When he’d proposed last Christmas Day, Sophia had thought the man was going to drive her to Town Hall the next time it was opened. Jumper, though, had been forced to wait to make Jazz his bride, because he wanted to give her the wedding of her dreams. Which had turned into the wedding of Sophia and Jasmine’s dreams. At the time, Sophia and Pirate had been more enemies than friends.
And then…San Francisco had happened. Some rum and a pirate ship later, and Pirate and Sophia had woken up married in a penthouse suite. Based on the number of condoms they’d discovered in the room, the marriage had definitely been consummated. The plan had been to continue sleeping together and get divorced when the ninety-day waiting period was over.
Sophia wasn’t sure which of them was more surprised that they’d ended up falling in love instead. Certainly not Jasmine or Jumper. Apparently neither Sophia nor Pirate were that good at keeping secrets, because they both knew the two were sleeping together. They’d chosen to still get divorced, because they wanted to start off their relationship right.
Late in the fall, the four of them had been talking one night, and Pirate had popped the question. Or rather grabbed Sophia’s ass and basically told her they were getting married. Again. This led the four of them on a trip west to the very same pirate ship. Only this time, theymeantto get married. As did Jasmine and Jumper.
Which gave Jasmine and Sophia the double wedding they’d always dreamed of having. Just with more rum, less family, and a lot more pirate talk than they’d planned on when they were in eighth grade.
But the rings were exchanged, the licenses had been signed, and they were each other’s witnesses.
Two months later, and Sophia was trying to do the math. Was it possible Jasmine had gotten knocked up on her wedding night?
“Have you taken a test yet?”
Jasmine heaved, her back arching. “I’m not pregnant.” The words came out as a pitiful groan.
“Babes, I love you, but you’re so in denial. This is the second day you’ve puked like this.”
“It’s the flu.” Her words were so weak, Sophia didn’t even know if Jasmine believed that line of horseshit.
“And I’m fucking Bugs Bunny,” Sophia countered. “Look, it’s not the end of the world. You go crazy for a couple of months, get some serious cankles, not to mention the weird-ass food cravings, and thenbam!It’s baby time. Plus,” Sophia added, holding up a finger even though Jazz couldn’t see it with her head bent over the toilet, “your kid is going to have the best—and I do meanthe best—aunt in the entire world. So when you fuck it up, they’ll come running to me and Auntie Sophia will make itallbetter.”
Jasmine’s moan was loud against the porcelain. “I’m not pregnant.”
“Are you done puking?” Sophia asked, ignoring her best friend.
Looking pale and clammy, Jasmine leaned her head against the coolness of the seat. Sophia leaned over and pushed the handle to try help dispel the smell in the small bathroom. It was a good thing Jumper had just cleaned in here, or Sophia would have never allowed her friend to put her face there. Jumper’s PTSD was better of late, but cleaning and certain routines still helped to keep him calm. Sophia wasnota neat person, so she helped Jumper out by leaving her shoes, hairbrushes, makeup, and whatever she could laying around. Jumper acted like itpissed him off, but Sophia knew better. Without her, his life would be so boring.
But not anymore. Sophia wondered how Jumper’s PTSD was going to handle being a father. If there was one thing that would mess up a routine, it was a baby.
“I need to go lay down,” Jasmine whined. “Can you call Brenden?”
Dr. Brenden McGuire was Jasmine’s partner at her vet clinic. He’d come on last April to temporarily cover for their planned honeymoon, and then never left. Sophia liked the guy. He was mid-forties with salt and pepper hair. If she wasn’t totally in love with Pirate, she’d have jumped his bones the minute they met. But unfortunately, her heart and soul were taken by a dastardly pirate so she could only dream about Dr. McGuire while fucking her husband’s incredibly hot body.
And who said threesomes were overrated?
“And what do you want me to call Dr. Fuckable McFuckerson?” Sophia asked.
The moan Jasmine released likely had nothing to do with the parasite currently growing inside her body. “Don’t call him that. I have to work with the man. Just let him know I’m not going to make it in today.”
Sophia shrugged. “If Pirate and Jumper weren’t brothers, I totally would suggest inviting Dr. Fucks-a-lot over for an orgy. Do you think he has a big dick or not?”
Jasmine heaved and turned herself over the toilet bowl just in time for round two.
Sophia stoodin the pharmacy line, swaying her head and hips in tune to Lady Gaga’sAbracadabra. In the crook of her elbowwas the metal arms of the plastic basket filled to the brim with pregnancy tests. She’d left Jasmine in her bed with a trash can, a water bottle, and some Pepto.
Jumper and Pirate had left two days ago for a conference on service dogs in North Carolina. Jasmine had felt she’d missed too much work to attend with her husband and Sophia had no desire to go. So the brothers had gone, leaving the girls to have the reign of their duplex. Sophia had sent Pirate staged pictures to look like Jasmine and Sophia had been having sex the first night they were gone.
He promised to blister her ass when he got home. Sophia was very excited for that.
She loved that Pirate was rough with her, that he didn’t treat her like she was made of glass. He’dneverseriously hurt her. He’d never raise a hand to her in anger or threaten her in any way. That trust was unbreakable and undeniable. But both of them got off on the fact that he left marks on her skin. Like a brand that proved where he’d been.
And in return, her nails scored his back, his ass, his arms, his legs… Anywhere and everywhere she could reach.
Sophia had been as far from a virgin as one could be when they’d met. But she’d never trusted a lover before Pirate. Even before they’d been lovers, when she wouldn’t even count him as a friend, she’d trusted him.
Sophia might joke, even purposefully piss him off to get him riled up, but she’d never betray him. That trust went both ways.
