Brazen (Brazen #1)(40)

When she heard the slam of his truck door, she changed her mind about talking to him here, and she headed for the stairs. She raced up and hurried down to his bedroom. She let herself in and sat down on the edge of his bed to wait, her heart thudding in sick worry.

She didn’t have long to wait. He must have come straight to his room because the door opened just a few moments later. He didn’t see her immediately, but when he shut the door and turned his gaze toward her, it hardened, and he frowned.

“What do you want?” he demanded.

She flinched at the harshness of his tone, but she wouldn’t be cowed. This was too important.

“I need to talk to you, Seth. Please.”

His expression wavered. Then he studied her closer, and concern flashed in his eyes. “Are you all right? Is something wrong?”

She sighed. No matter how angry he might be with her, it was obvious he still cared about her on some level. The question was on which one? As a sister? Or a woman?

“I wanted to talk about the other night,” she said hesitantly.

He shut himself off from her, his eyes growing cold and hard. She shivered and nearly lost her courage in that moment.

“You want to talk about the other night, Jasmine?” His voice was quiet, too soft, dangerously so. “Oh, we can talk about it. Right after you tell me why you went straight from my bed into Zane’s.”

She blanched. Surely Zane hadn’t told him. Which only meant one thing. He must have seen them.

“I saw you,” he confirmed. “Saw Zane between your legs. You weren’t acting the innocent virgin then.”

She flushed and ducked her head.

“What game are you playing?” he asked. “I won’t let you come between me and my brother.”

She shook her head sadly. “What have I ever done to make you think so badly of me, Seth? I never want to come between you and Zane. I love you. I love you both.”

Seth’s eyes narrowed in confusion.

She stood and walked toward him. Seth backed away a step, but she didn’t stop.

“I love you, Seth. I’ve always loved you. But I love Zane, too. I love you both with all my heart.”

“What are you saying, Jasmine?” Seth asked in a voice rife with incredulity.

She sighed. “I know it sounds crazy. It took me a long time to come to terms with it. But the fact is, I love you both. I don’t want to be without either of you. It’s why I left and why I came back. Because I decided to fight for you instead of giving up before I ever tried.”

Seth ran a hand through his short black hair, and a whole host of emotions ran through his blue eyes. Some of which she didn’t want to see there. Anger. Pity. Especially pity.

“I don’t even know what to say,” he muttered.

“You’ve shared women before,” she pointed out. “I watched you with Mary Jo,” she said in a lower voice. “I wanted to be her so badly. I was jealous. Still am. And there were other women.”

Seth’s mouth popped open, and then his entire face softened. He put a hand on Jasmine’s shoulder and guided her toward the bed. He sat beside her and touched her on the cheek.

“Jasmine, honey, listen to me. That’s not the same.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Isn’t it?”

He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. “Yes, Zane and I have had sex with the same woman. At the same time.” His voice sounded oddly strangled. “But it’s a kink. One we both enjoy. Some women enjoy threesomes. I’ve shared a woman with…with someone other than Zane as well. It’s not the same as what you suggest. I may share a woman during sex, but I will never share a woman I care about with another man. Even my brother.”

“Are you saying I have to make a choice between you and Zane?” she asked, her horror growing with each second. Her heart pounded so hard, she could feel each beat, each sickening pulse.

Seth shook his head. “No, honey, I wouldn’t make you make that choice. I’m making it for you. A relationship between us, you and me, is impossible. The other night…was a mistake. I should have never touched you.”

Her face felt frozen. The tears she wanted to shed were locked under ice. She stared at him, her hopes and dreams cracking under the weight of her despair.

“It could work,” she whispered. “Maybe I misunderstood the times you had sex with the same woman, but there is no reason it couldn’t work on a permanent basis. I don’t want a threesome. I could get that anywhere. I’m not looking for some sexual kink or thrill. I love you. I love you both, and I want a life with both of you. How is that so wrong?”

“Because you’re asking me to do something I can’t do,” Seth said hoarsely.

She stared at him, completely numb. “And maybe you just don’t love me enough,” she whispered. She rose from the bed, unable to keep looking at him, not when she wanted so much to be in his arms. She wanted him to erase the hurt and rejection of the other night, and instead she’d been handed another rejection.

“I love you, Seth. I’ll always love you. I can’t accept a life here with Zane if you aren’t a part of it.”

She turned and walked away from him. He never made a sound as she walked into the hallway and shut his door behind her.

Chapter Twenty

Zane was awake when his door eased open. He hadn’t been able to sleep despite telling Jaz he was beat. How could he have slept when she was down the hall with Seth?