Read Online Longing for Kayla by Lauren Fraser - Free Book Online Page A

farther into the room. “Hey, man, is there more of that?” The tilt of his head indicated the cup of coffee that sat untouched in front of Chris on the table.
    He swept his hand in the direction of the pot. “Help yourself.”
    Jesse moved toward the counter and took two cups from the cupboard. While he filled the mugs and doctored up the coffee as if it were the most natural thing in the world, Chris just stared at him. How could he act so normal?
    Kayla eased her body into the chair beside him and took Chris’ hand in hers. “Can we talk?”
    He looked at her, then at Jesse who had stopped what he was doing and stood motionless at the counter, staring at them with a hesitant look on his face. To say it was an awkward morning after was putting it mildly.
    Chris pushed his chair back from the table and stood up. “I can’t do this right now,” he said and walked out of the room.
    Soft footsteps sounded on the floor behind him. In his haste to get the hell out of there, he threw his jacket over his bare chest, not even bothering to get fully dressed, grabbed his ski pants and stepped into his boots with bare feet.
    “Chris, please.”
    The pleading tone of her voice almost brought him to his knees. He turned and looked at her. Regret filled every inch of his body. “I’m sorry, Kay. I just can’t do this right now.”
    He turned and pulled open the cabin door, yanked his snowboard up into his arms and walked away.
    * * * * *
     
    Kayla watched him until he got in the line for the bullet express chair. He never once looked back. With a sigh, she closed the cabin door and walked back inside to find Jesse. She found him at the kitchen table, a cup of coffee between his hands, his head on the table.
    Strong, unshakeable Jesse looked broken. Her heart ached to see him like this. She walked up behind him and placed her hand on his shoulder. He glanced up with a weak smile on his face. “Oh Jes,” she murmured and ran her fingers through his hair to comfort him.
    Jesse shifted in his chair so he was facing her and wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face in her chest. “Jesus, Kay. What the fuck did I do?” The question tore from his mouth against her body with so much emotion it cut through her chest like a knife.
    “It’ll be all right, Jes.” Kayla stroked his hair, offering the only comfort she could. If this thing between them was going to work, they all needed to be on board. “How long have you been in love with Chris?”
    Jesse pulled back from her. “What?”
    “Come on, Jes, this is me you’re talking to. How long have you been in love with Chris?”
    He roughly ran his fingers through his hair. “Fuck, this is messed up.”
    “Why didn’t you tell him?”
    Jesse’s bitter laughter broke through the silence. “Yeah, ’cause clearly that would have gone well.” He paused then looked up at her and took her hand. “This wasn’t all about me wanting to get with Chris.” His fingers traced a pattern across her palm. “I mean, what happened between us was pretty fucking amazing.”
    “I know. I was there.” Kayla smiled.
    “How fucked up is it that I want to fuck both of my best friends?”
    With a grin on her face, Kayla raised her palms. “Pfft, I know the feeling.”
    She wrapped her arms around Jesse and held him against her body. “I get it, Jes. I wanted you both so badly there was no way I could choose between you. What the three of us share has always been amazing. The only thing missing between us was sex, and now that I know how incredible that can be… Wow.”
    “Yeah, well don’t get used to it because I don’t think Chris is going to come around to our way of thinking.” His sullen voice almost made her laugh. Jesse had never been good with not getting his own way.
    “Give him time, Jes. We both have had years of fantasizing about this idea. For Chris, this is all really new.”
    “He’s been in love with you since we were kids.” Jesse groaned and roughly