Somehow she didn’t think he would mind. He winked at her.
Jace drew her attention back to him when he blew out a sigh. “I would never have done that. I couldn’t. I wouldn’t risk scaring you. If you ever looked at me with fear in your eyes, I couldn’t take it.”
“And that’s why you two are in the situation you’re in now. And what a lovely pickle it is.” Nolan raked Jace with his gaze, lingering on his crotch with a fond smirk. “You were stuck in a rut so deep you needed someone to tow you out. Waiting for each other to break first, it was never going to happen. You two are too noble and stubborn for your own good. Me? Not so much.”
He shrugged, though Laurel caught a hint of regret in his eyes. Did he honestly believe he wasn’t a decent person? The past few weeks had taught her otherwise. “I hope at least I’ve fixed that for you.”
“Don’t think you’re off the hook.” Laurel shot him a look. “Now that it’s out in the open, the magnetism between the three of us is going to be super distracting if we try to ignore it again. We have to live together, in close quarters, for who knows how much longer—probably weeks.”
“Months,” Nolan corrected. Jace groaned.
Laurel thought about sleeping in his arms or watching movies while pinned between him and Nolan on the barely big enough couch. She was not complaining, but if they didn’t do something, she—and likely both of them, too—were going to lose it eventually.
“You’re right. The last thing I should be is preoccupied when it comes to your safety.” Nolan growled. “We don’t expect Draven to come anywhere near here, but I should be as alert as if he was on his way. Fuck. I’m sorry.”
He spun and stared out the window, his back heaving as he lashed himself.
“I’m not.” Laurel patted Jace’s chest, then reached out to Nolan. She put her hand on his shoulder and nudged him until he turned around to face them once more. “What I’m proposing is that we cut the tension the old-fashioned way.”
There. She’d said it. But the two handsome-as-hell dolts staring back at her didn’t seem to understand what she’d said.
“Huh?” Jace asked again as he tipped his head. It would have been funny if she hadn’t been spilling her guts and laying her deepest, most forbidden fantasies out in the open in broad daylight.
“Let’s fuck and get it out of our systems.” Laurel shrugged. “It’s just sex, right?”
Jace stepped closer and put his arms around her. He laid his forehead against hers and murmured, “What is this about? We both know there is no such thing as just sex for you.”
“Maybe I wish there was.” She leaned against him. “Maybe there could be some day. And that’s what I’m asking for your help with. Please?”
“You’re serious?” Jace cupped her cheeks in his steady hands, tipping her face up toward his so he could read the absolute certainty in her gaze.
“Yeah.” She nodded, thinking of Kennedy, Devon, Sola, Wren, and the rest of the strong-ass women she’d met since the Shields had found her. Since they’d been living at Hot Rides and hanging out with her brother and his spouses. She was ready to join their ranks. Become someone who overcame her past and didn’t let it steal potential joy from her future.
“And you’re sure you want that with both of us?” Nolan asked from over Jace’s shoulder as he shifted from foot to foot. “I mean, you two have known each other forever and have something real. I’m happy to bow out…”
“No way. No one’s giving anyone space. We’re going to do the opposite of that.” Laurel reached for him, curling her fingers in the waistband of his shorts and yanking him closer. “There’s chemistry here, and Jace should have what he desires too. It’s obvious that’s you. If I’m going to do this, it’s going be my way. I’m dying to be selfish. Spoiled. And I’m only going to feel really great about that if you two enjoy it too. You’re both hot as hell. Nolan, you’re new and exciting, and Jace is sexy and familiar.”
“If you think I haven’t drooled over you every single day since I met you, you’re not paying attention.” Jace drew her attention back to him. “But if you want Nolan too, I’m not going to deny you that or pretend like I won’t enjoy the hell out of sharing him with you.”
“Here’s the truth. There’s only been one man in my life who made me feel secure before: Jace.” Laurel smiled at him. “And now, suddenly, there are two. Maybe it’s that or maybe there’s something about this freaky town, but… I finally feel like I can let loose a little. Don’t prove me wrong, okay?”
Jace hugged her. “You are safe with us, but that doesn’t mean you have to sleep with us.”
“I know. But…I want to. And I’m getting the feeling neither of you hate the idea either. So we’re going to do this?” Laurel’s heart rate shot up. Her fingers twisted in the hem of her sweater and began to lift it.
“Yeah. We are.” Jace looked to Nolan, who nodded emphatically.
“But not like that.” Jace halted the progress of her clothes over her skin. “If I’m going to indulge after all this time, I intend to savor the moment. Is that okay?”
Laurel bit her lip. It would be harder to pretend this was only about physical release if the guys didn’t act like savages who simply claimed her. It was more treacherous than anything they’d talked about so far, but she couldn’t help the part of her that itched to see what that kind of intimacy felt like…
So she agreed. “Yeah. Just…hurry.”
Nolan chuckled and Jace groaned.
13
Jace surveyed the room. Given the short notice and how unprepared he’d been for Laurel’s demands, he figured he and Nolan had done damn fine creating a romantic vibe. Sure, she’d said what they were about to do was only about physical relief, but he couldn’t stand the thought of her finally allowing herself to be exposed enough to explore her sexuality and him being unable to show her that intimacy was nothing like what they’d experienced before, even when it wasn’t about forever.
Hell, he was pretty much the king of hookups and he’d never once treated his partners with anything but the respect and appreciation they deserved for sharing themselves with him to their mutual satisfaction. What Laurel might not realize is that even “just sex” came with powerful-though-temporary emotions. He had to be absolutely sure anything they did wouldn’t contribute to her closing herself off again for another couple of decades.
He hated to admit it, but having Nolan there might be a brilliant tactic to ensure things stayed fun and friendly. If it took a chaperone to make sure he didn’t do anything stupid, like take things too far and drop the L-bomb when he came inside her, he was good with that. Especially when the guy she’d picked to get freaky with was one Jace had been eying for weeks.
Candles flickered around the room, washing it with patchy bronze light. Soft blankets and every pillow in place piled together made sure the bed looked nothing like the dirty bare mattresses or cold, hard floors of their nightmares. Nor did it look like the ultra-fancy places they’d been trapped in when they were younger.