by Lane Hart
"I beg your pardon, but I'd have to point out that it's also great genetics," his dad says with a smile from the front seat.
The guys have me cracking up the entire three and a half hour drive. The time seems to fly by. They are so different from my uptight family, and I love it.
Jude and I played toll tap, sort of like punch bug, but with toll booths instead of Volkswagens. Every time one of those bad boys came into sight you'd have to try and be the first one to tap the other and yell "Toll tap!" I'm sure my shoulder is going to have bruises on it, but I gave as good as I got.
Jax is the quietest during the trip. Looking out the window most of the time, he seem like he's a thousand miles away. I figure the idea of going to court Monday is probably getting to him, making the whole situation seem more real.
When we arrive at the hotel, Jax checks us in while me, Jude and his dad wander around the non-smoking side of the casino. I've already had two fruity drinks when Jax finds us to give us our room keys.
"They took your bags on up to your room already," he tells me when he hands over the plastic card.
"Aw, thanks," I say with a pat to his chest that may have turned into more of a petting. "You're so sweet, Jax. Even sweeter now that I know you're not an angry rapist," I blurt out, maybe a tad too honestly.
He smiles and looks over at his laughing brother. "Is she already drunk?"
"Ah, well, I didn't know she was such a lightweight," Jude tells him. "She's only had like two of those fruity things."
"Oh my God! It's Jackson Malone!" We hear a feminine squeal, followed by several more.
"Ah shit," Jax groans when three young and very pretty women head for him.
"Sorry, ladies," I say, turning around to stand in front of the big, sexy man to block their path. "As his attorney, I've advised Mr. Malone not to concur...confer with any females until such time as his case is over."
The women don't look very pleased at hearing that, so I throw them a bone. "Have you met his brother, Jude? He's so much nicer than Jax and looks just like him, see," I tell them, shooing them away in his direction. Jude looks like he's going to make a run for it.
"Thanks." Jax chuckles from behind me.
"All part of my job," I tell him when I turn around to face him.
"I didn't know attorneys also handled private security for MMA fighters," he replies.
"Jax!" came another feminine scream.
"Shit. I better head to my room."
"I'll go with you. Not to your room, but mine," I clarify. "I mean, you go to yours and I'll go to mine. I need a shower and to change clothes. Might be time for that bathing suit."
"Let's go. And you shouldn't go anywhere this weekend by yourself. It's not safe for women to wander around alone in a wild and crazy town like this."
"Ironic advice coming from you." I snort, as I stumble forward toward the elevator.
Jax catches me around the waist but immediately let’s go to grab my elbow instead. "I think you should probably go easy on the alcohol."
"Yes, father," I tease when the doors swoosh open and we climb on the elevator. Luckily Jax knows which floor we're on and pushes the number eight on the panel. "I thought you wanted me to get drunk."
"That was Jude's plan, not mine," he mutters. "I just said you should lighten up."
On the way up to our floor my eyes are glued to Jax, noticing how well his black shirt hugs his broad upper chest. Remembering from that day at the pool what his sculpted upper body looks like. Wondering if the length behind the fly on his denim jeans is as big I bet it is. I'm betting it's...well, yeah. My face warms either from arousal or the alcohol buzz, I'm not sure which. Thankfully the elevator doors open, interrupting my carnal thoughts.
"This way," Jax says, heading to the left so I follow. "Here's your room, eight-eighteen."
"Oh, thanks," I say, pulling out the card he'd given me. I stick it in the slot and get all red lights. I try it again.
"Here, let me." He sighs, taking the card from my hand and easily swiping it to get green lights on the first try. He turns the handle and pushes it open for me. "I'm next door."
"Thanks," I say, breezing by him into the room, trying to avoid dwelling on how good he smells.
The first thing I notice is the incredible ocean view. Then I see the big ass whirlpool tub beside the bed. Next to the kitchen is a bar, and hanging on the bathroom door is a big, plush white robe. Did he do all this on purpose? I'd been joking about everything except non-smoking, and this room also met that request.
I turn back to the door where Jax still stands holding it open, watching me.
"You didn't have to do all this. I was just messing with you because of your princess insults."
"It's nothing," he says dismissively. But it really is. He keeps surprising me, probably because I keep underestimating him.
"Yes, it is. Thank you," I tell him. "I can't wait to soak in the tub."
With only a slight shake in my hands, thanks to the liquid courage I'd chugged earlier, I start unbuttoning the bottom of my white dress shirt. I make it up to the third one, right around my navel, when he finally notices.
"What are you doing, Page?"
"Getting ready to take a bath," I reply. When he doesn't come any further into the room I start back towards him. By the time I'm standing inches away I'm on the top button. I want, no need to know if the real thing is as incredible as the fantasy of being with him. Screw Elliot, and the rules.
I let my shirt fall off my shoulders to the floor. "You might want to shut the door," I warn, working on the back clasp of my bra.
"Page..." Jax starts, he swallows deeply as his midnight eyes lower to my lace covered breasts. "Don't."
My breath catches in my throat at hearing that one word.
"Sorry," he says swiping a hand over his face. "But…we can't. Client-attorney whatever, and you're engaged for Christ's sake."
"Right now it's just you and me here. No one has to know…"
"I'm not interested, okay?" he snaps. "So let's just pretend that this never happened." He slips out the door and lets it shut in my embarrassed face.
The man who admits to sleeping with any and all women doesn't want me. God, I'm an idiot for thinking he might, and now I've made a huge fool of myself.
I sit on the edge of the bed with my head in my hands. My dad was right all along. Just as he predicted, in one moment of weakness I've managed to completely screw up this case.
Chapter Eight
Jax
What the fuck is wrong with me? The woman I can't stop thinking about naked just started taking her clothes off in invitation, and I leave the room like a pussy?
In the moment, hell yes I wanted Page. But long term? It's not worth it. I'm not worth Page losing her law license, and I don't want to be her dirty little secret behind her asshole fiancé's back. And that's all I'll be if we don't want to get caught.
Then there's the long term picture. I don't want to start something with Page and then get sent to prison for years. I have faith in her skills, but she's right. Convincing a jury I'm not guilty is going to be a hell of a feat.
After taking a cold shower, I don't know what to do with myself. Things with Page are going to be awkward now, and that's not what I want. Hell, I invited her to come for the whole weekend to spend time with her and I just slammed a door in her face, literally and figuratively.
My cell phone rings, interrupting my wallowing. Jude.
"What?" I bark.
"What crawled up your ass?" he asks.
"Nothing."
"What room are you in?"
"Eight-twenty."
"What room is Page in?" he asks.
"Why do you want to know?" I inquire, although it's obvious.
"Come on, jackass. I'll find out eventually. I'm guessing hers is beside yours. So if I'm in eight twenty-two I bet she's in eight eighteen."
"Don't even think of fucking with her this weekend," I warn him.
"Why? Because
you are?"
"No."
"Then until you admit you want her, and actually do something about it, she's fair game, bro."
"Do I need to remind you again that's she's engaged?" Although, Page didn't seem concerned about that a few minutes ago.
"No ring means that dude is shit out of luck."
"Leave her alone, Jude."
I hear a repetitive thumping like a knock right next to my ear, coming through the phone and at the same sound right outside my door in the hallway.
"Yowza, Page! Nice bikini. You going down for a swim?" Jude asks, and I'm yanking my door open before I can stop myself.
Goddamn!
The woman is even finer than I thought underneath those stiff suits. With just a turquoise triangle covering her pussy and nipples, now I'm the one getting stiff. She's tall for a woman, taller than some men I know, and her long, lean legs are spectacular. I'm certain they'd look even better around my waist.
Natural perky tits overflow from both sides of the tiny bikini top, leaving her flat stomach completely bare. It's painfully obvious from her hard nipples that Page is cold, and my cock twitches just thinking about running my tongue over the tight buds that look hard enough to break glass. Or running my tongue down her cleavage, or around her bellybutton, or between her legs.
My eyes finally make it back to her face, and her eyes are avoiding me. Thank God, because there's no missing the rock hard erection I'm now sporting. While keeping her eyes on my brother, she unties her low professional bun and then reaches up with both hands to pile her hair up messily on the top of her head. I'd love to see her let all that blonde hair down just once.
Jude makes a whimpering sound which echoes in my ear.
"Are you two talking to each other?" Page asks. I finally realize I'm still holding the phone to my ear, just like Jude.
"We were until you distracted us," Jude responds, putting his phone away in his pocket, and I follow suit. "So, pool?"
"Yeah. They've got a hot tub down there, too, right?" she asks, cocking one curvy hip. I missed a spot. I want to lick her right there in that little curvy dip too.
"Hell yes they do," Jude replies, walking backwards to his room. "Give me two minutes to change and I'll go down on you...I mean, I'll go down with you." He glances at his t-shirt with the kitten. The one that was the poster child for all the kittens that apparently get killed when someone masturbates. "Okay, maybe ten. You coming?" he asks me with a smile and a punch to my gut that lands when he passes. I'd been too distracted to react and block a hit for the first time ever.
"No, I'm not going to kill a kitten," I reply. Well, not until later. "And fuck yes I'm coming with you to the pool."
Jude disappears into his room, and the awkwardness is back, multiplied tenfold between me and Page. Without another word she slams her hotel door. Okay, I deserved that.
I go back inside my own room and change into my white board-shorts and flip-flops. Grabbing a baseball cap and some sunglasses to hide as much of my face as I can, I snatch up my key card and phone, then I'm ready. I'm not going to risk them leaving without me, so I wait in the hall.
Page comes out of her room first, with more clothes on. A gray Georgetown Law t-shirt and tiny navy blue shorts now cover her smoking hot bikini, the strings of which are still visible around her neck. She looks down and types on her phone, still refusing to look at me.
Damn it, I shouldn't have walked away. Right now we could be rolling around naked, fucking every which way, my tongue licking every single inch of her incredible body. But no, I'd done the honorable thing for once in my fucking life, and now she won't even talk to me.
"Page...” I start, wanting to try and explain.
"Don't," she says, holding up her palm without sparing me a glance. "I was tipsy and had a momentary lapse in judgment that I now regret. You're definitely off limits, I get that. But Jude's not."
She could've kneed me in the nuts and I would've been less staggered. Thinking about her and Jude together...
"You can't be fucking serious-"
Jude's door opens and closes down the hall before he joins us in nothing but blue board-shorts similar to mine. In that moment I think I actually hate my little brother for looking so much like me. It's not the first time in my life that I've hated him, but it has been a long time since I've had such a shitty thought.
"Ready?" he asks Page.
"Yeah, and I can't wait to find some more of those fruity drinks. You won't let me do anything too crazy will you?" she asks Jude with a smile.
"I will definitely watch out for you," he says to her, and then to me, "You trying to go incognito, bro?"
"Try being the key word," I respond, pulling the bill of my hat down while we wait for the elevator.
"I really don't want to deal with a bunch of cage cunts," Page groans, crossing her arms over what I now know in great detail is a very ample chest. She shocks the shit out of me by using the "c" word.
"It's an unavoidable occurrence with Jax. Even the rape charge won't slow down these hoes," Jude replies when the doors of the elevator open and we step inside with an older, gray-haired couple. The man and woman quickly retreat to the opposite side of the confined space from us.
"Do I need to remind you where my eyes are?" Jude asks Page quietly behind me, making her giggle.
"I'm sorry. It must be hard, trying to stay away from all the women who come on to you, unfairly treating you as a sex symbol," she whispers to him, her voice much more seductive than I care for. Actually, my carefully contained rage is boiling up inside me.
"It is really…hard to deal with," Jude answers, lowering his voice. "I could use some help easing the pain, if you're willing to give me a hand...or even better a mouth."
Unable to take anymore I turn around to glare at them. The two are so close it takes all of my self-control not to deck my brother, especially when I see his hand covering his cock and Page's hard nipples showing through her shirt. I yank Jude by his arm and slam him against the opposite wall.
"It's okay, they're brothers," Page assures the couple. "Although I'm not sure why the older, angrier one is being such a dic...tator to the younger, sweeter one."
"Because I've warned him to keep his hands off of you," I reply, looking at my brother's smirking face while I pin him against the wall.
"I didn't have my hands on her," Jude replies.
"So you don't want me, but no one else can have me either? Is that it?" Page asks, and Jude's eyes widen in comprehension.
"You turned her down?" he asks me. "Why? I thought you-"
"She's my attorney and she's engaged," I remind her and him. "Even if he is an asshole."
The elevator ride from hell finally ends and we all rush out of the cramped metal container, the older couple moving faster than the three of us.
When we make it outside to the patio, I go in the opposite direction from Page and Jude, needing distance before I do something I'll regret.
I keep walking until I'm on the beach, the sound of the waves drowning out the thoughts in my head. Well, most of them. Being jealous of my younger brother is nothing new. You'd think I'd be used to it by now, since I've been putting up with the shit since the day he was born.
…
Page
"So, what the hell happened back there?" Jude asks me as soon as we submerge ourselves in the warm, bubbling water.
"Nothing."
"And that's why you're pissed at him? Because nothing happened instead of…something?"
I shrug in response.
"Well, let's hear it."
"There's nothing to tell. He said he wasn't interested in me…that way," I admit.
"Bullshit!" Jude exclaims, smacking his palms on top of the water. "He's lying to you and to himself."
"Even if that is true, then why would he lie?" I ask.
"He doesn’t want to get you in trouble."
"No one would find out," I tell him.
"And maybe that's the problem."
<
br /> After thinking that over for a few minutes, I decide to turn the tables. "So what about you? Why don't you date?"
"Because I don't have time for that shit. I train day and night. I stay in the gym more hours than some people work every week. When I finally get done for the day, I'm wiped out."
"You can't take a few nights off?" I ask with a smile, not buying his excuse. Jax has time for women. Lots of them, apparently.
"Not if I want to win, and I haven't been winning, so I need to train longer, harder."
"Uh-huh."
Since the topic's been broached, I couldn't help but ask the question I've been curious about. "Jax said he thinks you're still a virgin. He was just joking, right?"
When Jude turns his head away instead of giving me a dimpled grin I know it's actually true. This incredible looking, truly sweet man has never been with a woman.
"Attorney-client communications are kept confidential," I tell him.
"Fine," he huffs and then winces. “Technically, yes.”
"Oh my God, Jude! How is that even possible?"
"I don't know," he grumbles and shrugs. A reddish hue was even creeping up the tan skin of his neck. "At first I just didn't want to screw around with girls in high school knowing I don't want or have time for anything more with them. Then after a while I figured what the hell, I've gone this long, might as well wait until I can be with someone I actually care about or whatever for the first time instead of some random slut. It's stupid, I know…"
"It's not stupid," I assure him. "She'll be a lucky girl, whoever she is."
"But she won't be you," he says as a statement, not a question. "I just like fucking with Jax to try to get him to own up to wanting you. And you are really hot."
"Thanks." I laugh. "So are you, and flirting is fun. Especially when Jax gets all pissed off."
"I swear I thought he was going to knock me out on the elevator." Jude chuckles.
"I'm an idiot," I say with a shake of my head.
"Do you love him? The dude you're engaged to?" he asks.
I snort at the thought of referring to Elliot as someone I love. “I can barely stand him most of the time.