All In: Paying His Way (Gambling With Love) (7 page)

Jordan

Walking into the living room, I’m aware that there’s a smile on my face; yet there’s nothing I can do to make it go away. And I don’t want it to fade.

“Someone’s in a better mood,” Jake remarks with a smirk. Seeing him sitting in my recliner, feeding a bottle to the baby in his arms, brings me up short. My brother’s had his fair share of oat sowing before settling down with Addy. There was a time when I didn’t think he’d ever just have one woman. But seeing him holding Camden…yeah, it’s not as bizarre as I expected.

“You actually look like you know what you’re doing. So when are you gonna get yourself one of those?” I ask him.

“Oh, hell no!” Jake says jumping up to hand off the baby and his bottle to me. Camden grumbles when his mouth comes off the nipple until I line it back up again. I’ve never fed him before, but if Jake can figure it out, then I’m sure I can too.

“You look like a natural yourself, Jordan,” Addy says from her seat on the sofa.

“Damn right. I’m gonna be this kid’s favorite uncle,” I tell them, sitting down next to her.

Speaking of uncles, another one walks through the door like he owns the place. “Jake-
ass
? You in town and didn’t bother to tell me?” Josh calls out, using the name Addy gifted our younger brother with. Josh obviously saw his car in the driveway.

“Son of a bitch. Literally,” Josh says when he finds us all in the living room. “Don’t tell me you two are buying into this bullshit.”

I swear that if I wasn’t holding the baby I would’ve choked him to death with my bare hands.

Jake is on it, thankfully, snatching our smaller brother up by the back of his shirt to show him out the door.

“Well, that was uncalled for,” Addy says, and I try to calm my maxed out blood pressure.

“I’m gonna end up killing him. Or Jason. Maybe both,” I tell her while looking at the dark eyes blinking up at me. I’m pretty sure Camden's asking, "
What's the hell is his problem
?" No clue buddy.

“How’s Maggie?” Addy asks softly.

“Better than I expected.” Much better, in fact. I had no intentions of letting things escalate the way they did, especially after what she just went through last night. But I've never wanted anyone as much as I wanted her. I’m really fucking happy that she said she wants to sleep in my bed with me and that she wants my hands on her. And my mouth. I was terrified last night, as I waited to see her, to hold her and make sure she was okay. Now, I don’t want to stop touching her.

“Good, I'm glad. That’s a traumatic experience to go through. Is she going to stay here for a while so she won’t have to be alone?”

“Yep.” She’s gonna stay with me in my bed, every night. And as soon as the doctor clears her, it’s gonna be on hopefully.

“It would probably be good if she went to talk to someone. I would be glad to do some one on one with her if she says that’s what she wants.”

“Thanks, Addy. I appreciate that.”

“I know it’s none of my business, but DNA tests are easy and nothing more than a cheek swab. Then you can shut your brother up.”

“Yeah, but how do we get one from Jason?”

“He might be able to get a few days leave for this,” she says.

“Maybe. I’ll talk to Mags and see what she thinks.”

“You look like you’re head over heels,” Addy remarks.

I shake my head fervently in denial. “I haven’t even known her but for a week.”

“So?”

“So, that’s crazy,” I reply. But when Maggie walks into the room, her indigo eyes bright, hair wet and pulled back, fresh from the shower, looking well rested for the first time, I think Addy might be right.

“I had no idea it was mid-afternoon. You should’ve woke me up,” she says, standing before us in one of my tees and some sweats that I laid out for her. They swallow her small frame, and I’m jealous of them rubbing her curves. Jealous of pieces of clothing. Yeah, I’ve lost it.

“You needed to rest, and I think Addy’s getting baby fever,” I tease. “Maggie, this is Addison. Addison, Maggie.”

“Nice to meet you,” Maggie says. “Thanks for taking care of Camden for me. Has he been real fussy?”

“No, although he’s been guzzling bottles almost as fast as we can make them. He’s been happy, and even Jake doesn’t want to put him down,” Addy says and then laughs. “I think the little guy missed his mama, though, because he kept sucking on our shirts.”

When Maggie blushes, I’d almost bet my balls that she’s thinking about my mouth on her, sucking on her titties while we both got off. I can still taste the sweet flavor of her milk, and I want more. That probably makes me a sick pervert, but it was too fucking good not to do again. I can’t wait to taste her somewhere else too.

Leaning over the arm of the chair, she gently runs her hand over the baby’s head, putting her titties I’ve been obsessing over at eye level. She’s killing me. If I wasn’t holding a baby, and if we didn’t have company, I would be pouncing on her right now. But I am holding my nephew, and we do have guests. Later, definitely later.

“You want me to take over?” she asks.

“I’m fine, but I know you’ve missed him.” I pull the bottle free and she takes Camden from my arms. Then, yes, I watch as she lifts her shirt and puts him on her breast. “I’ll go get a towel so you can cover up before Jake comes back in.”

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t know he was here,” she says with a brighter flush.

“He stepped outside,” I explain. Now that my hands are empty, I decide to have words with my asshole sibling after I grab a towel from the bathroom and take it to Maggie.

Stepping out the front door, I hear their raised voices before I see them standing at the end of the driveway next to Josh’s black Mazda.

“You’re an idiot, man,” Josh says to Jake.

“Maybe, but I'm an idiot that can kick your ass.”

“Why are you still here?” I ask when I approach them.

“Why is
she
here? I’m your fucking brother. What happened to bros before hoes?”

“Do you want me to bust your mouth open again?” I ask him, my fist clenching to do just that.

“You’re awfully defensive, Jordy,” Josh remarks. “Is she sucking your cock and got you all strung out? Jason and the entire football team used to swear that she gave amazing head.”

I launch myself at his smirking face, and only Jake stepping in between us saves him from taking a nap on my concrete driveway.

“Holy shit!” Josh throws his head back and laughs. “You are. You’re fucking her! Your little brother’s sloppy seconds. No, more like sloppy
hundreds
. Did she tell you about that time she fucked me? Hell, Jake's probably pounded that pussy, too.”

“You know what?” Jake says from between us where he's got a hand on my chest. “You deserve an ass kicking.” Then he lets me go and jumps out of the way. As soon as he does, I pummel Josh's face with both fists. He swings at me and lands a few blows, but I’m bigger and angrier, so he takes the brunt of the damage. 

“Okay, Jordan, that’s enough!” Jake yells, pulling me off my younger brother with an arm around my heaving chest.

Lying flat on his back on the ground, Josh’s lip is bleeding, along with a cut along his brow. One eye is almost swollen shut. Yet, even all that doesn’t seem like he’s suffered enough for the shit that just came out of his mouth.

“Josh, get in your car and get the hell out of here before he goes off on you again,” Jake warns him.

“Fuck you both,” he mutters, spitting out a mouthful of blood on the ground before getting up and stumbling to his car, finally driving away.

“What the hell is his problem?” I ask Jake.

“Who the hell knows? Forget his dumbass. You’ve got enough to worry about.”

“He’s gonna tell Jason,” I tell him with a sigh.

“Yeah, probably. Then you’ll have two dumbasses to deal with,” Jake replies.

“Can’t wait. I better warn Maggie. At least when Jason knows, she can take his ass to court and make him cough up some money,” I say, trying my best to look on the bright side.

Maggie

Camden's tiny little face is resting in my hand while I pat his back, trying to get him to burp when Jordan storms back into his house and heads for the bathroom without a word.

Jake is right behind him. He strolls into the living room, giving Addison some sort of look I can't decipher.

"Hey, it's Maggie, right?" he says after he takes a seat on the couch.

"Yeah. Good to see you again, Jake. I watch all of the Wildcats' games on TV," I admit to the famous player. Thankfully they come on the local channels since I can't afford cable.

"Oh really?" he asks with a smile.

"Yep. Is Zack Bradford as arrogant and annoying as he seems on camera?" I ask of the star quarterback.

Jake throws his head back laughing, saying, "Yes" at the same time Addison says, "No."

"He's gotten better over the last few months since he married Natalie. Here, let me have Camden, so you can take Jordy some ice," Jake suggests.

"Ice?" I ask him in confusion.

"Yeah, probably two packs, one for the knuckles on each hand."

"Why does he need ice for his hands?" I ask.

"Maggie didn't know Josh was here," Addison says to Jake.

"Okay, what's going on?" I ask.

"If I had to guess, I would bet Jordan just beat the shit out of Josh because he was running his mouth," Addison explains.

"Oh," I mutter, still confused. Josh has never pretended to like me. In fact, he usually sneers at me and makes some derogatory comment. "Do they fight a lot?" I ask Jake.

"Not in a few years," he answers.

"So, what were they-" I gasp in understanding. "Me?" I ask. Placing Camden in Jake's outstretched arms, I head to the bathroom to find Jordan.

He's bent over the sink, rinsing off his hands, chest still heaving.

"Are you okay?" I ask. "Can I get you some ice?"

"No, I'm fine," he says without lifting his eyes to mine. I stand there and watch the red-tinted water swirl down the drain.

"You're bleeding," I state the obvious.                        

"It's nothing. Just a few scrapes."

"I'm sorry. You really shouldn't have hit your brother because he ran his mouth about me. I've gotten used to it."

"Used to it?" Jordan asks, his jaw clenched when he finally looks up at me.

"He hates me and calls me a slut," I say with a shrug. 

"He shouldn't say that shit to you or about you."

"Why not? It's true. I was pretty wild and crazy in high school."

"I'm sure Jason wasn't exactly the best influence on you," Jordan counters.

"He wasn't, but he didn't make me drink or get high with him. Or fuck other guys to try and make him jealous," I admit. Like his own brother, Josh.

"You did that? You fucked other guys to get Jason’s attention?"

"Uh-huh. A few times after I found out he had cheated on me, or when he would break up with me for someone else. Love makes you do stupid things."

"You love him?" he asks. While I consider the question, Jordan turns off the water, dries his hands on a towel and leans his back against the counter. He crosses his arms over his chest and raises a dark eyebrow as if to say,
I'm waiting
. 

"I did. It's hard to let go and forget your first love." The intensity of Jordan’s gaze causes my fingers to fidget nervously with the hem of his tee that I’m wearing.

"And now?" he asks.

"I-I don't know. Probably. When he's not being a complete jerk."

"Then that's not very often," Jordan mutters.

"I guess not," I agree with a smile.

"Josh is probably gonna tell him."

"I know," I say with a heavy sigh. "He has a right to see Camden. I just hope he won't be an asshole and come and go out of his life."

Jordan's quiet for several moments before he says, "Maybe...I think you should stay in the guest room."

Then he leaves me standing in the bathroom, wondering what the heck just happened.

…

Jordan

She loves him. She still loves my jackass brother. What the fuck am I supposed to do with that? After giving a quick heads-up to Jake and Addy that I need to run to the store, I jump in my truck and leave, just to get away and think.

Maggie admitted she slept with other guys to make Jason jealous. Is that what she's doing with me? Is that why she slept with Josh? If she actually did. She didn't mention it, so maybe he was lying.

I'm so fucking torn. If she still loves Jason, then shouldn't I give them a chance to work things out since they have a baby together? But he doesn't give a shit about her. I'm starting to think I actually do. I know I do, dammit, even if I haven't known her all that long. So, how am I supposed to keep my distance while she's staying with me? Not sleep in the same bed, that’s for fucking sure.

After grabbing some steaks from the store, I head home and go straight to the backyard to grill them. It'll give me more time to think while keeping my distance.

"You okay?" Jake asks when he joins me.

"Fucking awesome."

"I don't know what the hell Josh's problem is, but don't let the shit he said get to you."

"It's not that," I admit. "Well, not
just
that. Maggie says she still cares about Jason."

"Why?" Jake exclaims. "He broke up with her more times than I remember, and I'm pretty sure he cheated on her when they were together."

"No clue," I reply. "Maybe because they have a kid together."

"Maybe," he agrees.

There are so many reasons why I shouldn’t get involved with Maggie. I would be an asshole to go after my little brother’s ex, and she’s so much younger than me. Both of those seem like shitty excuses, though, when I think about waking up with her. I can’t deny that sparks were flying like a motherfucker in my bed. It was one of the hottest make-out sessions of my life, and I’ve been with my fair share of women. But a part of me still wonders if this whole deal is one-sided, if I’m just a stand-in for my brother.