Raven

by BE Kelly

  Texas squeezed her tighter and she was sure he was going to squeeze the life out of her. “I’m so sorry, Baby,” he murmured. “It’s not your fault though.”

  “It’s totally my fucking fault,” Remi shouted. “I should have seen that guy coming. I should have fucking known that Aria’s life was going to end. I could have changed the outcome. I should have never put her in her seat and gone out that night. She was supposed to be asleep in her crib, but I forgot to get milk for the next morning and I knew she’d be up at dawn, wanting her breakfast. So, I woke her and bundled her up, put her in her car seat. We just never made it to the store and my daughter never saw another morning.”

  “She’s the reason why you want to control everything in your life,” Texas said. “You lost control when Aria died and now, you need it at all times.”

  Remi had never thought about it like that before, but Tex was right. “Yes,” she said. “Control and trust go hand in hand for me and I don’t trust anyone. Sometimes not even myself.” How could she trust anyone? People were always disappointing her and trusting herself would mean that she forgave herself for Aria’s death and that would never happen.

  “That’s why this thing between us won’t ever work. You need control as much as I do, Tex.” The thought of finally breaking down and telling someone about what happened to her and now, having to walk away from him, broke her. She had taken a leap of faith only to have every small glimmer of hope she was feeling, dashed.

  “Now wait just a damn minute,” Tex growled. “You’re not even going to try.”

  “No.” she stood from his lap and immediately wanted to take back her words after seeing the disappointment on Tex’s face. “Don’t make this any harder than it needs to be, Texas,” she begged. He pulled her back down on his lap and rolled her under his big body, effectively trapping her between him and the sofa.

  “How about a compromise?” he asked. Remi could feel his erection pressing against her thigh and it was taking all of her will power not to grind herself against him.

  “What type of compromise?” she breathed. Her voice sounded needy and breathless as if she had just run a damn race. Texas smiled down at her like he knew exactly what he was doing to her.

  “How about we find a way to both be in control. I’ll tell you what I want and you tell me what you want and we’ll find a way to meet in the middle—compromise,” he said.

  Remi giggled, “I do know what compromise means, Tex. I’m a librarian,” she reminded him.

  “Yeah, I caught that, Honey. I have to say that the idea of you telling me to be quiet while looking at me over your glasses, makes me hot.”

  “Um,” she squeaked. “I don’t wear glasses.”

  “You know what I’m getting at,” Tex growled. “The whole hot librarian thing works for me.” Remi smiled up at him, letting all the dirty things she could think of doing to him in a library, run through her mind. “Yeah, now you’re getting it, Honey. Tell me you’ll give this a shot.”

  “What about Jag?” she questioned. Tex’s smile faded.

  “If you don’t want to do this without him, I understand,” he said. Tex rolled off her body and she instantly missed his weight. He had just told her that he worried she didn’t want him as much as she did Jag and now, she went and stuck her foot in her mouth.

  “That’s not what I meant, Tex,” she covered. He sat down next to her on the sofa and Remi knew if she didn’t do something to convince Tex that she wanted him, he might just take her up on her offer to end their evening and take her home.

  Remi crawled onto his lap, straddling his erection between them. “Does this feel like I don’t want you, Tex?” she asked, shamelessly rubbing herself against his cock. They were both fully clothed, but she could feel the heat radiating off Tex’s big body. He wanted her just as much as she wanted him.

  “No,” he stuttered. She loved that she had the power to make Tex stutter.

  “How about this?” she asked, kissing a path down his neck and gently sinking her teeth into his shoulder. “Does that feel like I don’t want you, Texas?”

  “Fuck,” he swore. “No,” he agreed.

  “What do you want me to do to you, Tex?” she questioned. Remi liked the idea of the two of them working out their power struggle by each giving and taking what they wanted and needed from each other.

  “Take off your shirt,” he hissed. “I want to see you, Remi.” She smiled and eagerly pulled her shirt up her body and over her head, tossing it to the floor.

  “Done,” she said. “But, that wasn’t much of a compromise, since I wanted us both to be naked, as soon as humanly possible. Now, it’s your turn. Shirt please,” she said, holding out her hand.

  Tex smiled, “With pleasure,” he teased. She watched as he yanked his black t-shirt up over his muscles, revealing his tattoos and all Remi could think about was tracing his tats with her tongue. She wanted to taste him all over.

  “I love the way you’re looking at me right now, Baby,” he said. Remi had to admit, she liked looking at him and every time he praised her, she felt a little giddy with joy from hearing that she pleased him. It was almost as if her inner goddess had roared to life and she was a needy bitch who soaked up every ounce of praise she was given.

  “Pants too?” she asked.

  “You first,” Tex countered. Remi stood and shimmied out of her leggings, standing completely bare except her lacy thong and bra. Tex’s eyes roamed her body and he pulled her back down to kiss her.

  “Pants,” she mumbled against his lips.

  “Bossy,” he teased

  “Compromise,” she reminded. He chuckled and stood her up from his lap. Tex stood and shucked out of his jeans and God, the man was beautiful. He stood gloriously naked in front of her and it took all of her will power not to push him down to the sofa and sink down over his cock.

  “No underwear?” Remi asked.

  “Nope,” he admitted. “I really don’t care for them.”

  “Well, thank God for that,” she teased.

  “In fact, I think you should lose yours. You know—even the playing field,” he said. Remi slowly pulled her lacy panties down her long legs, putting on quite the show for Texas. She knew exactly what she was doing to him and judging by his erection jutting out at her, she was doing it right. Texas seemed to grow more and more impatient by the moment and when she casually reached for her bra, he reached around her body and helped her out.

  “Geeze, Texas,” she chided. “You seem to be in a hurry.”

  “I am,” he agreed. “I need to be balls deep inside of you, as soon as possible. I don’t have time for the sexy little show you were putting on to torture me, Baby.” Remi bit back her moan at his confession of wanting to be balls deep inside of her. She could think of nothing else she wanted more.

  “Yes, please,” she groaned, pushing Texas back down to the sofa. Remi slowly lowered her wet core over his cock and when she was completely seated, he stilled inside of her, tugging her body against his own. Remi watched Texas as if waiting for him to make the next move. He was so gentle with her and when he reached up to frame her face with his big hands, it was almost too much.

  “Spend the night with me,” he asked.

  “The whole night?” she questioned.

  “Yes. Give me what you gave Jag last night. Give me what I was too stupid to realize I wanted or needed. I shouldn’t have walked out of Reckoning, Baby. I was an ass. Forgive me?” They sat like that, joined in the most intimate way, him waiting her out for an answer.

  “Yes,” she breathed. “And, yes.” Texas smile nearly lit up the entire room.

  “You forgive me?” he questioned.

  “Yep and I’ll stay the night here with you, Texas.”

  “I think we’re getting to be pretty fucking good at this compromise thing, Honey,” Tex teased. “What’s your next order?” he asked.

  “Move, Tex. Make me yours,” she begged.

  “Your wish is my command,” he whis
pered and rolled her body underneath his, pinning her to the sofa again. Yeah, they were getting damn good at compromising—especially compromising positions.

  Jag

  Jag was exhausted by the time he pulled into his garage. It was just about midnight and all he wanted to do was crawl into his bed and catch up on the sleep that he gave up having to deal with his overly demanding client. They had gotten back to New Orleans about twelve hours ahead of schedule since the guy's meeting had been canceled. He had to listen to his client drone on about the business world for most of their trip and he had to admit, he was looking forward to a little quiet time.

  He grabbed a glass of water from the kitchen and was about to head up to his room when he heard what he believed to be a woman’s moaning coming from Tex’s room. It had been a damn long time since either of them had taken a woman without the other and Jag wondered what the hell was going on. When he left, earlier that morning, Tex had promised to find Remi and apologize and now, he was fucking some woman in his room?

  Jag made as much noise as possible as he made his way down the hallway to Texas’ room. How could he do this to him? How could he finally take the woman they had both wanted for so long now and throw away all their chances twenty-four hours later? Remi was more than just a piece of ass for Jag and if she wasn’t enough for Tex, they could just go their separate ways. Tex would always be his best friend, but he wouldn’t give up Remi.

  “Don’t stop, Baby,” he heard Texas beg. Jag turned the corner and walked right into Texas’ room with no fanfare. He wasn’t about to make some big announcement that he was in the room or God forbid, ask forgiveness for being there.

  He saw two shadows, the woman was on top of Tex, riding him and from the way they were both moaning, they were both close to finishing. “Fuck,” Jag cursed when he realized the woman was Remi. He wasn’t sure if he felt relieved or completely pissed off, finding them in bed together. Their moans grew louder and Jag sat down on the edge of the bed.

  “What the fuck,” Texas grumbled, looking down at Jag. “What are you doing here, Jag?”

  “I take it Remi accepted your apology?” She smiled at Jag and rolled off Texas’ body. “Oh, don’t let me stop your fun, Honey,” he said. Jag knew he sounded like an asshole, but he really didn’t care.

  “What was the plan here guys? You fuck each other while I’m not home and then what? Tomorrow, when I was supposed to get home, you’d let me down easy—tell me to get lost?” Texas moaned and got out of bed, finding a pair of sweatpants to slip on.

  “No one was going to let you down easy,” he mumbled.

  “Then, what was the plan, Tex? Were you going to rub it in that you got the girl and I’m out?”

  Remi crawled down the bed to him, wearing nothing but her smile, and he nearly swallowed his damn tongue. “He’s not getting the girl,” she said. She didn’t hesitate, just crawled up onto his lap to straddle him.

  “What the fuck does that mean?” Texas spat. “I thought we worked all that out.” Remi reached behind her body, holding out her hand for Tex to take. He did and she pulled him down to sit next to Jag.

  “First of all,” Remi started. “Neither of you get me. I’m a person, not something you can ‘get’. You two really are cavemen, you know,” she accused. Remi wrapped her arms around Jag’s neck and kissed her way into his mouth. She broke their kiss and leaned over his body to give Texas the same attention. Jag grabbed handfuls of Remi’s ass and she squealed and wiggled against his palms.

  “So, no one is being kicked to the curb?” Jag asked. His heart felt like it was racing and he worried that Remi would be able to feel just how nervous he was.

  “No,” she said. “No kicking and no curb,” Remi teased.

  “Then what the fuck is happening here?” Jag asked. He shot Tex an accusatory look.

  Tex held up his hands and smiled. “Hey, don’t look at me like that, man. We talked, just like you wanted and well, things happened.” Texas smiled at Remi and she giggled. “Um, things happened a few times, so far tonight.”

  “Way to rub it in, man,” Jag grumbled.

  “This was all your idea,” Texas said. “And, now your mad?” No, he wasn’t mad. Hell, Jag was the opposite of angry. If he was being completely honest, he was relieved. When he left yesterday, he worried that Remi would never give either of them the time of day. He was in too deep with her not to have another chance. But, he also knew that the thing between him and Remi would only work if Texas was in the mix. Jag saw the way she looked at him, their night together. He also saw the uncertainty in Tex’s eyes every time he watched her with Jag. It was Tex’s way. He never thought he was good enough for anyone and Jag knew that it stemmed from Texas’ father choosing the bottle over him. That shit would be enough to fuck up any kid. But, Tex wasn’t that same boy who was shipped off to a foster home because his dad couldn’t get his shit together and take care of his only kid.

  “I’m not mad,” he sighed. “Just surprised is all.”

  “Are you jealous?” Remi asked. Jag thought back over the past forty-eight hours, to the time he spent alone with Remi, and he had to admit, he wasn’t jealous at all. He liked the idea of him and Tex each getting to spend one on one time with Remi. It would be a good idea for them to get to know her as well as they knew each other. The only way they’d do that would be to find some personal connection with her.

  “No,” Jag whispered. “You and I had a night alone together. It’s only fair that you and Texas connect too.”

  “Really?” Texas asked.

  “Really,” Jag said. “Honestly, it can only make the three of us stronger if we have a one on one connection with Remi.” Jag pulled Remi’s body between the two of them, just the place they usually liked their women. “You sure you want this?” he asked. When she left him without a word he was sure he’d never hear from her again.

  “I think I’d like to try, well—whatever this is that’s happening between us. You guys in?” She looked up at the two of them and Jag knew for certain that neither of them would tell her no.

  “Yes,” Texas breathed.

  “Me too,” Jag sighed. Remi squealed and clapped like a child who had just won a prize.

  “How about we start this little, whatever this is, tonight. I need a shower first,” Jag said.

  “Perfect man, I need to finish what I started with our girl and then we’ll join you in the shower.” Jag nodded and stripped. “That works, but I’m using your shower.” He helped himself, walking back to Tex’s bathroom. Smiling to himself when he heard the growl that ripped through Tex’s chest, followed by the eruption of giggles from Remi. It had been a damn long day and Jag was looking forward to something finally going right in his life. Remi Nez cuddled between he and Tex felt pretty damn right.

  ****

  The three of them spent the night tangled up together and Jag had to admit that he liked what was happening between the three of them. He knew that Remi didn’t want to be pushed into giving their relationship a name, but that was exactly what it was becoming—a relationship.

  Jag slept in later than usual and when he finally rolled out of bed, the smell of coffee and bacon led him down to the kitchen. He found Remi in just his t-shirt and Texas was wearing a shit-eating grin that was infectious.

  “You two look disgustingly happy,” Jag accused. He grabbed the coffee pot and poured himself a mug of coffee.

  “Fair warning, Baby,” Texas said, pulling Remi against his body. “Jag is a complete douche until at least his third cup of coffee.” Remi giggled and crossed the kitchen to wrap her arms around Jag and kissed his cheek.

  “Morning,” she whispered, nuzzling his neck. He made a humming noise and she laughed. “I get it, Jag. I’m not much of a morning person, either.

  “Great,” Texas grumbled. “I’m the only one then.”

  “Yeah—well, hate to break it to you but not everyone can be stupidly happy about waking up every day. I mean, who rolls out of bed smiling?” Jag l
ooked at his friend like he was a lunatic and Texas laughed.

  “There isn’t anything wrong with waking up happy, man. I had plenty of mornings that I woke up in prison and had nothing to be happy about. I’m free, I live with my best friend, I have a club I love being a part of and a sexy as fuck woman in my bed now—I’m good.” Texas framed Remi’s body between the two of them and Jag reveled in the fact that she seemed to fit so perfectly between them.

  “You told her about doing time?” Jag mock whispered. Texas didn’t share his back story with many people. Hell, he usually didn’t let anyone get close enough to him to find out about his past.

  “Yeah,” Texas admitted. “We both laid it all out last night—both of our ugly pasts.” Jag suddenly felt that he had a lot of catching up to do. He could tell that Remi had been through something dark and awful, but he didn’t want to push her for details. He wanted her to come to him and willingly tell him her story, but in just one day Remi had opened up to Texas and they had shared personal shit he’d missed out on.

  “Well,” he said, clearing his throat. “That’s great,” he lied. “I’m going to shower and get ready for work. Excuse me.” Jag stood and put his half-full cup of coffee into the sink and started from the kitchen. He’d get his coffee fix on the way into the hanger. He had some mechanical shit that needed to be addressed and then he needed to file his flight plans for next week’s clients.

  “Jag,” Remi called after him. “What about breakfast?”

  “Let him go, Honey. He’s sulking. When he gets this way it’s best to leave him alone,” Texas said. “It’s just his way.”

  Jag was sick of people telling him how he should act or what he should do. It was something he had to endure in the military, but now, that stuff just pissed him off. “I don’t need you to explain me to Remi,” he said, turning to face them both again. He took two menacing steps towards them and Remi snuggled into Texas’ body as if she was afraid of Jag. Tex tugged her closer and smiled as if he liked the way she was turning to him for comfort.