24. Together
Together
Keene
I ’m smiling so hard my face is gonna hurt later, but I can’t remember the last time I’ve felt so fucking happy.
“I did.” I say to Bex without elaborating any further.
“And?” she rolls her eyes, but she’s smiling at the same time. “Come on, don’t make me beg.”
I pull her into my arms again. I’ve been resisting the urge to touch her for so long that now I can’t keep my hands off her. “And I got an A… plus.”
“WHAT?” Bex pulls me in for a kiss, but she’s too excited to deepen it, and it’s over before I’m ready for it to end. “A plus? That’s amazing. I knew that painting would be a hit. I’m so proud of you.”
It’s hard to explain what those words do to me.
By now I know that Bex cares about me. I also know that she finds me attractive. But hearing that she’s proud of me makes me happier than I ever thought possible.
“That isn’t the only news I have. There’s something else I wanted to tell you.”
She pulls slightly back to look into my eyes. “I hope it’s good news?”
“I think it is.” I feel a little nervous all of a sudden. I hope her reaction is going to be a good one, but at this point the cat is almost out of the bag and I have no choice but to tell her. “I’ve been in touch with my agent this week, and I signed a contract with an NHL team.”
Bex freezes for a second. There is a flash of fear in her green eyes, but it’s so fleeting that I could almost think I had imagined it if there wasn’t a slight tremble in her voice when she speaks next.
“That’s amazing. What team is it?”
I force my face into a serious expression when I deliver the news. “It’s the Paladins.”
She repeats the last word as if she were trying to make sense of it. “The Pa?—”
“The San Francisco Paladins.” I offer.
“You asshole!” She pushes against my chest, and for a second I think I got this all wrong and she isn’t happy about the news.
“You gave me a fucking heart attack. I was terrified that you would say it was somewhere on the East Coast or in Canada. I should make you pay for it, but fuck it. I’m too happy. ”
She pulls me closer for another one of those hard and fast kisses, leaving me gasping for air when she pulls away again.
“You’re coming to San Francisco.” It isn’t a question.
“I am. And Jamie and Connor asked me if I would like to move in with you guys. I haven’t given them a one hundred percent answer yet. I was waiting for the contract to be signed, and I wanted to ask you first if that was ok with you.”
I know what I was hoping to hear from Bex, but the answer she gives me couldn’t have been more perfect.
“If it’s ok with me? Keene, I would be heartbroken if you didn’t want to move in with us.”
“Really?” I smile.
Bex shakes her head. “You have no idea how happy I am right now. I was excited about moving to San Francisco with Jamie and Connor, but I kept worrying about what would happen with you. If you even wanted to try long distance in case you ended up far away from me. I felt as if a piece of my heart was missing, and now I feel whole again. Completely happy.”
“Really?” I sound like a fucking broken record, but this feels like a dream, and if she weren’t in my arms, I’d have to ask someone to pinch me just to make sure.
“Really. I’m in love with Jamie and Connor, but I could never be happy without you, because I’m in love with you too.”
Did she just say what I think she just said?
“Re—” I stop before I do start sounding stupid.
“Fuck.” Her cheeks flash pink. “I didn’t mean to say it first, but it’s how I feel. I love you, Keene.”
She loves me. Bex fucking loves me.
“I love you too, kitten.”
This time our kiss is deep, consuming.
Bex melts against me, her lips so soft and sweet. Her mouth is slanted with mine, and when our tongues touch, my entire body ignites with need.
“She said it first. Pay up.” Jamie chuckles.
I peel my lips off of hers to look at my two roommates, who have both their wallets out.
“Fine.” Connor bites out, handing Jamie ten bucks.
“You owe me twenty, buddy.” Hart complains.
Connor shakes his head. “She cussed. She said, fuck it. I bet you ten bucks she would.”
I untangle my arms to glare at my two best friends. “Are you two for real? Did you seriously have a bet about who would say I love you first?”
“What’s the harm in having some fun?” Jamie shrugs, completely unrepentant.
“Exactly. You cost me ten bucks, by the way, Sarge.” Connor bites out. “Jamie said you were too anal retentive to say it first, but I had my faith in you.”
I can’t believe these two.
“Anally retentive?” I choke. “Dude, you’re lucky I owe you for talking about me with your dad and getting the Paladins head coach to come and watch me play. That’ll save you from getting your ass kicked for betting money on when Bex and I would say I love you. I mean, who the fuck does that?”
There’s no heat in my tone, and those two assholes know it, because they keep ribbing me. It’s what we do, and it’s their way of letting me know that they care, and they’re just as happy as Bex about the latest development.
“Wait, wait.” Bex interrupts our bickering. “Did you put in a good word for Keene with your dad?”
Connor shrugs. “I did. I started working that angle before either of us got to know you better, but I pressed a little more once I realized that continuing to be teammates was more important than just for our careers. And Jamie encouraged me and talked Keene up with my dad too.”
“Oh, babe.”
Bex throws herself into Connor’s arms and kisses him with just as much passion as she was kissing me before.
He takes her into his arms, his hands cupping her perfect ass, causing her to moan against his mouth.
I stay rooted to my spot, unable to take my eyes off them. A mixture of jealousy and excitement war in my chest.
Jamie, on the other hand, has no hesitation and sets his hands on Bex’s hips, his front plastered to her back. He moves her long blonde hair away from her neck and lowers his head, trailing kisses all the way to her shoulder.
I watch with rapt fascination as he mumbles something and Connor begins to unfasten the buttons at the front of her shirt.
Neither of them stops kissing her, but as Connor works the buttons undone, Jamie slides the fabric of the shirt down Bex’s shoulders, discarding the garment to the floor of our living room.
Hart is well known for being fast on the ice, and he doesn’t waste one second even now.
The shirt has barely hit the floor that he unfastens Bex’s bra with deft fingers.
“Come here, baby.” He turns her around so that our girl is now facing him and her back is to Connor. “God, your perfect tits are a sight for sore eyes.”
Jamie takes her lips in a deep, hungry kiss. His hands close over the globes of Bex’s tits.
When he releases her breasts, he rubs his palms over both her nipples.
I know that Bex loves to have her nipples played with. The contact between her silky, sensitive peaks and the rough skin of his palms causes her to arch her back, pushing herself closer to give Jamie better access.
“Fuck.” Connor chuckles from behind her. “For a second I was mad at you for getting to her tits before I did; but her ass feels fucking fantastic against me.”
He lowers the zipper on the back of her skirt and that’s when I snap out of my lust-induced daze.
“I guess this is my cue to go to my room or get out of here.” I chuckle nervously.
I can’t believe those two are going to fuck Bex together, in the middle of our living room right in front of me.
I’m about to walk away when Bex stops me in my tracks.
“Keene, don’t go. Please stay.”
Fuck. Is she asking me what I think she’s really asking me?
I get my answer when Bex moves so that Connor and Jamie shift slightly to one side, leaving her other side open. For me.
Hesitation makes me freeze again. What am I gonna do?
On one hand, I want to punch both Jamie and Connor in the face for touching my girlfriend. On the other hand, I have to admit that seeing them with her doesn’t bother me as much as I thought it would.
Actually, if I’m entirely honest with myself, it’s the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.
Does that mean that I can share Bex with them the way they have been doing with each other from the very beginning?
I guess there’s only one way to find out.
“Fuck it.” Mirroring Bex’s words earlier, my mind is made up.
Bex
I see the decision in the depths of his ice-blue eyes and in the determined set of his jaw.
My heart skips a beat the second he takes the first step toward me. Toward us.
“I must be fucking crazy.” He murmurs, accepting the hand I offer him and lacing his fingers through mine. “But that’s what you’ve been doing to me from the second we met. I’m crazy about you, kitten.”
“Good.” I smile. “Because I’m crazy about you too, Keene. I’m crazy about all three of you.”
It’s the truth. The only other person who has loved me for who I am, accepting every part of me, loving me and protecting me no matter what is Luke.
Somehow, that seems natural since he’s my twin brother.
I never thought it would be possible to have that kind of unconditional love in a romantic relationship, but Jamie, Connor, and Keene proved me wrong.
Keene’s kiss is hard, a little desperate and so hot that I’m thankful for the solid presence of Jamie and Connor by my side; without them, I doubt my legs would support me. I would turn into a puddle of mush.
When he breaks the kiss, he runs his slightly rough hands down the length of my body, pressing me closer to him.
That’s when I realize that I’m naked except for my panties, but they’re still fully dressed. “You guys are so quick to get me out of my own clothes, but you always make me beg to take yours off.” I say, crossing my arms over my chest.
“You know I love it when you beg.” Keene’s smirk is hot and infuriating at the same time.
“What he just said.” Connor backs him.