She was currently leaning over the pool table with jeans that might as well have been painted on because I could see every damn curve. I also lost the battle on her top, the one that was cut so damn low I didn't even know what the point was in wearing a shirt in the first place. When she leaned over the green felt of the table, her tits were resting on top and I got lost in the valley between—along with every other horny guy within twenty feet of her.
“Lots of eyes on your girl tonight,” Jace muttered.
“Yep.” It was my only response. I was still feeling the situation out.
“Doesn’t bother you?” Cole asked.
“If it did, would it make them stop?” I asked. Cole shook his head and I said, “Raegan’s my girl. She’s not gonna let some jackass touch her.”
“She’s the only one over there without a ring on her finger. Better fix that,” Jaxon smarted off while tipping his beer back.
“Em pregnant yet?” I flung back. I was pleased with his reaction because he spit his beer clear across the damn bar.
“No reason to start playing dirty,” he scoffed. I grabbed a bottle the bartender placed in front of me and took the first swig. “I’m just saying, if that guy was as close to Emerson as he is to Raegan… he’d be missing his balls.”
The dick in question was leaning over the table next to Raegan, trying to point out the best shot. He was clearly into her but he wasn’t touching her, so I wasn’t going to be hasty. I trusted Raegan’s instincts.
“Hey!” Jax called out across the bar. “Two feet, dude. Step back two feet, right now.” We all looked to see that another douchebag had joined the girls and he had apparently stepped too close to Jaxon’s wife. Then with his hands, Jax motioned that Emerson belonged to him.
Em turned wide, angry eyes our way and huffed at her husband in annoyance. She straightened her spine and tugged her shirt down a fraction of an inch. Em, like Raegan, had a lot going on for her in the chest department. A wicked smile spread across her face and she marched over to the jukebox near their pool table.
“Shit…” Jaxon groaned.
Em grabbed Raegan’s hand before leaning over and whispering something to the waitress.
“You did this to yourself, man,” Cole laughed boisterously.
“Oh, like you would have let that fucker get close to Quinn,” he seethed.
“No, you’re right, I wouldn’t. But I also know my girl. Looks like you haven't learned that Em doesn't like to be put in a bubble where no one may trespass,” Cole schooled.
“Sit back, Lane,” Jace laughed. “We’re about to get a show.” He rubbed his hands together in mock preparation. Jax crossed his arms over his chest and scowled at Em. Quinn looked across the way at Jax and gave him a look, as if asking why he thought he could have gotten away with that.
Whatever was about to happen, it was going to be good. The music commenced, pumping an energetic beat. It felt familiar, but I really had no clue what song was coming.
“She’s about to teach you a lesson,” Quinn informed Jax as she joined us.
“I know and it drives me fucking crazy, but I can’t help but love it so goddamn much at the same time.”
“Oh my God! You picked a song I actually know!” Raegan called out, clapping her hands. Did I mention that Raegan was about two drinks too many into her night?
“Why’s she gotta bring my girl into this?” I moaned.
“I don’t know this song, Quinn,” Jax said loudly above the music. “Give me some idea what I just got myself into!”
Quinn giggled and said, “Well, um… it’s about a promiscuous girl.”
I couldn’t hold it back because it was all just so damn funny. My head flew back and I let out a sidesplitting laugh.
Jax continued to look at Quinn for more. “It’s by Pussycat Dolls,” she told him. Then it clicked for me, and I knew exactly where this was going. She continued, “It’s about a girl asking a guy to take off her clothes…” She waved her hand as if to say, ‘catch up man!’ Jax groaned but then leaned forward in his chair to watch the show.
“It’s a bad girl anthem,” Audrey added, as she saddled up beside Jace. He kissed the side of her neck and smiled at her, probably happy she wasn’t about to unleash her inner bad girl.
The beat dropped and so did Em and Raegan, who both crouched down and began to bounce with the tune. The guys around them quickly forgot their games and it was clear they had found their new entertainment. Two of them stood to make their way toward them, and I caught my girl imperceptibly shake her head over Em’s shoulder.
My girl.
God, this girl.
I loved this girl.
Still dazed by my new revelation, I watched as she moved her hips to the beat. Her little waist rotated and she could probably give whoever was actually singing this song a run for their money. Em and Raegan moved closer to one another and they grabbed at each other’s hips, which were still swirling to the rhythm. My heart stopped. Actually, it dropped to the damn floor, along with my jaw.
“Fuuuuck,” Jax groaned. Because the only thing that was hotter than your girl dancing provocatively? Your girl dancing provocatively with another girl.
“Yeah. What he said,” I mumbled. My eyes were probably the size of golf balls, protruding from their sockets.
The beat was steady and energetic. Em began slowly loosening each button on her navy blue shirt, and I kid you not, a growl ripped from Jaxon’s throat. Raegan grabbed the edge of the pool table and dipped down. Every guy behind her watched her every move, probably trying to catch a glance down her shirt. Jaxon and I both launched to our feet. Em turned her back on us, but I could still see her hands moving in front.
“Emerson…” Jaxon bit out.
When we could all see from behind that her shirt was fully open, our eyes were glued and our feet stayed firmly planted. Jaxon was vibrating and even Quinn looked shocked. With Em’s back facing us, Raegan moved in front of her and smiled. She moved her hands to Em’s shoulders. They were up to something, but as long as it wasn't my girl with her shirt off, I didn’t mind letting the show continue.
Raegan didn’t move her hands from Em’s shoulders while they continued dancing, and I could tell the song was winding down. With Raegan’s hands went Em’s shirt as she flung it off of her. Under her shirt was another sleeveless shirt, and an audible sigh of relief whooshed from Jaxon’s chest.
Em spun around and pointed at Jaxon, laughing. Raegan was smiling from ear-to-ear and looking pretty pleased with herself. The waitress from earlier chose that time to return with a tray full of shot glasses carrying neon blue liquid.
Rae lined them up along the edge of the pool table and gestured for the guys behind her to take one. Em handed one to Raegan and they all raised them in the air.
“Take this,” Em called out loudly, “as an apology from my husband. He hates to share and sometimes forgets that his wife isn’t a toy!” With a blatant wink back at Jax, she turned back to Raegan as Jaxon let out a bellowing laugh. The two girls wound their arms around each other and flung back the shots.
“I love your girl, dude,” I said to Jaxon, after we’d managed to stop laughing our asses off. When his eyebrow rose, I finished, “I love her for doing this with Raegan. She needed to be included. It’ll be good for her to have friends that are chicks.”
“Yeah, we couldn't all just get to know one another like normal people do. The freight train that is Emerson has to bulldoze straight through to drinking pals,” Quinn laughed.
When they finished their shots, a round of shot glasses slammed back onto the table. One of the guys standing close to Rae and Em sucked air through his teeth and asked, “That was too fucking sweet. What was it?”
“It’s called ‘Blue Balls,’ gentleman. Enjoy!” Em called, as she hauled a bouncing Raegan toward us. Cole, Jace, Jax, and I dissolved into laughter as we saw every single one of those dicks’ faces drop in astonishment. Em had played that one perfectly.
“Alright, alright, you mad
e your point, beautiful,” Jaxon laughed and pulled Em into his arms.
“Em, you’re married now. Why do you continue these shenanigans?” Quinn chided.
“Quinn, we’re married, not dead!”
“God, I love you,” Jaxon laughed.
“See, he loves my shenanigans!” Em called out drunkenly.
Raegan was out of breath when she reached my side, but that didn't stop me from grabbing her and planting my lips roughly on hers. She tasted like raspberries and vodka. I licked around the inside her mouth, trying to savor her.
“You were moving those hips pretty well,” I whispered.
“I can show you more of those moves.” Her lips grazed my ear and I actually shuddered at the amount of lust in her voice.
“We should leave. Now.” I grabbed her hand to drag her out, but she pulled back, laughing.
“Not yet! Please. I’m having so much fun.” I already couldn’t tell her no. She and Kate had me wrapped around their little fingers.
I reached back to the bar and handed her a fresh glass of water. “Okay, you win. But I can’t take you when you’re passed out drunk.”
She chugged down the entire glass, right in front of me. “Well, we can’t have that now, can we?”
RAEGAN -
Em had broken the ice between us, and I couldn’t stop smiling because it had been so long since I’d actually had deep, belly-laughing fun. Even before Mexico, I had been hopping between homes with a newborn baby. There hadn’t been time for me to take a break or anyone around to even allow me to do that. I worked, I took care of Braden—most of those hours were spent with Kate—and sometimes I managed to squeeze in sleep. But anything else, there just wasn’t time for.
“I love her!” Em called out to Lane, while hugging me and simultaneously pulling me away from him.
“Yeah, well I loved it when she was over here,” he called back, gesturing with his now empty arms. I smiled brightly at him and followed Em to the pool table, leaving the guys behind to continue talking at the bar.
Quinn brought over drinks for all of us, and we propped up on barstools near the pool table we had claimed for the night. The guys from earlier had cleared out, which was nice because now we had the chance to just hang out without the stress of one of the husbands getting antsy.
“You have no idea how hot your boyfriend is,” Quinn said to me.
I laughed at her and took a sip to hide my reddening face. “Oh, I have every idea how hot he is.”
“Mmm, I’m sure you do,” Em added.
“Oh, you guys act like you aren’t married to walking dreamboats yourselves,” I huffed playfully.
“That doesn't mean we can’t fantasize about what he looks like under those clothes,” Em started. “Look, I can’t think of Cole like that because he’s practically my brother… it weirds me out. I know what Jace looks like because I sleep with his identical twin every night. Lane’s my only mental fantasy.” She tapped the side of her head as if the image was there right now.
“Em, if I didn't love you, I’d throttle you right now,” Audrey laughed. “Don’t think about my husband when you’re with Jaxon.”
“Hey, you’re the one that’s been with both of them, you lucky bitch!” Quinn yelled, a little too loud. Audrey’s face immediately turned as red as her shirt.
“Whoa, what?” I had to ask.
“I was with Jaxon before Jace. It was stupid. I don’t like to talk about it.” Audrey’s words were clipped.
“We need more shots!” I called to our waitress. “This just got good.”
“As long as we can talk about something else besides my husband and Lane’s bodies,” Audrey begged.
“Aww, why not Lane’s?” Quinn fake-pouted.
“Ew, guys he’s my brother. I do not want to keep talking about him like that,” Audrey complained. I smiled because even though Lane had basically said as much, that was exactly what I wanted to hear from her.
Just then Audrey’s eyes narrowed in apparent annoyance. The rest of us followed her glare and landed on a tall, beautiful blonde who was walking her hip-swaying self toward Lane. It was obvious she was on a mission, and the way she looked at him was as if she knew him—in a personal way.
“What’s up?” I asked Audrey quietly.
“She’s a problem.”
Em and Quinn looked at one another, and then I saw the light turn on in Em’s eyes. “Is that her? The girl from that one night at your house?” she asked.
“Yes,” Audrey ground through her teeth.
“What girl?” I asked again, although they were all zoned in on Miss-way-too-short-skirt that had saddled up next to Lane at the bar. She moved close and I watched as he tried to inch away from her. Jax and Cole both scooted further away, and Jace turned his back on her completely.
“Are you the jealous type?” Audrey asked me.
“I don’t… think so,” I stated uncomfortably. I thought about her question and then asked, “He’s slept with her, hasn’t he?” She squirmed uncomfortably at my question and then nodded her head. I looked back over to Lane and the blonde. So, I had been right… he was familiar with her.
The way she moved her hips and pushed out her chest toward him proved she wanted him again, although her boobs were nowhere close to what I was packing and her hair was obviously bottled. She reached seductively across Lane and grabbed his beer bottle. Someone behind me gasped when the blonde took a long pull from his beer and gave it back to him.
“I have to give her credit, she sure is working it,” I laughed. I looked back at the girls and they were gaping at me with open mouths. “It’s kind of hot, don't you think?”
“Uh… hot is the last thing I would call her,” Quinn grumbled.
“I’ll second that. If she takes one step toward Jace, I’m ripping her extensions out,” Audrey huffed.
“Not her,” I chuckled. “Just the whole situation.” I gestured toward the bar, where Lane was tossing the beer bottle into a trashcan on the opposite side of the bar as if it were contaminated.
Right on cue, two more scantily-clad blondes sauntered over and smiled at him, the same as the first had. Now Lane was the one fidgeting uncomfortably on his barstool. One of the girls reached out for his bicep, and he politely pulled it from her grasp.
For some insane reason, my body was heating up. The whole situation was ludicrous, because shouldn’t I have been wanting to pull out their hair and dig my fingernails into their eyeballs?
“Elaborate,” Em interrupted my thoughts. “Because even I would be going jealous girlfriend on their asses right now.” Jax, Jace, and Cole had fully removed themselves from the groupie party surrounding Lane. Meanwhile, Lane gave each of the guys pleading eyes and they all subtly shook their heads. They wouldn't be going to help him.
“They want him,” I stated.
“Yes, I can definitely see that. So shouldn’t you be staking your claim?” Em asked.
“He wants me. That’s what’s so hot about this. They want him, but yet he only wants me.” God, I was craving him right then.
In my periphery, I noticed the waitress had returned with our shots, but mostly my eyes were glued to Lane, watching as he tried to dodge and escape the girls who were clamoring for his attention. With extreme discomfort on his face, he finally braved looking out at me past all the blonde hair. At first he gave me a desperate face, as if silently telling me he didn't want their attention. Then, his entire demeanor changed. The lust in my eyes must have been obvious—hell, it was practically written across my entire body.
His eyes narrowed slightly and he sat up a bit straighter on his stool. The movement made his body appear even larger, and his biceps noticeably flexed under the sleeves of his shirt. He was absolutely delicious and he was looking right at me. I felt my nipples harden under my thin shirt, and I should have looked away from him because I couldn't walk around like that. But I couldn’t force myself to look anywhere else. He was too intoxicating and I was too horny.
&nbs
p; His hand came up to where I could see through the bodies and he crooked his finger back and forth at me. I shook my head coyly at him, just to egg him on. He cocked an eyebrow and motioned for me to get over there. Now.
I grabbed a shot glass and threw it back. It definitely wasn’t another shot of ‘Blue Balls.’ This was straight vodka and I hadn’t been expecting that. I sucked in air through my teeth and gave myself a moment to stabilize. I was going straight into the lion’s den; the liquid encouragement was absolutely necessary.
My feet moved before my brain did. My body was on autopilot as I rounded the pool table, maneuvering my way toward Lane. His eyes were glued and the girls around him had finally turned to see why they had lost his attention. I couldn’t wait to break it to them that they never had it.
I made it to the groupie party and Lane parted the way for me with his strong arms. When I didn't move to step in, he reached out and grabbed me. I willingly moved to stand between his legs and looked up in to his hazel eyes. Even just looking at his face, you would be able to tell that Lane was in perfect shape. Each cheekbone was chiseled, and I loved to run my lips across his strong jaw line.
“Were you and the girls over there laughing at me? I’m obviously really uncomfortable right now,” he said, loud enough for everyone around us to hear. Two of the girls huffed and walked away. The first one decided to take her chances and stick around.
“At first,” I responded demurely.
“And now…” he started, and then he ever so subtly ran the back of his hand across one of my hardened nipples. I closed my eyes at the agonizingly amazing feeling of his stimulation. “You’re turned on?”
Because he stated it as a question, I nodded. With the alcohol giving me a bigger voice than I would normally have, I said, “She wants you and she’s working damn hard to get what she wants. But what she doesn't understand is that you want me. That. Is. Sexy.” My hand cupped his jaw and then moved into his hair.
A rumble shook his chest as he moved his face closer to mine. He looked into my eyes—through my eyes—he looked into me, and I saw a change in him. Something was happening between us. Something that there wouldn’t be any coming back from. If I could bottle up that look forever, I would only take it out when I needed the feeling of being wanted in the most devoted way a man could want a woman. The way Lane looked at me proved the feelings he spoke out loud to me when we were alone in our bed every night.
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