before I drive away from work. I sleep in your arms because you’ve discovered that you like it when you never thought you would. I listen to your heartbeat at night when I can’t sleep because I’m terrified that something is going to happen to you. I miss you every single second that you aren’t here, wondering if you’re with someone else, and I try to convince myself that it doesn’t matter because we aren’t exclusive even though from day one I’ve never wanted anyone else until you suggested Jinx join us.”
My face falls.
“You regret that?” I swallow the bile threatening to choke me. “You only did that because you thought it was what I wanted?”
How am I any better than her ex-husband, making her do things she never wanted?
“No.” Her hand cups my jaw, fingers teasing the beard growth there. “I wanted that. I was too afraid to ask, and that’s why the alcohol helped, but I wanted it, and I don’t regret it. I don’t regret the baby, either.”
She says the last part more softly like she’s afraid her confession will upset me.
I press my mouth to hers, unsure of how else to respond. The emotional assurance of it quickly turns sensual until we’re both groaning, hands wandering everywhere.
“I have an idea!”
The door swings open, bouncing against the doorstop and swinging back so hard, Jinx nearly catches it in the face.
“I thought we were alone,” she mutters, turning on her back and pulling the blankets up to her breasts. She’s got a tank top and panties on, but the fabric is thin.
“He got here about a half hour ago,” I mutter, glaring at my friend even though I’m thankful for the interruption.
I was serious when I told her I wanted to take things slowly. Things are already muddied with our unique situation, and I want to have a strong, sturdy relationship with this woman.
“But first,” Jinx says with a wide grin as he climbs on her side of the bed.
As if he has every right, he flings the blankets back and lifts Simone’s shirt. His lips hit the tiny swell of her lower stomach, and even though I’m glaring, unbelieving that this shit is really happening right now, Simone simply rolls her eyes.
“Mmm, lavender.” I shove Jinx when he traces his nose across the width of her body.
“Keep that shit up and your kid will be visiting your fucking grave,” I growl.
My friend laughs, pressing another quick kiss to her stomach whispering, “Daddy loves you,” before lowering her shirt and covering her back up.
“You need to learn fucking boundaries,” I hiss when he plops down on the bed and smiles at both of us.
“There definitely needs to be ground rules,” Simone agrees.
“Did you tell her?” Jinx is waggling his eyebrows.
“I haven’t had the chance.”
“Tell me what?” She looks between the two of us. “Is this about what happened in Vermont?”
“You haven’t told her shit, have you?” I ignore the judgment in Jinx’s eyes as I grab Simone’s arm and tug her closer to me. I need to feel her skin against mine, and honestly, my friend is a little too damn comfortable with her.
“We haven’t had time,” I say.
“Because you guys were fucking all night long?”
“I wish,” Simone mutters, and it causes a laugh to rip from my friend’s mouth.
I’d pinch her damn ass right now if I was sure she wouldn’t hate me for it, but that’s just another reason we need to take things slow. We have a lot to learn about each other.
“We’re going slow,” I remind both of them.
“That’s not going to make things easier with what we talked about.” My friend raises an eyebrow at me, but I refuse to be rushed.
“How about we talk about what happened in Vermont,” Simone urges, not willing to let that shit just slide.
“You won’t have to ever worry about Jeremy Murphy Sr., ever again,” I tell her.
“You killed him?”
Jinx gasps, bringing his hand to his throat like he’s extremely offended. “We’d never do such a thing.”
“Oh God. You did, didn’t you?” She looks to me for confirmation.
I can’t even get mad at Jinx. He said some shit to get that man to play right into our hands and I know he spent the next twelve hours washing down those words with copious amounts of whiskey. I imagine he can still taste parts of them. He’s doing what he can to lighten the situation for both him and her.
“Senior was drawing life insurance fraudulently. He’ll be going