Page 12 of Grade A Girl

Kade

What the fuck was I thinking telling her that?Her response was pretty much what I expected. She’s staring at me with wide eyes, her mouth popped open. It’s a bomb to drop on her, but I had to tell her if there is any chance in hell we can start something with her. I look up at Jaxson, who is coming back with a full glass of wine for her. He nods at me in encouragement to continue.

Jaxson hands her full glass back to her, and she takes another sip—although smaller this time. She puts the glass down on the coffee table, licking the extra liquid from her lip with the tip of her tongue.

She clears her throat. “What happened?” she asks, her voice scratchy.

“I want you to know, I’m not suicidal.”

She nods and relaxes just an ounce at my words. When I’m sure she fully comprehends, I continue. The ambient noise fades away, and it’s just Charlie, Jaxson, and me. Nothing else matters as I recount my story for her. Jaxson knows all of this, but he listens without interrupting. I tell her all about Blair, her leukemia, and my reason for enlisting.

We were never meant to fall for Blair, and it was never supposed to be more than a fling, but once Jaxson and I spent time with her, we couldn’t let her go—and she couldn’t let us go. The three of us just... fit. Blair was home. Being with her and Jaxson was the only time my life felt complete.

It started off as the both of us dating Blair, separately. Jaxson knew I was seeing her, and vice versa. She would bed hop in college since we weren’t roommates. If one of us needed her, she would come by. It was after about a month of this when we all sat down and talked it through. Blair admitted to wanting to try a relationship as a threesome, and Jaxson and I were open to it.

“So how did that work? Like are Jaxson and you intimate as well?” Charlie asks.

I shake my head. “No. It was always about her pleasure. Making her feel good made Jaxson and me feel good. We’re a team. We work better that way.” I look at Jaxson, and he’s smiling at us.

I haven’t told many people this story, and it feels good to get it off my chest. I feel I can breathe a little easier for the first time in alongtime. I hope she understands how difficult this is for me. My heart is on the line, and I’m trusting her not to break it.

When I finish telling her, she sits there, staring at me, absorbing everything. Jaxson places his hand on her leg, and she looks at him for the first time since I started talking.

“And you?”

“I didn’t join the Marines, but I started sleeping around a bit. We both have always enjoyed cooking. It makes sense we would find ways to cope and that cooking would be one.”

She takes another sip of her drink and mouths ‘wow’.

“Dinner’s ready. How about we eat something, and we can discuss things now since you know about our history,” I say quickly, trying to ease some of the tension.God, I hope she doesn’t run for the hills.I can’t handle that kind of rejection right now, not after putting my heart out there.

A subtle blush creeps up her pretty neck and settles into her cheeks. God, she’s beautiful. I lean over and kiss her as the blush deepens. “I’ve never done anything like this before. Never had two guys. I’m not sure I’d know what to do.” Then quietly, she adds, “What the hell are my parents going to think?” That is definitely a discussion for another time, not something she needs to worry about yet.

We sit at the table, and Jaxson plates up our meals, placing them in front of us. I take a few bites but watch Charlie pick at the food. With the amount of wine she’s had, she has to be feeling some of the effects. As much as I want to see a friendly, drunk Charlie, it’s best if she’s not.

It’s so quiet in the room, I swear you could hear a pin drop. Jaxson and I look between Charlie and each other as a clock in the distance ticks away, counting the seconds. She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. The tension is killing me; it’s so thick you can cut it with a knife. Jaxson and I are trying to give her time to think, neither of us wanting to break the silence first.

I’m going out of my mind, waiting for someone to say something first. I know she has a million questions. I look at Jaxson, panic written on my face, and he gives me a subtle nod to continue.

“Would being with both of us be something you would be interested in, Charlie?” I ask, finally breaking the silence.

She looks at me, her dark eyes wide. She licks her lips and then looks back to her plate, nodding her bowed head. “Yes,” she says quietly. She takes a deep breath and risks a glance up at us through her lashes. “Both of you are all I’ve been able to think about since I’ve met you.”

I move my seat closer, and Jaxson does the same. He places his hand on her thigh, while I place mine on her shoulder. Her body sways as she tries to figure out which direction to lean.

“Can you tell me why you both like it?” She looks back and forth between us, and Jaxson smiles wide. He looks like he hasn’t got a care in the world, but I know he’s on pins and needles waiting for her to respond.

“We complete each other. We always have, it’s weird. Being in a relationship together with a woman makes for a strong bond. Things I can’t give you, Kade can, and vice versa.” She nods, and he continues, a huge grin on his face. “Plus, imagine getting twice the pleasure in each fuck session.”

I roll my eyes. That’s just like Jaxson to scare the girl. “Jaxson,” I say through gritted teeth. When I look at Charlie though, she doesn’t look scared. Her face and neck are flushed and her breathing is shallow. She twists her fingers in her lap. Then she looks at me. Her pupils have expanded, making her brown eyes almost black as night. Her eyes are half-lidded as she licks her lips before taking another breath. I see the willingness to accept us, or at leasttry.

Try.

That’s all I want. I want a chance to try this thing between us.

She swallows thickly. “Does one person watch, or is it together?”

“Together,” Jaxson and I say in unison. “Unless that’s not what you want. But we can figure all that out. Why don’t you take a few bites of food, and we can play it by ear?” I push her plate closer to her, urging her to eat.