His beautiful face—chiseled jaw, pouty lips, and stunning blue eyes—is bruised, black and blue. Much like Hank, he has a split lip and his eye is swollen.
I know before asking, but I still need to ask. To have confirmation that all my fears are confirmed.
"Josh," I whisper, my keys fumbling in my hand as I try to open the door. "What happened?"
He pushes off the wall, forcing a smile that doesn't reach his eyes. "It's nothing, Veronica. Just a flesh wound. An annoyance more than anything."
I don't buy it. Not one damn bit, and I’m not letting him off that easy.
Unlocking the door, I step inside and gesture for him to follow. My hand reaches out on instinct and turns the light on. "Don't give me that. Sit down, I’m getting us some water and then you’re telling me what happened."
I shut and lock the door behind us, dropping my keys on the table by the door and all but run to the kitchen. Once I have two bottles of water and some Tylenol, I join him in the living room.
“Take these,” I order, handing him the pills and bottle of water. He hesitates but takes them, wincing as the bottle hits the split in his lip. “Now tell me what happened because Hank looks very similar to you.”
He sighs, running a hand through his dark hair. "Fine. Fuck, I wasn’t planning on telling you.”
“But you are.”
“Okay. Fuck!” he exclaims letting his head fall back for a second before shifting on the couch so he can look directly at me. “Luke and I went to the clubhouse, and we saw Hank doing something that pissed us off. I called him out on it, and... well, shit hit the fan. Fists flew, words got ugly. But it's handled."
My stomach twists in knots. It feels like my body’s sinking deeper into the couch cushion. I lean forward, burying my face in my hands, letting the tips of my fingers massage my forehead. "This is exactly why I didn't want to choose. I didn't want to pursue one without the other. I never meant to cause a rift between the three of you."
Josh scoots off the couch, getting on the floor, kneeling in front of me. He places his hands on my knees. “Look at me, Veronica.” His voice is low, calm, and it grounds the panic building within me. "The shit between Hank, Luke, and me isn't on you. Hell, me and Luke are on the same page. It's that big teddy bear asshole that’s the problem. He's the one who can’t get his head out of his ass. But me? Luke? We're not giving up on you. Never. We'll fight for you every damn day if we have to. We both want you. Heart, body, soul. And we'll share. No forcing choices, no ultimatums. We're done waiting on the sidelines, watching you slip away. I don't plan to lose you, not to him, not to anyone for that matter."
I shake my head, tears welling in my eyes. His words are sweet, but that’s all they are—words. As much as I wish it were that simple, me dating Josh and Luke would still cause more drama. The only way it wouldn’t is if Hank were truly over me. Him with Jennalyn tonight makes it seem that way, and it kills me. In my mind, I envisioned a happy life with the three of them. When I sleep at night, I see them in my future.
But it’s just a dream.
“You can shake your head no if you want, but it’s the truth.” Before I can respond to him, he reaches up, cradling my face in his hands. His fingers brush across my cheeks, and he tilts my head down to him. He places his lips on mine, kissing me softly, but then it deepens, hunger igniting as his tongue slips past my teeth, claiming me with a fierceness that makes my pulse race.
I’m like putty in his hands as I melt into him, my hands reaching out, taking hold of his shirt. Josh lets out a groan. His lips disappear as he stands up, scooping me up in his arms. My legs wrap around his hips instinctively as he carries me toward the bedroom. His lips are back on mine, kissing me like a starving man.
When we get to my bedroom, he drops me down on the bed, my back falling onto the mattress. He climbs onto the bed over me, putting his hands down on the mattress on either side of my head, bracing himself above me.
“Josh,” I whisper. “We can’t.” God saying those two words kills me.
"Yes, we can,” he murmurs, “I need you."
He lowers his head, resting it in the crook of my neck as he kisses along the tender flesh. His hands roam, tugging at my shirt, pulling it over my chest, exposing my bare midriff and bra-covered cleavage to him.
“Fucking gorgeous.” His warm breath dances across my ear, sending an aching hunger through my body. I shouldn’t be doing this with him, but fuck, I’ve dreamed about it for so long. Why can’t I have what I want? Why should I punish myself for feeling what I do about three men, for acting on those feelings even if one can’t accept it?
I reach up, placing my hands on Josh’s chest and push him away. He has a stunned look on his face, with a mixture of hurt. I take hold of the bottom of my shirt and start to pull it up. His frown turns into a devilish grin as his tongue glides across his lower lip.
“Let me help you, baby.”
He removes my hands from my shirt, replacing them with his. I arch my body upward, helping him as he strips away my shirt, then my bra. His mouth latches onto my nipples, sucking as his teeth graze against the tender flesh just enough to send sparks straight to my core.
"Josh," I gasp, my fingers threading through his hair, pulling him closer. He switches to the other nipple, giving it the same attention as his hand slides down my bare stomach. When he reaches my jeans, he unbuttons them with such skill that he must’ve done this a million times before.
Nope, not going there. No way in hell am I thinking about him and another woman having sex.
He must sense the sudden tenseness in my body. Josh lets my nipple pop from his mouth as he lifts his body upward. “Whatever you’re thinking, stop,” he whispers as he stands. “I’ve waited so long for this. I’m done waiting.”
He takes hold of the waist of my jeans. “Lift your ass up,” he orders, giving my leg a gentle slap, and I eagerly comply as he tugs the jeans down over my ass, then yanks them down my legs, along with my thong.
He pauses, eyes dark with desire as he takes me in. "So fucking beautiful."
