Page 12 of Theirs to Keep

Regan shook her head as if she couldn’t figure out why he was being such an asshole. He was starting to wonder the same thing himself.

“We didn’t do anything. Ash was here when I got back from town, and I was upset. He comforted me and that’s all.” Ash kissed the top of her head, wrapping his arms around her tighter.

“It’s okay, Regan. This isn’t about what we did or didn’t do without Jamison. It’s about the fact that he’s pushing you away because he thinks that he’s too old for you. Fuck, he’s probably decided that you’d be better off without him and that’s why he is shoving you away into my arms. He thinks that you don’t want him.” Regan gasped and her eyes filled with unshed tears.

“Is Ash right, Jamison?” He wanted to deny his friend’s words, tell her that Ash is just being an asshole, but Jamison had to hand it to him, he hit the nail on the head. Jamison left the kitchen and started up the stairs to his room without giving Regan an answer to her question. He was ready for this day to be done, and he was bone-tired from their long night with Regan. He needed a hot shower and a good night’s sleep. Then, he could figure out just what he wanted to do about Regan. It wasn’t fair to either her or Ash to keep Regan if he didn’t want her.

Regan

Regan watched as Jamison walked away from her and Ash and she felt his rejection weighing on her heart. They had just shared one night but the instant attraction that she felt to them both had her wondering if she wasn’t giving her heart away a little too easily. She knew that Jamison was angry that she lied about her age and work experience. What she didn’t count on was him thinking that she didn’t want him because he was sixteen years older than her. Geeze, that couldn’t be further from the truth. She didn’t care about his or Ash’s ages, why would she? She was attracted to them both and the thought of being with one without the other was out of the question for her. She wanted them both—that was the deal that they made her last night. In her mind, nothing had changed. She didn’t want to let Jamison push her away, but she wasn’t sure what to do next.

Ash turned her in his arms and hugged her close to his body and it felt like she was finally home. She refused to let the other part of them walk away so easily. “What do we do now, Ash?” her voice sounded like a whisper from her unshed tears.

“I’m not sure, baby. I know that he wants to be a part of this—of us, but he’s scared. You need to show him that you want him;don’t let him push you away. He wants you; I can see it in his eyes and that scares the shit out of him.”

“I want you both, Ash. I won’t choose between the two of you.” Regan saw the flash of fear in his eyes and felt bad. Ash just told her that he was afraid that she would walk away, leaving him just like his mother had and now she was telling him that she didn’t want him unless she could have Jamison too.

“So, that just means I’m going to have to go upstairs and explain to the big lug how things are going to work between the three of us.” Regan tried to plaster a smile on her face, but she wasn’t sure that Ash was buying it. She went up on her tiptoes and pulled him down for a kiss. Ash groaned into her mouth, giving her tongue access. He lifted her onto the kitchen table, and she wrapped her legs around his waist needing more. Her connection with Ash felt so natural that she didn’t question things with him, just allowed herself to feel whatever she was feeling.

Travis walked into the kitchen with his arms full of brown bags and cleared his throat. “Sorry to interrupt boss but the truck is pretty full.”

Regan giggled and released Ash. “You go bring in groceries and I will get them put away and make you some dinner.” She waited until Travis set down his bags and headed back out to the truck to finish her statement. “And, if you don’t mind, I’ll take Jamison’s dinner up to his room so we can have a little talk.”

Ash nodded, “That works. It will give me time to bring in the cattle with Travis and take a shower.” He headed out to bring in some groceries while Regan busied herself putting everything away. On his way out to the barn, Ash stopped at the back door and yelled back at her. “Don’t take no for an answer, baby. Losing you isn’t an option.”

Regan madea big pot of homemade macaroni and cheese and meatloaf with green beans for Ash and Travis for supper before they headed back out to bring in the cattle. It was nice that Travis decided to stay for dinner, giving her time to get to know him. She cleaned the kitchen and grabbed Jamison’s plate, flashing Ash a smile as she headed upstairs. Regan knew that Jamison could send her away without even hearing her out, but she felt like she was going in strong with a plate full of food. Ash had given her some pointers and told her that Jamison would expect her to submit if she even got past his defenses. She wasn’t sure what he would ask of her but if it was anything like what Jamison demanded of her last night, she was game. She wanted Jamison, all of him, especially the bossy parts.

Regan gently tapped on Jamison’s bedroom door and held her breath hoping that he would answer. She was about to turn the knob when he pulled the door open and stood in front of her in just his boxer briefs. She looked him up and down, the sight of him made her mouth water.

“Fuck Regan,” Jamison growled. He covered his cock with his hands but that didn’t help. She could see that he was aroused by the way she looked him over. She didn’t have much experience with any of this but if she had to guess, Jamison wanted her just as much as she wanted him. “Can you please turn around while I pull on some pants?” He fumbled around his room while trying to find a clean pair of pants. He had a pile of dirty clothes in the corner, and she could tell that Jamison wasn’t used to anyone taking care of him.

“You know I just saw you naked last night, Jamison. I think I can handle you in your boxers.” She strode past him to sit on his bed, still holding the plate of food that she made him.

He sighed, giving up looking for pants, and stood in front of her, giving her a great view of his body. “Why are you here, Regan?” She guessed they were going to get right to it then. She remembered Ash’s warning; not to let Jamison push her away before she even got started.

“I brought you dinner,” she squeaked. “I hope you like meatloaf.” She already knew that he did, Ash had her make one of Jamison’s favorite meals. Jamison’s smirk told her that he was onto her and Ash’s little plan.

“I’m assuming that my ex-best friend told you that this is one of my favorite dinners?” He reluctantly took the plate, shoveled a fork full of food into his mouth, and moaned. Regan didn’t hide her smile, satisfied that she elicited such a sound from him made her happy. She stood and started to gather his dirty clothes, giving herself something to do while he ate his dinner. Regan knew one thing about men—they were nicer once they ate their food. At the diner, men would come in grumpy as could be and after they ate their food, they were sweet as honey.

“What are you doing Regan? Leave all that alone, I have a system.” She giggled as he shoved another fork full into his mouth.

“What system would that be, Jamison? All I see are piles of clothes. I’m assuming these are the dirty ones?” She motioned to the pile at her feet, and he nodded, his mouth too full of food to answer.

“Yeah, but you don’t have to do my laundry. I’ll get around to it, eventually.”

Regan laughed, “Sure but in the meantime, how about I just start on the pile for you? You did hire me to do a little light housekeeping, right?” Jamison nodded.

“Have at it then and thanks for dinner.” Ah, this was the part where Jamison was going to try to push her away. Well, she wasn’t about to let that happen. It was time she used the other things that Ash told her Jamison liked. She just hoped that she didn’t mess this next part up too much. Cooking came easy for her, but seducing men was something that she had no practice with.

Regan watched as Jamison finished his meal and took his plate, laying it on his nightstand. His eyes flared when she started to pull her t-shirt over her head and shimmy out of her denim cut-offs.

“What are you doing, honey?” Regan could hear the need in his voice. She was grateful for the hint that she was doing something right since he hadn’t budged from his bed.

“I’m reminding you what I want, Jamison. I agreed to be with both of you, not just Ash. That was our deal. I can’t explain this,” she said motioning between the two of them. “But I want you both. I’m attracted to both of you and choosing between the two of you isn’t something that I will do.”

Jamison stood and paced as if trying to figure out what to do next. She laid her clothes on his bed and stripped out of her bra and panties. She didn’t miss Jamison’s sharp inhale or the way his gaze heated as he looked her up and down. When she knelt in front of him, he groaned. She worried that it wasn’t enough. Jamison took so long to finally touch her that she wondered if she had done something wrong.

“God, you are so fucking perfect, honey.” Jamison stroked her face, and she leaned into his touch, needing more.

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