“You mean the three of you aren’t … you know?” Francine’s eyes lit with excitement.
“Oh, hell, no,” Jewel was quick to say. “It’s definitely not like that!”
Who would even think that for a second?
Oh, yeah. Jewel would.
She bit back a groan. Do not go there. Do not go there. Do not—
Could she actually seduce them into agreeing to be with her?
It was sooo tempting!
Do not—
“Well, anyway,” Francine said, “perhaps someday you’ll finally choose between them? Free up one of their hearts for the rest of us to vie for?” She winked.
“I’m not holding anyone back, France.” Though Vin’s words instantly returned to her.… I can’t tell whether or not I ever want to escape.
What the hell was she supposed to make of that? Do with that?
Jewel had no idea. She told Francine, “I’m heading back to the city tonight. I don’t intend to make it a habit to come home.”
All the memories wrecked her, so what was the point? Well, until she got hold of that land she wanted. Then she’d be so damn busy with her plans for the inn that she wouldn’t have time to think about Rogen and Vin. Or get mired in the past.
The inn was her future—that needed to be her focus. Not whether two hot and hunky men would concede to sending her to sexual heights the likes of which she’d never known.
“Look, I’ve got to run,” Jewel said. “The guys are waiting for me.” They hugged again.
“Try not to be too much of a stranger, huh?”
Jewel smiled. “We’ll see. It was good bumping into you.” She continued on her way.
Joining Rogen and Vin, she slipped into her seat and tried to appear collected. Strictly a facade, because she was a mess inside. And it didn’t help matters that Rogen studied her a bit too closely, making her squirm as she propped herself partially on her hip to avoid any discomfort and reached for her freshly poured champagne.
Vin looked equally tense. Rogen’s gaze slid from her to him, and back.
Then he said, “This is an interesting turn of events. Seems we all have something the other wants. Question is, what are we going to do about it?”
Jewel swallowed hard.
Oh, Christ.
Was this opportunity knocking?
Was this the moment Jewel was supposed to mention that she was fully amenable to a different definition of their “threesome”?
SEVEN
Jewel took a long drink from her glass. Averted her gaze.
Rogen’s gut clenched. She and Vin had been gone for some time. When Vin had returned, he’d still appeared uptight, but with a smug, satisfied air about him that had made Rogen wonder if he’d just had Jewel in a bathroom of Bristol’s. After all, Rogen was quite familiar with his friend’s triumphant expression when he’d just made a woman scream so loud she shook the rafters.
And since Jewel suddenly wouldn’t make eye contact with either of them and her breaths came in sharp pulls—not to mention her neck and cheeks were flushed—Rogen had a feeling his suspicion was dead-on.
Fucking fantastic.
All that avoidance they’d done for the past decade was about to come to a head.