Jacked Up

by Samantha Kane

  Sam sputtered with laughter, choking on a drink of beer. “That means we’d have to teach you the secret handshake,” he said, after he stopped laughing.

  “And?” she asked, her voice filled with anticipation.

  “It’s against the rules,” Sam said sadly, shaking his head. “No girls allowed in the Batcave.”

  “Batman sucks,” she said, and Sam and King both laughed.

  They’d been sitting there talking for a while, about everything from Jane’s crazy Southern family to King’s traditional Samoan tattoos, when King blindsided Sam.

  “Captain America can take Ironman any day of the week,” Jane was saying after the conversation cycled back to superheroes. “Not only that, but he’s definitely the only Avenger with decent boyfriend potential.”

  “What?” Sam said with a laugh. “What does that even mean?”

  “Well, he loved Peggy Carter, right? He didn’t get with another girl until after she died. That was, like, eighty years with no sex. And he was probably a virgin, too. I mean, they only kissed once. That’s loyalty.”

  “You want loyalty in a boyfriend?” Sam asked skeptically. “It sounds like you want a German shepherd, not a boyfriend.”

  “I’m just saying that that’s the kind of devotion a girl is looking for in a man,” Jane argued.

  “Not having sex isn’t necessarily devotion,” Sam told her honestly. “He’s a soldier, right? Who the hell knows what’s going on in his head. Shit, that Red Skull would shrivel anybody’s dick, not to mention the whole crashing the plane into the Arctic and being frozen thing.”

  “Sam hasn’t had sex since he got back from Afghanistan,” King said suddenly. Jane had been sucking on the lime that came with her beer, but at King’s comment she slowly lowered it and stared at Sam.

  “No shit?” she said. “How long is that?”

  “Just a few years,” Sam mumbled, glaring at King. “It’s no big deal.”

  “Ouch,” she said with a wince. “Did you have a genital injury?” At Sam’s horrified look she blushed. “Sorry. Nurse. It just slipped out.”

  “No,” Sam said firmly. He decided to shoot from the hip. “But my head’s messed up. I was injured, IED, and some of my team died. It screwed with my head, that’s all.” He was glaring at King. “I’m worried I might lose my shit if I get all, you know, into it and stuff.”

  Jane was listening carefully, watching him, and he could feel himself blushing. “Has it happened before?” she asked. “You know, losing your shit in bed?”

  “I had nightmares when I got out of the hospital,” he said stiffly.

  “Hmm,” she said. She looked like she was thinking. “What does your therapist say?”

  “I don’t have one.” It was her turn to look horrified, and he backtracked. “I did have one. But since I moved to Birmingham, I haven’t found a new one. I talk with my old one on the phone every couple of months. An Army doctor.”

  “Is there a VA where you live?” she asked. “You should go there. They have support groups and stuff. You know, people who get what you’re going through.”

  “See?” King said. “I told you.”

  “Yeah, I know,” Sam said, suddenly very tired. “I will.” He was surprised when Jane leaned over and laid her hand gently over his. He felt that soft, warm touch in places it wasn’t meant to go and he felt like a perv. Jane wasn’t trying to come on to him.

  “For what it’s worth, you don’t act like the kind of guy who loses his shit,” she said softly, with a little smile. She leaned back in her chair before the moment got awkward. “Trust me, I’ve seen plenty in the ER. Homeless vets, or just some mentally ill people who don’t qualify for state-run institutions.”

  “Thanks,” Sam said, and he meant it.

  “We actually came down here to get him laid,” King told her, like he was talking about the weather.

  “Not cool, man,” Sam quickly said.

  “What?” King shrugged. “It’s not going to happen anyway, right?”

  “Why not?” Jane asked. “The weekend’s not over yet.” She sounded curious, but that was it. Not into him at all, just as Sam had suspected. And who could blame her? He was clearly fucked-up in the head.

  “Not the way King planned it,” he said, sounding more upset than he wanted to be.

  “How he planned it?” Jane repeated. “That sounds kinky.”

  “Oh, man,” King said with a shake of his head. “Now you’ve got her thinking we’re into weird shit.” He turned to Jane. “I just promised him that I’d stay in the room, in case he lost his shit, you know? That’s all. Not like I’d join in or anything. Like a bodyguard, right?”

  Jane’s eyes had gotten big. “So you’d watch him have sex with a woman?” she asked slowly.

  “Yeah,” King said. “Not like in a sick way. Just as a friend.”

  Jane snorted with laughter and then doubled over as she began laughing even harder. Sam felt his blush from his shirt collar to his shaved head. He slid down in his seat, wishing the ground would swallow him up.

  “Not the reaction I was expecting,” King said, watching her with a smile.

  She shook her head and bit her lip trying to stop laughing. “Hey, babe,” she said in a deep voice. “King wants to watch us do it. But just as a friend.” She snorted again. “Priceless.”

  “You don’t think that will work?” King asked.

  “Oh, it’ll work,” she said, grinning.

  “What?” Sam sat up in his chair, sure he’d heard her wrong.

  “Please,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Some girl gets to strut her stuff for the two of you? They’re going to be standing in line. Trust me on this. You’re wasting your time sitting around here with me. Go back to the bar and I guarantee you’ll find a girl tonight. You’ll find five if you want them.”

  “Would you?” King asked. Sam felt like a complete idiot, sitting there with his heart in his throat, not even able to take a deep breath.

  “Would I what?” Jane asked, oblivious. “Go back to the bar and find you five girls?”

  “I don’t want five girls,” Sam blurted out. “I want you.”

  Jane was sucking on her lime again and choked. King thumped her on the back and she waved him away. “Excuse me?” she rasped, looking a little panicked as she stared at Sam.

  “Never mind,” he mumbled, looking away.

  “What he means is, would you sleep with him with me in the room?” King asked.

  “That’s unfair, putting her on the spot like that,” Sam said sharply.

  “Are you asking in a hypothetical way?” Jane asked. “Or, you know, actually asking? If I’d like to sleep with him? With you? There?” She wasn’t looking at either one of them when she asked. Sam turned wide eyes to her, not sure where her head was at. She sounded nervous more than excited about the idea.

  “Whichever you want it to be,” King said, and Sam’s heart started pounding in his chest as she finally turned to him. Suddenly he was afraid of what she might say.

  “You don’t have to answer,” Sam said quickly. “Really. I’m sorry we even brought it up. It was a stupid idea from the start. Seriously. I never thought I’d find anyone I wanted to sleep with, or that we’d actually ask someone. It’s stupid. Forget it.”

  “You want to sleep with me?” she asked incredulously.

  “Hell, yeah,” Sam said without hesitation. “I’ve had a hard time thinking about anything else since we met you.”

  “Really?” She shook her head. “Sorry. It’s just…I liked you from the start, but I didn’t think you were into me.”

  “It’s this whole idea,” Sam said miserably. Finding out she liked him only made the situation worse. What must she think of him now?

  “So you don’t want King there?” Jane asked, after a short hesitation.

  “If he’s not there I don’t think I can…you know,” Sam said, determined to be honest. “I want to be with you, but I don’t know what will happen.”

&n
bsp; “So you can do it with him in the room?” She was blushing, which was making Sam breathless. Was she actually considering it?

  “I don’t know,” Sam said, frustrated. “I’ve never done anything like that before.” He turned to King, unsure.

  “No big deal, right?” King said with shrug.

  “So you’ve done this sort of thing before? Watched people have sex?” Jane seemed very interested in his answer.

  “No,” King said. “But there’s a first time for everything, right?” His grin was infectious, but Sam didn’t smile. He was too nervous. His palms were sweaty again.

  “You don’t seem too enthusiastic about the whole idea,” Sam said to Jane.

  She shook her head and laughed nervously. “Okay, I’m trying to be cool, but holy shit, I’ve never done anything like that before. I mean had sex with another guy in the room watching. That’s way outside my comfort zone. This is where I should probably tell you that I’m the nice girl.”

  “What does that mean? The nice girl?” King asked.

  “It means I’m the Goody Two-shoes who tattled on everyone else, and who teachers held up as a shining example. Breaking the rules is not in my DNA.”

  “So that’s a no?” Sam said, more disappointed than he thought he’d be. He’d known it was a stupid idea and it was never going to work. But at least his radar was still working. He always went for the good girls.

  “No, it’s not a no,” Jane said. She covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide. After a second she pulled her hand away and grinned. “I just said that, didn’t I?” she whispered, looking guilty and excited.

  “Yep,” King said. Sam was ready to grab her hand and drag her up to his room.

  She laughed breathlessly as she looked between Sam and King. “Oh my God. You are so hot. Are you sure you don’t want to go back to the bar and look for someone else? Someone who, you know, has done this before?”

  “Nope,” Sam said, grinning back. “You’re the only one I want.”

  “Wow. Okay.” She blew out a breath, her eyes wide. “Give me a second to process this.”

  “Like, how much time?” King said. He shrugged at Sam’s look. “What? We’ve only got tonight, right? And it’s”—he paused and looked at his watch—“twelve thirty. I was trying to get an idea.”

  Instead of being angry, Jane laughed again. “Okay. I mean, yes. I’m good. It’s processed.” She bounced in her chair a little, clearly nervous. “Shouldn’t we be overwhelmed with lust? If we’re going to do this, I mean.”

  “I am,” Sam admitted. Once he stood up she’d see for herself. “Honestly, just the idea that I might be able to have you tonight has me so turned on it’s almost painful. And it feels good.” He laughed. “It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this way. Even if this doesn’t happen, I’m glad I got to experience this rush again. But, for you, I guess it’s hard to get excited about a guy with my issues. I get it.” He was disappointed she wasn’t as turned on as he was, but he couldn’t blame her.

  “You’re kidding, right?” Jane asked. “I mean, you’re hotter than shit, even with that hair. Did you lose a bet, by the way? I’ve been meaning to ask.”

  “I told you,” Sam said, pointing at King. “I’m not letting you talk me into shit again, man.”

  “I got us here, didn’t I?” King asked with a grin. “You’re about to get laid by a hot mama, brah. That’s all me.”

  “Well, Sam did have something to do with it,” Jane said with another breathless, husky laugh, and Sam’s heart skipped a beat. “Although you’re pretty easy on the eyes, too,” she added for King. She covered her face with her hands as she laughed. He’d noticed that she did both when she was nervous. “I can’t believe I’m going to do this. This is like porn-star stuff.”

  “It’s just straight sex,” Sam assured her, alarmed at where this was going. “I mean, just you and me. Not like a threesome.”

  She peeked between her fingers at King. “You don’t want to?” she asked. She lowered her hands, waiting for an answer. Sam didn’t know what to think of her question. Did that mean she wanted to?

  “I’m not crazy,” King said with a big laugh. “You’re hot all right, inside and out. I’d be grateful to be with a woman like you.” He shook his head. “But this was for Sam tonight.”

  “Thanks,” she said, clearly not sure how to react. “Sam?” she asked. He wasn’t sure what she was asking.

  “I never thought about it,” he said, hedging. “I mean, I haven’t been able to have sex with one person. Two people seems like pro ball when I’m still an amateur.” Jane laughed and he relaxed.

  “Yeah, maybe we need to get you out of your slump before we start throwing fastballs at you,” she agreed. “Not that I can throw a fastball.”

  “Wrong sport,” Sam said with a lopsided grin.

  “I told you I don’t know anything about football,” she said with a helpless look.

  “That’s okay,” King said, standing up. “You’re about to learn a lot about football players.”

  Chapter 4

  “Our room or yours?” King asked when they got in the elevator. Jane bit her lip as she thought about it.

  “Mine, I guess. I think I’d be more comfortable there.” Oh, God, that was so not going to happen. Being comfortable. She was going to do this. She was going to have sex with Sam while King watched. Oh, God. Sam looked as nervous as she felt, which was some consolation.

  But, damn, they were hot. Seriously, fantasy-inducing hot. So hot she was wet already just thinking about what was coming. Which was her. She was coming. Soon. Oh, God. Suddenly she realized the elevator wasn’t moving, and she looked at King with a frown.

  “What floor?” he asked, and she felt like an idiot.

  “Oh, right. Five.” She bit her lip again and peeked at Sam. He was staring at the floor buttons as if he was mind melding with the elevator. He had a face that was all angles, but he still managed to look soft. Most people would probably disagree, since he was totally jacked. His biceps were straining the sleeves of his T-shirt. She glanced down at his crotch. Holy hell, he was hard. Even through his chino shorts she could tell he was huge. Oh, God. She was going to come standing here ogling him.

  She glanced over at King and saw he was watching her with a big grin. Talk about jacked. He was bigger than any guy she’d ever met, with melting-chocolate-brown eyes, and skin that looked so yummy she wanted to lick him from head to toe. She blushed and grinned, embarrassed by her thoughts, but amused by his obvious pleasure in setting this whole thing up. She should be horrified, but all she wanted to do was laugh. This sort of thing could be the gateway to porn stardom.

  When the elevator doors opened, she rushed out ahead of them, feeling self-conscious, imagining strangers peering through their peepholes at her as she passed by, snickering because they knew what she was up to. She’d never even been tardy to class, or broken her curfew. This was so far outside of Normal Jane it was crazy. King and Sam followed her, their silence making everything even more awkward. Things by the pool had been so easy and casual. Had this been a mistake? She unlocked her door, the hulking presence of the two men behind her making her clumsy. It took three tries before the light turned green. She stepped in quickly and held the door open for them, too embarrassed to meet their eyes as they walked past. It was Sam’s unmoving feet in front of her that let her know he’d stopped.

  “We don’t have to do this,” he said quietly.

  At that moment it was fish or cut bait, as the saying went, and Jane realized she really, really wanted to fish. She almost laughed aloud as the thought went through her head. She may have always been the good girl, but that didn’t mean she had to be like that behind closed doors every single minute of her life. No one she knew was going to know about this. No one was going to be hurt or disappointed if she did this. She’d never see Sam or King again. If she was going to indulge in something kinky, then this was probably the only opportunity she’d ever get. Her head was tel
ling her it was wrong, but her body knew damn well what it wanted, and it wasn’t standard, missionary-style sex after the required month of dating. She wanted wall-banging screwing with two incredibly hot guys. Well, screwing with one, watching with the other. Which was kinky as hell and turned her on way more than she would ever admit.

  She’d always been a girl who listened to her gut, and her gut was telling her to do it. She grabbed Sam’s arm and yanked him into the room, pushing the door closed. He stopped just behind her. When she turned to him, whatever she’d been about to say flew right out of her mind at the sight of him standing there. In her hotel room. Waiting to fuck her. King was already sitting in the desk chair. He was leaning forward, his elbows on his knees, his hands folded together as he watched them. She was so turned on she couldn’t think straight. Without a word she wrapped her arms around Sam’s neck and kissed the bejesus out of him, just like she’d wanted to all night.

  Sam didn’t miss a beat. He grabbed her around the waist and lifted her up, the better to fit their mouths together, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, letting him support her. It all happened so fast she was dizzy. He tasted so good, like beer and man, and all hot and sexy. She couldn’t remember anything tasting so good. When she moaned, she was startled. She was not a noisy lover normally. But damn. Sam.

  She broke the kiss to take a breath. “Oh, God,” she panted. “That was good. So good. Off.” She tugged at the back of his shirt but couldn’t get it off. “I want it bad. What. The. Hell. Am I even making sense? Am I speaking English?” Her brain was short-circuiting at the way Sam felt against her, all hot and hard and man.

  Sam spun around and pressed her against the wall. Then he let go of her, letting her legs around his waist support her while he yanked his shirt off over his head. “Don’t care. Shit. How soon can I get inside you?”

  “Soon,” she tried to say, but the word was muffled against his skin as she sucked on his bare shoulder, rubbing her hands over his back. She could feel scars there, but knew this was no time to ask about them. When he cupped her ass and ground against her, she bit him and they both moaned.