Page 22 of Sinful Seduction

Beau stood and took a step toward her, but stopped when her body jerked violently back.He held out his arm.“Easy.”

Jayla held her hand up, palm out.“Just stay away from me.”

“Tell us right now if you’re a virgin,” Diego growled.

Jayla threw her arms out.“Yes.There.Are you happy now?I know I’m different.I know I’m not someone people want to be around.I’ve known for a long time, but why does this matter to you guys?”

Diego stood and turned his back to them as he rubbed the back of his neck.“It matters because we both want you,” he said, but didn’t turn.

Jayla stood shocked for a complete minute before a strangled laugh burst out, then quickly turned into tears she’d held in too long.Her hands covered her face, and she bent forward as the emotional pain ripped through her.

Beau swept her up, and despite her struggles, sat down with her on the sofa and on his lap.One of his arms was around her back, supporting her, and the other swept the hair from her face.“We have a lot to talk about, and it sounds like there are a lot of issues we need to go over.”He pressed her against his chest and let her cry.

Diego sat down and then maneuvered himself until her legs were draped over his.

“Sshh, honey.Everything is going to be okay,” Beau crooned to her.

She started winding down a few minutes later.“Can I get up?”

Beau tightened his arms.“Not yet.”

“Can I at least have the Kleenex box?”she mumbled against his chest.

Diego leaned to the side and snatched the box off the table next to the sofa.“Here you go.”

Jayla didn’t say anything as she wiped her face and blew her nose.“I just want to say I’m sorry for the tears.Your joke caught me off guard, and I couldn’t seem to stop my laugh from turning into tears.It’s been a tiring few days.”She looked down at her hands as they twisted a tissue.

“What joke?”Beau frowned.

“About you wanting me.I would like to understand why you find it humorous to poke fun at me?Not only do I know you don’t want me, but we also wouldn’t be able to have a relationship like that.”

Diego used the side of his hand to tilt her head up.“We’ll get into the relationship aspect later, but he wasn’t lying about wanting you.”

Jayla pulled her head away.“I don’t want to play this game anymo...”her voice broke.“Please just leave me in peace and take me to town.”

Beau looked at Diego over her head.“It looks like we did more damage than we thought.”

Diego’s worried gaze stayed on her.“Jayla, when you walked out of the bathroom for the first time, it felt like someone sucker punched me.I’ve never wanted a woman—” He held up a hand when she opened her mouth.“Wait.Just listen.”He continued when she shut her mouth.“I have never wanted a woman the way I want you.Something you said or did tipped Beau off that you might be a virgin.”He cleared his throat.“When I was eighteen, I met a girl I worked with, and we hit it off.She was very sweet, and I couldn’t believe she was talking to me.You see, both Beau and I grew up in an orphanage outside of Waco, Texas.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.I know what it’s like to be an orphan.”

“But you at least had the director,” Beau reminded her.

“No, I didn’t.Within a week of my parents’ deaths, he shipped me off to an all-girls boarding school on the opposite end of the US.”

The men looked at each other and wondered what reason he had to do that.Beau glanced at Diego quickly before putting his gaze on her.“Maybe he had reason.”

Jayla laughed without a bit of humor.“Oh, he did.He didn’t want me around.”

“I can’t see it.The director sounded very concerned about your welfare.”Diego bent to see her eyes.“I don’t think we imagined it.”

“Well, I have fifteen years to show how much he didn’t care.But I don’t want to talk about it anymore.Go on.”

“Anyway, the girl’s name was Trisha, and everything seemed to be going well for several months.The only thing I was sad about was Beau, and I always said we’d want to share our women.The few times I hinted at it, she blew up.”

Jayla’s shocked gaze went from one to the other.“Let me get this straight.You both, together, want a relationship with one woman at the same time?”

Beau nodded.“It happens more than you think, Jayla.Just keep an open mind for now.”