Jewel stepped away. “We already have. Multi
ple times.”
She left. While he stewed.
* * *
In her bedroom at the estate, Jewel fought the urge to drag out photo albums and yearbooks to reminisce about her teenage years with Rogen and Vin. Nostalgia was a real bitch. It could comfort her at times, shred her at others. She feared the latter this evening. So she showered, checked her e-mails, and called it a night.
Unfortunately, thoughts of Rogen making love to her wouldn’t leave her mind. Nor would Vin’s piercing green eyes. It had excited her to discover him standing in the shadows, staring at her. It hadn’t really shocked her to realize she’d desperately wanted Vin kissing her in his passionate, fiery way while she came.
But that was just the wildest damn idea! Even if some of those hush-hush comments about the two men having a knack and a proclivity for making love to a woman together were true, there was no way in hell it could ever come about with this particular trio.
They might be fated, but in a very disastrous way, as she’d contended earlier. Rogen’s tattoo said it all.
She thought of how his calls and e-mails had become less frequent as he’d prepped for Yale. All the schoolwork, the community service and volunteering, the clubs and sports. And then his parents deciding to vacation elsewhere during his breaks so that Rogen was rarely ever in River Cross.
Jewel had missed him like crazy. Had been so grateful she’d had Vin to help fill the void.
One Saturday, a month or so after Vin had turned eighteen, ahead of her, the two of them had gone fishing riverside. Then they’d sprawled on a blanket and Vin had read while Jewel had e-mailed with Bayli and Scarlet on their BlackBerries. Her head had rested on Vin’s hard stomach as she’d lain perpendicular to him, soaking up the sun in shorts and a tank top.
Bayli had been in the midst of a meltdown because she and her boyfriend had finally decided to make love—and were desperate for advice. Prompting Jewel to ask Vin, “What kind of condoms do you use?”
“Where the hell did that come from?” he’d retorted, not bothering to set aside War and Peace.
“Bay’s wigging at present. She and Jonathan are actually planning out a whole shred the V-card event, right down to the time they arrive at the hotel he’s booked, have a glass of smuggled wine, and then … do it. Like, no spontaneity whatsoever.”
“That’s because Jonathan plans everything. He probably schedules time in his calendar for when he should take a piss or pop the top on a Mountain Dew.”
She’d laughed softly. “Funny. But having an agenda for first-time sex? Seems too premeditated for such a special occasion. I’m not saying break out the rose petals and violins, but still. Choreographing every move to be made seems … anti-climactic. Definitely unromantic.”
Vin had scoffed. “It doesn’t always have to be romantic.”
“Sure it does,” she’d insisted. Then asked, “What should I tell her about the condoms?”
“You and Rogen have had sex, right?”
“Of course.” She’d put down her phone and sat up. “He didn’t tell you?”
Eyes glued to the page he was reading, Vin had absently said, “Not something I’ve ever wanted to discuss with him. And he likes to keep things like that to himself.”
“True.”
“So you two don’t use condoms?”
“Didn’t is the proper tense.” Her heart had wrenched when she’d confessed, “It’s been a long time. I haven’t seen him in eight months, you know?”
“Fine. You didn’t use protection?”
“I’ve been on the pill since I was sixteen. And given that neither of us had ever been with anyone else, it didn’t exactly seem necessary to raid the stash at the local convenience store. Besides, I liked … Never mind.”
“What?” he’d asked, sounding slightly exasperated with the topic of conversation. Had remained somewhat engrossed in his novel.
“I liked how it felt when he came inside me.”
Vin had let out a strange grunt. Not exactly a condemnation. More like … she’d finally intrigued him.
“Anyway. I’m guessing since you can’t answer my question,” she’d goaded, “you still haven’t had sex. I mean, I rarely ever see you with a girl other than me.”