Burn (Breathless #3)(39)

“Any serious conversation we have is going to be with you in my arms so I’m touching you,” he said. “Never you across the room from me. That is not going to make me happy. Warning you now that if you get pissed and we’re having a discussion, you won’t be putting distance between us.”

She smiled against his chest and nodded. That sounded fine to her. One of the things she had disliked the most about Michael was his aloofness when it came to her. The distance—emotional distance—between them. Michael was more of a sit-down-across-the-room-from-each-other-and-discuss guy. For that matter, the only time he ever touched her was when they were having sex. He wasn’t demonstrative or affectionate. And Ash couldn’t seem to keep his hands off her for two seconds. She liked that. She liked it a lot.

“Is this going to be a serious discussion?” she asked, no longer able to keep the teasing note from her voice.

There was no doubt that Ash radiated seriousness today. And it was starting to feel suffocating. She needed to lighten the moment, even if for a brief second. It wasn’t in her nature to take everything so seriously. And Ash was an intense guy. Maybe he’d eventually lighten up around her, or maybe he’d always be this . . . broody . . . when it came to her.

His hold tightened around her. “Yeah. It’s serious. Everything about me and you is serious. I get that this seems heavy, especially today when we hash it all out. It won’t always be this . . . intense. But today, yeah. Need to get whatever out that has the potential to hurt you, because that I will not allow going forward.”

Her brow furrowed again and she pushed up so she could see his eyes. So serious and intent. On her. Watching her every reaction.

“What is it, Ash?” she asked. “What is it you think is going to hurt me?”

He sighed. “Don’t know if it will or not, but it could. If you don’t understand it from the start. I just don’t want you blindsided. If you’re prepared and you know everything, then it doesn’t have the power to catch you off guard.”

She reached up to touch his jaw, running her fingertips over the slight stubble. He hadn’t shaved this morning, and the dark blond formed a shadow on his jaw.

“Then tell me. I’ll understand.”

He caught her hand and kissed it, pressing his mouth into her palm.

“Jace Crestwell is my best friend. He and Gabe Hamilton. But Jace . . . We share a bond. Gabe is my best friend, no doubt. But Jace and I have always had a closer friendship. He’s my brother in every sense of the word. I trust him. He has my back and I have his. Always. We used to share everything, and by that I mean women. I’ve had a lot of threesomes over the years with Jace.”

Her brow crinkled, her eyebrows bunching as she stared into his eyes. And to think she’d been worried that she’d be expected to share him with other women. This she hadn’t expected. She couldn’t imagine as possessive as Ash had been with her so far that he’d want her to have sex with another man while he watched or participated. Furthermore, it wasn’t something she wanted.

“Is that something . . . I mean, is that what you’ll want to do with me? Share me with another man?”

“Fuck no.”

The denial was explosive, the words rushing from his mouth in a puff of air she felt on her chin. Relief hit her hard and she relaxed, waiting for him to continue.

“I didn’t get it then,” he muttered. “How Jace was with Bethany. I didn’t understand it. But I do now.”

“You’re losing me,” she said patiently. “I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

“As I said, Jace is my best friend. He’s involved with Bethany. They’re engaged. We’ll see them a lot. I’ll want to share you with them. Their friendship I mean. They’re important to me and you’re important to me. So we’ll spend time with them. And what you need to know is that in the beginning, the first night that Jace and Bethany were together, I was with them.”

Her eyes widened. “Are you . . . do you still have . . . threesomes . . . with them?”

Ash shook his head. “Hell no. Jace didn’t want it the first time. I didn’t know it at the time. It’s f**ked up and complicated, but what you need to know is that I’ve had sex with Bethany. And you’ll see her. And Jace. And I don’t want it to be awkward for you. It was awkward as hell the first few times we were all together after that night. But we’re cool with it now. Bethany’s cool with it and so is Jace. It’s not something that gets brought up. But it’s there. And I don’t want it to hurt you when you look at her and know that I’ve had sex with her. Because there’s nothing there, Josie. Nothing but deep friendship. Bethany’s a great woman. I think you’ll like her. But she is no threat to you.”

“I understand,” she said quietly. “I appreciate you telling me. Being up front with me about it. I can see how it would be awkward, especially if I didn’t know and somehow put my foot in my mouth in front of them.”

His gaze focused on her, studying her intently. “Is that going to be a problem with you? Spending time with a woman I’ve f**ked and that I care a great deal about?”

“Not if you tell me it shouldn’t be a problem for me.”

He shook his head. “No, it’s not a problem. Like I said, I didn’t get where Jace was coming from then. His possessiveness where Bethany was concerned. We’d never had a woman come between us like that. There’d never been one who mattered. But I get it now because I know I don’t want to share you with anyone, and especially not my best friend, even if he was single and not in a relationship. And as for other men, that is not something you ever have to worry about. I’ve had threesomes with Jace and another woman. A hell of a lot of times. I won’t lie. We’ve f**ked our way through countless women over the years. It’s not something I’m proud of but it’s not something I lose sleep over either. It is what it is. But there will be no threesomes with you, Josie. It’s only going to be you and me. I’m going to be the only man making love to you from now on.”