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Chapter 9
RAYN
I siton the couch in Jamison and Reed’s living room, which I guess technically is my living room now too. My legs bounce nervously, and one of my thumbnails is bitten down to the quick. I’m working on my second thumb now.
Mom called this morning, pulling me out of a warm and very comfortable Jamison and Reed cocoon, to tell me her and Baxter would be stopping by around lunch time. The closer it gets to noon, the more stressed I become.
I know I’m being ridiculous. I’m a fully grown woman in her thirties. I’m capable of making my own choices, and I don’t need the approval of my mom. But I hate the thought of hurting her. Mom and I have always had a close relationship, so the thought of disappointing her doesn’t sit well with me.
Once my other thumb nail is bitten down so low it starts to bleed, I move onto my pointer finger.
“All right. That’s it.”
I look up at Reed’s uttered words. My eyes widen when I see him prowling my way. Once he’s in front of me, he grabs me under my arms and hauls me up from the couch. My front is smashed against his.
“Rayn, baby, you’re killing me seeing you like this. You’ve got to stop.”
“I know. I’m trying.”
“I know a surefire way to distract you,” he says this with a playful glint in his eyes.
“We are not having sex right now,” I growl. “Mom and Baxter are due here any minute.”
“Then you need to calm your tits.”
I open my mouth to reply, but I don’t get the chance because Reed’s head slants down and he slams his mouth against mine. The kiss is forceful. He pushes his tongue past my lips and slashes it with mine. I instantly melt against him, my hands clinging to his broad shoulders. Everything and everyone else melts away. Until I feel Jamison press up against my back to insert himself into our bubble, which I’m totally fine with. My hair gets pushed to the side and warm lips trail over my shoulder and up my neck. I moan, my fingers digging into Reed’s shoulders.
Too soon, Reed breaks the kiss, but rests his forehead against mine. “Feel better?”
I gaze up at him with I’m sure dazed eyes and a goofy grin. “Yes.”
“Good.” He pecks my lips. “Because I’m seconds away from throwing you down on the couch and fucking the stress out of you. And I’m sure you don’t want your mom walking in on that.”
The words have barely left his lips when the doorbell rings. The effort Reed and Jamison put into calming me down goes out the window when a new wave of nerves hit me.
“You sit.” Jamison pushes my shoulders until I’m forced to sit. “I’ll go get the door.” He bends down for a quick kiss before he walks off.
My knees go back to bouncing, and I start biting my pointer nail again as I anxiously wait. Mom appears in the living room a moment later with Baxter standing behind her. Last night, when she saw the way I was dancing with Jamison and Reed, there was shock on her face. Today I expected to see disappointment and maybe a hint of censor. I’m surprised when I don’t find either. Love shines in her eyes and her lips are tipped up into a soft smile.
“Mom?” I croak.
Seeing the worry lines on my face, she rushes across the room toward me. I’m on my feet by the time she reaches me, and I’m immediately pulled into her arms. I feel like a kid again as I wrap my arms tightly around her. We stay that way for several moments.
When she pulls back, she cups my cheeks. Behind her, several feet away, are Baxter, Jamison, and Reed. Jamison and Reed look like they’re barely holding back from coming to my rescue, while Baxter closely watches us with an unreadable expression. Baxter has always been reserved, never giving away what he’s feeling. Except when it comes to my mom.
“Why are you so upset, honey?”
“Because I’m afraid of what you might say. I know you saw me with Jamison and Reed last night. The way we were dancing together….” I trail off. There’s no need to spell it out for her. Only lovers, or potential lovers, dance together like we were last night.
“I’ll admit, I was a bit shocked, but not because of who you were dancing with, but how you were dancing. A mother never wants to see her child practically humping on the dance floor.”
My cheeks heat. “Mom, really?”
She lifts a shoulder. “Well, it’s true. With the way you three were going at it, I’m surprised you still had clothes on.”
I choke out a laugh.
“After we left, Baxter explained to me that Whiskey’s has changed more than its looks.” Her eyes widen. “Did you know there are rooms in the back for people to have sex?”
And here I thought Mom would be upset that she caught me dirty dancing with her step-son and our best friend. She seems more concerned with how free people are in Whiskey’s.
“Yes, I’ve heard,” I tell her.
“Have you–” She shakes her head. “Actually, I don’t want to know.”
That’s good because I didn’t want to answer, even if the answer is no.
I bring us back to the point of my anxiety since last night. “I thought you would be upset that I was seeing Jamison and Reed. Especially Jamison.”
She grabs one of my hands. “Let’s sit.” She looks over at Baxter and pats the cushion on her other side. “You too.” When Jamison and Reed start moving toward the kitchen to give us privacy, she adds, “You two stay. You need to hear what I have to say since it involves you both.”
Baxter sits beside Mom and Jamison and Reed come around the couch so they’re facing us. Mom still has my hand gripped in hers and she pulls it onto her lap.
“You know that Baxter and I have known each other our whole lives,” Mom begins, and I nod. “Your father and Trudy were with us from the beginning as well. Trudy was pregnant with Jamison and I was pregnant with you when we decided to move to Silver Falls. No one here knows what I’m about to tell you. Not because we’re ashamed, but because we just never felt the need to tell anyone. It was nobody’s business, but ours.”
She looks down at our hands. Beside her, Baxter places a hand on her thigh, and she looks up at him. They share a smile before she brings her gaze back to me.
“You never got the chance to meet your maternal or paternal grandparents. Both passed away before you were born.” She slides her gaze to Jamison. “You never got to meet yours either.”
He doesn’t say anything, just nods.
