Three's A Crowd. (Now Published On Amazon)

Chapter Twenty-six.

Cole

I was lying in bed an hour later, unable to bring myself to go down and eat breakfast even though Skye's friend, Olivia had hollered about a dozen times now.

I felt so depressed. Attraction and some feelings were totally understandable between two hot people who lived together but they went and fell in fucking love??? I left them alone to sort out their issues and they had a revelation instead?

That was kind of funny and devastating at the same time. Jasper. I had never expected it from Jasper. He had seemed to hate her even if he tried to hide it from me at first. Skye got emotional more easily and she had never resented Jasper from the beginning since he was there first and she understood that. My sweet Skye. And my Jasper.

Now I had to share them.

Jesus, why was I such a selfish bastard? They did the same for me, right? They watched me be with the other person on a daily basis. Jasper sacrificed so much for me. Compromised so much. Skye gave me everything I wished for in a woman. The thought of losing her killed me and losing Jasper was completely out of the question.

So I had to make the best out of a bad situation. I had to learn to give more and take less. It was time for me to sacrifice something for those two. They spoiled me too much, anyway. I had to learn to grow up now. A tear rolled down my cheek. Old insecurities sprang up from never having had a family of my own. Giving up something that belonged only to me was hard for me. It had always been my weakest point.

I thought about the way Skye had cried in my arms because she felt so bad about her conflicting emotions and the whole time my eyes had stayed on Jasper who looked as though he wanted to snatch her from me and protect her from her own pain but for my sake, he stayed his arms.

Fuck.

I had never felt this kind of raw emotion in my life like I felt for the two of them.

"Damn it, Cole, I can't see you like this," Jasper's gruff voice intruded upon my thoughts. "I'm so fucking sorry about Skye. I didn't even realise when I started to-"

"Been there. Done that," I told him carelessly. "Welcome to my world, baby."

He exhaled roughly and moved to sit beside me on the bed, burying his face in his hands.

I glanced over at him. So close. So tortured. My love.

My hand crept out to caress his broad back. "Tell me it gets better. That you get used to seeing the person you love be with somebody else," I begged him softly because I did not trust myself to be able to do this without losing my shit. Was I even strong enough? Selfless enough?

Jasper let out another breath and straightened. "It only got better for me when I started to care for her too. The day before I left for London. I didn't resent her anymore or feel angry when I saw you with her. In fact, I started to want that," he finished in a whisper.

I sighed. "Okay. That helps. But I swear to God, Jasper, if you scare her away-"

"Why do you keep saying that?" he erupted suddenly.

"Because she isn't very experienced and she's...Jasper she's just so fucking honest and emotional, I don't know if she can handle your brand of sex."

He choked upon hearing my words and got to his feet. "You coddle her too much," he snapped at me. "She's not fragile, Cole. And it's not like I'm some kind of savage. You're just being a jealous prick. And there's no need to be because you're just as important to me."

I fell quiet after that, pondering upon his words. I did feel jealous. And kind of sick. Shit, is this what I caused Jasper to go through when I told him about Skye? It felt like hell.