He quickly pulls me closer until my front is flush with his, and he looks down at me, the concern in his eyes now replaced by a sparkle of something that’s refreshing and alluring and just so inherently Kai. “Well, I wasn't going to hop in, but you looked so lonely, and what would happen if the hot water made you dizzy and you fell? I thought it was my civic duty to get in and protect you from any more damage.”
I grin up at him, sliding my body along his as I rise up on my toes to kiss him quickly, a rush of, dare I saylove, flowing through me. I won’t look too closely at that just yet though. “My hero, what would I do without you?” I shift to pull away, but he deepens the kiss, his hands sliding down to cup my ass and bring us closer together. His rapidly hardening dick presses between us as my skin prickles with goosebumps from something other than the cold.
He pulls back and leans his forehead against mine, the rushing water making it seem so much more intimate for some reason. Maybe that’s all the romance movie industry’s programming kicking in. How many times have people dramatically made out in the rain? “God, my heart almost stopped when I saw it hit you and you went under.”
His golden brown eyes are filled with worry, and his hold on my ass tightens. “I want this done, Harlow. I want whoever it is that’s doing this to pay, and I want our lives to go back to the way they were with the added bonus of having you in them. I want you to be happy here with us, for you to choose to stay, and I want to support you in any choices you make regarding your career.”
I shiver for an entirely different reason now. It’s not from the building desire or the reminder of what could have happened, but from the pure need I feel in his voice and the fact that I want it too. All of it. I really want to see what will become of us. I know that when knowledge of our poly relationship hits the media, it will make my chances of getting an internship at a world-class zoo practically zero. If my reputation was damaged by a libelous billboard that was barely up for even an hour, it’s surely going to take a hit from being in this unconventional relationship.
I hadn't wanted to think about it before because at first all I had was attraction. Intense, melt your panties kind of attraction, but no more than that magnetic pull. But when Oliver and Holden started to let me in, then Kai, and now even Jaxon is making moves to create a connection between us, well, now it’s turning into something a whole lot more than just the melted panties. The kind of comments Kai’s making, that more than one of these men are making, speak to a desire to establish something concrete, something that isn’t just based off of a mutual desire to fuck like rabbits until either of us finds something more intriguing. I had told Declan that I wanted to be with someone who knew for sure that I was what they wanted, and some of these Summers men are going out of their way to show and tell me that I’m the girl in their sights.
Now, I find myself wanting this, almost needing it. It’s like my life has been missing something, but these men and this family fill that void. Once upon a time, I never would have considered giving up my dream for someone else, but I don't see this as giving it up. I may just have to put it on hold. I’m sure someone out there will take a chance on me eventually, and as much as I didn't want to use my dad’s name, I’m not really as opposed to it now as I was before. Maybe that will help open some doors so that I at least get a chance to prove I can earn my keep. In any case, I’ll worry about that once the whole stalker issue has been resolved, which hopefully will be soon. For the moment, I have a beautiful man standing in front of me, and he’s just bared a part of his soul that I can’t ignore.
“I like the sound of that.” The smile he gives me is blinding. He’s just leaned in to give me another kiss when the door opens and Jaxon comes back in. The glass surrounding the shower is frosted, but he can obviously see our silhouettes.
“Hey!” he exclaims. “I thought this was about getting Harlow warmed up. If I’d known getting naked with her was an option, I would have offered to stay.”
“You snooze, you lose,” Kai taunts, and I give him a little shove, but he just holds me tight.
“Next time I almost drown or something happens, you can be the one that helps me shower,” I joke back, but the silence that fills the bathroom tells me it falls a little flat. Noticing the way Kai has stiffened ever so slightly, I groan.Smooth, Harlow. Freak them both out, why don’t you?“Sorry, I didn't mean it.”
“I know, Harlow. It’s just a little too soon,” Jaxon replies. “I’m going to check out what James and Chris have got us to eat. I’ve left some clothes here for you.”
“Hey, what about me?” Kai complains, and I hear Jaxon snort.
“Nope, you’re on your own.” The door clicks as he exits, and my stomach rumbles at the same time. Kai looks down in shock, and I blush, still feeling that heating of my cheeks despite the warmth of the water.
“I’m starving,” I grumble, and he lets go of me to grab the shower gel and sponge.
“Let’s get you washed and dried then, so we can feed the monster that is currently residing in your stomach because it sounds ferocious.” I can hear the laughter in his voice, but I'm too distracted by his hands all over me to respond. But he doesn’t start anything. Like a perfect gentleman, he washes my body, following with my hair. Once done, he leans over and shuts the water off, quickly jumping out and grabbing the towels. He wraps one around me before drying himself off.
Giving me a soft kiss, he opens the door. “I’ve got to dig out some clothes since Jaxon didn’t, so I’ll meet you out there.” Before I can even respond, he closes the door, leaving me disappointed. I’m really happy that he’s got some kind of feelings for me and is taking care of me like that. It’s sweet, but damn it, I could have done with a little more sugar in the form of kisses.
Sighing, I step forward and wipe the condensation off the mirror with my hand. My reflection is a little shocking. I’m paler than normal, with a big egg just next to my temple above my right eye. There’s a small cut, but it’s not bleeding. I guess it probably washed away in the ocean, and now that I think about it, I do remember the medic commenting something about head wounds and blood. The rest of me still aches from the crash, but all in all, I could be worse. I’ve gotten hurt just as much after a bad fall off one of the horses in the past.
Looking down at the pile of clothes Jaxon left, I realize I don't recognize any of them. Where did these come from? When I grab the t-shirt and shake it out to get a better look, I smile with delight. Jaxon has given me one of his to put on, and since no one is watching... I bring it close to my face, burying my nose in the fabric in the hope that it might smell like him, but all I get is some generic detergent. I’m a little disappointed, but I pull the shirt on anyway. I’m not bothering with underwear, nor does it look like he provided me with any anyway. Sneaky man.
I pick up the next item, expecting it to be a pair of my yoga pants, but it turns out he’s feeling a little territorial. I could get used to this. He’s given me a pair of his sweatpants as well. I put them on, but they’re way too big, so I pull the drawstring as tightly as it goes, wanting to take advantage of this little gesture of his. Like Kai sneaking into the shower with me, I have a feeling Jaxon just wanted to be close to me in some way. I smile at myself in the mirror. Though I look like a little girl playing dress up, I’m fucking comfy. Using my towel, I dry my hair, careful to avoid the lump on my head. My arms get sore from holding them up though, so I throw the towel on the sink, grab a brush and my scrunchie, and head out of the bathroom. They have a sister. One of them can definitely help me deal with this situation.
Out in the cabin, the boys have set a little table up between the four seats. I’m not sure where it came from, but I don't care because there are platters of subs and cans of soda, and my stomach growls once more. I head over to them and squeeze past the table, sitting myself down in Jaxon’s lap before passing him my brush and scrunchie.
“My arms are sore. Can you braid my hair for me?” He takes the brush and begins to gently pull it through my hair as Kai snorts.
“How did you know he was the one to ask to do that?” He grabs one of the subs and puts it on a plate in front of him before popping the top of the can of soda.
“Because I know he’s a good brother, and I’m sure he learned to do Jacinta’s hair at a very young age.” Jaxon’s hand stills in my hair, and I feel him grow tense underneath me, so I turn and drop a kiss on his cheek before settling back in. Ignoring the growing tension, I reach for a sub of my own.
“Damn, these look amazing.” I put one on my plate as he continues to brush my hair before I feel him start to twist it into a braid. “I’m freaking starving. Even though my throat hurts, I really need to eat.”
Once Jaxon finishes, he puts the brush down on the table, but there’s still the slightest bit of tension in his body. If I weren’t sitting on his lap, I might not notice it, but it’s hard for him to hide it with us being so close right now. I reposition my body so I’m now sideways across his lap and wrap my arms around his neck. When his eyes meet mine, they’re still a little cloudy with memories, but I place a gentle kiss on his lips. I know that the comment about him helping Jacinta probably brought back memories of why he had to be the one to do it, but I don’t want to shy away from parts of who he is. Jaxon is a man, a temperamental, sometimes clever, and altogether too cheeky man, but being a brother is also a huge part of his identity. I don’t want him to hide from that fact and the baggage that might accompany it. Hopefully the kiss shows him that. As I try to pull away from him, his arms come up and wrap around me, holding me in place as he swipes his tongue across my lips, asking for entrance. I let him, and although the kiss deepens, he pulls away before it gets too far. When his eyes meet mine again, they're now clear.
“Thank you,” I tell him as I get up and sit in my own chair.
“You’re welcome.” He squeezes my knee and then switches his focus to the food in front of us while I grab my sub and take a huge bite. When I look up at Kai, he’s watching the two of us with warmth. He mouths ‘thank you’ to me, so he definitely saw Jaxon’s reaction to me referencing their childhood.
“Oh my god, these are freaking amazing!” I say around a very unladylike mouthful of food, but I don't care. Fuck me, my tastebuds are singing. “Where did they get these from?”
Kai and Jaxon both chuckle. “Our chef at the hotel would have made them. Our hotels always cater our flights if we’re in a city that has them,” Jaxon explains, grabbing his own.
