Jackson reached out and placed a hand lightly on her knee. She stiffened, but didn’t pull away.
“I wasn’t trying to be rude,” she added. Again, she turned her face up to mine, this time with a beseeching look that was impossible to resist. “But it was a one-night fling, you know? I’ve never been good with a morning after and all that goes with it. I mean, one-night means night, not morning.”
I looked to Jackson. He was better at the soft approach and I didn’t trust myself to answer. I gripped the steering wheel too hard as it was. Everything in me wanted to wrap my arms around her, pull her tight and never let go. To let her know we wanted nights and mornings, all of them we could have. But I knew—we both knew—that if we held on too tight now, there was a good chance she’d bolt. We couldn’t expect her to leap into a serious commitment with us based on one night of sex, no matter how great that sex might have been. Or even for the reason she hopped into my truck, and it wasn’t eagerness on her part. No, she was fleeing her house. I was glad she felt we were safe for her to turn to, but we’d been at the right place at the right time.
Jackson squeezed her knee. His voice was gentle as he said, “Who said it had to be just one night?”
Her head snapped up to look at him, then she shot me a wary look. “I, uh…I hope I didn’t give you guys the wrong impression. I’m not looking for anything serious. With my job, I can’t really do relationships and—”
“It’s fine,” I interrupted. It wasn’t, but I wasn’t going to tell her that. The last thing we wanted was for her to further convince herself that a committed relationship wasn’t an option. No, we just needed her to give us a chance. Having her sitting between us was a start.
Jackson gave her that easy smile. “We’re not trying to push you, sweetheart. We’re just saying that the three of us might as well enjoy our time together while you’re in town, don’t you think?”
She shifted on the seat, clearly uneasy. Or maybe just turned on by the thought of what time together with the two of us would entail. Oh hell, my cock pressed against my jeans painfully at the thought of her getting wet for us. I remembered the slick heat of her on my fingers, the taste of it on my tongue. The feel of it coating my cock. Fuck, I wanted her between us again, and soon.
Her smile was coy and sexy as sin when she looked up at me from beneath her lashes. All of her earlier wariness was gone. “Spending time together sounds nice.”
Meaning: fucking the two of you while I’m here for my sister’s wedding sounds spectacular.
I let out a short laugh at the naughty way she drawled the word nice. Placing my hand on her other leg so we were both touching her, I let my fingers trace a path up her thigh. “There’s nothing nice about it, baby doll. And I think you like it that way.”
She laughed too and Jackson shot me a triumphant grin as she squirmed between us. We may not have won the war for her heart, but this particular battle was a success. She never said when she was leaving town, but it wasn’t going to be long after her sister’s wedding based on what we saw of her parents just a minute ago and the way she’d reacted. While we’d have more time to show her just how great the three of us could be, it wasn’t much.
She tilted her head toward her house.
“I’d invite you guys inside, but…I really don’t want to. I’m not being a bitch, but my parents...” She left the sentence hanging and shrugged. The sadness in her expression made my heart twist painfully in my chest.
“No worries,” Jackson said, his tone casual and carefree, putting her at ease. “We don’t have to meet them now, especially since your mom had a knife.”
She laughed at that, wiped a hand over her face as if trying to clear away the frustration she felt toward her family. We’d overheard the fighting going on—their voices had come through the front door loud and clear. The way they stood all defensive and angry had been hostile instead of friendly, especially with Mrs. Lane holding the knife. I’d smelled cooking and knew she was busy in the kitchen, but still. Who went to answer the door like that? That wasn’t a happy household. Jackson’s momma had been right.
“You should come with us,” he suggested. When she frowned, he added, “To my parents’ holiday party.”
Half the town went to the Wray party. At least it felt like it to me. While we wanted to take her back to our house downtown and get to know her again, while naked, this might be better, especially now that we had seen her parents in action. Getting her in front of Jackson’s momma and fathers could only work in our favor. If there was any Bridgewater family that could persuade her to give us a shot, to see what a real relationship could be like, it was Jackson’s.
Avery’s eyes widened in surprise. “A party? With your parents? Oh, I don’t know…”
“Why not?” I asked. I glanced out the window at her house with a meaningful look. Without any holiday decorations like the neighbors, the place looked depressing. “It’s either come with us or head back in there.”
She groaned, her head falling back against the seat. Her coat opened, giving me a luscious view of her long neck and ample cleavage. Cleavage I remembered licking and nibbling. Shit, she was even more beautiful than I remembered.
Turning her head to face me, I was struck dumb by the sight of those big green eyes looking up at me, those pink lips pouting naturally like they were made to be kissed. Shit, I couldn’t wait to get her back into our bed. Screw the party.
Her voice was rueful. “You heard them fighting, didn’t you?”
I shrugged, there was no point in trying to deny it.
She groaned again. “I’m sorry you heard that. I love my parents, but…they’re kind of the worst.”
Jackson laughed at the self-deprecating humor that softened her words. “I’m sure they’re not that bad.”
I kept my mouth shut. Jackson might be willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, but I was ready to throttle the next person who hurt Avery, whether it was a family member or not. And I could tell just by looking at her that her parents hurt her. Not physically, but she was wounded, deep down. Scarred even.
Whether it was in response to Jackson’s comment or the look she saw in my eyes, she hurried on to explain. “They’re not that bad, not really. They love me and my sister, we’ve always known that. It just seems like sometimes they hate each other more.”
I saw Jackson grimace but she was staring down at her hands once again, clearly lost in thought. I knew it was just as hard for Jackson to imagine that sort of upbringing as it was for me. We’d both been blessed with amazing parents and it was time Avery experienced the same sort of unconditional love. If she couldn’t find that with her family, then she would find it with us and with the Wray clan. There wasn’t much of a family left on my side, but Jackson’s…well, they would welcome our girl with open arms. They’d been waiting for us to find The One for years now.
“Come to the party with us,” I said. “You’ll have fun, I promise.”