Just the mention of her fiancé’s name set Jace’s teeth on edge, but he refused to let his opinion show on his face. Dr. Dan was sounding more and more like an idiot every second. Obviously the man wasn’t satisfying Evan’s sexual needs. And apparently he wasn’t appreciative of her nurturing side. What the fuck did she see in the guy?
Money? Fame?
He didn’t picture Evan as the trophy wife type, but what did he know. He hadn’t pegged his ex-wife for that either, and it had turned out to be her life’s mission. Maybe growing up like Evan had made those things too tempting to pass up.
Andre drummed his fingers against the counter, and Jace could feel his friend’s agitation. Uh-oh. Something was on Andre’s mind, and he wasn’t one to hold his tongue. Jace shot him a warning look, but Andre’s mouth was already opening. “I know it’s not my business, but do you really love this guy, Evan? It seems like you two don’t have a lot in common.”
Jace kicked Andre under the counter, giving him a what-the-fuck look.
Evan stiffened, and Jace wished he could see her face. A few seconds passed before she answered. “You’re right, it’s none of your business. But yes, I do.”
Andre frowned. “Shit, I’m sorry. That was out of line. Sometimes my mouth opens before the filters get involved.”
She shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. Now you just owe me an answer to a wildly personal question of my choice later on.”r: Roni Loren
The words weren’t charming, but he had to say something to put all this shit back into perspective. Remind everyone, including himself, why they were doing this.
Her lips pressed together, a little crease forming between her brows. “I’m just trying to wrap my head around the no-jealousy thing.”
“You’re not dating either of us. Can’t get jealous over someone who isn’t yours in the first place.” He nodded at Andre, though it took everything he had to do so. “Go ahead, I think he’s been patient enough.”
She turned her head to Andre, and he gave her a disarming smile. “I can be as patient as you need me to be, bella. I have no doubt you’ll be worth the wait.”
Jace grunted. Silver-tongued bastard. Jace was no slouch in the flirting department, but somehow Andre always knew the right thing to say to make girls go all gooey.
Evan handed Jace her coffee mug, effectively dismissing him, and crossed over to the island. He had the impulse to grab her arm, stop her, kiss her until she couldn’t remember her own name, much less Andre’s. But instead he kept his hands locked around her cup, gripping it until his knuckles turned white.
She leaned over the counter toward Andre, exposing her little black panties and luscious ass to Jace, probably purposely taunting him after his I-could-give-a-shit-if-you-kiss-him speech. Jace tried to look away, but couldn’t help himself from watching.
Andre’s gaze met his briefly, as if challenging Jace to stop him, but Jace wasn’t going to make any move to prevent it. This is what needed to happen. Andre gave a satisfied smile, then hooked a finger in Evan’s collar and captured her lips in a heated kiss.
Jace braced himself against the edge of the counter as the wave of possessiveness enveloped him. The deepest, most primal part of him wanted to lash out, to rip her away from Andre. But as Evan sank into the kiss and the raw need between the two of them became more and more apparent, Jace’s fiery anger turned into some other emotion—one it took him a second to identify.
Guilt? Where the hell had that come from? What did he have to feel guilty about?
Then it hit him.
Evan deserved to be happy.
He’d seen how sad she’d looked on that beach in South Padre, how lost she’d seemed. And God knows she’d had it rough as hell as a teenager. Now that same person was in front of him—lighthearted, turned on, enjoying her time with him—and though he hated to admit it, with Andre. She’d come here for a fantasy weekend, an escape from her normal life, not to be caught up in whatever mixed-up crap Jace was feeling toward her.
There. He’d admitted it. There were residual feelings from the past that seeing her again had stirred up. So what. Didn’t change a damn thing.
He needed to get it through his head that this weekend was about her. Not him. Not Andre. And certainly not about some pissing contest over which guy she wanted more. Especially when the guy she actually wanted was in some house in Dallas planning his upcoming TV show. Evan was only there for a few days, and Jace was wasting time acting like some insecure teenager. Stupid.
No more. She came to them with a purpose, and he was going to make damn sure she accomplished her goal. Whatever fantasy she had tucked away in that pretty head of hers, he wanted to give to her. If sharing her with Andre was one of them, then so be it. Jace could tamp down the useless jealousy and lock it away. Hell, he’d locked away worse.
And God knows he enjoyed seeing her come apart with pleasure—what did it matter if there was an extra set of hands bringing her there?
In fact, he knew how much more sexually intense things could get with someone as responsive as Evan if Andre were added to the mix. It’s why Jace preferred ménage in the first place. Some levels could only be reached with a third person involved. And man, if that’s where Evan sought to go, he wanted to be the one to take her there. Wanted to watch her give herself over completely to sensation, to submission.
Visions of Evan in the throes of passion assailed him—both he and Andre pushing her further and further, her blue eyes going hazy with bliss, her lips parted in a silent plea . . .
A jolt of desire sliced through his tangle of emotions, dimming everything except the need to see Evan let go again. He wanted to fall to his knees with relief. Thank God. Finally a reaction that made sense! This he could work with. Screw all the rest of it. He’d shove the other stuff down and grab on to the desire.
Jace set the cup down, his palms suddenly hotter than the coffee inside it, and moved a step closer to Evan, making himself focus on what the kiss was doing for her rather than worrying that it wasn’t him on the other end of it.
Andre continued to work her over, the good-morning greeting morphing into a lust so palpable Jace could taste it in the air. His cock stirred to awareness, thickening at the erotic sight. Evan had one hand threaded in Andre’s hair, but the other one was gripping the edge of the island as if it were the only thing holding her back from climbing across the counter to get closer. He half wished she’d just let go and hop up there. He couldn’t think of anything better for breakfast than Evan sprawled out on that island like a hedonistic buffet.