Chapter Twelve
IT HAD been a week since we landed in Orlando, and still, I stared at the constant intruders, asking, “When are you two going to stop this? Your staff is beginning to wonder what the heck is going on in here.”
“They wondered that the first night, sweetheart,” Cole answered, leaning down to see his computer screen better.
I sighed and grabbed my purse, going to sit at the foot of the bed between their feet.
I dug through it and Cole chuckled. “Seriously, woman, you could fit the state of Texas in that thing. It’s an abomination that needs to be burned. ”
I found what I was searching for and crawled up the bed.
Both gazes found me. It was almost a ritual now.
I would crawl into bed, kiss both, then snuggle down and ignore their fighting until I fell asleep.
They were giving me the time to pick which one, albeit unhappily, that I wanted in here alone with me.
I wasn’t any closer to choosing. Saying they weren’t thrilled was an understatement.
Tonight, I wore one of Cole’s white undershirts for pajamas.
It was thin and didn’t hide a whole lot.
They both stared down the gaping neckline, then at my behind that was almost visible bent over like I was.
Cole’s nostrils flared and Brent’s jaw clenched.
I was pretty sure I was pushing them to the breaking point, so I sat back on my haunches and handed them each a gift.
Lovingly wrapped in newspaper. It was all I could find.
“What’s this?” Cole asked, turning it over in his hands and studying it.
“A gift, silly.” I made a ripping motion and teased, “You’re supposed to open it to find out what’s inside.”
“You got us a gift?” Brent’s asked quietly. A tick on the clock and his head snapped up. “You aren’t leaving, are you?” His eyes were wide, and I know I saw fear in them. He was remembering his parting gift so long ago.
Cole stiffened, his breath catching. I glanced at him, and though he was trying hard not to show it, I know I saw fear in their depths, too. My breath caught and I dropped my head. They both really cared. And both were scared.
I inhaled. And did what I wanted.
I leaned over and kissed Brent.
It wasn’t the normal peck I gave him every night.
We hadn’t really kissed since that night on his couch in New York.
No, this time I deepened it. I felt him shudder and he dropped the gift, grabbing handfuls of my hair and kissing me back.
My world exploded, and I trembled. Our tongues touched and it was like electric fire licked my skin.
Groaning, I pulled back and he reluctantly released me.
I turned to Cole.
He had gone statue still and his eyes were like ice, built as a barrier. I was about to break it down. I hoped he didn’t mind.
I bent forward and placed my lips on his, waiting.
He’d had to witness me kiss Brent with passion.
I didn’t know exactly how he would react.
He sat there frozen, eyes still on mine as our lips rested motionless on one another.
I gave in, praying Brent wouldn’t scream since I couldn’t not do this, and closed my eyes, and caressed and stroked his lips like I wanted to.
A moment.
Then, two.
Then he exhaled and pushed his laptop to the side and yanked me down on top of him, gripping the back of my neck and plundering my mouth with his tongue, tangling his with mine in a dual of pure need.
My world shattered. Heat enveloped me, and I quaked.
It was still the same. Both ignited a fire within me that was beyond comprehension.
Moaning, I pulled back, only to be pulled back down for a soft caress, and then released.
I sat on my behind and cleared my throat, gazing back and forth between them. Brent was staring at the wall across the room, a knee pulled up under the covers with his elbow resting on it. Cole scrubbed his face and dropped his head back on the pillow to stare at the ceiling. They were dealing.
“I’m not leaving,” I murmured softly. “I just thought about you two and wanted to get you something.”
“Ember, you need to choose,” Brent whispered, still staring off into space. “This isn’t like with Ally. I don’t think I could get over sharing you with another man. With Ally, it was different. We grew up together and she gave you something feminine I never could. But another man…”
I blinked rapidly, trying to keep the tears at bay.
I hadn’t asked for this. For some reason beyond comprehension, I couldn’t choose.
Maybe it was that I didn’t want to hurt one of them by picking.
Maybe it was some twisted version of fate that always placed two people in my life instead of one.
But, apparently I had made the situation worse by kissing them both, even though I was supposed to be choosing. I didn’t know what to do anymore.
“I’ve never been a part of a threesome before. I don’t know the kind of love that comes with such trust. But, I know I want you to myself,” Cole added softly.
I nodded.
And got up.
I walked out of the room and into the communal bathroom. I turned the shower on and sat down on the silver tiles. I leaned my head back and let the water hit my face. And cried for my screwed up life. Silently.
When the tears were gone I got out, and methodically dried off and put Cole’s shirt back on. I lay down on the floor with the towel for a pillow. I fell asleep as more silent hurt rolled down my temples.
***
I woke to strong arms lifting me against a warm, strong chest. I opened my eyes and saw Brent standing in the bathroom doorway, holding two black pieces of metal, which he was stuffing inside a case.
I glanced up at Cole and my lips trembled.
He was wearing my gift on the edge of his nose.
Reading glasses so he wouldn’t have to squint while looking at his laptop.
“Put me down.” My voice trembled fiercely.
“No,” they said as one, something was there, in their voices, which I didn’t recognize.
Brent backed up as Cole maneuvered out the door, holding me.
Brent followed as Cole carried me to my/our bedroom, Brent shutting the door behind us and locking it – fat lot of good that would do, and Cole laying me gently in the middle of the bed.
Brent climbed in as Cole slid under the covers on the other side of me.
Both towered over me. I stared up at them, but my eyes were scratchy and I realized they could probably tell I had been crying.
My breath caught and I scanned around frantically for an escape.
“Shh, darlin’. You’re all right,” Brent’s hushed me softly, brushing my hair back, his voice faltering. He cleared his throat and stared up at the headboard. Gradually, he chuckled and joked softly, “So the ice princess does melt.”
Cole’s gaze snapped to him and he smacked the backside of Brent’s head.
Brent only shook his head like a dog for a moment before sitting back on his heels while I scowled.
My lips still trembled, but boy howdy, could I ever give a good scowl when I needed to.
Brent’s lopsided grin etched his face while he glanced at Cole, who was staring daggers at him while running his fingers through my hair.
“Cole, I think I’ll tell you a story.” Brent rested back on his hands after earmarking his new book – book 5, my gift - and setting it on the bedside table.
“There was once this little spitfire of a redhead that was meaner than Matt Thomas’ Rottweiler, and that was real mean, let me tell you.
” I scowled harder, but he kept on. “You see, this spitfire earned her reputation at the tender age of five. On her first day of kindergarten, she told the teacher that this towheaded classmate of hers had stolen crazy-haired classmates crayon while they were drawing pictures of their families. The teacher had searched Towhead’s desk – not his person, mind you, but found nothing amiss. ”
“Of course, this young-handsome-wily-brilliant-upstanding boy was completely innocent of the act.” I grunted, and Brent grinned, showing teeth, continuing, “Well, he was mildly innocent, anyway. The crayon miraculously found its way back to crazy-haired girl’s desk before the end of the first day.
But, anyway, during that morning’s recess, Spitfire and Crazy-hair confronted Towhead, where he was swinging, minding his own business.
Spitfire grabbed the swing as it arched down, jolting poor, little Towhead right off the seat and onto the hard concrete after he’d told them to buzz off and go play on the monkey bars because that was girls stuff.
The swing set was for the boys, everyone knew that. ”
Cole lay down on his side, propped his head up on his hand while Brent stared up at the ceiling, smiling as he spoke.
“What Spitfire didn’t realize was that the sudden speed of the stop would take her down, too.
She went flying on top of Towhead, blaming him fully for the fall.
Towhead took the resounding beating from Spitfire manfully.
” My lips stopped trembling at the memory and Brent chuckled, saying dryly, “Well, if a man only shed a dozen tears and screamed to the teacher for help.
But, the teacher was too busy flirting with the fifth grade teacher to pay much attention.
So finally, Towhead got tired of covering his head and getting beat to a pulp, and pushed Spitfire off him.
Like I said before, Spitfire was a tiny thing, and she went airborne.