Chapter Twenty
“ I was just thinking…” Maxwell began as they sat on Jackson’s back patio enjoying a delicious brunch that had been made for them by Rosa and Maria. “I have the owners of Riviera Construction coming to the island today in order to explain themselves, and I thought that it may be beneficial to have a cop present.”
“I’ll be there, too,” Trinity said after she finished chewing a large bite of her Belgium waffle. “And Jackson, I have to say, if I hadn’t already agreed to move in with you, I’d do it just for the waffles alone.”
Jackson surprised himself by reaching out to stroke a hand down her hair. He couldn’t seem to stop touching her whenever she was near. He smiled as she grinned around another mouthful of waffles, making her look like she had chipmunk cheeks. He realized that smiling came easier when she was around.
He glanced over at Maxwell and could tell by the other man’s smile that he understood what he was thinking. Something about Katrina Cross touched both men’s hearts when no one else had. She was a vibrant, passionate woman, and he feared it would take both of them to hold onto her.
“I can do that. The only thing I have planned for tonight is a monthly poker game with some guys from work, but I can cancel.”
“Why?” Trinity asked. “You shouldn’t bail on your buds just because you have a chick in your life now.”
Jackson smiled. “I would invite you—”
“But I’m guessing I need a penis for this event,” she finished for him.
“It would help,” he said with a laugh.
“I’d say you can use mine, but that seems self-serving,” Maxwell added, making Trinity and Jackson laugh. “No worries, mate. The meeting is at three. After, I’ll help Kat pack up her stuff and take her out to dinner at Sinful.”
“Oh, like a date night?” she asked, sitting up in her chair with a grin. “Maybe I’ll get dressed up for you then, blue eyes.”
“That’s it. I’m canceling poker,” Jackson muttered.
She laughed. “No, you’re not. You and I can have a date night on Sunday.”
“Hey, I didn’t agree to that,” Maxwell protested as she got up and cleared their empty plates from the table.
“But you were going to,” she said with a wink.
“You can leave those,” Jackson called out.
“Or I can do this. I have to get my phone from inside anyway.”
Both Jackson and Maxwell watched as she disappeared back into the house, wearing nothing but one of Jackson’s old army T-shirts. Jackson’s cock hardened at the thought of her naked body underneath that small scrap of cloth. He turned in time to catch the wadded-up napkin that Maxwell threw at him.
“Seriously? What are we, twelve?”
Maxwell grinned. “Had to get your attention somehow.”
“You know you were thinking the same thing I was,” Jackson muttered.
“I was. It surprises me. If any other man was looking at her like that, I’d want to gut him, slowly. But with you, it somehow seems…okay.”
Jackson nodded slowly. “I never wanted a ménage relationship before. But I think that each of us gives her something she needs. And she has enough…”
He struggled to find the right word to describe it.
Was it love?
He wasn’t sure yet, but it sure as hell felt like it when she looked at him.
“She loves us,” Maxwell said softly, finishing Jackson’s thought. “She might not be in love with us yet, but she is beginning to. She has so much love in her, but she’s afraid to show it because she’s never really been given it in return. I wanted to be up-front with you and tell you that I’m falling in love with her. Hell, I think I already am. You and I…I know that we will learn how to work this out over time, but I wanted to make sure you knew that I won’t come between what you have with her, and I expect the same.”
“Noted, and I agree. I don’t think I could share her with anyone else,” Jackson said truthfully. “No matter what a hard-ass you are at business, you seem to calm her down. She needs that.”
“And she seems to heat you up. Damn, Jackson. You’re like a machine most of the time, but with her, you’re…almost normal.”
“Gee, thanks.”
Maxwell laughed, then sobered as he met Jackson’s eyes. “It seems fitting her nickname is Trinity. Man to man, if at some point this isn’t working for you anymore and you need to walk, I’ll take care of her.”
“That’s not going to happen, but I appreciate you saying it and I’ll return the sentiment,” Jackson said. “Now, before our little kitten gets back, I need to ask you to help me with something…”