Chapter 1
Jessie Holbrook looked down at the papers in her hand once more and hit the dial button on her phone. She finally had her freedom and it was time to celebrate. Her first call was to her best friend, Megan. They’d been waiting for this day for two longs years and it was finally here!
“Hey, it’s me; give me a call when you get this. Big news! Love you, bye!” Jessie hated talking on the phone so she was happy the voicemail on Megan’s phone picked up but she hated leaving messages just as much so she rushed through it.
Putting her phone down she went to her closet, pulling out the dress wrapped in plastic that she’d been waiting to wear for over a year now. Her “I’m free” dress. A concoction of black silk that hugged every curve nicely and flared where it needed to. The dress looked simple enough but when Jessie put it on the dress made her feel beautiful, desirable, and confident, even if she was a little bigger in the waistline than some of her friends.
Jessie looked in the mirror after a shower and applied makeup. Her blue eyes popped with the expert application of black mascara, her lips were a subtle, seductive, shade of light pink that made her full lips appear to be wet from her tongue, while her high cheekbones and straight thin nose were decorated only with a slight dollop of powder to keep her skin from shining. Jessie was naturally pretty; she didn’t need much to accentuate her looks. Besides, she found her confidence in her ability to hold a conversation, her intelligence, and the way she could make others laugh and enjoy themselves. She didn’t have to look like a painted trollop to attract attention.
She did reconsider for a moment as she adjusted the bust-line of the very low top. A little cleavage didn’t hurt, though. And she had a lot of cleavage with her large breasts. Grinning at herself once more before putting on black heels and a lace shawl Jessie picked up her phone and read the message Megan sent her.
“Be there at 8, bringing the girls. I’m so excited, tell me now!”
“No, see you in a few then.” Jessie sent the response and couldn’t suppress the urge to wink at the phone. Tonight was going to be incredible!
It was Friday night and Exotica, the club Jessie was meeting Megan at, was proof of it. She produced her license for the doorman, proving her age was 24, and walked into the busy club. People filled the club, some dancing under flashing colored lights; others were sitting at tables in dark corners, trying to get away with as much as they could. Then there was Megan and “the girls” as they called each other. Four other women, two blondes, a brunette, and one with purple hair, surrounded the petite black and pink streak-haired Megan.
Jessie slid in to the booth, her long black hair a curtain hiding the intricate work of her lace shawl. She grinned at the ladies as they jumbled up to greet her, doing half-stands to kiss her cheek in greeting. They knew what was coming and Jessie could almost feel their excitement coming off of them in waves.
“Well?” Megan finally demanded as Jessie just sat quietly, grinning at her closest friends. “Is it that day?”
Jessie squealed but still didn’t answer. Instead she pulled the papers from her bag and set them before the waiting women. Megan snatched them up and read them out loudly over the din of other people and pulsing electronic music. The other ladies assembled, a mix of short and tall, thin and thick, listened to Megan with rapt attention until the end when they all cheered.
“You’re free! Your divorce is final!” Another round of hugs and kisses started up then and Jessie felt a moment of tearful joy. These truly were caring women and they rejoiced in Jessie’s divorce because they knew the hell her now ex-husband had put her through to have it. From dragging his feet signing papers, to contesting how much money would be split between the pair, Michael had been a complete douchebag over the whole thing.
Drinks were ordered and Cara and Seline pulled Jessie out to the dance floor for her first “free-woman” dance. Jessie laughed in joy, her hair falling down her back to her waist, and she danced seductively with her friends. She’d be lying if the movement of her friends against her body wasn’t even slightly tempting but Jessie was looking for partners of the male persuasion tonight. And she’d just spotted two over in a corner, their eyes on her as she danced.
“Those men seem to be eyeing you, Jessie. Give them a wink.” Cara, a short, thin blonde whispered to Jessie, her teasing words making Jessie giggle.
Jessie caught their eyes, smiled at them, and gave them an undeniable wink. Then the one towards the back, standing almost in the shadows stepped out into the light giving Jessie a wink back.
“Oh my god, that’s my neighbor!” Jessie cried, rushing back to her seat. Embarrassment made her cheeks blaze, and Jessie hid behind her fall of hair, holding her mouth to smother her giggles.
“Here, drink this.” Megan ordered Jessie, looking over at the men Jessie still couldn’t take her eyes from, and smiled. “Oh yes, they are a lovely pair of devils aren’t they?”
“Indeed. That one on the left is my neighbor, Liam. The man is gorgeous! He moved in last month and I still haven’t worked up the nerve to say hello to him but spot him in a club and wink at him. I feel like such an idiot.” Jessie buried her head in her hands but then took a shot of her drink. No, she came to laugh, to play, and to have a good time. This simply wasn’t going to do. Not at all.
She looked over at Megan to see her beckoning to the men. Jessie felt an urge to stop her friend but decided to be brave instead. Jessie sat up straighter, brushed her hair behind her shoulders, and waited with a smile on her face.
“Good evening, ladies.” The men said in unison.
Each of the women said hello back and Megan invited them to sit between her and Jessie. They refused but the tall one with a blindingly handsome smile that made Jessie’s knees weak asked her to dance. The dark headed one, the one with such piercing grey eyes, held his hand out.
“Oh with both of you? Well, that should be novel.” Jessie replied, popping up out of her seat. This was a twist.
Jessie moved out to the floor with the men, studying them as they walked to a spot less crowded with more room to move. The dark haired one was at least six foot tall; Jessie was only five and a half feet and the man stood well over her head. His face was chiseled, familiar somehow, but she became distracted by the dark shadow of beard on his face and stopped trying to remember which actor he reminded her of. And the other one, the one moving up behind her, his hands going to her waist, he reminded her of statues of Adonis. The man had those sleepy bedroom eyes that made women go all gooey inside, with a muscular body. The one behind her had a lean waist, with a strong face that beckoned fingers to slide over his cheek into his dirty-blonde hair. Jessie’s pulse kicked up as the one in front moved up to her, his hands around her hips, pulling her close.
Jessie forgot to breathe as the man in front leaned down, his eyes on her lips, but his lips kept moving past her mouth, barely brushing against hers, to whisper into her ear.
“I’m Jax, the man behind you is Liam. What’s your name pretty lady?” Jax moved her with the beat of the music but Jessie didn’t notice, she was too busy resting back against the hard body of the man behind her as Jax moved enough to stare down into her eyes.
“What?” She asked, her train of thought on his eyes and lips, not what he’d asked her. “Oh, it’s Jessie, my name is Jessie.”
“Nice to meet you Jessie.” Jax replied, before pulling her closer. His hands on her hips guided her movements, a slight pressure at her shoulders from Liam guiding the top of her body. They were dancing on one of the darker parts of the floor and Jax and Liam must have felt free to do as they pleased in that semi-darkness.
Jessie, lost in the moment of her freedom and being so close to these two strangers, gave herself up to their attentions. She felt fingers brushing her breasts, a hand gripping at her ass as her hips were pulled into Jax’s, and the pull of Liam’s lips as her neck was grazed in the slightest of kisses. Their movements were sensual, erotic, and hidden from view.
Jessie had started off her night telling herself she wasn’t a trollop, and for a moment anxiety rang through her body. She’d not been with anyone but Michael in her entire life yet here she was, all but having sex on the dance floor. She stumbled for a moment and looked at Jax. Something about him drew her in, some animal magnetism that she couldn’t define and she knew if he asked her to strip here and now she would.
That thought was like a cold splash of water and Jessie stumbled away, pleading the need for the bathroom to disentangle herself from the men. Jessie had never felt anything so strongly, not even in the early days of her relationship with her ex-husband. In the bathroom Jessie splashed her face with cold water before toweling herself dry. She looked into the mirror, into her own eyes, wondering what exactly had happened.
She pulled her hand up to brush her hair out of her face and caught Jax’s scent on her hand. Pulling the other one up, she smelled Liam. Her knees actually wobbled for a moment and she grabbed the sink to stay up. Her body already craved the men, their scent made that craving worse. What was it about a man’s scent, especially if mingled with a very nice cologne, that brought us to our knees, she wondered. Jessie looked at herself, unsure of what to do.
Be a big girl, something told her. Do what you like now, what you want to do. You’re free, it’s your night, do exactly as you like. Jessie squared her shoulders once more and decided to do just that.
Jessie spotted the men at the bar and waved at her friends with a confident smile as she walked past them. She signaled to ask if any of them wanted a drink and counted as hands raised. She walked up to the bar and settled between the men.
“What are you having, lovely?” The bartender asked his hands on the bar as he watched her.
Jessie ordered the drinks and turned around as the bartender walked away to make the drinks.
“What are you doing later, Jessie?” Jax asked, putting his drink up to his lips, his very kissable lips, Jessie noted.
“I’m not exactly sure yet.” She offered with a twinkle in her eye.
“I could drive you home, later.” Liam offered, holding up a drink that looked like soda. You’re my neighbor right? I’m heading your way.”
Liam spoke with a jocular tone, as if he knew the old come-on was corny and was laughing at himself for using it. I liked that he didn’t take himself so seriously.
“Let me get these drinks back to my table. Want to join me?” She spoke to both men, her imagination in overdrive now about what would happen if she took them both home with her.
Possibilities flitted through her brain and she envisioned some of the more adult movies she’d watched in the privacy of her own home with the volume down and the curtains drawn. The problem with most of those films was that they were the popular male fantasy of two men sharing a woman, subjecting her to crudity and facials with their fluids. That didn’t turn Jessie on, not one little bit. Being some guys’ toy for the night wasn’t what she had in mind.
Jessie could see from the way that Liam flirted with the other women at the table that he was a bit of a player. His main attention was on Jessie but Liam was definitely a charmer. And she wasn’t looking for a long-term relationship, just a once in a lifetime thing. Jessie had been married all of her adult life but she’d heard stories from her friends and wanted to experience that for herself. Once wouldn’t hurt would it?
Jessie looked over at Jax, her eyes sparkling in the near dark. Yeah, once wouldn’t hurt. She saw him watching her and took a sip of her drink, trying to build up her bravery to go through with the idea that had now become fully formed in her mind. How was she going to suggest to these two men that both should take her home where they’d treat her like a queen, not some poor doll they’d use and throw away?
Jessie’s nerves started to frazzle as the night came to a close. She was brave enough to do it but neither man seemed to be catching her subtle hints or gestures. She’d brushed Liam’s thigh with her fingers and he’d looked at her, a question in his eyes, but he’d said nothing. She’d smiled, hoping he’d take it as an invitation but he said nothing, just stared at her.
Jessie turned to Jax then, hoping to get a better response from him. He’d clasped her hand in his, pushing it into his thigh. Jessie suppressed a moan when her brain told her to go higher and pulled her hand back to her own lap. She knew she must be coming off as a very naughty girl to these guys and that ended it for her. She wasn’t cut out for playing the temptress. Young and beautiful she might be but brave and willing to make a fool of herself, especially with a man she lived next to, she was not.
Jessie pleaded a sudden headache and fled the bar; calling a cab to take her home once she reached the fresh air outside of the bar. She wasn’t sure if anyone had actually heard her saying she was going to leave but she needed the fresh air, she needed to get away. As the cab pulled up and Jessie got in she looked back at the bar, wondering what might have been.
Obviously this was going to take baby steps. Trying to rush into a three-way sex fest with those two sex gods had her all but paralyzed with doubt by the time she left. Maybe slow and steady really would win the race. If they ever gave her that opportunity again after running out on them like that.