Three and Out

  “Hi,” she said, as she smiled back.

  “You look great, Brooke.”

  “Thank you. Are you ready?”

  “Yeah, do you mind if I drive?”

  “Of course not.”

  Brooke locked up her apartment and followed Jax out to his truck that was towering over the curb. She looked up at him with a questioning eye. He shrugged his shoulders and said, “Southern boys love their big trucks.”

  “Apparently.”

  Jax held the door open for her and then helped her climb in by offering a hand. Once she was settled, he asked, “Have you got your pretty self all buckled up?”

  Smiling down at him, she said, “Strapped in and ready to go.”

  They drove to The Cherry Cricket, where Jax claimed they had the best burgers in Denver. Brooke had never been, so she was ready to be blown away.

  Once they were seated, Jax grabbed her menu away from her and asked, “Do you trust me?”

  Brooke crossed her arms over her chest and said, “I don’t know. I don’t really know you all that well.”

  “Have I given you any reason not to trust me?”

  Brooke smiled and said, “Well…you did date Piper…”

  Jax barked out in laughter and said, “Touché, but you can’t hold that against me. Call it a momentary lapse in judgment and, hey, you dated Mason and were engaged to the man.”

  “You were engaged to Piper!” Brooke playfully said back.

  “For a day, you were engaged for a while…”

  Brooke held up her hand, “Fine. Let’s call a truce.”

  “Works for me. So…do you trust me?”

  Brooke leaned back in her chair and looked Jax up and down. He was so damn cute it was hard not to give in to him.

  “I guess so,” she answered, just as the waitress walked up.

  “Good.” He looked up at the waitress and said, “Can we get two cheeseburgers with bacon, egg and peanut butter on them, a basket of fries, and two Cokes?” He handed the menu back to the waitress as she nodded her head and walked away.

  “Peanut butter and egg? On a burger? Are you insane?”

  Laughing, Jax said, “I swear, you’re going to love it.”

  “Alright…” she dragged out.

  “So, tell me a little about yourself,” Jax said, while placing his forearms on the table and leaning forward, as if she had the most intriguing story to tell.

  “Well, I’m from San Diego…that’s where I met Lexi, Jake, and unfortunately, Mason. We all went to school together at Cal U. I temporarily lost my mind…”

  “We’ll blame it on Mason,” Jax interrupted with a smirk.

  “Good idea. So, Mason made me temporarily insane, and I thought I could be a singer, when in fact,” she leaned forward like she was telling a secret, “I can’t carry a note to save my life.” Jax laughed and waved her on to continue. “So, after some soul searching, I decided to pull my head out of my ass and make something of myself.”

  “Well, you’ve done a good job. Is that one of your designs?” Jax said, while gesturing to her off-the-shoulder sweater.

  “Yes, it is. It’s part of the fall collection.”

  “Well, it’s hot.”

  A bright smile spread across Brooke’s face. “Thank you.”

  “Can I be honest with you?” Jax asked.

  “Of course.”

  He leaned forward some more and said, “I changed my clothes probably about five times because I was so nervous about what to wear to dinner with a designer. I’m no Ryker Lewis, that’s for sure.”

  Brooke couldn’t help but chuckle. “Oh, God, you’re so cute. If you wore what Ryker wore, I don’t think I could get past the front door with you.” Ryker was well known to experiment with patterns, colors and textures. The man was insane when it came to pairing clothes together, but for some reason, it always worked. The man had style.

  “So, you don’t think orange shirts with seahorses and Bermuda shorts would look good on me?”

  “Ha! No,” Brooke shook her head while laughing. “What you’re wearing is perfect. Tight and sexy and all male.”

  A devilish grin spread across Jax’s face. “You think I’m sexy?”

  “Don’t push your luck,” Brooke said, while pointing at him. “We’ll see how I feel about you after this burger arrives.”

  They were talking about their favorite dessert places in downtown Denver when the waitress brought their plates out.

  Looking at the concoction on the plate in front of her, she lifted her head and eyed Jax.

  “I promise you’ll like it. Just give it a try.”

  “And if I don’t like it?”

  “Then I will get you whatever you want.”

  “Anything?” she asked, while wiggling her eyebrows.

  Jax shifted in his seat and cleared his throat, making Brooke laugh to herself. “Watch yourself little lady; it’s not good to tease a southern man.”

  “Oh, and why is that?”

  “Because we are only gentlemen for so long.”

  “Hopefully, that’s the truth,” Brooke said, while taking a bite of the gigantic burger that was on her plate.

  She hated to admit it, but her taste buds were rejoicing over the delectable burger. She hated to admit Jax was right, but damn it, he was.

  “Damn,” she said, while shaking her head.

  “What’s wrong?” Serious concern stretched across Jax’s face.

  “I was really hoping to get whatever I wanted, but damn, this burger is good.”

  Jax winked and said, “Told ya, but just because I’m a good sport, I’ll still give you whatever you want.”

  “Of course you would.” Brooke shook her head at the adorable man that sat across from her and took another bite of her burger. She was thankful she didn’t chicken out on their date, because she was having a great time with Jax.

  **Mason**

  Stretching out on his couch, Mason grabbed the last bite of his sandwich and shoved it in his mouth as his phone began to ring. Muting Sports Center, Mason grabbed his phone and answered it.

  “Hey, ass wipe,” Mason answered with a mouth full of sandwich.

  “Please tell me your mouth is full of food and not pussy,” Jake, Mason’s best friend, responded.

  “Jake Taylor!” Lexi scolded in the background, making both of them laugh.

  “What do you think?” Mason asked.

  “I think your sorry ass is stretched out on your couch, wearing a pair of shorts, drinking a beer and watching highlights.”

  Mason assessed himself and had to hand it to his friend, he’d nailed it.

  “It disturbs me how much you know about me,” Mason responded.

  “Who would I be if I didn’t properly stalk you? Those red shorts you have on really bring out your eyes, by the way.”

  “Nice try, dickhead. They’re black.”

  “Damn,” Jake laughed. “That would have been the fucking tits if I got that right.”

  “Has married life really been that boring? You have to dream about what I’m wearing? I know you miss me, man, but come on, you have a hot blonde lying next to you. Play with her.”

  Jake laughed and said, “She is pretty hot, isn’t she?”

  Mason rolled his eyes and said, “Is there a reason for this phone call?”

  “I just wanted to see how my best man was doing. Your Stallions seem to be killing it lately. I’m impressed.”

  “That’s what happens when you have Dash the Donkey Dick on your team.”

  Jake barked out in laughter. “Jesus, I think that thin mountain air is starting to go to your head.”

  “Look at the numbers, baby! I’m fucking killing it, but I’m sure you don’t want to talk about that, given the fact that your fucking Thunder are sitting at a sad second to last place in your division.”

  Jake blew out a frustrated breath. “Seriously, try fucking throwing to a bunch of fairies floating around with their heads cut off. I swear to God, I’m going
to kill them.”

  Mason laughed as Jake went on about his wide receivers, who were by far the worst in the league. The only reason the Thunder were not in last place was because they had an amazing running back.

  “Seriously, can I please just tell you, my fucking favorite highlight of all time is when your receivers were crossing paths as you threw the ball, they ran into each other and the ball bounced off one of their helmets and into the other team’s hands? Holy fuck, I don’t think I have ever laughed so hard in my life.”

  “Yeah, that fucking clip is still number one on Sports Center’s Not So Top Ten. I don’t think the two assholes will ever live it down.”

  “Hey, at least it wasn’t something you did. You could have had the infamous butt fumble.”

  “Let’s not go there,” Jake said, while laughing. “So, how’s it going, dude? I heard you titty fucked a hairy beast?”

  “Fucking Christ! I’m going to chop Ryker’s dick off.” Jake was laughing in the background as Mason continued. “I can’t tell that prick anything.”

  “I’m surprised you’re just learning that. He gossips more than the girls in our lives.”

  “Sure fucking does, and don’t you mean girl in your life? There is no girl in my life.”

  “Yeah, and why is that?”

  “Don’t need one,” Mason said, matter of factly.

  “Apparently, you do if you’re trying to fuck the nipples off of Cousin It.”

  “Once again, is there a point to this phone call?” Mason asked, while waiting impatiently for Sports Center to show their Not So Top Ten again.

  “Have you heard from Piper?”

  Damn, the man had balls, Mason had to give Jake that. At the mention of Piper’s name, Mason’s stomach flipped. He was hurting, badly, but he still wanted her; he wanted her so damn much.

  “No,” Mason said, getting straight to the point.

  “No one has,” Jake said with concern in his voice.

  “What do you mean?” Mason said, as he sat up on his couch.

  “Lexi’s finally starting to get worried, because it’s not like Piper to go this long without talking to anyone, so she called Piper’s parents to see if they had heard from her, and they didn’t even know she was in Denver for a while. She has disappeared, man.”

  Mason ran a hand over his face as his heart started to beat rapidly against his chest. Instantly, his mind went to the worst, as thoughts of what possibly could have happened to Piper ran through his head. He shouldn’t care; he shouldn’t have this aching feeling in the pit of his gut, but he couldn’t help it. The damn girl drove a wedge in his heart and left it there.

  Putting on a front, not wanting to show his true feelings, Mason said, “Well, that’s just something that I don’t give a fuck about.”

  “Mason…”

  Mason cut Jake off. “Listen, man, you’re my best friend, and I get what you’re trying to do, but your concern is doing nothing but making me irate, so just drop it. If she wants to jump off the face of the earth and disappear, then so be it. It’s not my responsibility to worry about her. She dug herself a grave, she can live in it now.”

  There was silence on the other end of the line and Mason wondered if he might have gone too far.

  “I don’t believe a single piece of crap that has spewed from your mouth. I know you, Mason, and I know you care about her; I know you love her…”

  “I’m going to stop you right there. Love is nonexistent in my world.”

  “Stop being a stubborn fuck. I know you love her, Mason. You just can’t stop loving someone. It doesn’t work like that.”

  “Well, it does in my world. Now I’m going to go, because frankly, I love you, man, but you’re pissing me the fuck off. Say hey to Lexi for me. Talk to you later.” With that, Mason hung up his phone and tossed it to the side.

  Placing his forearms on his knees and leaning forward, he grabbed his head and thought about what Jake had said. Piper was missing. No one had heard from her. Was she dead? Did she need help?

  Mason chastised himself for caring; he shouldn’t care at all. He fucked her over, so he shouldn’t care…right? He went to his fridge and grabbed a six pack of beer. He was going to need to drown himself in sorrow as he headed back to his couch to get lost in the micro-brew.

  **Jax**

  Jax couldn’t remember the last time he laughed so much. Not only was Brooke gorgeous and charming, but she was funny, something he didn’t know when they first met, probably because she was fighting for Mason’s attention.

  They pulled up to her apartment and Jax got out of his truck to help Brooke out on the other side. He opened her door and held out his hand so she could get down. She took it and jumped down from the high cab.

  “Careful there.” Jax steadied her as she slightly wobbled.

  “Could you have gotten a bigger truck?” she asked playfully.

  “I could have. Should I go truck shopping again?”

  “No!” Brooke said, as she shut the door and started walking to her door.

  “Are you not going to say goodbye to me?” Jax asked, as he stood next to his truck with his hands in his pockets.

  She turned around and smiled at him, “Are you not going to be a gentleman and walk me to my door?”

  Jax laughed and said, “I told you the gentleman act only goes so far. There is a limit.”

  Brooke turned around and sauntered back to him. She placed both of her hands on his chest and pushed him against the truck.

  “Since the gentleman in you is gone, does that mean you’re willing to fuck me tonight?”

  Holy Shit.

  Jax pulled on his neck as he looked down at Brooke. Damn, he wanted her. He wanted her badly, but did he want to take things slow? He thought about Piper and how they waited…and look how that turned out. He looked down at Brooke and saw the lust in her eyes, at that moment, that’s all he cared about, nothing else.

  “Show me the way, darlin’,” Jax said with a strong southern accent.

  Brooke smiled brightly, grabbed his hand, and rushed him up to her apartment. She quickly unlocked her door, threw her things on the ground, and took him to her room.

  Her bedroom was decorated in black and white fabrics with a big bed in the middle that was calling to him. There were little personal touches everywhere in her room, but he chose to look at them later, because right now, there was a sexy woman waiting for him.

  “I like your room,” Jax said awkwardly, as he looked around.

  Brooke looked up at him in question. “Seriously, Jax? Is that the best you’ve got?”

  Jax laughed and walked toward her until she was pressed up against her bedroom door. “Don’t sass me.”

  Without even giving her a chance to respond, Jax grabbed her head with his hands and brought his lips down on hers. With the first contact of their lips melding together, Jax could feel himself slipping away. She was so soft, so sweet, and he couldn’t get enough.

  “Mmm,” she moaned, as he glided his tongue across her lips.

  “Open for me,” he said against her lips.

  She opened her mouth and he slipped his tongue inside. Her tongue matched his strokes as his hands started to slowly glide down her body. She wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled him in closer as she pressed her body up against his. His arousal was already pressing against her, so she knew he was more than ready and willing to take her.

  Running his hands down to her ribs, right below her breasts, he started making slow circles with his thumbs. The feel of her body pressed against his and the clumsiness of the sweater she was wearing had Jax feeling very eager to rip all her clothes off.

  “Take this thing off,” Jax said, as he started lifting the hem of her sweater.

  She put her arms in the air, allowing Jax to take the sweater off of her, which revealed a perfectly pink bra that pushed her breasts up to an impossible height, making his mouth water. Running a hand over his mouth, he took a step back and looked at her.

/>   “You’re so beautiful.”

  “Your turn,” she said, as she grabbed the hem of his shirt and brought it over his head as well, dropping it right next to her sweater.

  Her eyes widened as she took in the expanse of his chest. Her hands started roaming his muscles as she took in his strong build.

  “Fuck, you’re sexy,” she smiled up at him. “For an old man, who knew you could be so ripped?”

  “Old man?” Jax scolded playfully. “I don’t think being ten years your senior makes me old.”

  “Don’t say ‘your senior.’ Saying things like that makes you sound old.”

  “What did I say about sassing me? Respect your elders!”

  Brooke rolled her eyes, causing Jax to grab her, pick her up, and toss her on her bed. He took her boots, socks and pants off, leaving her in nothing but a small set of pink lingerie.

  “Did you wear those panties to drive me crazy?”

  “Is it working?”

  “Fuck, yeah.”

  “Then, yes, I did.”

  “Smartass,” Jax said, as he leaned down and placed both of his hands on either side of Brooke’s face. He hovered above her lips as he asked, “Are we moving too fast?”

  “Well, we went on one date and now we are practically naked in front of each other. I would say we are, but then again, I’ve never wanted anything more in my life than right now.”

  Jax knew he shouldn’t mention it, but he had to, just to make sure. “You’re not doing this to get back at Mason, are you?”

  The look of shock on Brooke’s face let Jax know he was wrong, completely and utterly wrong.

  “Is that what you really think of me, Jax? You know, I could ask you the same thing…are you doing this to get back at Mason?”

  Jax pushed away from her and said, “Does it look like I’m the type of guy who would do that?”