by Mia Ford
Jane skillfully avoided us all night, getting to know everyone else in the house as she made the rounds. I saw her talking with Ashley and her boyfriend, a tall dark-haired kid with a rogue look in his blue eyes. At least, that’s what I saw. He sat close to her, his arm slung protectively around Ashley’s shoulders as she talked closely with Jane, smiling as she seemed to draw comfort from her.
Everyone left in groups, hugs and holiday wishes echoing through the house. I said goodbye on auto pilot, hugging everyone warmly as I accepted their well wishes. I kissed Chelsea’s cheek and thanked her for coming before looking down at Jane’s impassive face as she shuffled out of the door.
I grabbed another beer and went upstairs, sitting on the bed as I looked out of the window. Brandon stepped in and I didn’t look at him before speaking. “What the hell was that outside?”
“I barely touched her,” he said as I glared at him. “After everything else we’ve done, that was nothing.”
“We. Can’t. Touch. Her.” I said slowly as he looked at me. “She said that she doesn’t want that and I want to respect that. She isn’t like the others, Bran.”
“Have you seen the way that she looks at us? Those damn eyes make me want to kiss her senseless,” he murmured as I shook my head. “I kissed her cheek. That’s it.”
“That is where it ends. We have girls for that so use them. Not her. I don’t want to fuck up her future,” I said, ending the conversation with my tone. He stood for a moment before going to his own room and I leaned back against the pillows. The day was hitting me as I took a long tug from my beer, feeling the emotions well up inside of me.
There was a part of me that felt like Jane would be good for the hurt side of me; that she would soothe me.
CHAPTER 23
Brandon
We had the weekend off work and when we were with the family, Brent was in good spirits. I could see in his eyes that something was eating away at him though, particularly when Mom and Ashley talked about how sweet Jane was. She was under his skin and I frowned as I sipped my iced tea over lunch. We both wanted her and I saw the way that she looked at us, but Brent said that she told him no. We would never force ourselves on a girl.
I went out that Saturday, separate from Brent. I noticed that night when I walked in late that he wasn’t home yet and grinned, hoping that he was working whatever the hell was wrong with him out of his system. I wasn’t an insensitive asshole and I knew that he missed Dad as much as the rest of us did, and I would try and let this thing with Jane go. Damn it if she didn’t look at me like she wanted me to kiss her; to corrupt her. I knew he felt it as well, but Brent had more willpower than I did.
We woke up Sunday and had a lazy breakfast with Mom and Ashley downtown, sipping mimosas as we both tried to wake up. Brent had obviously tied one on last night by the circles under his eyes that Mom looked closely at before she gazed at me. “You boys okay?”
“Yeah, just parties last night. Long weekend and all, Mom.” Brent smiled at her as she nodded slowly and sipped her own drink. “We work too much to party like this all of the time. We wanted to live it up.” His tone suggested anything but that and I knew she noticed by the way her brows furrowed.
I fit in another girl Sunday evening, hanging out at her apartment in her bed as I fucked her every way that we could think of. It made me realize that the girls that I was choosing were all into this game of jumping from one bed to another, and it wasn’t as appealing as Jane’s innocent eyes.
Fuck me.
I got home and went to sleep for a few hours, waking up at the usual time for work. I sensed the tension in the air as we gulped coffee down and headed to the car, and I tried to focus on the busy day and getting in as much as we could this week. Things would slow down slightly, but there was a lot of catching up for everyone now.
It didn’t feel like we’d celebrated Christmas. I enjoyed family being there at the house but it didn’t have that warm feeling as it normally did for me. It felt empty and I knew who we were all missing. The sad look in Mom’s eyes despite all her mingling and the haunted expression on my sister’s face played through my mind over and over.
I also replayed what happened with Jane. It was so small compared to anything I did with any other girl this weekend, but the feeling of her soft skin against my rough lips was something that I’d never forget. We parked in the garage and went inside, being some of the first to arrive to the floor. We walked to the office and opened it up as got our computers set up in the quiet of the morning. I looked around at the pictures that were scattered around the room, thinking of past holidays and it hit me that he was gone. Dad was never coming back.
We got caught up on emails and company memos before opening the order software. We heard someone outside of the door and Brent raised an eyebrow as he stood and peered out. “Good morning, Jane. How was your weekend?” I heard a murmured response before he came back in, offering me a shrug as he sat back down.
Apparently, Jane was working at her desk today and every day that week. She was polite to us, and I still felt the heat every time that I walked past her and met her eyes before she looked away again, hating myself for what I did the other night. I couldn’t help myself, and I felt her shiver against me when I touched her, knowing that she liked it. I knew that she was different that Veronica and even Cecile, but I was okay with that. I wanted her to be different, and though I didn’t know how that would pan out, I wanted to see.
We had a three-day weekend after that for New Year’s and Brent, and I attended a party at a friend’s house, kissing and fucking god only knows who after midnight. I didn’t feel the same excitement that I had in the past, knowing that this was a whole different life. I made sure to take Mom to brunch with everyone on Sunday despite my hangover since all the emptiness that we were feeling had to be a million times worse for her. She smiled at us as we ate the breakfast fare and tried to look strong. She always went out of town for New Year’s with Dad, and this was the first time that she was home in many years. We knew that Ashley and the boyfriend stayed home with her, which was the only way that we’d go out. Mom kept up a steady chatter about the events coming up for Ashley and some things she had planned with friends as I sipped a beer and looked at Brent. Jane came up as well, and she remarked about how nice she and her mother were, watching as we both nodded. She knew the kind of girls that we hung out with generally, and while she was kind about them, we knew that wasn’t crazy about them as far as a future. We also knew that Mom was well-aware of the rules at work and would never encourage one of us to pursue her. That was no kind of example to set for the staff. I suppressed a shudder as I imagined her finding out what we’d been up to. We were always wild but acting the way that we did at work was risky, and something Dad would frown upon.
Brent drove us home and we watched some football in the living room until dinner, which was a rack of lamb that Monica prepared for us. I ate and joined in the conversation as I kept thinking about Jane and her soft skin, busted when Mom repeated my name. “What? Sorry, Mom. I guess I’m zoning out.”
She repeated that she would be close by on Wednesday and wanted to come in for lunch, and Ashley piped in that she wanted to go once she realized that Jane was invited. They bonded on Christmas, and I was surprised to hear that they kept in touch via text here and there. I looked at Brent, imagining lunch with them as he stared back with a dark gaze. I knew that he was a little sore with me for kissing her the way that I did, but I argued that it would be uncomfortable no matter what. There was a heat between all of us that was significant no matter how much he tried to ignore it. Maybe he was jealous that it wasn’t him that kissed her, and the image of the three of us in bed flashed through my mind as I pinched the bridge of my nose for a long moment. Holy hell, it was hot.
We headed home and went to bed early, though I just watched a movie mindlessly before finally falling asleep. I heard Brent’s on as well and assumed that he was watching his too. We weren’t as close this wee
k as we normally were, feeling tension over the Jane situation. I needed to remedy that, but I closed my eyes and sighed as the television droned in the room at the soft volume that I had it set to.
I woke up and rushed to dress as I met Brent by the car, yawning as we drove in. He seemed tense, and I followed him into the building, making a beeline for coffee before I got started. I came in to see Brent reading the screen as I set a cup near him and raised an eyebrow at him. “What?”
“The big annual conference is coming up in a month. It is in Mazatlán this year at a resort,” he mused aloud as he raised his eyes to look at me. “I have an idea. We should invite Jane to attend it with us since assistants are encouraged, and I don’t think that she travels a lot.” I looked at him, knowing what he was getting at as our eyes locked. “I just want her to loosen up, and…if it turns into more, then I won’t complain. She’s under my skin.”
“Mine, too. Are you sure about this?” I asked him as I sat down across from him.
“I want to offer her the chance to escape at the very least. She seems so sheltered,” Brent murmured as I nodded. We had the means to take her places and we would. We heard her arrive outside and he called her name out as we watched each other.
“Yes?” Jane asked as she stepped into the doorway, wearing a loose pink skirt with a white blouse that looked stunning on her. Her black heels added some height to her and made her curves even more luscious.
“I just heard that there is a conference coming up in a month for us to attend. Most of the managers attend, and assistants are encouraged to as well. It is in Mazatlán at a beach resort. Would you be interested?” Brent asked her in a professional voice as her eyes widened.
“That sounds expensive.” Her voice was soft, and he smiled reassuringly at her.
“There’s a budget set aside for these things. Several people attend, and everything is there at the resort. Pools, a beach, spa, places to eat, and anything else that you can think of.” He grinned at her. “It’s a lot of fun. You should get a passport and join us.”
“I…I appreciate that. Thank you,” she replied as she blushed and ducked out of the office. Brent shook his head and emailed her the website to the resort, El Cid El Moro Beach. It was a great place, and we hoped that it would sway her.
We checked around the office to see who would be coming this year, finding that a lot of managers were interested. We needed a head count in about a week so see how many of our slots were filled, at which point spouses were welcome to come along. I had half a mind to invite Mom if there was space, but she might catch on to what we were up to with Jane. I pushed that idea to the back of my mind and started on the orders as Jane worked at her desk.
I went to get coffee at the break and leaned over Jane’s desk when I walked back by. “Did you see the resort?” I asked in a low voice as she stared at me with nervous eyes. Jane nodded, and I took in her flawless, pale skin slowly.
“It’s going to be a great time. I think you should go.” Jane licked her glossed lips and nodded again as I felt the tendrils of heat between us, knowing that she did as well. “Tell us by the middle of next week so we can make reservations.” I pushed up and grabbed my coffee before looking down at her. “You’re welcome to work in here with us anytime, you know.”
CHAPTER 24
Jane
I looked at the pictures of the hotel again once I knew that I was alone, marveling at the beauty of it. I rarely traveled, and this would be a new experience for me, paid for by the company to boot. I wondered if Breanna was going to attend, sending her a text to ask. That might help my decision because a trip like this with just Brent and Brandon to hang out with was intimidating.
I played back the night on the balcony again as I sighed. My phone chimed, and Breanna told me that she had plans with her boyfriend that weekend, encouraging me to go. She said it was a great time. I remembered standing between the brothers, feeling their heat wash over me as Brandon leaned close to me. His lips brushing my skin sent shivers down my spine even now, the heat off them lighting me on fire all over again. I’d never felt like that with the kisses from my old boyfriend and the idea of two men doing that to me frightened me. Brent didn’t so much as touch me that night, but I knew that I wanted him to before I abandoned them and made my way around the house with Mama.
She asked me if I was okay on the way home. I assured her that I was even though I was certain that she could see my confusion on my face. Would she encourage me to do this?
I told Brent that I had to focus on my career that night and meant it, but damn it if they didn’t draw me closer every time I was near them. I wanted them, and it went against everything right inside of me. If I went to this, could I stay away? I wasn’t the type to think that they wouldn’t get me my own room but in that atmosphere, the lines could blur easily. The beach, the pools, and the bars were all too beautiful, and I suspected that they set a romantic vibe, to say the least.
I kept to myself during the week, missing the banter in their office. I was surprised when Brenda and Ashley showed up on Wednesday at lunch time, surprised that I wasn’t expecting them. “Didn’t the boys tell you about lunch?” Their mom asked as I feigned forgetting about it. It would be difficult to explain the discomfort between the three of us. They walked into the office and chatted with the twins for a while as it set in that I was supposed to have lunch with them as before, only Ashley was here. She and I bonded on Christmas Day once I noticed how sad she looked and I told her a little bit about losing my own father. We sent texts and forth about her life and just advice that she was seeking from something of a sister figure.
I couldn’t say no. I liked them both too much so when the family walked out of the office, I grabbed my purse and tagged along. We went to an Italian place today and sat at a circular table, ordering waters, and looking at the menus. Brenda asked me a lot about my mom, and I explained that she returned home after New Year’s Day, but that I was asking her to move here to be closer to me. It appears my mom was a comfort to them and I smiled at that, knowing how caring Mama could be. She’d like the kind words.
I tried to sit with the women, but somehow, I was pressed between the brothers, their legs pressed against me. I felt the heat pooling in my hair as I sipped the ice water gratefully and waited for the seafood pasta I’d ordered. I was nervous being this close to them and felt Brandon glancing at me from time to time as we chatted over lunch.
When Brent mentioned the conference, Brenda urged me to go. She said they were always wonderful, even though she was attending as a spouse. Being that she helped a lot with the company, she attended everything and learned along the way as well. There was a lot of activities as well as work business, and she was even familiar with the hotel this year, blushing as she sipped her wine quickly. There were clearly some good memories there, and I chewed the shrimp in my mouth as thighs pressed against me, even feeling a hand on my leg as I jerked gently. It was Brandon, and he stroked my upper thigh gently as I pressed my lips together.
I stood as quickly as I could without drawing attention to myself once we were finished and going back to the office, walking with Ashley as we chatted about her boyfriend. I knew the guys didn’t like him, but Tanner was a nice guy. He was young, and they likely wouldn’t last. He was just right for her for now, getting her through this hard time while being nice to her along the way.
Tanner reminded me of Derrick, my boyfriend from back home. He didn’t last, either but it ended before I had sex with him. Since then, I was on a dry spell since I couldn’t find anyone I wanted to give that to. I was twenty-three and still a virgin, and now I wanted to have sex with two men. Not only that, I wanted to sleep with my supervisors.
We went back to work as the women left, promising to stop by again soon as I let out a sigh. I remained at my desk to work but couldn’t help to look towards their door, remembering the feel of Brandon’s hand on my leg. It was intense and scary, and one of the best combinations that I’d ever experie
nced. I stood and tapped on the closed door, listening for a voice before I walked inside. “Is everything okay, Jane?” Brandon asked, a twinkle in his eye.
“What were you doing back there?” I asked as I stared at him.
“Didn’t you like it?” He asked as Brent gave his brother a long look.
“What did you do, Brandon?” Brent asked coldly as I realized that he didn’t know.
“He was touching my leg under the table. I told you that this…this couldn’t happen. I told you that I am not cut out for this. This job is everything I’ve ever wanted, and I can’t lose it over some short-lived attraction.” I stammered as I looked at Brent and then Brandon. “I do want you, both of you. I just can’t. I can’t.”
“Are you going to join us at the conference?” Brent asked as I looked at him incredulously. “It will be a great time, and you will learn so much. It’s important for your future to do that and the beach is nothing short of amazing. You’ll have a luxurious room all to yourself. You know that we’d never push anything on you. Never.” He looked at his brother with narrowed eyes and the force behind them was so intense that I felt my knees wobble. Brent wasn’t the easygoing brother, the nice one. He had a dark side to him that I suddenly wanted to see as our eyes locked, the electricity flowing between us.
“I’ll go.” I forced my head to nod before turning to walk back to my desk. I dropped into my seat and took a deep breath, struck by what happened in there. I liked Brandon and his confident, flirty ways but Brent and his anger shook me; surprised me. He made me want him in that moment and having already fantasized about the two of them, my feelings were so much stronger.