Page 12 of Their Virgins Secret

Burke’s face fell. “Can’t we talk about this?”

“What the fuck is there to say?”

She sat there watching them, wishing she hadn’t ever spoken up. They could still be sitting here having a nice dinner and planning to go to a movie or a show together. But no, she’d needed to forge her own path. She always did. She could hear her mother complaining in her head about what an ungrateful daughter she was for turning aside all their plans for her and making her own. Painting, not international business. Two men, not one.

Jessa listened to them argue. She was on the outside now, but then she’d felt that way all of her life. Even at the lavish parties her parents had thrown, she’d been on the outside. When she’d tried to fit in, going to a school she didn’t want to go to, studying what she didn’t love, it had been terrible. Always on the outside.

The best thing she’d ever done had been defying her parents. She’d stood up and gotten kicked out, but it had been for the best. She would have suffocated if she’d stayed. She’d been happier since leaving all that behind and didn’t regret her choice for a minute. So why was she retreating now instead of fighting for what she wanted? Wasn’t she simply proving Cole’s point that she was too inexperienced to handle him?

She wasn’t a child. She might not have slept around, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t deal. She looked at him, really looked at him. She tried to look past her insecurity and see him as he truly was. Jessa gnawed at her lip. How would she draw Cole in this moment? His face was all broad lines and bleak angles, but under the pain she saw gentleness lurking. Yearning even. She would love to draw him, then transfer that image to canvas, the colors of her palate bringing everything to life. Time slowed for Jessa. She studied him as she would a subject she painted, looking deep. Bold colors. He required them. He wasn’t as black and white as he tried to portray. He was a million shades, just like his brother.

He turned to her, and she realized his carefully blank stare wasn’t about her. He was scared of something.

Maybe she was fooling herself or seeing what she wanted to see, but his sudden refusal didn’t make a lick of sense. For four days, Cole had been right beside her, eating her up with his stare again and again, silently seducing her with the desire in his remote eyes. Burke was more blatant, but she hadn’t imagined Cole’s attraction to her. What was he afraid of?

“Goodbye, Jessa. ” His voice sounded ragged. “You have a good time with Burke. He’ll take care of you, baby. ”

“No. ” The word slipped out. Now that she’d truly seen him, she knew deep down that if he let his fear win, it would haunt them all.

Burke smiled, but Cole scowled, suddenly on the offense.

“No?” Cole challenged, leaning in. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Stopping him in his tracks emboldened her. Jessa stood, certainty running through her veins, settling her face inches from his. She was still nervous, but no one got what they wanted by giving up. And she just knew she was doing the right thing.

“It means that you two are a packaged deal. I won’t settle for half, and that’s what I would get if I only gave myself to Burke. I would get the good and the gentle, but there’d be no balance. ”

“Fuck balance. Stick to Prince Charming. I’m a ruthless bastard. ” Cole’s eyes narrowed. His fists clenched.

She was getting to him.

“I don’t need gentle all the time,” Jessa assured him softly. “I need what you can give me. ”

Cole sunk his hand into her hair and pulled slightly. “I don’t have gentle in me. I’m brutal. I’ll demand everything from you, then want more. I’ll want to give you a little bite of pain, then I’ll get hard at all your little cries. I’ll want to tie you up, spank your ass, and share you with Burke. You’re right; we aren’t exactly whole. And we won’t do this for fun. We’ll consume you. ”

They needed to share her. They balanced each other in every facet of their lives, even sexually. As an artist, she understood symmetry completely.

She smiled at Burke who sat patiently, awaiting the outcome of their little skirmish with a faint smile. She drank in strength from his encouragement before rising up on her tiptoes and brushing her mouth against Cole’s. The kiss was a soft, sweet caress of lips that had her longing for more.

“I’m game to try every dirty, dark thing you can think of,” she whispered. “But can you ease me into it? Let me have a lover…” She grinned. “Or two. Then I’ll be ready. ”

“Fuck. ” Cole fisted her hair in his hand and pulled, pinning her with a wracked blue stare for a long moment. She could sense the war inside him, the need clashing with the caution. Then he took her mouth.

Jessa held on for dear life. She’d been kissed before, but not like this. She’d been pecked and bussed, and a couple of boys had thrust their tongues at her, but Cole dominated. His kiss made her really understand the word. He was in total control. Using his tongue, he surged in, not asking but demanding entry. She gave it because she wanted him inside. She ceded control to him, riding the wave. Her body flooded with a hot swell of desire as his tongue rubbed against hers in a silky slide. She could feel her pussy tightening, her folds warming and softening. Moistening. It was unlike anything she’d ever imagined before. With those hard, sinewy arms, Cole dragged her in, his chest impossibly solid and wide against her breasts. His hips slammed against hers, and she could feel the long, thick line of his erection.

He wanted her. She trembled. God, she wanted him.

He lifted his head, his lips almost a snarl, his voice a harsh rasp. “Kiss Burke. Let me watch you. ”

Burke stood, smiling and open, as though something had blissfully fallen into place. “You should do what he says, sweetheart. He’s incredibly bossy. ”

For all the dark passion she’d felt with Cole, a light-hearted joy stole over her as Burke took her in his arms. He kissed her every bit as passionately, but playfully. He nipped, flirted, toyed with her lips, his fingers sliding down her back to rest playfully on her ass.

Everything. She could have everything. It was right here in her grasp.

Burke’s tongue found hers and they danced, a teasing waltz of desire. When he released her, his deep blue eyes found hers, and he kissed her forehead with such tenderness it brought tears to her eyes.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

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