grin if I tried.
Her mouth parts into an ‘o’, and her brows dip and I’m guessing it’s because we’re taking our time. I’m nothing if not a tease.