Jesse was quiet.
Too quiet in fact and Jax didn’t like it one bit.
Ever since they left the apartment she hasn’t looked him in the face once. She just kept on staring out the window and if he spoke to her she would just give him short, curt answers which quickly forced him to stop trying to speak to her together.
He could see by the look on her face that she was thinking about what happened earlier and the lingering expression didn’t bode well at all.
Jax tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
This afternoon had been one of the best sexual experiences of his life and he had thought that she had felt the same way. Now, however, she was beating herself up about it. Regretting that moment all of them shared together.
Fuck! He thought as his hands tightened even more.
That wasn’t what he wanted.
He wanted her to think of the things they did together and smile, blush or even become horny. Anything but beat herself up because she enjoyed it.
Whoever hurt her in the past was really starting to piss him off. If he ever got hold of him, Jax was going to beat the ever-loving fuck out of him.
“Just to the left here.” She said softly, drawing Jax out of his thoughts.
As he switched lanes to turn into the shopping complex she directed him to, Jax snuck another look at the gorgeous woman sitting next to him and decided that he wasn’t going to let her pull away from them every time they did something together.
So, parking the car, Jax jumped out of the car and walked around to her side to open her door for her. Ignoring her look of surprise, Jax held his hand out to help her get out with his usual mischievous smile.
After a moment of hesitating, Jesse placed her hand in his and allowed him to pull her up. She stumbled slightly when he suddenly jerked her against him. As he closed the door behind her, he placed his free arm around her waist so she couldn’t move away from him, his hand resting just inches above her ass.
His grin widened when she scowled up at him and pushed her tiny hands against his chest to put some space between their bodies. Scared that he would feel the reaction her body was having to him being so close to her.
Jax released her reluctantly, but not before running his hand down her delectable ass. Grinning when she sucked in a quick breath and giving him a death glare.
Jax put on his best innocent face.
Shaking her head, Jesse turned and walked into the building. She felt Jax watching her, or rather her ass, closely as he followed behind her. Unconsciously, she put more of a swing in her walk, which had Jax cursing at his instant hard-on and his hands itching to grab it.
Stepping inside the door, Jesse waved away the assistant. Not wasting any time, she quickly started flipping through the clothes as she contemplated her options.
“Where are we going?”
“Somewhere nice.”
The look she gave him conveyed how unimpressed she was with that answer but Jax just shrugged with an unrepentant grin.
“Alright then, I’ll pick a few things and we’ll go from there. I’ll be as quick as I can. You can, uhm, make yourself comfortable so long,” Jesse said, stepping past him to motion toward the lounge area.
“You don’t have to rush on my account. I don’t mind waiting.” He said, sauntering over to the couch and settling himself down comfortably like he owned the place.
Jesse watched him take out his phone and fiddle with it for a bit before he looked back up at her. At his questioning look, Jesse blushed and moved away.
Grabbing a few promising pieces, Jesse rushed into the changing room and dropped back against the closed door, letting out a shaky breath.
Fucking Hell.
What was she doing?
Fooling around with Devon and Jax.
Lying to them.
Going on a date.
Even more alarming, going on a date with BOTH men.
Somewhere in the last few days, she had lost her damned mind. There was no other explanation for the out-of-character choices she’d been making.
But it was too late to turn back now.
She needed to hold on and ride out the crazy turn her life had taken and jump off as soon as she could. Before she got in too deep. Before it was too late for her to turn back.
Once she got the nervous patter of her heart to slow down again, she pushed herself away from the door and moved to go through what she grabbed. Fifteen minutes later, she was knee-deep in clothes but no closer to finding anything to wear. Everything was either too showy or too plain. Then, if she found something that she thought could work, a small voice in the back of her mind would whisper a few soft words that caused her to change her mind.
The funny thing is, the voice drawing her away from the plain clothes sounded like Devon and Jax. While the one shooing her away from the showy ones sounded more like Luke.
Jesse dropped another dress to the floor and banged her head against the wall hopelessly.
She was never going to find anything at this rate!
Her eyes widened and her head jerked around as she heard a soft knock at her changing room door.
She opened it to find Jax.
“I was wondering if you perhaps needed any help.” He said with a raised brow as he took in the pile of clothes at her feet and her flushed face.
Jesse cleared her throat and turned around to face him completely.
“No, it’s fine. I was just, uhm, a little undecided.” She said, biting her bottom lip at the lie.
“Didn’t sound that way to me.” He said, leaning against the doorway with a grin.
Jesse frowned, puzzled. Her face cleared into understanding when she realized she had been swearing and talking loudly to herself.
She sighed and her shoulders slumped forward as she gave him a sheepish look.
“I can’t find anything suitable to wear tonight.” She told him truthfully after a moment of contemplating if she told him what was really wrong or if she should just give him another flimsy excuse.
His grin widened, and he stepped closer to her to run his fingers down her cheek. Dropping a soft, lingering kiss on her lips he leaned back slightly and looked down at the clothes on the floor, to the clothes still hanging on the hook behind her.
His blue eyes shone when he finally looked back at her.
“Why don’t you go choose a few things to last you a few days? Just in case we can’t get you into your house. I’ll have something ready for you when you get back.”
“That’s not a bad idea. Thank you.” She said, forcing herself to sound like her usual, professional self.
Jax’s eyes narrowed at her emotionless tone, but she quickly scrambled out of the room before he could say anything. She just needed to get away from him before she said something that she might end up regretting later.
“Jesse, you done in there yet? It’s almost time for us to leave.” Jax asked Jesse through the bathroom door later that night. She had been in there for nearly two hours and he was seriously starting to suspect that she wouldn’t come out there anytime soon.
“Almost.” She said and even though the door muffled her words slightly, Jax could still hear how her voice shook in nervousness.
Jax frowned but quickly cleared it away when he heard the lock turn and the door open extremely slowly. He wanted to push the door open faster, wanting to see what she looked like in the dress he had picked for her with his brother in mind but didn’t.
Jesse had to be brave enough to do this.
His eyes widened and his mouth literally fell open when he saw her standing in the doorway, biting her ruby-red lips nervously.
Her hair, by his request, was up in soft ringlets to the one side to expose her neck where his mark lay bare for everyone to see. Make-up was light to not take away the rest of the outfit. While her dress ... Her dress was an off-the-shoulder black number that clung to her every curve. It had a slit from her feet to the very tops of her thighs. It also had an open back that dipped so low that if it had been any lower, it would’ve given people a VERY good show. Her shoes were a bright red stiletto pair that matched the small purse that she clutched in her hands in front of her.
“Wow,” was all he could manage.
Jesse blushed and ducked her head so that he wouldn’t see the relief in her eyes.
She had dreaded the moment she would have to step out of the bathroom in the dress he had picked for her.
Jax took her hand and pulled her out of the bathroom, keeping her hand in his as he led her to his brother was anxiously waiting.
Devon straightened and stood up when his brother walked into the room and froze when he saw the most beautiful vision he had ever seen following behind him. Without realizing it, he walked to her. His eyes caressed every dip and curve of her body, lingering on her breast and flash of leg.
He stopped inches away from her.
“You look ... amazing. Utterly beautiful.” He told her softly and cupped her head between his hands so that he could see her eyes. The vulnerability and soft sparkle of happiness inside them made his chest like so many other times he had looked at her
He kissed her lightly, their lips lingering over one another while Devon breathed in her flowery perfume.
“You guys don’t look too bad either.” She told him when he pulled away.
In fact, they looked so sexy in their black suits that showed their muscular shoulder and backs; that Jesse was actually afraid to go out with them. Knowing that women were going to be throwing themselves at them all night long and she would do if that was going to happen.
Devon looked dashing and commanding with his white button-up shirt and black tie.
Jax looked handsome and laid back with his blue button-up shirt and black tie that hung loose around his neck.
“I look better, though, right?” Jax asked with a grin that had Jesse rolling her eyes and Devon glaring at him.
“Let’s just go to dinner. “Devon said, resting his hands on the exposed skin of her lower back to lead her toward the door. Jax followed behind them and grabbed the car keys and wallet with a soft chuckle on his way out. His brother was so busy staring at Jesse that he seemed to have forgotten that they needed him.
Jax opened the door for Jesse and Devon helped her inside before both of them climbed in. Devon in the driver’s seat and Jax behind her.
The drive there was quiet but not uncomfortable even as Jesse felt herself become jitterier the closer they got to the restaurant. It was one of those really expensive and really fancy French places that Jesse had only ever read about.
“We’re here,” Devon said as he came to a stop.
Jesse was amazed when her door opened, and a young gentleman held his hand out for her. He grinned at her when she smiled at him, giving her a wink that had her shaking her head and smiling before Devon and Jax stepped up beside her. Each one took an arm and hooked it in theirs before they led her up the stairs.
The man nodded at them and threw the door open.
Jesse took a deep breath as they stepped inside and straightened her shoulders bravely. She glanced at Devon as he squeezed her hand and nodded at her approvingly.
A gorgeous yet familiar-looking, redhead headed their way with a wide, friendly smile.
As she got closer, Jesse’s eye’s widened in surprise as she recognized their waitress from the little Italian place by the sea.
“Lucy?” She asked causing the girl to frown in confusion.
Lucy glanced at Devon and Jax before recognition replaced her confusion.
“Hi, it’s nice to see you guys again!” She said, stopping in front of them, her plain black dress swishing around her feet.
“What are you doing here?”
“I work here as a hostess during the night on weekends. You guys come to have some dinner?” Lucy asked, glancing at the bookings sheet on the desk close to the door.
“Yes, under the name ‘Monroe’,” Devon said.
“Great, we had a table set up for you by the window, but I’ve got a better spot for you.” She said with a cheeky grin before turning on her heel and leading them through the restaurant.
Eyes tracked their progress. Jesse tightened her hand on the men’s arms as she fought not to pull at her dress, to wrap her arms around herself.
“Here we go,” Lucy said as they reached a table on the far side of the restaurant, far away from prying eyes.
”Thank you.” Jesse said as Lucy pulled her chair out.
“You're welcome. By the way, you look spe-fucking-tacular.” Lucy said softly to Jesse with a big smile.
“So do you,” Jesse told her, unable to help but smile at the young girl.
“I know.” She whispered, giving a playful wink, before looking at Devon and Jax who had settled into their chairs on either side of Jesse, ”I trust you three will enjoy your dinner.”
“Who was that?” Devon asked once Lucy was out of earshot.
“Don’t you remember? She was the girl who served us at that little Italian place we were at yesterday. The Italian Oven, I think it was called.”
“Really?” the brothers said together, looking surprised.
Jesse, herself, was surprised that they didn’t remember the pretty girl.
“How could you forget a gorgeous person like her?” She asked, only to suddenly find herself trapped into place by two pairs of blue eyes with the exact same intense look in them.
“We had someone better to look at,” Devon said, shifting his chair closer to hers, his eyes never leaving her face.
“Someone so irresistible that it’s always difficult to keep our hands to ourselves,” Jax added as he too, moved his chair closer to hers.
Jesse suddenly found herself growing hot as Jax ran a finger down her soft cheek and down her neck to rest on his mark on her neck. Devon, however, had different ideas as his hand slipped up her leg which had been exposed due to the slit.
Her breath caught as his fingers brushed against her pussy. Then it sped up once again as he continued to rub his fingers harder and harder against her. Catching the swollen nub of her clit every time. Jax kissed her neck, scraping his teeth softly on her skin.
“Hi, my name is-“
“Go away,” Devon demanded harshly as the voice interpreted the spell he and Jax were weaving around Jesse. No one even looked up to see if the guy had done what Devon had said.
“Same as always I see, lover.” A husky, female voice said and everyone froze.
Devon lifted his head and turned it slightly, but kept his hand where it was. The look on his face was pleasantly blank, but Jesse knew him well enough to see the anger underlying that mask. Glancing to the side, Jesse saw the same look on Jax’s face.
Dragging in a deep breath, Jesse tilted her head and looked up at the most beautiful woman Jesse had ever seen.